AUTOMATED PROCESSING SYSTEM

摘要

An automated processing system (50) has an indexer bay (75) perpendicularly aligned with a process bay (95) within a clean air enclosure (54). An indexer (72) in the indexer bay (75) provides stocking or storage for work in progress wafers (90) or articles. Process chambers (68,70) are located in the process bay (95). A transfer robot (86) moves wafers (90) from a pod unsealed at a docking station into a carrier (88) at a transfer station. The carrier (88) has tapered or stepped outside surfaces engaging corresponding inside surfaces on a rotor within a process chamber (70). A process robot (66) moves between the indexer bay (75) and process bay (95) to carry wafers (90) to and from the process chambers (68,70). The process robot (66) has a robot arm vertically moveable along a lift rail. Wafers (90) are carried offset from the robot arm, to better avoid contamination. The automated system is compact and requires less clean room floor space.