US 6,983,195 B2 | ||
Semiconductor processing system and method of transferring workpiece | ||
Kiyohito Iijima, Nirasaki (Japan); and Shigeru Ishizawa, Nirasaki (Japan) | ||
Assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
Appl. No. 10/432,628 PCT Filed Dec. 06, 2001, PCT No. PCT/JP01/10674 § 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Jun. 09, 2003, PCT Pub. No. WO02/47153, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 13, 2002. |
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Claims priority of application No. 2000-375207 (JP), filed on Dec. 08, 2000. | ||
Prior Publication US 2004/0029300 A1, Feb. 12, 2004 | ||
Int. Cl. G06F 7/00 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 700—218 | 13 Claims |
1. A method of transferring a target object in a semiconductor processing system, the system including
a plurality of processing apparatuses configured to subject target objects to processes of different kinds,
a plurality of waiting ports configured to put the target objects on standby,
an alignment device configured to subject the target objects to alignment, and
a common transfer mechanism configured to transfer the target objects between the plurality of processing apparatuses, the
plurality of waiting ports, and the alignment device,
the method comprising, while a first target object is processed in a first processing apparatus, as one of the processing
apparatuses:
performing information processing, using
a remaining process time to complete a process on the first target object in the first processing apparatus, and to make the
first target object ready for transfer from the first processing apparatus, and
a total transfer time, which includes a first partial transfer time to transfer one of the target objects from a first waiting
port, as one of the waiting ports, to the alignment device, and a second partial transfer time to transfer one of the target
objects from the alignment device to a waiting position for the first processing apparatus; and
starting transfer of a new target object from the first waiting port toward the waiting position for the first processing
apparatus, based on a result of the information processing.
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