An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a substrate, a transistor, an interconnect structure, a plurality of metal lines, an oxide liner, a passivation layer, and a nitride layer. The transistor is on the substrate. The interconnect structure is over the transistor. The metal lines is on the interconnect structure. The oxide liner is over the plurality of metal lines. The passivation layer is over the oxide liner and is more porous than the passivation layer. The nitride layer is over the passivation layer.

Provided is a technique capable of implementing efficient transport and processing related to multi-step processing in the case of a link-type vacuum processing apparatus with related to an operating method of a vacuum processing apparatus. The operating method of the vacuum processing apparatus according to the embodiment, in order to minimize time required for all processing of a plurality of wafers in a multi-step processing, includes a first step (steps 601 to 607) of selecting one first processing unit and one second processing unit from a plurality of processing units for each wafer and determining a transport schedule including a transport path using the selected processing units. In the first step, for at least one wafer, a transport schedule including a transport path is configured using the selected first processing unit by excluding at least one first processing unit from the plurality of first processing units. The operating method selects an optimal transport schedule when a second step is rate-limited.

Apparatus and methods for handling die carriers are disclosed. In one example, a disclosed apparatus includes: a load port configured to load a die carrier operable to hold a plurality of dies into a processing tool; and a lane changer coupled to the load port and configured to move at least one die in the die carrier to an input of the processing tool and transfer the at least one die into the processing tool for processing the at least one die.

A method and apparatus for loading substrates in an inspection station is disclosed herein. In one embodiment a loading module is disclosed that includes a loading station for two or more substrate cassettes, a first lane comprising a first conveyor that is substantially aligned with one of the two or more substrate cassettes and a conveyor system, a second lane comprising a second conveyor that is substantially aligned with another of the two or more substrate cassettes and positioned in a spaced-apart relation relative to the first lane, and a lateral transfer module positioned between the first lane and the second lane that is adapted to move substrates from the second lane to the first lane.

The article transport vehicle includes a travel section, a holding section, an elevating device, an inclination detection device, an inclination adjustment device, and an inclination control device for controlling the inclination adjustment device. The inclination adjustment device is configured to act on a target belt among a plurality of suspension belts to adjust an inclination of the holding section by adjusting a suspension height at which the holding section is held by the target belt. During the lowering of the holding section to the transfer position by the elevating device, the inclination control device executes an adjustment operation during lowering, in which the inclination of the holding section is detected by the inclination detection device, and based on the result of the detection performed by the inclination detection device, the inclination adjustment device is controlled to adjust the inclination of the holding section.

A substrate transfer system capable of performing efficient distribution exchange between fabricating facilities is provided. The substrate transfer system includes a lower rail, an upper rail which is located above the lower rail from a ground plane, and extends to be parallel to the lower rail, a conveyor which extends to intersect the lower rail and the upper rail, below the lower rail, a first lower transport unit which transports a first carrier along the lower rail and unloads the first carrier onto the conveyor, and a first upper transport unit which transports a second carrier along the upper rail and unloads the second carrier onto the conveyor, wherein the conveyor includes a linear module which moves the first carrier and the second carrier in a linear direction, and a turning module which turns the first carrier and the second carrier.

A system for transferring a substrate includes a substrate transporter at which is captured a first image with which a position of the substrate at the substrate transporter is determined; a tray at which is captured a second image with which a position of each of a plurality of substrates relative to the tray is determined; a substrate mover with which the substrate is movable in a revolving manner between the substrate transporter and the tray, the substrate mover including: an arm portion movable in the revolving manner between the substrate transporter and the tray, and a substrate securing portion movable together with the arm portion; and an imager with which the first image and the second image are captured, the imager connected to the arm portion and movable in the revolving manner between the substrate transporter and the tray together with the arm portion.

Methods and systems for improving the efficiency of an automated material handling system (AMHS) include providing an apparatus operatively coupled to a load port of a processing apparatus, where the apparatus is configured to remove a first work-in-process from the load port and to move the first work-in-process along a first direction to displace the first work-in-progress from the load port while a second work-in-progress is transferred to the load port from an AMHS vehicle along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and transferring the first work-in-progress to an AMHS vehicle along the second direction. The methods and systems may be used for loading and unloading wafer storage containers, such as front opening unified pods (FOUPs), in a semiconductor fabrication facility.

Methods and systems for improving the efficiency of an automated material handling system (AMHS) include providing an apparatus operatively coupled to a load port of a processing apparatus, where the apparatus is configured to remove a first work-in-process from the load port and to move the first work-in-process along a first direction to displace the first work-in-progress from the load port while a second work-in-progress is transferred to the load port from an AMHS vehicle along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and transferring the first work-in-progress to an AMHS vehicle along the second direction. The methods and systems may be used for loading and unloading wafer storage containers, such as front opening unified pods (FOUPs), in a semiconductor fabrication facility.

The present disclosure is directed to a stocker utilizing one or more storage carriers to optimize the utilization of a storage compartment within the stocker. The stocker includes one or more storage towers each including one or more shelves that may be moved from a closed position to an opened position by being pulled outward by a hook of a forking structure. This forking structure is configured to lift up a corresponding storage carrier off the shelf to be transported to a storage carrier load port to position one or more workpieces or toolpieces within the storage carrier, which is then transported back to the corresponding shelf for storage. The utilization of the forking structure along with the pull out shelves allows for a large number of storage carriers to be stored within the storage compartment of the stocker.