WAFER TRANSPORT MODULE WITH ROTATABLE AND HORIZONTALLY EXTENDABLE WAFER HOLDER

摘要

A wafer transport module (10) interconnects a horizontal wafer handler (11) with a vertical wafer processor (12) and includes an evacuatable housing (26) with a first port (36) in communication with the horizontal wafer handler (11) and sized to permit passage of a wafer (35) therethrough in horizontal orientation and a second port (38) in communication with a load/unload station of the vertical wafer processor (12) and sized to permit passage of wafers (35) therethrough in vertical orientation. The transport module (10) includes a wafer holder (25) which supports a wafer (35) on a pedestal (52) and rotates the pedestal (52) and wafer (35) about an inclined axis (28) between horizontal orientation adjacent the first port (36) and vertical orientation adjacent and in alignment with the second port (38). The wafer holder (25) horizontally extends the vertically oriented platen (52) and wafer (35) from the second position through the second port (38) to the load/undload station of the vertical processor (12). After wafer processing, the sequence is reversed to return the wafer (35) to the horizontal wafer handler (11).