Patent ID: 6705828
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A sample conveying method using a conveying means having a conveying robot which conveys a sample in atmosphere between a cassette on a cassette conveyor, said cassette accommodating a plurality of samples, and a load lock chamber located at the entrance of a vacuum chamber, and between an unload lock chamber located at the entrance of the vacuum chamber and a cassette on said cassette conveyor which accommodates a plurality of samples, said conveying robot being anchored at a position adjacent said cassette conveyor and between said load lock chamber and said unload lock chamber, and said load lock chamber and said unload lock chamber being aligned in a row in front of said cassette conveyor, the method comprising the steps of:separately conveying each of a plurality of cassettes horizontally on said cassette conveyor in a direction parallel to said row in which said load lock chamber and said unload lock chamber are aligned to a position on said cassette conveyor where a conveyed cassette faces said conveying robot, holding said sample by a scooping device equipped on said conveying robot and vertically moving said sample for a predetermined amount, and moving said scooping device to transfer said sample between a cassette on said cassette conveyor and said load lock chamber and between said unload lock chamber and a cassette on said cassette conveyor.