Patent ID: 6802934
Filing Date: 2004-10-12
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of transferring a plurality of objects in a processing apparatus, said method comprising:providing a processing apparatus comprising: a first enclosure defining a first transfer space having an atmosphere of atmospheric pressure; a load port site, in which a plurality of load ports are aligned adjacently to the first transfer space, each of the load ports being capable of mounting a cassette for accommodating objects to be processed; a second enclosure defining a second transfer space having an atmosphere of vacuum or negative pressure; a plurality of vacuum processing chambers arranged around the second transfer space, the vacuum processing chambers numbering NP, where NP is a natural number; a plurality of load lock chambers arranged between the first transfer space and the second transfer space, the load lock chambers numbering NL, where NL is a natural number, each of the load lock chambers being adapted to accommodate only one object therein; a positioning unit arranged adjacent to the first transfer space and adapted to adjust the positions of an object; a first transfer unit arranged in the first transfer space to transfer the objects among the cassette, the load lock chambers and the positioning unit, the first transfer unit having first and second holders each adapted to hold only one object; and a second transfer unit arranged in the second transfer space to transfer the objects between the load lock chambers and the vacuum processing chambers, the second transfer unit having first and second holders each adapted to hold only one object, operating the first transfer unit including the steps of: step S1 of removing an unprocessed object from a cassette mounted on one of the load ports by the first holder of the first transfer unit; step S2 of removing an unprocessed object, having been positioned by the positioning unit, from the positioning unit by the second holder of the first transfer unit; step S3 of delivering the unprocessed object, having been removed from the cassette, to the positioning unit by the first holder of the first transfer unit; step S4 of removing a processed object, having been processed by one of the vacuum processing chambers, from one of the load lock chambers by the first holder of the first transfer unit; step S5 of delivering the unprocessed object, having been removed from the positioning unit, to one of the load lock chambers, by the second holder of the first transfer unit; and step S6 of delivering the unprocessed object, having been removed from the load lock chamber, to a cassette mounted on one of the load ports by the first holder of the first transfer unit, and wherein the steps S1 to S6 are performed sequentially and cyclically, and performing an operation relating to one of the load lock chambers, the operation including the steps of: step S1â€² of delivering an unprocessed object to the load lock chamber by the second holder of the first transfer unit; step S2â€² of evacuating the load lock chamber so that an atmosphere of vacuum or negative pressure is established in the load lock chamber; step S3â€² of removing the unprocessed object from the load lock chamber by the second holder of the second transfer unit; step S4â€² of delivering a processed object to the load lock chamber by the first holder of the second transfer unit; step S5â€² of venting the load lock chamber so that an atmosphere of atmospheric pressure is established in the load lock chamber; and step S6â€² of removing the processed object from the load lock chamber by the first holder of the first transfer unit, wherein the steps S1â€² to S6 are performed sequentially and cyclically, and wherein T1 is substantially equal to T3/NL, where T1 is a cycle time of the first transfer unit which is a time required for performing steps S1 to S6 of the first transfer unit, and T3 is a cycle time of the load lock chamber which is a time required for performing steps S1â€² to S6â€² for the load lock chamber.