An automated loading and unloading system for a maglev wafer transport path

An automated loading and unloading system for placing silicon wafers on a carrier is discussed. Interest is particularly focused on the automated loading of wafers onto a carrier which is moved along a transport path using a magnetic levitation (maglev) drive mechanism. The system consists of a wafer carrier which can move along the path and is purely passive, and a loading and unloading device which uses vacuum and electrical power. A magnetic clamping mechanism presents the wafer from sliding when the carrier moves along the path. The electromagnetic loading and unloading device firmly holds the wafer using vacuum suction and may be carried out by a robot. Only the bottom surface and edge of the wafer are touched by the carrier and the loader-unloader. The loader-unloader described, when combined with a maglev transport path, is potentially useful for connecting the processing tools in a cluster or connecting the workstations along a semiconductor fabrication line