| 摘要 |
An apparatus for transporting material, such as semiconductor wafers, between process modules (40, 44, 46) coupled to a chamber. The transport apparatus (10) includes a chamber (22), guide rails (24) affixed to an outer surface of the chamber; one or more material transporters (26) each including a motorized vehicle (80) positioned outside the chamber and movable along the guide rails, a material carrier (82) positioned inside the chamber, and magnetic levitation means (88, 90) for magnetically coupling the material carrier to the motorized vehicle through a nonmagnetic wall (66) of the chamber; and a controller (120) that controls the position of the motorized vehicle along the guide means to move the material carrier to desired positions within the chamber. |
