SYSTEM COPING WITH FAILURE OF SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To continue a substrate treatment even if a failure is produced in one of processing systems by using the remaining normal processing systems and improve the production efficiency as a whole. SOLUTION: In a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, substrates are separately treated by a plurality of process systems (PM1/PM2 and PM4/PM3). If a failure is produced in one (PM1/PM2) of the process systems, an integrated controller detects the failure and substrates which are to be treated by the process system in which the failure is produced are transferred to the other normal process system (PM4/PM3) and the treatment of substrates is continued. By continuing the substrate treatment as above described, the production efficiency as a whole can be improved in comparison with the conventional constitution wherein the treatment is interrupted. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT