Patent ID: 6911112

Claim:
An apparatus for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising: a first batch reactor in which a first process is performed, the first batch reactor having an inlet; at least two second batch reactors in which the same second process is performed, the second process requiring more time to complete than the first process, and each of the second batch reactors having a respective inlet; a loadlock chamber that confronts the inlets of the first and second reactors so as to provide a path along which wafers can be transferred through the loadlock chamber between the first and either of the second reactors, the loadlock chamber being sealed from outside air; and a transfer module disposed in the loadlock chamber, the transfer module having a working envelope encompassing the inlets of said first and second reactors and operable to transfer respective groups of wafers to and from the reactors, wherein the transfer module comprises: a boat standby support configured to support the boats at a standby position; a wafer transferring device having a working envelope encompassing said boat standby support and operable to load wafers into a boat supported at the standby position; a first boat changer having a working envelope encompassing said standby position and locations respectively aligned with the inlets of the reactors, said first boat changer being operable to transfer the boats between said standby position and each of the inlets of the first and second reactors; and a respective boat elevator operable to transfer a said boat between each of said locations and the inside of the reactor that has an inlet adjacent the location.