Patent ID: 7959395
Filing Date: 2011-06-14
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a transport chamber, capable of holding an isolated atmosphere isolated from an outside atmosphere, and defining more than one stacked substantially linear substrate transport paths extending longitudinally along the transport chamber between opposing walls of the transport chamber, the more than one stacked substantially linear substrate paths being stacked one above the other; a generally linear array of substrate holding modules alongside at least one of the opposing walls of the transport chamber, each communicably connected to the chamber, through the at least one of the opposing walls, to allow passage of a substrate between transport chamber and holding module, the substantially linear substrate transport paths extending along the at least one of the opposing walls; and a substrate transport located in and movably mounted to the transport chamber for transporting the substrate along the more than one stacked substantially linear substrate transport paths, the substrate transport having at least one transporter capable of holding and moving the substrate; and a substrate transport drive operably connected to the substrate transport, and having a drive motor for moving the transporter in at least two substantially orthogonal directions, the two substantially orthogonal directions respectively effecting travel along and between the more than one stacked substantially linear substrate transport paths, the at least one transporter translatably interfacing a wall of the transport chamber for moving along at least one of the more than one stacked substantially linear substrate transport paths, and the drive motor being fixedly mounted to the wall; wherein the transport chamber has interfaces for mating with other substrate holding modules at opposite ends of the transport chamber, each interface having an opening through which at least one of the more than one stacked substantially linear substrate transport paths extends, and the transport chamber has a selectably variable longitudinal length between the interfaces.