A system includes a robot configured to transfer either one of a substrate and an edge ring within a substrate processing system, a substrate aligner configured to adjust a rotational position of either one of the substrate or the edge ring relative to an end effector of the robot, and a carrier plate configured to support the edge ring. The robot is configured to retrieve the carrier plate with the end effector, retrieve the edge ring using the carrier plate supported on the end effector, and transfer the carrier plate and the edge ring to the substrate aligner.

A substrate transfer method performed in a substrate processing apparatus including a transfer mechanism group configured to transfer a substrate into a carrier via a module group and an exposure apparatus is provided. The transfer mechanism group includes a first transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of a pre-stage module, the exposure apparatus, and a first post-stage module, and a second transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of the first post-stage module, a heating module, a developing module, and a second post-stage module, and a post-stage transfer mechanism. The substrate transfer method includes acquiring a section transfer time required to transfer the substrate to a next transfer section; and performing a carry-in or a carry-out of the substrate into/from the exposure apparatus based on a maximum section transfer time, which is the longest in the acquired section transfer times.

A method of moving a susceptor in a processing system, suitable for use in semiconductor processing, is provided. The method includes: moving a first susceptor from an interior volume of a first enclosure to an interior volume of a process chamber during a first time period; and positioning, during a second time period, a first substrate on the first susceptor when the first susceptor is in the process chamber, wherein the interior volume of the first enclosure and interior volume of the process chamber are maintained at a non-atmospheric pressure from the beginning of the first time period until the end of the second time period.

A substrate process station includes a housing including a transport region and process region. The process station further includes a magnetic levitation assembly disposed in the transport region configured to levitate and propel a substrate carrier. The magnetic levitation assembly includes a first track segment including first rails disposed in the transport region and below the process region, wherein the first rails each include a first plurality of magnets. The process station further includes a pedestal assembly comprising a pedestal disposed within the housing. The pedestal is moveable between a pedestal transfer position and a process position, wherein the pedestal is disposed between the first rails in the pedestal transfer position to receive a substrate from the substrate carrier, and wherein the pedestal is moveable between the first rails to position the received substrate in the process region in the process position.

A substrate process station includes a housing including a transport region and process region. The process station further includes a magnetic levitation assembly disposed in the transport region configured to levitate and propel a substrate carrier. The magnetic levitation assembly includes a first track segment including first rails disposed in the transport region and below the process region, wherein the first rails each include a first plurality of magnets. The process station further includes a pedestal assembly comprising a pedestal disposed within the housing. The pedestal is moveable between a pedestal transfer position and a process position, wherein the pedestal is disposed between the first rails in the pedestal transfer position to receive a substrate from the substrate carrier, and wherein the pedestal is moveable between the first rails to position the received substrate in the process region in the process position.

A substrate process station includes a housing including a transport region and process region. The process station further includes a magnetic levitation assembly disposed in the transport region configured to levitate and propel a substrate carrier. The magnetic levitation assembly includes a first track segment including first rails disposed in the transport region and below the process region, wherein the first rails each include a first plurality of magnets. The process station further includes a pedestal assembly comprising a pedestal disposed within the housing. The pedestal is moveable between a pedestal transfer position and a process position, wherein the pedestal is disposed between the first rails in the pedestal transfer position to receive a substrate from the substrate carrier, and wherein the pedestal is moveable between the first rails to position the received substrate in the process region in the process position.

A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices includes repeatedly performing a transfer operation which transfers each of a plurality of semiconductor wafers between a substrate handling module and a processing chamber through a wafer access port, the processing chamber including at least one consumable component. Using the processing chamber, a semiconductor manufacturing process is performed on each of the plurality of semiconductor wafers; and detecting an optical signal from the at least one consumable component during a time when the processing chamber is not performing the semiconductor manufacturing process on the wafers.

Disclosed is a substrate treating apparatus provided with a posture turning unit. The posture turning unit includes a first vertical holder having a first rotating member and a first holder body provided so as to protrude from the first rotating member. The posture turning unit also includes a second vertical holder having a second rotating member and a second holder body provided so as to protrude from the second rotating member. A rotation driving unit rotates the two holder bodies around the two rotating members, respectively, whereby the two vertical holders are changed into a holding state or a releasing state. When a posture of substrates is turned to horizontal by a support base rotator, the rotation driving unit changes a state of the two vertical holders into the releasing state, whereby the substrates are released from the two holder bodies.

An overhead transport vehicle includes: a holding unit that is provided to be liftable and lowerable and configured to hold an article; a three-dimensional ranging sensor that has a detection range to include surroundings of a lower space formed directly below the article held by the holding unit; and a control device that is configured to determine presence or absence of an obstacle based on a detection result of the three-dimensional ranging sensor.

Proposed are article storage equipment in a semiconductor fabrication facility, the article storage equipment being capable of power supply with a more simplified configuration, and a logistics system of a semiconductor fabrication facility including the same. Article storage equipment in a semiconductor fabrication facility according to one aspect includes a storage unit installed around a rail that provides a travel route of a transport vehicle and configured to store a transport container in which a wafer is accommodated, a purge unit configured to supply an inert gas into the transport container, a control unit configured to identify the transport container stored in the storage unit and control the purge unit to supply the inert gas into the transport container, and a power supply unit configured to supply a current induced from a power supply cable installed along the rail to the control unit.