LOCAL STORE FOR A WAFER PROCESSING STATION

摘要

A buffer apparatus (20) includes a vertically moving mechanism containing a plurality of horizontally moving mechanisms to store carriers (27A, 27B) and transfer carriers to and from a load port (29), and one or more buffer load ports adjacent to the buffer apparatus to charge and uncharged the buffer apparatus by means of a guided vehicle, an overhead vehicle, or a human. A buffer system includes a buffer apparatus (20) and a processing system load port (29) to transfer carriers (27A, 27B) from the buffer apparatus to a processing system load port (29).