Patent ID: 11923217
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B | IPC B  H

Claim 11:
12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
using the shuttle, transferring the first FOUP from the interior space through the load lock door opening to a first shelf of a FOUP elevator system of the FOUP load lock;
moving the first shelf, with the first FOUP on the first shelf, to a loading position to provide the first FOUP to an overhead hoist transfer (OHT) system;
moving a second shelf of the FOUP elevator system, with a second FOUP on the second shelf, from a queueing position to the load lock door opening;
using the shuttle, transferring the second FOUP from the second shelf through the load lock door opening to the interior space;
after transferring the second FOUP from the second shelf, moving the second shelf to the loading position;
receiving a third FOUP on the second shelf at the loading position from the OHT system;
moving the second shelf, with the third FOUP on the second shelf, to the queueing position; and
moving the first shelf, without a FOUP on the first shelf, to the load lock door opening, the first shelf without a FOUP thereon being at the load lock door opening while the second shelf with the third FOUP thereon is at the queueing position.