Patent ID: 8398355
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a transport chamber capable of holding an isolated atmosphere therein and communicably connected to a charging station for loading and unloading a substrate into the apparatus; a transport system inside the transport chamber for transporting the substrate; and an array of processing chamber modules distributed alongside the transport chamber and communicably connected to the transport chamber to allow the substrate to be transferred therebetween; wherein the transport chamber is capable of being linearly elongated longitudinally and comprises: at least one transport chamber node, each of which includes control features having a predetermined relationship with a node reference datum and being established based on a global reference datum of the substrate processing apparatus where the control features are configured so that the at least one transport chamber node is fully interchangeable with other different ones of the at least one transport chamber node and defining position deterministic features that finally position and align a respective transport chamber node coincident with installation enabling the transport system handling of substrates through the transport chamber and so that each of the at least one transport chamber node is capable of being communicably connected in series to at least another transport chamber node of the transport chamber through the control features for effecting the elongation, and of tying at least two chamber modules of the apparatus to each other on a common side of each of the at least one transport chamber node and optionally on opposite sides of each of the at least one transport chamber node, each node having a resident substrate transport arm therein for transporting the substrate between the transport chamber node and the at least two chamber modules; and a substrate buffer, communicably connected to the at least one transport chamber node, buffering the substrate.