TW457620B - Load-lock with external staging area - Google Patents

Load-lock with external staging area Download PDF

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Publication number
TW457620B
TW457620B TW89110834A TW89110834A TW457620B TW 457620 B TW457620 B TW 457620B TW 89110834 A TW89110834 A TW 89110834A TW 89110834 A TW89110834 A TW 89110834A TW 457620 B TW457620 B TW 457620B
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TW
Taiwan
Prior art keywords
load
substrates
substrate
chamber
lock chamber
Prior art date
Application number
TW89110834A
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Chinese (zh)
Inventor
Kevin Fairbairn
Howard E Grunes
Christopher T Lane
Kelly A Colborne
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Applied Materials Inc
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Publication of TW457620B publication Critical patent/TW457620B/en

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Abstract

The present invention generally provides a vacuum system having a small-volume load-lock chamber for supporting a substrate set of only two rows of substrates, which provides for quick evacuation and venting of the load-lock chamber to provide a continuous feed load-lock chamber. More particularly, the present invention provides a transfer chamber; one or more processing chambers connected to the transfer chamber; a substrate handling robot disposed in the transfer chamber; and at least one load-lock chamber connected to the transfer chamber, and having one or more substrate support members for supporting one or more stacks of only two substrates per stack. Another aspect of the invention provides a staging, or storage rack associated with or integrated with the load-lock chamber. More particularly, the staging, or storage rack may be located outside the transfer chamber and accessible by a staging robot serving the load-lock chamber. The staging or storage rack may temporarily store processed substrates for cooling of the substrates prior to replacing the substrates within substrate cassettes during idle time of the staging robot. In this way, the substrates may continue to be cooled without interrupting the operation of the load-lock chamber.

Description

457620457620

ABCD 經濟部智慧財產局員工消費合作社印製 六、申請專利範圍 11·如申請專利範圍第10項所述之設備,其中上述之適用 以暫時地收納並預熱未處理基材之一或多數儲存架之 至少一個包含一加熱元件。 12·如申請專利範圍第7項所述之設備,其中上述之真空隔 絕室包含一加熱元件,安置成與其連接,用以預熱於真 空隔絕室中之未處理基材。 1 3 ·如申叫專利範圍第1項所述之設備,其中上述之至少一 真空隔絕室之每一個均包含一單一基材支撐件,用以收 納單一疊之兩基材。 14·如申請專利範圍第〖項所述之設備,其中上述之至少一 真空隔絕室之每一個均包含一雙基材支撐件,用以收納 兩疊之兩基材。 15.如申請專利範圍第1項所述之設備,更包含多數真空隔 絕室,每一真空隔絕室均連接至傳送室之不同斜面。 16·如申請專利範圍帛13項所述之設備,&中上述之至少 一真空隔絕室係為—連接至傳送室之單一斜面之單一 真空隔絕室。 17· —種處理基材之古、土 ^ , 丞柯之方去,至少包含步驟: 第26頁 本紙張尺度適用中國國家標準(CNS)A4U^^^-^- ..............:裝---------訂.........绫 (請先閲讀背面之注意事項再填寫本頁) 457620 ABCD 一 經濟部智慧財產局員工消費合作社印製 六、申請專利範圍 (a) 以存放機械手臂提供未處理基材至一真空隔絕 室; (b) 以一位於傳送室内之基材處理機械手臂,由真空 隔絕室取回未處理基材; (c) 於一或多數連接至該傳送室之處理室中,處理未 處理之基材; (d) 以該基材處理機械手臂,將已處理基材送回真空 , 隔絕室中; (e) 以存放機械手臂將已處理基材由真空隔絕室中取 回; (f) 將已處理基材放置於一儲存架上,其中該儲存架 具有一冷卻元件並設置於該真空隔絕室、該傳送室與連 接該傳送室之該一或多數處理室之外,且其中該儲存架 至 包含複數個平行並相隔開之傳熱板,用以暫存複數 基材; (g) 允命已處理基材於冷卻站中冷卻;及 (h) 由冷卻站中,以存放機械手臂取回已處理及已冷 卻基材,並將其放於基材卡匣中。 18.—種處理基材之方法,至少包含步驟: (a)提供一真空設備,其具傳送室,連接至該傳送室 之一或多數處理室,一安置於傳送室中之基材處理機械 手臂,及連接至該傳送室並具有至少一基材支撐件,用 以支撐兩基材組之單一真空隔絕室; 第27頁 本紙張尺度適用中國國家標準(CNS)A4規格(210X297公g~ -- ..............r衮.........訂........'丨竣 (請先閲讀背面之注意事項再塡寫本頁) 457620Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 6. Scope of Patent Application 11. The device described in item 10 of the scope of patent application, in which the above applies to temporarily store and preheat one or most of the untreated substrates for storage. At least one of the shelves includes a heating element. 12. The device according to item 7 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the above-mentioned vacuum isolation chamber includes a heating element arranged to be connected thereto for preheating the untreated substrate in the vacuum insulation chamber. 1 3 · The device as described in claim 1 of the patent scope, wherein each of the at least one vacuum isolation chamber described above includes a single substrate support for receiving a single stack of two substrates. 14. The device as described in the item of the scope of the patent application, wherein each of the at least one vacuum isolation chamber mentioned above includes a double substrate support for receiving two stacks of two substrates. 15. The device as described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, further comprising a plurality of vacuum isolation chambers, each of which is connected to a different inclined surface of the transfer chamber. 16. The device as described in the scope of application patent No. 13; at least one of the vacuum isolation chambers mentioned above is a single vacuum isolation chamber connected to a single inclined surface of the transfer chamber. 17 · — A kind of ancient, earth ^, and, ke to treat the substrate, including at least the steps: page 26 This paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4U ^^^-^ -....... .......: Install --------- Order ............ 绫 (Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page) 457620 ABCD Intellectual Property Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs Printed by Employee Consumer Cooperatives 6. Scope of patent application (a) Store unmanned substrates provided by the robotic arm to a vacuum isolation chamber; (b) Process the robotic arms by a substrate located in the transfer chamber, and retrieve the unrecovered materials from the vacuum isolation chamber Processing substrates; (c) processing unprocessed substrates in one or more of the processing chambers connected to the transfer chamber; (d) processing the robotic arm with the substrates, returning the processed substrates to the vacuum, isolation chamber (E) the processed substrate is retrieved from the vacuum isolation chamber by a storage robot arm; (f) the processed substrate is placed on a storage rack, wherein the storage rack has a cooling element and is set in the vacuum The isolation room, the transfer room, and the one or more processing rooms connected to the transfer room, and wherein the storage rack includes a plurality of parallel and spaced apart Open heat transfer plates for temporary storage of multiple substrates; (g) allow processed substrates to be cooled in a cooling station; and (h) from the cooling station to store robotic arms to retrieve processed and cooled substrates And put it in the substrate cassette. 18. A method for processing a substrate, comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing a vacuum equipment having a transfer chamber connected to one or more of the transfer chambers, and a substrate processing machine disposed in the transfer chamber An arm, and a single vacuum isolation chamber connected to the transfer chamber and having at least one substrate support member for supporting two substrate sets; page 27 This paper size is applicable to China National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210X297mmg ~ -.............. r 衮 ......... Order ..... '丨 End (Please read the notes on the back before writing (This page) 457620

