WO2006029025A2 - Substrate carrier having reduced height - Google Patents
Substrate carrier having reduced height Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2006029025A2 WO2006029025A2 PCT/US2005/031427 US2005031427W WO2006029025A2 WO 2006029025 A2 WO2006029025 A2 WO 2006029025A2 US 2005031427 W US2005031427 W US 2005031427W WO 2006029025 A2 WO2006029025 A2 WO 2006029025A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- substrate
- substrate carrier
- coupling features
- storage region
- carrier
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/673—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere using specially adapted carriers or holders; Fixing the workpieces on such carriers or holders
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/673—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere using specially adapted carriers or holders; Fixing the workpieces on such carriers or holders
- H01L21/6735—Closed carriers
- H01L21/67353—Closed carriers specially adapted for a single substrate
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/673—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere using specially adapted carriers or holders; Fixing the workpieces on such carriers or holders
- H01L21/6735—Closed carriers
- H01L21/67379—Closed carriers characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to a substrate carrier having reduced height.
- Manufacturing of semiconductor devices typically involves performing a sequence of procedures with respect to a substrate such as a silicon substrate, a glass plate, etc. These steps may include polishing, deposition, etching, photolithography, heat treatment, and so forth. Usually a number of different processing steps may be performed in a single processing system or "tool" which includes a plurality of processing chambers. However, it is generally the case that other processes are required to be performed at other processing locations within a fabrication facility, and it is accordingly necessary that substrates be transported within the fabrication facility from one processing location to another. Depending on the type of semiconductor device to be manufactured, there may be a relatively large number of processing steps required, to be performed at many different processing locations within the fabrication facility.
- substrate carriers such as sealed pods, cassettes, containers and so forth.
- substrate carrier designs exist, but generally conventional substrate carriers are designed in a manner that unnecessarily increases the size (e.g., height) of such carriers. Clearance requirements for transporting such carriers and the space required to stack/store such carriers thereby increase.
- a substrate carrier in a first aspect of the invention, includes (1) a body adapted to store one or more substrates; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features that do not increase an overall height of the substrate carrier.
- a substrate carrier in a second aspect of the invention, includes (1) a body for storing one or more substrates, the body having a substrate storage region for storing a substrate; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features adapted to extend into the substrate storage region outside of a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate positioned in the substrate storage region.
- an apparatus in a third aspect of the invention, includes a plurality of stacked support shelves. Each support shelf is adapted to support a small lot size substrate carrier. The support shelves are spaced a distance from each other that allows only small lot size substrate carriers to be transported between the support shelves.
- the small lot size substrate carriers have (1) a body adapted to store one or more substrates; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features that do not increase an overall height of the substrate carrier.
- an apparatus in a fourth aspect of the invention, includes a plurality of stacked support shelves. Each support shelf is adapted to support a small lot size substrate carrier. The support shelves are spaced a distance from each other that allows only small lot size substrate carriers to be transported between the support shelves.
- the small lot size substrate carriers have (1) a body for storing one or more substrates, wherein the body has a substrate storage region for storing a substrate; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features adapted to extend into the substrate storage region outside of a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate positioned in the substrate storage region.
- an end effector includes (1) a top surface; and (2) one or more coupling features on the top surface thereof, adapted to couple to the coupling features of the substrate carrier of the first apparatus .
- an end effector includes (1) a top surface; and (2) one or more coupling features on the top surface thereof, adapted to couple to the coupling features of the substrate carrier of the second apparatus. Numerous other aspects are provided in accordance with these and other aspects of the invention.
- FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a conventional substrate carrier.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a conventional substrate carrier.
- FIG. 3A is an exploded isometric 'view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with a top portion removed.
- FIG. 3B is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a first cross-sectional side view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a second cross-sectional side view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an end effector and a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the end effector and the substrate carrier of FIG. 7 shown interfacing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a system for storing and/or docking a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a substrate carrier in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 12 is a bottom view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 13 is an isometric view of an end effector and a substrate carrier in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of the end effector and the substrate carrier of FIG. 13 shown interfacing in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
- the present invention provides an improved substrate carrier. More specifically, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier, which is described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention provides a substrate carrier which more efficiently uses the space occupied by the substrate carrier.
- FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a bottom surface 101 of a conventional substrate carrier 103.
- the bottom surface 101 of the conventional substrate carrier 103 includes three V-shaped grooves 105.
- the V-shaped grooves 105 are adapted to couple to corresponding portions of a substrate carrier support (not shown) .
- the V-shaped grooves 105 are positioned such that the V-shaped grooves 105 overlap a footprint of a substrate 107 (shown in phantom) stored in a storage region (not shown in FIG. 1; shown as 201 in FIG. 2) of the conventional substrate carrier 103.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a conventional substrate carrier.
