Patent ID: 6162010
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: C23C,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for recovering an object to be treated in a multi-chamber treatment system after a treatment procedure is interrupted, said multi-chamber treatment system comprising: at least one treatment chamber for carrying out a predetermined treatment for said object; at least one post-treatment chamber for carrying out a post-treatment required after said treatment; at least one cassette chamber; a common transfer chamber, which is in communication with said treatment chamber, said post-treatment chamber and said cassette chamber via gate valves and which has at least one transport system for transporting said object; memory means for storing transport destination information for said object, wherein said transport destination information indicates which one of the cassette chamber, the treatment chamber or the post-treatment chamber the object is to be transported, said method comprising the steps of:determining whether said object is present in said treatment chamber or said post-treatment chamber when said transport system does not hold said object;transporting said object from said post-treatment chamber to said cassette chamber in accordance with the transport destination information of said object, after said post-treatment is carried out for said object, when said object exists in said post-treatment chamber;transporting said object from said treatment chamber to said post-treatment chamber when said object exists in said treatment chamber, when the transport destination information of said object is said post-treatment chamber, and transporting said object from said post-treatment chamber to said cassette chamber after said post-treatment is carried out for said object; andtransporting said object from said treatment chamber to said cassette chamber when said object exists in said treatment chamber, when the transport destination information of said object is said cassette chamber.