The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 26, 2005
Filed:
May. 08, 2002
Kouji Nishihata, Tokuyama, JP;
Kazuhiro Joo, Kudamatsu, JP;
Shoji Ikuhara, Hikari, JP;
Tetsuya Tahara, Hikari, JP;
Shoji Okiguchi, Kudamatsu, JP;
Kouji Nishihata, Tokuyama, JP;
Kazuhiro Joo, Kudamatsu, JP;
Shoji Ikuhara, Hikari, JP;
Tetsuya Tahara, Hikari, JP;
Shoji Okiguchi, Kudamatsu, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A vacuum processing method and apparatus having one cassette containing wafers which are to be transferred in a preset transferring order to a processing unit via a transfer unit, and another cassette containing wafers to be processed on an emergency basis. Automatic control of processing a wafer from the one cassette is effected, and in response to a request for emergency processing of a water of the another cassette, the automatic processing control of the one wafer from the one cassette is temporarily stopped while completing processing of the wafer of the one cassette returning the same to the one cassette. Emergency processing is initiated by transferring a wafer from the another cassette to the vacuum processing unit via the transfer unit. The processing of the emergency wafer is completed and the processed emergency wafer is returned to the another cassette.