A conveyor system includes a first conveyor line to convey an article in a first direction, a second conveyor line parallel or substantially parallel with the first conveyor line to convey the article in a second direction that is a direction opposite to the first direction, a backup line parallel or substantially parallel with the first conveyor line and the second conveyor line and able to change states between a state of conveying the article in the first direction and a state of conveying the article in the second direction, first connecting lines to convey the article between the first conveyor line and the backup line, and second connecting lines to convey the article between the second conveyor line and the backup line.

A substrate transfer device and method as well as a photolithography apparatus are disclosed. The device includes a motion platform and a plurality of transfer stages which are arranged side-by-side along a first direction are configured to transfer substrates in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The motion platform includes a base table and a plurality of motion tables in movable connection with the base table. Each of the transfer stages is connected to, and movable in the first direction with, a corresponding one of the motion tables. A pre-alignment assembly for pre-alignment and positional adjustments of the substrates is provided on the motion platform and on the transfer stages. When one of the transfer stages is unloading a first substrate, another one of the transfer stages receives a second substrate and effectuates its first- and second-directional pre-alignment with the aid of the pre-alignment assembly.

A method of operating a transport system includes detecting an anomalous condition of a wafer transfer vehicle; sending the wafer transfer vehicle along a rail to a diagnosis station adjacent to the rail; and inspecting properties of the wafer transfer vehicle, such as a speed, a weight, an audio frequency, a noise level, a temperature, and an image of the wafer transfer vehicle, by using the diagnosis station.

A substrate processing system including at least two vertically stacked transport chambers, each of the vertically stacked transport chambers including a plurality of openings arranged to form vertical stacks of openings configured for coupling to vertically stacked process modules, at least one of the vertically stacked transport chambers includes at least one transport chamber module arranged for coupling to another transport chamber module to form a linear transport chamber and another of the at least two stacked transport chambers including at least one transport chamber module arranged for coupling to another transport chamber module to form another linear transport chamber, and a transport robot disposed in each of the transport chamber modules, where a joint of the transport robot is locationally fixed along a linear path formed by the respective linear transport chamber.

A laser irradiation apparatus (1) according to one embodiment includes a laser generating device (14) that generates a laser beam, a flotation unit (10) that causes a workpiece (16) that is to be irradiated with the laser beam to float, and a conveying unit (11) that conveys the floating workpiece (16). The conveying unit (11) conveys the workpiece (16) with the conveying unit (11) holding the workpiece (16) at a position where the conveying unit (11) does not overlap an irradiation position (15) of the laser beam. The laser irradiation apparatus (1) according to one embodiment makes it possible to suppress uneven irradiation with a laser beam.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a carrier block on which a carrier configured to store a substrate is placed, first processing block including a plurality of first processing modules, and a first transport mechanism shared by the plurality of first processing modules to transport the substrate, second processing block overlapping the first processing block, including a plurality of second processing modules, and a second transport mechanism shared by the plurality of second processing modules to transport the substrate, and configured to transport the substrate to the carrier block. The substrate processing apparatus includes a lifting and transferring mechanism including a shaft extending in a horizontal direction and a support part configured to face and support the substrate, and a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the support part around the shaft such that an orientation of the support part is changed between a first orientation and the second position.

A stocker includes a transporter that travels through a traveling space within a stocker and transports an article, a pair of rails that flank the traveling space extend in parallel or substantially in parallel in a horizontal direction, platforms movable along the pair of rails, and a housing provided on a stocker outer side of a door that separates an inside and an outside of the stocker, and that houses the platforms. The pair of rails extend from the inside of the stocker to the housing through an opening directly under the door. At least one of the platforms includes a fence in an upright standing manner and an upper end of the fence is higher than an upper end of the opening. The platform that includes the fence extends across the inside of the stocker and the outside of the stocker via the opening while the fence is arranged on a stocker inner side.

A substrate processing system for performing processing on a plurality of substrates. The substrate processing system comprises: a processing unit comprising a plurality of processing modules each configured to perform a predetermined process; a transfer unit having a transfer device configured to transfer a substrate to each of the plurality of processing modules; a loading/unloading unit configured to hold a plurality of substrates and load/unload a substrate to/from the processing unit; and a controller configured to control the processing unit, the loading/unloading unit, and the transfer unit. The controller controls the transfer unit to transfer to the plurality of processing modules in a serial manner a plurality of substrates that are sequentially loaded from the loading/unloading unit to the processing unit, the controller further comprises a standby mode setting unit configured to set a standby period of the substrate at an appropriate timing depending on a content of the process.

A substrate processing module includes a first tank and a second tank that are arranged in a first direction and in which a substrate can be arranged, a first conveyance unit that moves the substrate in the first direction, and a second conveyance unit that moves the substrate in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

A traveling vehicle travels along a traveling path and includes a main body, a traveler to allow a main body to travel along the traveling path, an LED array provided at the main body to switch a display manner according to a state of the traveling vehicle, an imager to capture an image of the LED array at a traveling vehicle located ahead of the traveling vehicle, and a controller configured or programmed to acquire a state of the traveling vehicle ahead based on the display manner captured by the imager, and to control the traveler of the traveling vehicle based on the acquired state.