Patent ID: 6684123
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for performing wafer packing in a system for fabricating integrated circuits that use a K-wafer load-lock (KWLL), where K is an integer greater than one, to facilitate moving wafers from a factory interface to a cluster tool comprising:if the KWLL does not contain a vacuum and the KWLL is empty, waiting for unprocessed wafers, loading the unprocessed wafers into the KWLL, and pumping the KWLL to vacuum, then moving the unprocessed wafers to the cluster tool; if the KWLL does contain a vacuum or is loaded with processed wafers, checking whether a factory interface contains any unprocessed wafers; if there are unprocessed wafer in the factory interface, venting the vacuum and loading unprocessed wafers into the KWLL; and if there are no wafers waiting in the factory interface, waiting for a call from the tool and move wafers from the KWLL into the cluster tool.