A travelling path includes a first path and a second path that branches off from or merges with the first path at a connection position of the first path. A management area and a check area are provided for the first path. The management area includes a section from the connection position to a position that is at a first preset distance upstream of the connection position, and a section from the connection position to a position that is at a second preset distance downstream of the connection position. The check area includes a section from a preset position to a position that is at a fourth preset distance upstream of the preset position. In a state where an article transport vehicle that includes a control unit is located in the check area, the control unit determines whether or not the article transport vehicle is in a leading state where no other article transport vehicle is present forward of the article transport vehicle in the check area.

An article transport facility includes a transport device which has a connecting portion connected to the storage device, and which is configured to transport an article. The connecting portion is located on the first side with respect to the first path whereas a subject path is located on the second side with respect to the first path. The transporting path of an article by the transport device is so located to cross the first path in plan view and to extend at least from the connecting portion and to the second side with respect to the first path. A first transfer portion to or from which an article is transferred by a transport vehicle traveling along the subject path is set in a portion of the transporting path that is located on the second side with respect to the first path.

A substrate treating apparatus includes a front heat-treating block, a front relay block and a solution treating block. The front heat-treating block has heat-treating units and main transport mechanisms. The front relay block has receivers and transport mechanisms. The solution treating block has solution treating units and transport mechanisms for solution treatment. The front heat-treating block and front relay block are connected to be able to transport substrates reciprocally. The front relay block and solution treating block are connected to be able to transport the substrates reciprocally. The front relay block is disposed between the solution treating block and front heat-treating block.

A semiconductor device die transfer apparatus includes a first frame to hold a wafer tape having a plurality of semiconductor device die disposed on a side of the wafer tape and a second frame to secure a product substrate having a circuit trace thereon. The second frame is configured to secure the product substrate such that the circuit trace is disposed facing the plurality of semiconductor device die on the wafer tape. Additionally, a rotary transfer collet is disposed between the wafer tape and the product substrate. The rotary transfer collet has a rotational axis allowing rotation from a first position facing the wafer tape to pick a die of the plurality of semiconductor device die to a second position facing the circuit trace on the product substrate to release the die, thereby applying the die directly on the product substrate during a transfer operation.

A vacuum system for depositing a plurality of materials on a substrate is described. The vacuum system includes a plurality of deposition modules arranged along a main transport direction and including deposition sources which are movable in the main transport direction; and a transport system with a plurality of tracks extending in the main transport direction through the plurality of deposition modules and including a first mask track for mask transport, a first substrate track for substrate transport and a return track for returning empty carriers.

A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a carrier mounting part, a substrate mounting part, a first transfer device, a plurality of processing parts, a second transfer device and a controller. The carrier mounting part mounts a carrier that accommodates a plurality of substrates. The first transfer device transfers the substrates between the carrier and a substrate mounting part. The controller causes the first transfer device to execute a take-out operation for taking out the substrate from the carrier to mount the substrate on the substrate mounting part at time intervals equal to or longer than a time required for the first transfer device to take out the substrate from the carrier to mount the substrate on the substrate mounting part and to take out the substrate from the substrate mounting part to accommodate the substrate in the carrier.

An automated workpiece conveying vehicle included in a conveyance system that conveys a workpiece to each of a plurality of processing apparatuses is provided. The automated workpiece conveying vehicle includes: a workpiece support part that supports the workpiece; a traveling mechanism provided on the workpiece support part; a vibration detection unit that detects vibration of the workpiece support part and records the vibration as vibration data; and a receiver that receives a control signal transmitted from a control unit included in the conveyance system, the control signal instructing conveyance of the workpiece to the processing apparatus.

A carrier for use in a vacuum system is described. The carrier includes: a magnet arrangement including one or more first permanent magnets; one or more second permanent magnets; and a magnet device configured to change a magnetization of the one or more first permanent magnets. The carrier may be used for carrying a mask device or a substrate in the vacuum system. Further, a vacuum system and a method of operating a vacuum system are described.

A substrate processing apparatus includes an accommodating chamber including a loading shelf configured to load a storage vessel that accommodates a substrate; a transfer mechanism installed in a ceiling part of the accommodating chamber and configured to hold an upper portion of the storage vessel and transfer the storage vessel; and a port configured to load and unload the storage vessel to and from the accommodating chamber.

A vacuum processing apparatus, including: a vacuum chamber in which a single vacuum environment is formed; first and a second processing regions provided in the vacuum chamber for performing predetermined vacuum processing on a substrate held by a substrate holder of a plurality of substrate holders; a conveying path for conveying the substrate holder, the conveying path being formed such that a projection shape with respect to a vertical plane forms a continuous ring shape; and a substrate holder conveying mechanism configured to convey the plurality of substrate holders each having a first and a second driven part along the conveying path.