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

Claim 6:
7. A method for providing a substrate to a processing system, the method comprising:
positioning a first Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) at a load lock door opening of a FOUP load lock, wherein the substrates are in a horizontal position in the FOUP;
using a shuttle, transferring the first FOUP through the load lock door opening to an interior space of the FOUP load lock while maintaining the substrates in the horizontal position;
after transferring the first FOUP to the interior space, pumping down a pressure of the interior space; and
using the shuttle, positioning the first FOUP at a slit valve opening of the FOUP load lock.