| 摘要 |
A sorter for handling and sorting semiconductor wafers (W) is provided. The sorter has a housing (12), a handling and transport device (14) and at least one non-production wafer (NPW) buffer module (20). The housing has at least one holding area (40) for interfacing one or more semiconductor carriers (46) to the housing. The housing defines an access path along which semiconductor wafers are transported between the housing and the one or more semiconductor wafer carriers. The handling and transport device is connected to the housing for transporting semiconductor wafers along the access path. The at least one non-production wafer buffer module buffers non-production is connected to the housing. The at least one non-production wafer buffer module buffers non-production wafers sorted by the sorter to one or more semiconductor wafer carriers. The at least one non-production wafer buffer module is located so that non-production wafers are transported by the handling and transport device, when being sorted to one or more of the semiconductor wafer carriers, along a different path than the access path.
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