- the bottom surface 101 of the conventional substrate carrier is of a thickness t at least as high as a height h of the V- shaped grooves 105.
- Such thickness contributes to the overall space occupied by (e.g., height of) the conventional substrate carrier 103 and does not extend into the storage region 201. Therefore, the space occupied by the conventional substrate carrier 103 is used inefficiently.
- FIG. 3A is an exploded isometric view of a substrate carrier 301 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- the substrate carrier 301 includes a body 303 for storing one or more substrates.
- the body 303 includes a storage region 305 in which one or more substrates 307 (shown in phantom) may be stored.
- the body 303 further includes a top surface 309 and a bottom surface 311.
- the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 includes one or more coupling features 313-317 adapted to extend into the storage region 305 outside a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate positioned in the storage region 305.
- the one or more coupling features 313, 315, 317 (shown in FIG. 3B) occupy a position along a periphery of a footprint of a substrate 307 that may be stored in the storage region 305.
- the one or more coupling features 313-317 may couple to corresponding features of a substrate carrier support, such as an end effector (not shown FIG. 3A; shown as 401 in FIG. 4 and as 701 in FIGS. 7-8) .
- the one or more coupling features includes a hole, a slot and at least one surface for receiving a pad.
- a larger or smaller number, different shapes and/or different orientations of coupling features may be employed.
- the one or more coupling features include the hole 313 and slot 315 as described above.
- a portion of the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 which does not extend into the storage region 305 as described above, may be adapted to couple to a pad included on an end effector surface that supports the substrate carrier 301. Details of the one or more coupling features 313-317 are described below with reference to FIGS. 4-7.
- the substrate carrier 301 may be single piece or multi-piece construction (as shown) .
- the feature 317 may merely serve to keep cross sections of the carrier at an approximately constant thickness (e.g., for molding purposes), rather than as a kinematic coupling.
- the coupling features 313-317 may be, for example, conical or otherwise shaped to provide a large capture window during kinematic coupling.
- FIG. 3B is an isometric view of a bottom surface of the substrate carrier 301 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 includes a hole 313 and a slot 315 that extend into a storage region outside a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate 307 (shown in phantom) positioned in the storage region.
- the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier may also include a region (e.g., slot) 317, which extends into the storage region outside a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate 307, for receiving an end effector pad.
- FIG. 4 is a first cross-sectional side view of the substrate carrier 301 of FIG. 3A taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3A and illustrates a hole 313 included (e.g., embedded) in the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301.
- the substrate carrier 301 is shown interfacing with an end effector 401.
- the hole 313 may be a height hi of about 11 mm and may be conical (although, the bottom surface 311 may include a hole 313 of a larger or smaller height and/or a different shape) .
- One or more portions of the hole 313 extends into storage region 305. Therefore, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier 103 (FIG.
- the thickness h2 of the bottom surface 311 that extends below the storage region 305 does not need to be at least as high as the hole 313.
- a slot 315 is included (e.g., embedded) in the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301.
- the slot 315 may be a height h3 of about 11 mm and may be conical. (The slot 315, however, may be of a larger or smaller height and/or a different shape) . Similar to the hole 313, one or more portions of the slot 315 extends into storage region 305. Therefore, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier 103 (FIG.
- FIG. 5 is a second cross-sectional side view of the substrate carrier 301 of FIG. 3A taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3A, and illustrates a region 317 (e.g., a groove or slot) for receiving a pad of an end effector as described further below.
- the region 317 is included (e.g., embedded) in the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301.
- the region 317 may be of a height h5 of about 11 mm and may be flat. However, the region 317 may be of a larger or smaller height and/or a different shape) . Similar to the hole 313, one or more portions of the region 317 may extend into storage region 305. Therefore, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier 103 (FIG. 1) , the thickness h2 of the bottom surface 311 that extends below the storage region 305 does not have to be at least as high at the region 317, and consequently, an overall space (e.g., height h4) occupied by the substrate carrier 301 may be reduced as compared to a conventional substrate carrier 103 (FIG. 1) .
- an overall space e.g., height h4
- FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a substrate carrier 301 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- the radius rl of the hole 313 on the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 is about 12.7 mm (although, the radius of the hole 313 may be larger or smaller) .
- the slot 315 On the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301, the slot 315 has a width wl of about 25.4 mm, a length 11 of about 33 mm and a radius r2 of about 12.7 mm (although, the slot 315 may be of a larger or smaller width wl, length 11 and/or radius r2) .
- FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an end effector 701 and a substrate carrier 301 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- the substrate carrier 301 is adapted to interface with the end effector 701.
- the substrate carrier 301 may be coupled to, supported by and/or moved by the end effector 701.
