Transfer system and semiconductor manufacturing system

Abstract

The present invention provides a transfer technique that can improve the transfer ability when reinforcing and expanding the transfer system, with effectively using the existing system. The transfer system includes tracks that link a plurality of manufacturing equipments, a plurality of carriers having different performances that run on the tracks to transfer objects between the manufacturing equipments and the like in a factory space having a plurality of manufacturing equipments, and the plurality of carriers having different performances are simultaneously provided and run on the same tracks. The plurality of carriers are composed of old carriers and new carriers that provided together and run depending on their own performances (running performance such as running speed, acceleration/deceleration, and the like and transfer performance such as transfer speed and the like).

1 . A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system, the method comprising: 
 providing a semiconductor device manufacturing system with a plurality of original manufacturing apparatuses, original tracks which link among the plurality of original manufacturing apparatuses, and a plurality of original vehicles running on the original tracks to transfer wafers between the plurality of original manufacturing apparatuses;    adding additional manufacturing apparatuses, additional vehicles, and additional tracks which link among the additional manufacturing apparatuses as well as to the plurality of original manufacturing apparatuses, the additional vehicles having different performances from said original vehicles; and    operating the original and additional vehicles having different performances to simultaneously run over all of the original and additional tracks, wherein    the performances include running performances and wafer-transferring performances, and    the original and additional tracks are arranged in one or more than one bay.    
   
   
       2 . The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said running performance includes one of a running speed and a speed of acceleration/deceleration.    
   
   
       3 . The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said wafer-transferring performance includes a wafer-transferring speed.    
   
   
       4 . The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said original and additional vehicles include at least two of RGV, AGV, OHT, and OHS.    
   
   
       5 . A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system, said system comprising: 
 a transfer system including original tracks which link a plurality of original manufacturing apparatuses and a plurality of original vehicles which run on the original tracks to transfer semiconductor wafers between the original manufacturing apparatuses; and    additional vehicles and a plurality of additional manufacturing apparatuses which are arranged along additional tracks to treat or inspect said semiconductor wafers transferred and delivered by said original and additional vehicles, said method comprising:    operating the original and additional vehicles having different performances to simultaneously run over all of the original and additional tracks, wherein    the performances include running performances and wafer-transferring performances, and    the original and additional tracks are arranged in a bay or between bays.    
   
   
       6 . The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein said running performance includes one of a running speed and a speed of acceleration/deceleration.    
   
   
       7 . The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein said wafer-transferring performance includes a wafer-transferring speed.    
   
   
       8 . The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein said original and additional vehicles include at least two of RGV, AGV, OHT, and OHS.    
   
   
       9 . A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device manufacturing system, said system comprising: 
 a first bay which has a plurality of first manufacturing equipments apparatuses, first tracks which link said first manufacturing apparatuses, and first vehicles which are arranged on said first tracks; and    a second bay which has a plurality of second manufacturing apparatuses, second tracks which link said plurality of second manufacturing apparatuses, and second vehicles having performances different from those of said first vehicles and arranged on said second tracks, said method comprising:    operating the first and second vehicles having different performances to simultaneously run on all of the first and second tracks in the first and second bays,    wherein said first tracks and said second tracks are linked so as to enable said second vehicles to run over said first tracks and enable said first vehicles to run over said second tracks,    the performances include running performances and wafer-transferring performances.