ABCD 、申請專利範圍 (b) 開始加載真空隔絕室及傳送室,以多數未處理基 材, (c) 於一或多數處理至中處理基材; (d) 由一或多數處理室中,以一基材支撐機械手臂移 開已處理基材; 〇)以基材處理機械手臂,將已處理基材放置於真空 隔絕室中; (f) 以基材處理機械手臂,將真空隔絕室内之未處理 基材取出; (g) 以一存放機械手臂取回於真空隔絕室中之已處理 基材’該存放機械手臂係位於真空隔絕室外; (h) 以存放機械手臂,將已處理基材放置於一健存架 上’其中該儲存架具有一冷卻元件及/或一加熱元件並 設置於該真空隔絕室、該傳送室與連接該傳送室之該一 或多數處理室之外,且其中該儲存架至少包含複數個平 行並相隔開之傳熱板,用以暫存複數基材;及 經濟部智慧財產局員工消費合作社印製 ⑴重覆步驟c)至h),於由儲存架中,以存放機械手 臂取回被冷卻基材,並於存放機械手臂閒置時,以存放 機械手臂放置已冷卻基材於基材卡厘内。 19·如申請專利範圍第18項所述之方法,其中上述之每 基材組於每一兩基材疊中包含單一基材。 於 20·如申請專利範圍第19項所述之方法,更包含步驟有 第28頁 本紙張尺度適用中國國家標準(CNS)A4規格(210X297公釐)ABCD, patent application scope (b) Start loading vacuum isolation chamber and transfer chamber with most untreated substrates, (c) Process one or most substrates with medium processing; (d) From one or most processing chambers with A substrate supporting robot arm removes the processed substrate; 〇) The substrate processing robot arm is placed in the vacuum isolation chamber; (f) The substrate processing robot arm is used to isolate the vacuum chamber. Take out the processed substrate; (g) Retrieve the processed substrate in the vacuum insulation chamber with a storage robot arm; the storage robot arm is located outside the vacuum insulation chamber; (h) place the processed substrate with the storage robot arm On a storage rack 'wherein the storage rack has a cooling element and / or a heating element and is disposed outside the vacuum isolation chamber, the transfer chamber, and the one or more processing chambers connected to the transfer chamber, and wherein the The storage rack contains at least a number of parallel and spaced heat transfer plates for temporarily storing the plurality of substrates; and printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, repeating steps c) to h), in the storage rack, To store the robot When retrieving the substrate is cooled, and storing idle robot, a robot arm to hold a substrate placed in the substrate which had been cooled PCT card. 19. The method according to item 18 of the scope of patent application, wherein each of the substrate groups described above comprises a single substrate in each two substrate stack. At 20 · The method as described in item 19 of the scope of patent application, including the steps. Page 28 This paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210X297 mm)

