In one example, a sorting unit includes a sorting system and a plurality of bins into which substrates are sorted. The sorting unit includes a bin handler having a first end effector for receiving one bin of the plurality of bins, and second end effector for disposing an empty bin in the previous location of the received bin. In one example, a method of operating a sorting unit is also provided.

The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor processing apparatus. The semiconductor processing apparatus includes a load lock designed to receive a wafer carrier; an inner wafer carrier buffer configured to hold the wafer carrier received from the load lock and to perform a nitrogen purge to the wafer carrier; and a processing module designed to perform a semiconductor process to wafers from the wafer.

A semiconductor processing system includes a first component forming a first chamber. A first sealed environment in the first chamber is at a first state prior to a door being opened. A load port structure is disposed between the first component and a second component. The load port structure includes walls disposed around an opening of the load port structure. The load port structure is separate from the first component and the second component. A third component is configured to change at least one of the first state of the first sealed environment within the first chamber or a second state of a second sealed environment within a second chamber formed by the second component to cause the first state and the second state to be substantially similar before the door between the first sealed environment and the second sealed environment is opened.

A transporter that moves between a plurality of transfer destinations at which articles can be placed, and transfers the article to the transfer destination, the transporter including a transferer capable of extending to or retracting from the transfer destination, and that places the article at the transfer destination in a state of having extended to the transfer destination from a waiting position; a detector that detects, after the transporter has transferred the article to the transfer destination, before the transporter starts moving toward another transfer destination, and before the transporter has returned to the waiting position, a posture or a position of the article; and a determiner that determines whether or not the posture or the position of the article is within a preliminarily set appropriate range, on the basis of detection results of the detector.

A method for producing a thin-film layer includes providing a layer stack on a carrier substrate, wherein the layer stack includes a carrier layer and a sacrificial layer, and wherein the sacrificial layer includes areas in which the carrier layer is exposed. The method includes providing the thin-film layer on the layer stack, such that the thin-film layer bears on the sacrificial layer and, in the areas of the sacrificial layer in which the carrier layer is exposed, against the carrier layer. The method includes at least partly removing the sacrificial layer from the thin-film layer in order to eliminate a contact between the thin-film layer and the sacrificial layer in some areas. The method also includes detaching the thin-film layer from the carrier layer.

A conveyance system includes a track, ceiling conveyance vehicles, storage apparatuses, and a conveyance controller configured or programmed to control operations of the ceiling conveyance vehicles and a local vehicle in accordance with an operation mode. The storage apparatus includes a storage plate and the local vehicle that transfer a FOUP between the storage plate and an apparatus port. The conveyance controller switches the operation mode among a first mode prohibiting transfer from the apparatus port to the storage plate by the local vehicle, a second mode prohibiting transfer to the storage plate by any of the ceiling conveyance vehicles and transfer from the storage plate to the apparatus port by the local vehicle, and a third mode that does not restrict transfer by the local vehicle.

Provided is a substrate processing apparatus capable of improving the workability of measuring a temperature-flat zone in a process furnace and the reliability of a temperature-flat length of a heater. The substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to process a substrate retained in a retainer loaded therein; a temperature measuring device configured to measure an inside temperature of the process chamber; a transfer device configured to transfer the substrate at least to the retainer; and a controller configured to control the transfer device and the temperature measuring device to move the transfer device to a predetermined position before the inside temperature of the process chamber is measured and to obtain the inside temperature by the temperature measuring device while vertically moving the transfer device with the temperature measuring device attached to the transfer device when the inside temperature of the process chamber is measured.

A semiconductor manufacturing system includes an operating terminal, a first controller, and a plurality of second controllers. The operating terminal controls a main controller. Each of the plurality of second controllers is electrically connected to the first controller. In an initial or default state, the operating terminal controls the first controller as a main controller, and when the first controller fails, the operating terminal controls one of the plurality of the second controllers as a main controller, the others of the plurality of second controllers being controlled by the main controller.

A method for automatically calibrating the position of a wafer handling robot relative to a wafer carrier. The method comprises providing a semiconductor processing assembly comprising the wafer carrier and the wafer handling robot having an end effector, placing a wafer on a wafer support surface of the end effector, moving the end effector to an end position adjacent the wafer carrier, determining a displacement of the wafer on the wafer support surface, repeating these steps until the magnitude of the displacement meets a set end criterion, and storing the latest used end position as a calibrated end position.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to process a substrate, a carrier mounting part configured to mount a carrier which accommodates the substrate, the substrate capable of being brought into and out of the carrier when a door of the carrier mounted on the carrier mounting part is opened, a carrier opener configured to open and close the door of the carrier mounted on the carrier mounting part, a purge gas supply part configured to supply an inert gas into the carrier with the door kept opened, and a control part configured to perform control so as to carry out at least one inert gas purge among a load purge, an unload purge and a standby purge.