- the one or more coupling features 313-317 of the substrate carrier 301 may couple to corresponding features (e.g., posts, pins and/or pads) extending from a top surface 703 of the end effector 701. More specifically, the hole 313 and slot 315 on the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 may couple to corresponding posts 705, 707 on the end effector 701. In some embodiments, such corresponding posts 705, 707 on the end effector 701 may be conical or spherical.
- the region 317 in the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 may couple to a corresponding pin or pad 709 on the end effector 701.
- the corresponding pin or pad 709 may be, for example, a flat-headed pin.
- the one or more coupling features 313-317 of the substrate carrier 301 and/or the corresponding features 705-709 of the end effector 701 may be kinematic features, adapted to kinematically align the substrate carrier 301 with the end effector 701, thereby ensuring that the substrate carrier 301 properly rests on the end effector 701.
- the hole 313 may align the substrate carrier 301 with the end effector 701 along the x and y axes; the slot 315 may prevent the substrate carrier 301 from rotating on the end effector 701 in the xy- plane; and the region 317 may prevent movement of the substrate carrier 301 along the z-axis.
- a portion of the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 may contact the pad 709 and prevent the substrate carrier 301 from moving along the z-axis (as well as to prevent rotation about the axis formed by the posts 705 and/or 707) .
- FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the end effector 701, shown interfacing with the substrate carrier 301 of FIG. 7 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, coupling features 313-317 on the bottom surface 311 of the substrate carrier 301 receive and/or couple to coupling features 705-709 of the end effector 701, thereby aligning the substrate carrier 301 with the end effector 701 and ensuring the end effector 701 properly supports the substrate carrier 301.
- the one or more coupling features 313-317 of the substrate carrier 301 may be adapted to interface ' with any other device for supporting the substrate carrier 301 (in a addition to an end effector) .
- the one or more coupling features 313-317 may be adapted to couple to corresponding coupling features of a support shelf, a load port, or the like, thereby aligning the substrate carrier 301 therewith.
- FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a system 901 for storing and/or docking (e.g., positioning a substrate carrier at a tool load port for door opening and substrate removal) a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to FIG.
- the system 901 may be employed for loading a substrate into a semiconductor device manufacturing tool (not shown) .
- the system 901 may include one or more load ports or similar locations where substrates or substrate carriers (e.g., small lot size substrate carriers) are placed for transfer to and/or from a processing tool (e.g., one or more docking stations 903, although transfer locations that do not employ docking/undocking movement may be employed) .
- the one or more load ports or similar locations may be spaced a distance from each other such that only the substrate carrier 301 (or the substrate carrier 1001 of FIGS. 10-14 described below) may be transported between such locations .
- the system 901 includes a total of eight docking stations 903, arranged in two columns 905 of four docking stations each. Other numbers of columns and/or docking stations 903 may be employed.
- Each docking station 903 is adapted to support and/or dock a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention at the docking station 903 and- to allow a substrate (not shown) to be extracted from the substrate carrier at the docking station 903 and transferred to the processing tool (not shown) .
- the system 901 may include one or more storage shelves or other storage locations (e.g., storage shelf 907, shown in phantom, adapted to store a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention) .
- the system may include an end effector 909 mounted on a support 911.
- the end effector 909 may be, for example, in the form of a horizontally-oriented platform 913 adapted to support the substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- the system 901 may be similar to the wafer loading station 201 of U.S. Patent Application No. 10/650,480, filed August 28, 2003 and titled "Substrate Carrier Handler That Unloads Substrate Carriers Directly From a Moving Conveyor" (Attorney Docket No. 7676), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
- the load ports e.g., docking stations 903
- support shelves 907 (only one shown)
- end effector 909 of the system 901 may include coupling features (e.g., posts, pads or pins) for interfacing with the one or more coupling features on the bottom surface of the substrate carrier 301 (or substrate carrier 1001 of FIGS. 10-14) .
- coupling features e.g., posts, pads or pins
- FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a substrate carrier 1001 in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
- the substrate carrier 1001 includes a body 1003 adapted to store one or more substrates.
- the body 1003 includes a storage region (not shown in FIG. 10; shown as 1101 in FIGS. 11 and 14) in which the one or more substrates may be stored.
- the body 1003 further includes a top surface 1005 and a bottom surface 1007.
- the bottom surface 1015 of the substrate carrier 1001 includes one or more coupling features 1009-1013 that do not increase an overall height of the substrate carrier 1001.
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 do not increase the overall height of the substrate carrier 1001 by extending below a plane defined by a bottom surface 1015 or base of the substrate carrier 1001.
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 may not extend below the lowest point of a front face 1017 of the substrate carrier 1001.