ABCD 457620 六、申請專利範圍 ♦基材由基材處理機械手臂移開前,於真空隔絕室内預熱 未處理基材組之步驟。 (請先閲讀背面之注意事項再填寫本頁) 21.如申請專利範圍第19項所述之方法,更包含於基材放 置於真空隔絕室前,將未處理之基材組於儲存架内預熱 之步驟。 22·如申請專利範圍第18項所述之方法,其中上述之每一 基材組包含一單一基材於單一基材疊中。 23.如申請專利範圍第22項所述之方法,更包含於基材為 基材處理機械手臂所移開前,於真空隔絕室内將未處理 基材組預熱之步驟。 24·如申請專利範圍第22項所述之方法,更包含於基材放 置於真空隔絕室前,於儲存架内預熱未處理基材组之步 驟。 經濟部智慧財產局員工消費合作社印製 25·—種存放模組,用於一基材處理系統中,該存放模組至 少包含: (a)至少一真空隔絕室,適用以連接至基材處理系統 之一傳送室;及 00安裝於該真空隔絕室上方之一或多數儲存架,其 中該該儲存架具有一冷卻元件及/或一加熱元件,且其 第29頁ABCD 457620 6. Scope of patent application ♦ The steps of preheating the untreated substrate group in a vacuum insulation room before the substrate is removed from the substrate processing robot arm. (Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page) 21. The method described in item 19 of the scope of patent application, further includes placing the untreated substrates in a storage rack before the substrates are placed in a vacuum isolation chamber. Steps to warm up. 22. The method as described in claim 18, wherein each of said substrate groups comprises a single substrate in a single substrate stack. 23. The method according to item 22 of the scope of patent application, further comprising the step of preheating the untreated substrate group in a vacuum isolation chamber before the substrate is removed by the substrate processing robot arm. 24. The method according to item 22 of the scope of patent application, further comprising the step of preheating the untreated substrate group in a storage rack before the substrate is placed in a vacuum isolation chamber. Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 25 · —a storage module for a substrate processing system, the storage module includes at least: (a) at least one vacuum isolation chamber, which is suitable for connecting to the substrate processing A transfer room of the system; and 00 is installed on one or more storage racks above the vacuum isolation chamber, wherein the storage rack has a cooling element and / or a heating element, and its page 29

ABCD 457620 六、申請專利範圍 中該儲存架至少包含複數個平行並相隔開之傳熱板,用 以收納及暫時儲存基材。 26·如申請專利範圍第25項所述之存放模組,其中上述之 或多數倚存架之至少一^固為一冷卻架,適用以於基材 處理系統處理後,冷卻已處理基材。 27.如申請專利範圍第25項所述之存放模組,其中上述之 一或多數儲存架之至少一個係為一預熱架,適用以於為 基材處理系統處理前,預熱未處理基材。 28·如申請專利範圍第26項所述之存放模組,其中上述之 冷卻架包含一冷卻元件。 29·如申請專利範圍第27項所述之存放模組,其中上述之 預熱架包含一預熱元件。 30·如申請專利範圍第項所述之存放模組,其中上述之 預熱架包含一實質透熱窗於加熱元件與基材之間。 31·如申請專利範圍第3〇項所述之存放模組,其中上述之 實質透熱窗為石英窗。 第30頁 本紙張尺度適用中國國家標準(CNS)A4規格(21〇^7公楚) -------------- ............〔裝.........訂-........f (請先閲讀背面之注意事項再填寫本頁) 經濟部智慧財產局員工消費合作社印製ABCD 457620 6. In the scope of patent application, the storage rack includes at least a plurality of parallel and spaced apart heat transfer plates for storing and temporarily storing the substrate. 26. The storage module according to item 25 of the scope of the patent application, wherein at least one of the above or most of the racks is a cooling rack, which is suitable for cooling the treated substrate after the substrate processing system processes it. 27. The storage module according to item 25 of the scope of patent application, wherein at least one of the one or more storage racks is a preheating rack, which is suitable for preheating untreated substrates before processing for the substrate processing system. material. 28. The storage module according to item 26 of the scope of patent application, wherein the cooling rack includes a cooling element. 29. The storage module according to item 27 of the scope of patent application, wherein the preheating rack includes a preheating element. 30. The storage module according to item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the preheating rack described above includes a substantially transparent window between the heating element and the substrate. 31. The storage module according to item 30 of the scope of patent application, wherein the above-mentioned substantial heat transmission window is a quartz window. Page 30 This paper size is applicable to China National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (21〇 ^ 7 Chu) -------------- ............ 〔 Install ......... Order -........ f (Please read the precautions on the back before filling out this page) Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs

TW89110834A 1999-06-03 2000-08-25 Load-lock with external staging area TW457620B (en)

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