System for transferring articles between controlled environments

摘要

A SMIF system for transferring semiconductor wafers between two controlled environments, one being within a wafer cassette carrier and the other being within an enclosure around a wafer processing apparatus. In a carrier loading position, a carrier door rests on a port door which forms part of a platform for vertically fixing and horizontally moving the cassette within the enclosure. A carrier cover, when unlocked from the carrier door, is engageable by a port plate for vertical movement therewith as an elevator mechanism moves the port plate between down and up positions. In the down position, the port door closes an enclosure opening defined by the port plate. In the up position, the port plate raises the carrier cover to allow access to the wafers in the cassette by an article processing apparatus. External and internal panels carried by the port plate cause the controlled environment of the enclosure to be extended to include a compartment containing the uncovered cassette. The cassette platform also rotates to position the cassette relative to the article processing apparatus.