Patent ID: 8764370

Claim:
A bare substrate stocker comprising: a stocker storage for storing bare substrates, the stocker storage further comprising a storage robotic mechanism for accessing the substrates stored in the stocker storage; a stocker loading station configured for receiving a container containing substrates from an operator, the stocker loading station interfaced with the stocker storage for transferring substrates between the container and the stocker storage area; a transport buffer comprising: one or more buffer stations for storing one or more containers containing substrates, wherein the buffer stations are arranged in a two-row buffer station array with a linear container transfer mechanism in the middle of the two-row buffer station array wherein each row of the two-row buffer station array comprises a plurality of storage locations; a buffer loading station configured for supporting a container; and a buffer transfer mechanism to transfer a container between the buffer loading station and the buffer stations, wherein the transport buffer is configured to accept a container from the stocker loading station and from an automatic transport; and an interface mechanism adapted for transferring a container between the stocker loading station and the transport buffer.