Substrate processing systems or platforms and methods configured to process substrates including of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks are disclosed. Systems or platforms provide a small footprint, high throughput of substrates and minimize defect generation. The substrate processing system platform comprises a single central transfer chamber, a single transfer robot, a substrate flipping fixture, and processing chambers are positioned around the single central transfer chamber.

A substrate processing system is disclosed, comprising: a vacuum transfer module; a substrate processing module connected to the vacuum transfer module and configured to process a substrate in a depressurized environment; a load-lock module connected to the vacuum transfer module; at least one substrate cooling stage disposed in the load-lock module; at least one substrate transfer robot disposed the vacuum transfer module and having at least one end effector; and a controller configured to control a particle removal operation. The operation includes: cooling at least one dummy substrate placed on said at least one substrate cooling stage to a first temperature; and holding said at least one end effector in any one of a plurality of positions in the vacuum transfer module or the substrate processing module for a first time period in a state where at least one cooled dummy substrate is placed on said at least one end effector.

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.

There is provided a technique including a plurality of process chambers to process a substrate; a plurality of standby chambers to accommodate the substrate; a transfer chamber disposed adjacent to the plurality of standby chambers and the plurality of process chambers; a transfer robot in the transfer chamber to transfer the substrate between one of the plurality of process chambers and one of the plurality of standby chambers or between the plurality of standby chambers adjacent to each other across the transfer chamber; a temperature adjustment mechanism to adjust temperature of at least one of the plurality of standby chambers; and a controller capable of controlling the temperature adjustment mechanism to change a mode of temperature adjustment of the at least one of the plurality of standby chambers depending on a transfer path through which the substrate accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of standby chambers passes.

Disclosed is a substrate treating apparatus for performing treatment of a plurality of substrates. The apparatus may include a load port configured to load a conveying container for receiving the plurality of substrates; a plurality of process chambers configured to perform the treatment of the substrates; a transfer chamber configured to convey the substrates between the load port and the process chamber; and a control unit configured to control the transfer chamber to convey the substrates by applying a flow recipe, wherein the control unit may control a mode of the corresponding process chamber to be changed when there is a process chamber where abnormality occurs among the plurality of process chambers included in the flow recipe while the flow recipe is applied.

Methods, systems, and devices including a robot apparatus with at least one lower arm configured to rotate about a first rotational axis and at least one upper arm rotatably coupled to the at least one lower arm at a second rotational axis that is spaced away from the first rotational axis. The robot apparatus further include a first end effector coupled to the upper arm. The robot apparatus further includes a second end effector coupled to the at least one upper arm. The robot apparatus is suitable for accommodating varying pitches between two adjacent processing chambers or between two adjacent load lock chambers. The robot apparatus may operate in dual substrate handling mode, single substrate handling mode, or a combination thereof. The robot apparatus may also be an off-axis robot.

A substrate processing method includes (a) providing a substrate in a substrate processing tool, the substrate containing an exposed surface of a first material layer and an exposed surface of a second material layer; (b) forming a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the substrate in a first substrate processing chamber (SPC); (c) transferring the substrate from the first SPC through a substrate transfer chamber to a second SPC; (d) depositing a film selectively on the first material layer and film nuclei on the SAM in the second SPC; (e) transferring, after selectively depositing the film on the first material layer, the substrate from the second SPC through the substrate transfer chamber to a third SPC; (f) removing the film nuclei from the SAM by etching in the third SPC; and repeating (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) sequentially at least once.

The present disclosure provides an electrochemical deposition apparatus set. The electrochemical deposition apparatus set includes: an electrochemical deposition device configured to form an electrochemical deposition film layer on an area to be coated of a substrate; an antioxidation treatment device located on a side of the electrochemical deposition device and configured to performing antioxidation treatment on the substrate formed with the electrochemical deposition film layer; a transmission device configured to carry the substrate and drive the substrate to move at least from the electrochemical deposition device to the antioxidation treatment device.

In an embodiment, a system includes: a warehousing apparatus configured to interface with a semiconductor die processing tool configured to process a semiconductor die singulated from a wafer, wherein the semiconductor die processing tool comprise an in-port and an out-port, wherein the warehousing apparatus is configured to: move a first die vessel that contains the semiconductor die to the in-port from a first die vessel container, wherein the first die vessel container is configured to house the first die vessel; move the first die vessel from the in-port to a buffer region; and move a second die vessel from the buffer region to the out-port.