A wafer handling apparatus includes at least one load port, an image capturing device and a processor. The load port is configured to receive a wafer carrier. The image capturing device is configured to capture an image of the wafer carrier received in the load port before one or more wafers are inserted into the wafer carrier. The processor is communicably connected to the image capturing device and is configured to determine whether the wafer carrier is in a condition that is unsafe for wafer placement based on the image captured by the image capturing device.

A substrate treating apparatus and a substrate transporting method wherein a platform is disposed on a first ID block, and a platform is placed on a second ID block. A currently-used carrier platform is provided only on the first ID block. Accordingly, a substrate is transported in both a forward path and a return path between the first ID block and a second treating block. The substrate is returned not to the first ID block but to the second ID block disposed between the two treating blocks in the return path.

A substrate treating apparatus and a substrate transporting method wherein a platform is disposed on a first ID block, and a platform is placed on a second ID block. A currently-used carrier platform is provided only on the first ID block. Accordingly, a substrate is transported in both a forward path and a return path between the first ID block and a second treating block. The substrate is returned not to the first ID block but to the second ID block disposed between the two treating blocks in the return path.

A semiconductor fabrication facility (FAB) is provided. The FAB includes a number of processing tools. The FAB also includes a sampling station connected to the processing tools. In addition, the FAB includes a detection vehicle detachably connected to the sampling station and comprising a metrology module. When the detection vehicle is connected to the sampling station, a gas sample is delivered from one of the processing tools to the metrology module of the detection vehicle via the sampling station for performing a measurement of a parameter in related to the gas sample by the metrology module. In addition, the FAB includes a control system configured to issue a warning when the parameter in related to the gas sample from the one of the processing tools is out of a range of acceptable values associated with the one of the processing tools.

The present invention provides various aspects of support for a fabrication facility capable of routine placement and replacement of processing tools in at least a vertical dimension relative to each other.

A wafer cassette and a method for placing a wafer are provided. The wafer cassette includes a box body including a plurality of groups of card slots formed on sidewalls of the box body. Each group of the card slots is configured to hold a wafer and includes a wafer input terminal. The wafer cassette also includes a guide device including a plurality of groups of guide slots configured to be docked to the wafer input terminals. Each group of the guide slots and a docking group of the card slots are formed at a same floor.

A gas purge apparatus, a load port apparatus, and a gas purge method are capable of filling a container with a cleaning gas without leaning the container to be purged. The first and second purge nozzles are configured to be escalated so that the first purge nozzle 30-1 contacts with the first purge port 5-1 whose distance to the regulating distance 90 is near before the second purge nozzle 30-2 contacts with the second purge port 5-2.

The component supply device includes a table on which a wafer sheet is carried and a pickup head which picks up a component on the wafer sheet carried on the table. The pickup head includes multiple component supply side suction nozzles, and a switching mechanism which switches the multiple component supply side suction nozzles between a pickup position at which the tip of the multiple component supply side suction nozzles faces down and a transfer position at which the tip of the multiple component supply side suction nozzles faces up. The arrangement of the multiple component supply side suction nozzles corresponds to the arrangement of multiple mounter side suction nozzles equipped on the mounting head of the mounter.

A gas purge unit includes an intake nozzle 28, a pivotable body 31, and an O-ring 35. The intake nozzle 28 has a nozzle opening 26 flowing out a cleaning gas. The pivotable body 31 is arranged in a ring shape to surround a cylindrical projection 28b of the nozzle 28, and is provided with a contact part 34 formed on a tip portion of the pivotable body 31 to be able to detachably contact with the intake port 5. The ring-shaped O-ring 35 is held to be compressively elastically deformable along a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical projection 28b between a rear end of the pivotable body 31 and a base portion 28a of the nozzle 28.

A component supply device which includes a moving slider for moving between a position near a wafer sheet replenishment section and a position near a mounter, a table supported on the moving slider, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the table around a specific rotation axis. The table is supported on the moving slider by a number one support point, a number two support point, and a number three support point which are provided on a circumference with the rotation axis at the center. The rotating mechanism includes a number one guide for moving number one support point in an arc with respect to the rotation axis, and driven guides for moving number two support point and number three support point in an arc with respect to the rotation axis.