Continuous processing system

Claim 2

A manufacturing system for processing semiconductor substrates comprising: A. a plurality of processing stations having loading and unloading positions, each of said stations having means for performing a plurality of different fixed semiconductor device fabricating operations on a said substrate, wherein a. one of said operations in at least one of said stations includes means for application of a coating of photo-resist on a surface of individual ones of said substrates; B. a conveyor means for detachably supporting and transporting individual ones of said substrates between and at any one of said work stations; C. means for detaching individual ones of said substrates from said conveyor means and transferring said individual ones of said substrates between said conveyor and said stations at their said loading and unloading positions; and D. control means for said conveyor and transfer means for routing said substrates individually between any prescribed sequence of said stations for a corresponding prescribed series of processing operations.

Claim 3

The manufacturing system of claim 1 wherein said control means routes said individual ones of said substrates at least twice to and from a selected one of said stations.

Claim 4

The manufacturing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said stations is replicated at least twice to have substantially similar processing operations to which said substrates can be transferred from and to the remainder of said stations in accordance with said prescribed sequence.

Claim 5

A manufacturing system for processing semiconductor substrates comprising: A. a conveyor means for transporting said substrates individually between and at any selected one of a plurality of locations along the path thereof; B. a plurality of processing stations at respective ones of said locations for performing semiconductor processing operations on said substrates and having loading and unloading stations for corresponding feeding and discharging of individual ones of said substrates, with at least three required sequential ones of said station having the first and third station disposed adjacent one end of said conveyor path and the second station of said sequence disposed adjacent the other end of said conveyor path, wherein a. one of said operations in at least one of said stations include means for applying a coating of photoresist on a surface of individual ones of said substrates; C. means for transferring said individual ones of said substrates between said conveyor and said stations at their said loading and unloading stations; D. control means for said conveyor and transfer means for routing said substrates individually between and at selected ones of a prescribed sequence of said stations for a corresponding sequence of processing operations therein.

Claim 6

A manufacturing system for processing semiconductor substrates comprising: A. a conveyor means for transporting said substrates individually between and at any selected one of a plurality of locations along the path thereof; B. a plurality of processing stations at respective ones of said locations for performing semiconductor processing operations on said substrates and having loading and unloading stations for corresponding feeding and discharging of individual ones of said substrates, with at least three required sequential ones of said station having the first and third station disposed adjacent one end of said conveyor path and the second station of said sequence disposed adjacent the other end of said conveyor path, wherein a. one of said operations in at least one of said stations include means for applying a coating of photoresist on a surface of individual ones of said substrates; C. means for transferring said individual ones of said substrates between said conveyor and said stations at their said loading and unloading stations; D. control means for said conveyor and transfer means for routing said substrates individually between and at selected ones of a prescribed sequence of said stations for a corresponding sequence of processing operations therein.

Claim 7

The manufacturing system of claim 4 including means for loading and unloading fresh and finished semiconductor substrates, respectively, into and from said prescribed sequence of stations.

Claim 8

The manufacturing system of claim 4 wherein said control means includes means for routing said substrates at least twice to a selected one of said stations.

Claim 9

The manufacturing system of claim 4 including means for loading and unloading new and finished semiconductor substrates, respectively, at prescribed first and last stations.

Claim 10

The manufacturing system of claim 5 wherein at least one of said stations is replicated at least twice to have substantially similar processing operations to which said substrates can be transferred from and to the remainder of said stations in accordance with said prescribed sequence.

Claim 11

A manufacturing system for processing semiconductor substrates comprising: A. a plurality of independent processing stations having means for performing at least one fixed semiconductor processing operation on said substrates and having loading and unloading positions, wherein a. one of said operations in at least one of said stations includes means for applying a coating of photoresist on a surface of individual ones of said substrates; B. means for transferring individual ones of said substrates between and at preselected ones of said stations from and to, respectively, the unloading and loading positions thereof, and C. control means for said transfer means for routing said individual ones of said substrates sequentially between and at any preselected one of said stations of a sequence of selected ones of said stations, and including means for specifying said prescribed sequence.

Claim 12

A manufacturing system for processing semiconductor substrates comprising: A. a plurality of independent processing stations having means for performing at least one fixed semiconductor processing operation on said substrates and having loading and unloading positions, wherein a. one of said operations in at least one of said stations includes means for applying a coating of photoresist on a surface of individual ones of said substrates; B. means for transferring individual ones of said substrates between and at preselected ones of said stations from and to, respectively, the unloading and loading positions thereof, and C. control means for said transfer means for routing said individual ones of said substrates sequentially between and at any preselected one of said stations of a sequence of selected ones of said stations, and including means for specifying said prescribed sequence.

Claim 13

The manufacturing system of claim 9 including means for loading and unloading fresh and finished semiconductor substrates, respectively, into and from said prescribed sequence of stations.