AUTOMATED OPENING AND CLOSING OF ULTRA CLEAN STORAGE CONTAINERS

摘要

A substrate handling system is provided with a robot (78) having the dual functions of removing and replacing substrate-containing pod doors (38) and load lock chamber doors (40), and of transporting the substrates between the pods (81-84) and various processing stations (75-77). The robot is equipped with an end effector (58) having sockets (67-69) into which interchangeable tools (60, 66) for implementing the various functions are removably mounted. The tools are retrieved from various parking locations disposed within the system micro-environment, and automatic interchangeability of the tools is facilitated by a novel socket mechanism which engages and disengages the too ls to the robot arm (80) without introducing contaminants into the micro- environment.