A process of using a transport system for transporting substrate wafer, for making semiconductor integrated circuits and liquid crystal display panels and the like advanced devices, is presented. The object is to prevent surface degradation which may be inflicted on the surface to interfere with proper processing of the substrate. The substrate wafers are delivered to process chambers always in clean surface conditions. A method illustrated utilizes a purge gas containing an inert gas or a mixture of an inert gas and oxygen for flowing inside the tunnel space, and a semiconductor laser detection system to detect the contamination levels within the tunnel space, and the transport parameters are controlled according to the measured data.

A transport system for transporting substrate wafer, for making semiconductor integrated circuits and liquid crystal display panels and the like advanced devices, is presented.

A system, method, apparatus and program which enables the automation of the carrying of a lot or lots of special purpose wafers between stockers and to achieve high speed processing while suppressing an increase in storage volume. The carrying control system includes stockers for storing therein special purpose lot or lots comprising wafers which will not be processed in production facilities, or said special purpose lot or lots and usual lot or lots comprising wafers which will be processed by production facilities and a carrying host computer for controlling automatic carrying of lot or lots in carrying facilities. The carrying host computer receives a report of receipt of the special purpose lot(s) by one of stockers transmitted from the one of the stockers when the special purpose lot(s) is received by said one of the stocker in said carrying pattern, for initiating a timer and for assuming that processing of the special purpose lot(s) stored in said stocker is completed when a result of count in the timer shows lapse of a predetermined period of time, for determining a next stocker to which the special purpose lot is to be carried next in accordance with a carrying pattern corresponding to the special purpose lot(s) stored in the storage unit, and for sending to the one of the stockers which stores the special purpose lots an carrying instruction for carrying special purpose lots to next stocker.

A processor for processing integrated circuit wafers, semiconductor substrates, data disks and similar units requiring very low contamination levels. The processor has an interface section which receives wafers in standard wafer carriers. The interface section transfers the wafers from carriers onto novel trays for improved processing. The interface unit can hold multiple groups of multiple trays. A conveyor having an automated arm assembly moves wafers supported on a tray. The conveyor moves the trays from the interface along a track to several processing stations. The processing stations are accessed from an enclosed area adjoining the interface section.

A system, method, apparatus and program which enables the automation of the carrying of a lot or lots of special purpose wafers between stockers and to achieve high speed processing while suppressing an increase in storage volume. The carrying control system includes stockers for storing therein special purpose lot or lots comprising wafers which will not be processed in production facilities, or said special purpose lot or lots and usual lot or lots comprising wafers which will be processed by production facilities and a carrying host computer for controlling automatic carrying of lot or lots in carrying facilities. The carrying host computer receives a report of receipt of the special purpose lot(s) by one of stockers transmitted from the one of the stockers when the special purpose lot(s) is received by said one of the stocker in said carrying pattern, for initiating a timer and for assuming that processing of the special purpose lot(s) stored in said stocker is completed when a result of count in the timer shows lapse of a predetermined period of time, for determining a next stocker to which the special purpose lot is to be carried next in accordance with a carrying pattern corresponding to the special purpose lot(s) stored in the storage unit, and for sending to the one of the stockers which stores the special purpose lots an carrying instruction for carrying special purpose lots to next stocker.