An autoteach system includes an autoteach pin that is a scannable feature having a fixed position within the autoteach system. The autoteach pin enables an autoteach operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach operation is an operation to automatically teach the fixed position within the autoteach system to the robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach pin includes a first portion including a cylindrical sidewall. The robot arm is to use the first portion to locate the fixed position within the autoteach system. The autoteach portion further includes a second portion including planar sidewalls that are configured to enable calibration of robot arm error.

A robotic manipulator for handling a cassette and an automated cassette transport device are disclosed, the device including a mechanical arm (1), an end actuator (2) at an end of the mechanical arm (1) and a vision-based locating assembly (3) on the end actuator (2). On the one hand, the vision-based locating assembly (3) can determine the position of a flange of the cassette, thereby identifying the cassette. In other words, the cassette can be identified based on a feature of the cassette itself. This dispense with a separate locating marker while improving cassette measuring and handling accuracy. On the other hand, transportation of the cassette is allowed by complementary retention of its flange on a recessed surface of the end actuator (2).

Provided is a wafer container including a frame having a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending along a YZ plane; a plurality of first support structures disposed on the first sidewall and arranged along a Z direction; and a plurality of second support structures disposed on the second sidewall and arranged along the Z direction. One of the plurality of first support structures is horizontally aligned with a corresponding second support structure to constitute a wafer holder. The wafer holder includes a plurality of island structures to hold a wafer in a XY plane, and the plurality of island structures are separated to each other along a X direction. A method for holding at least one wafer is also provided.

There is provided a substrate storage container 1 capable of suppressing deformation of a functional member insert-molded and a method of manufacturing the container 1, and an device positioning member 4 as the functional member including: an attachment part 41 having a thick section 413 formed in thickness equal to a wall member of a container body 10 or a lid 20 and a thin section 410 decreasing in thickness as it approaches toward an outer edge from the thick section 413; and a body part 42 coupled to the attachment part 41, the device positioning member 4 being disposed on the container body 10 or the lid 20 so that a first surface 420 of the thick section 413 is flush with an inner surface of the wall member.

There is provided a technique that includes: a boat including plural slots to hold at least one substrate; a process furnace that processes the at least one substrate held in the boat; a boat elevator that raises and lowers the boat; a transfer device that transfers the at least one substrate between plural carriers where the at least one substrate is stored and the boat; and a controller capable of controlling the boat elevator and the transfer device, wherein the controller sets plural positions where the transfer device transfers the at least one substrate to the boat elevator, and select the positions to minimize a number of shifts among the positions of the boat elevator or total time taken during the shifts.

An autoteach enclosure system includes a plurality of surfaces that at least partially enclose an interior volume of the autoteach enclosure system. The autoteach enclosure system further includes an autoteach pin at least partially disposed within the interior volume. The autoteach pin is a scannable feature having a fixed position within the autoteach enclosure system. The autoteach enclosure system further includes a front interface coupled to one or more of the plurality of surfaces to interface the autoteach enclosure system with a substantially vertical portion of a load port of a wafer processing system. The autoteach pin enables an autoteach operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system. The autoteach operation is an operation to automatically teach the fixed position within the autoteach enclosure system to the robot arm of the wafer processing system.

The present invention relates to a wafer storage container capable of removing fumes on a wafer or removing moisture therefrom by supplying purge gas to the wafer stored in a storage chamber. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wafer storage container capable of quickly blocking an injection hole and an exhaust hole and of preventing contaminants from flowing into a storage chamber upon the blocking of the exhaust hole.

The disclosure relates to an apparatus for processing wafers with a process chamber to process wafers held in a wafer boat; a cassette handler chamber to handle wafer cassettes; and, a wafer handler chamber provided with a wafer handler to transfer wafers from wafer cassettes to the wafer boat. The wafer handler is constructed and arranged to transfer wafers between a wafer storage, the wafer boat and wafer cassettes.

Corrosion resistance of valves is enhanced, while ensuring the check valve function of the valves against an inflow of outside air. Disclosed is a substrate storage container that includes: a container body for storing at least one substrate; a lid for closing an opening of the container body; and at least one valve for controlling gas flow to the container body or from the container body. The at least one valve includes an elastic, non-metallic seal lip in a communication passage that extends in a first direction and communicates between an outside of the container body and an inside of the container body. The seal lip has an umbrella-like form which closes on one side in the first direction and opens on the other side in the first direction, the seal lip abutting an inner peripheral wall of the communication passage on the other side.

A cassette lid opening device for use in a clean room apparatus configured for cooperation with a wafer cassette. The cassette lid opening device comprises a wall structure having a separation wall having a wall opening for transferring wafers therethrough, a cassette docking port, and a lid handler provided to the wall structure. The cassette docking port is arranged at a first side of the wall structure for docking a wafer cassette. The lid handler is movable relative to the wall opening and configured to engage a cassette lid of the wafer cassette docked in the cassette docking port. The cassette lid opening device further comprises a blower having an elongated, slit-like nozzle substantially spanning a height or a width of the wall opening and configured to blow a curtain-shaped jet stream of a purge gas into a cassette interior of the wafer cassette.