- the one or more of the coupling features 1009-1013 are located outside a perimeter of the body 1003. In this manner, in contrast to the substrate carrier 301 of FIG. 3, the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 of the substrate carrier 1001 may not extend into the storage region (not shown in FIG. 10; shown as 1101 in FIGS. 11 and 14) .
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 may couple to corresponding features of a substrate carrier support, such as an end effector (not shown in FIG. 10; shown as 1301 in FIGS. 13-14) .
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 are slots, which are substantially V-shaped.
- a coupling feature 1009-1013 may be of a height h7 of about .47 in., a width wl of about 1.1 in., form an angle A of about 90 degrees and the peak of the coupling feature 1009-1013 may have a radius of curvature of about .13 in.
- one or more coupling features may have a larger or smaller height, width, radius of curvature and/or form a larger or smaller angle A or have a different shape.
- one or more coupling features 1009-1013 may be a hole.
- the substrate carrier 1001 of FIG. 10 includes three coupling features 1009-1013, a larger or smaller number of coupling features may be employed.
- FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of the substrate carrier 1001 taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10 and illustrates how the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 do not increase the overall height h ⁇ of the substrate carrier 1001 by extending below a plane defined by a bottom surface 1015 or base of the substrate carrier 1001.
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 in one aspect, may not extend below the lowest point of a front face 1017 of the substrate carrier 1001. This may be accomplished by placing the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 around a perimeter of the body 1003.
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 may extend alongside the body 1003 without extending into the storage region 1101 of the substrate carrier 1001.
- the one or more couplings features are adapted to occupy a position along a periphery of a substrate stored in the body.
- FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the substrate carrier
- FIG. 13 is an isometric view of an end effector
- the substrate carrier 1001 of FIG. 10 is adapted to interface with the end effector 1301.
- the substrate carrier 1001 may be coupled to, supported by and/or moved by the end effector 1301.
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 of the substrate carrier 1001 may couple to corresponding features 1303 (e.g., posts, pads, pins, etc.) extending from a top surface 1305 of the end effector 1301.
- corresponding features 1303 on the end effector 1305 may be conical or spherical or flat-headed, for example.
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 of the substrate carrier 1001 and/or the corresponding features 1303 of the end effector 1301 may be kinematic features, adapted to kinematically align the substrate carrier 1001 with the end effector 1301, thereby ensuring that the end effector 1301 properly supports the substrate carrier 1001.
- FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of the end effector 1301 and the substrate carrier 1001 of FIG. 13 shown interfacing. More specifically, coupling features 1009-1013 on the bottom surface 1015 of the substrate carrier 1001 receive and/or couple to coupling features 1303 of the end effector 1301, thereby aligning the substrate carrier 1001 with the end effector 1301 and ensuring the end effector 1301 properly supports the substrate carrier 1001.
- FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate how the substrate carrier 1001 may interface with the end effector 1301, the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 of the substrate carrier 1001 also may interface with any other device for supporting the substrate carrier 1001.
- the one or more coupling features 1009-1013 may couple to corresponding coupling features of a support shelf, load port, or the like, thereby aligning the substrate carrier 1001 therewith.
- any of the above described carriers may be have a single shell with kinematic features molded therein, or be of a multi-piece construction.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2007530419A JP2008512855A (en) | 2004-09-04 | 2005-09-02 | Substrate carrier with reduced height |
EP05794310A EP1803146A2 (en) | 2004-09-04 | 2005-09-02 | Substrate carrier having reduced height |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US60728304P | 2004-09-04 | 2004-09-04 | |
US60/607,283 | 2004-09-04 |
Publications (2)
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WO2006029025A2 true WO2006029025A2 (en) | 2006-03-16 |
WO2006029025A3 WO2006029025A3 (en) | 2006-05-26 |
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Family Applications (1)
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PCT/US2005/031427 WO2006029025A2 (en) | 2004-09-04 | 2005-09-02 | Substrate carrier having reduced height |
Country Status (7)
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US (2) | US20060061979A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1803146A2 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2008512855A (en) |
KR (1) | KR20070048649A (en) |
CN (1) | CN1950928A (en) |
TW (1) | TW200614411A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2006029025A2 (en) |
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JP4488255B2 (en) * | 2008-05-27 | 2010-06-23 | Tdk株式会社 | Closed container lid opening / closing system, container insertion / removal system including the lid opening / closing system, and substrate processing method using the lid opening / closing system |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
KR20070048649A (en) | 2007-05-09 |
CN1950928A (en) | 2007-04-18 |
US20070057322A1 (en) | 2007-03-15 |
WO2006029025A3 (en) | 2006-05-26 |
EP1803146A2 (en) | 2007-07-04 |
US20060061979A1 (en) | 2006-03-23 |
TW200614411A (en) | 2006-05-01 |
JP2008512855A (en) | 2008-04-24 |
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