Control apparatus and method for a substrate tray on an in-line sputtering apparatus

Claim 2

A control apparatus for a substrate tray, said control apparatus comprising: identification means for detecting an identification number of a substrate tray; count means responsive to the detected identification number for counting the number of times the substrate tray has been used; and output means for outputting a signal indicating that the counted number has reached a predetermined number.

Claim 3

A control apparatus for a substrate tray, said control apparatus comprising: deformation measuring means for detecting a deformation between an identification mark position which is provided on a substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; comparison means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; and output means for outputting a signal when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount.

Claim 4

A control apparatus for a substrate tray, said control apparatus comprising: deformation measuring means for detecting a deformation between an identification mark position which is provided on a substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; comparison means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; and output means for outputting a signal when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount.

Claim 5

A control apparatus for a substrate tray, said control apparatus comprising: tray identification means for reading out a number of identification marks which are provided on a substrate tray; deformation measuring means for detecting a distance between the substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; counting means responsive to the read out number of identification marks for counting the number of times the substrate tray has been used; comparing means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount: and output means for outputting a signal when the counted number has reached a previously set number or when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount.

Claim 6

A control apparatus for a substrate tray, said control apparatus comprising: tray identification means for reading out a number of identification marks which are provided on a substrate tray; deformation measuring means for detecting a distance between the substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; counting means responsive to the read out number of identification marks for counting the number of times the substrate tray has been used; comparing means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount: and output means for outputting a signal when the counted number has reached a previously set number or when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount.

Claim 7

A transfer apparatus for a substrate tray, said transfer apparatus comprising: identification means for detecting an identification number of a substrate tray; count means responsive to the detected identification number for counting the number of times the substrate tray has been used; output means for outputting a signal indicating that the counted number has reached a predetermined number; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 8

A transfer apparatus for a substrate tray, said transfer apparatus comprising: identification means for detecting an identification number of a substrate tray; count means responsive to the detected identification number for counting the number of times the substrate tray has been used; output means for outputting a signal indicating that the counted number has reached a predetermined number; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 9

A transfer apparatus for a substrate tray, said transfer apparatus comprising: deformation measuring means for detecting a deformation between an identification mark position which is provided on a substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; comparison means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 10

A transfer apparatus for a substrate tray, said transfer apparatus comprising: deformation measuring means for detecting a deformation between an identification mark position which is provided on a substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; comparison means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 11

A transfer apparatus for a substrate tray, said transfer apparatus comprising: tray identification means for reading out a number of identification marks which are provided on a substrate tray; deformation measuring means for detecting a distance between the substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; counting means responsive to the read out number of identification marks for counting the number of times the substrate tray has been used; comparing means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the counted number has reached a previously set number or when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 12

A transfer apparatus for a substrate tray, said transfer apparatus comprising: tray identification means for reading out a number of identification marks which are provided on a substrate tray; deformation measuring means for detecting a distance between the substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; counting means responsive to the read out number of identification marks for counting the number of times the substrate tray has been used; comparing means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the counted number has reached a previously set number or when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 13

An in-line sputtering apparatus, comprising: a plurality of chambers for performing a sputtering process on a substrate passing through said plurality of chambers, on a substrate tray; identification means for detecting an identification number of a substrate tray on which a substrate is passed through said plurality of chambers; count means responsive to the detected identification number for counting the number of times the substrate tray has passed through said plurality of substrates; output means for outputting a signal indicating that the counted number has reached a predetermined number; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 14

An in-line sputtering apparatus, comprising: a plurality of chambers for performing a sputtering process on a substrate passing through said plurality of chambers, on a substrate tray; identification means for detecting an identification number of a substrate tray on which a substrate is passed through said plurality of chambers; count means responsive to the detected identification number for counting the number of times the substrate tray has passed through said plurality of substrates; output means for outputting a signal indicating that the counted number has reached a predetermined number; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 15

An in-line sputtering apparatus, comprising: a plurality of chambers for performing a sputtering process on a substrate passing through said plurality of chambers on a substrate tray; deformation measuring means for detecting a deformation between an identification mark position which is provided on a substrate tray passing through said plurality of chambers and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; comparison means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 16

An in-line sputtering apparatus, comprising: a plurality of chambers for performing a sputtering process on a substrate passing through said plurality of chambers on a substrate tray; deformation measuring means for detecting a deformation between an identification mark position which is provided on a substrate tray passing through said plurality of chambers and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; comparison means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 17

An in-line sputtering apparatus, comprising: a plurality of chambers for performing a sputtering process on a substrate passing through said plurality of chambers on a substrate tray; tray identification means for reading out a number of identification marks which are provided on a substrate tray on which a substrate is passed through said plurality of chambers; deformation measuring means for detecting a distance between the substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; counting means responsive to the read out number of identification marks for counting the number of times the substrate tray has passed through said plurality of chambers; comparing means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the counted number has reached a previously set number or when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 18

An in-line sputtering apparatus, comprising: a plurality of chambers for performing a sputtering process on a substrate passing through said plurality of chambers on a substrate tray; tray identification means for reading out a number of identification marks which are provided on a substrate tray on which a substrate is passed through said plurality of chambers; deformation measuring means for detecting a distance between the substrate tray and a standard position thereof and for measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; counting means responsive to the read out number of identification marks for counting the number of times the substrate tray has passed through said plurality of chambers; comparing means for comparing the measured deformation amount and a previously set deformation amount; output means for outputting a signal when the counted number has reached a previously set number or when the measured deformation amount exceeds the previously set deformation amount; stock means for stocking a number of available substrate trays; and tray exchange means responsive to the output signal for exchanging the substrate tray for an available substrate tray.

Claim 19

A control method for a substrate tray, comprising the steps of: reading out an identification number on a substrate tray; determining the number of times the substrate tray has been used; measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; and removing the substrate tray from a transfer line when the number of times the substrate tray has been used exceeds a predetermined number of times and/or when the deformation amount exceeds a predetermined allowable deformation amount.

Claim 20

A control method for a substrate tray, comprising the steps of: reading out an identification number on a substrate tray; determining the number of times the substrate tray has been used; measuring a deformation amount of the substrate tray; and removing the substrate tray from a transfer line when the number of times the substrate tray has been used exceeds a predetermined number of times and/or when the deformation amount exceeds a predetermined allowable deformation amount.