Patent ID: 6821082
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for transporting wafers from a first processing tool assigned to a first bay to a second processing tool assigned to a second bay, comprising the following steps:transferring said wafers from said first processing tool to at least one first intra-bay pod; transporting said at least one intra-bay pod to a first stationary storage system comprising a first buffer for storing a plurality of wafers out of pods; transferring said wafers into said first buffer via a first load-and-unload station; reading information from the wafers and labeling the wafers in the first buffer, wherein said labeling comprises storing information on the wafers as to a place of storage in the first stationary storage system; transferring said wafers from said first buffer to at least one pod; transporting said at least one pod to a second stationary storage system comprising a second buffer for storing a plurality of wafers out of pods; transferring said wafers from said at least one pod into said second buffer; reading information from the wafers and labeling the wafers in the second buffer; transferring said wafers from said second buffer to at least one second intra-bay pod; transporting said at least one second intra-bay pod to said second processing tool; and transferring said wafers from said at least one second intra-bay pod to said second processing tool.