WO2002005332A2 - Sas de chargement - Google Patents

Sas de chargement Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002005332A2
WO2002005332A2 PCT/US2001/041238 US0141238W WO0205332A2 WO 2002005332 A2 WO2002005332 A2 WO 2002005332A2 US 0141238 W US0141238 W US 0141238W WO 0205332 A2 WO0205332 A2 WO 0205332A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
chamber
substrate
opening
loadlock
substrate handler
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/041238
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2002005332A3 (fr
Inventor
Ilya Perlov
Original Assignee
Applied Materials, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Applied Materials, Inc. filed Critical Applied Materials, Inc.
Priority to AU2001273667A priority Critical patent/AU2001273667A1/en
Priority to US10/332,195 priority patent/US20040096300A1/en
Publication of WO2002005332A2 publication Critical patent/WO2002005332A2/fr
Publication of WO2002005332A3 publication Critical patent/WO2002005332A3/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
    • H01L21/67155—Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations
    • H01L21/67196—Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
    • H01L21/67155—Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations
    • H01L21/67201—Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to an inventive loadlock chamber for use during semiconductor device manufacturing .
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view, in pertinent part, of a conventional processing system 11 having a factory interface wafer handler 13 adapted to transport wafers between a plurality of wafer carrier loading stations 15a-d and a processing tool 17.
  • the exemplary processing system 11 shown in FIG. 1 includes an interface chamber 19 and the processing tool 17 which, in this example, comprises a pair of conventional loadlock chambers 23, a transfer chamber 25 coupled to the conventional loadlock chambers 23, and a plurality of processing chambers 27 coupled to the transfer chamber 25.
  • An interface wall 29 is positioned between the wafer carrier loading stations 15a-d and the processing system 11 for separating a "white area" clean room 31 from a less clean, "gray area” clean room 33.
  • the wafer carrier loading stations 15a-d are located in the "white area” clean room 31 and the processing system 11 is located in the less clean, "gray area” clean room 33.
  • the wafer carrier loading stations 15a-d are positioned adjacent sealable openings 35 in the interface wall 29.
  • the wafer carrier loading stations 15a-d each comprise a wafer carrier platform (not shown) adapted to receive a sealed pod (not shown) and a wafer carrier opener 37 adapted to engage and unlatch a pod door (not shown) from the remainder of the pod as is known in the art .
  • the interface chamber 19 contains the interface wafer handler 13 mounted to a track (not shown) .
  • the transfer chamber 25 of the processing tool 17 contains a transfer chamber wafer handler 39 adapted to transport wafers (such as wafer ) between the loadlock chambers 23 and the processing chambers 27.
  • a pod (not shown) , containing cassettes of wafers, is loaded onto one of the wafer carrier loading stations 15a-d; and the wafer carrier opener 37 engages and unlatches the pod door (not shown) of the pod.
  • the wafer carrier opener 37 moves the pod door horizontally away from the wafer carrier platform (in the "X" direction in FIG. 1) and then moves the pod door vertically downward (into the page in FIG. 1) to provide clear access to the wafers in • the pod.
  • the interface wafer handler 13 of the interface chamber 19 then extracts a wafer from the pod and transports the wafer to one of the conventional loadlock chambers 23. Thereafter, the transfer chamber wafer handler 39 of the processing tool 17 transports the wafer from the conventional loadlock chamber 23 to one of the processing chambers 27 wherein a processing step is performed on the wafer.
  • a loadlock chamber may reduce processing system footprint.
  • a loadlock chamber is provided that includes (1) a first chamber portion adapted to remain stationary; (2) a second chamber portion adapted to move relative to the first chamber portion; and (3) a substrate handler located between the first and second chamber portions.
  • the loadlock chamber is adapted to assume (a) a closed position wherein the first and second chamber portions contact one another so as to define a region capable of maintaining a vacuum pressure; (b) an opened position wherein the second chamber portion moves away from the first chamber portion so as to define an opening; and (c) a load position wherein at least a portion of the substrate handler extends through the opening.
  • a load lock chamber in a second aspect of the invention, includes (1) a top portion adapted to remain stationary and that includes a first opening adapted to allow a substrate to be transferred to and from the loadlock chamber; (2) a bottom portion adapted to raise and lower relative to the top portion; and (3) a substrate handler located between the top and bottom portions.
  • the loadlock chamber is adapted to assume (a) a closed position wherein the top and bottom portions contact one another so as to define a region capable of maintaining a vacuum pressure; (b) an opened position wherein the bottom portion and the substrate handler lower as a unit away from the top portion so as to define a second opening; (c) a load position wherein at least a portion of the substrate handler extends through the second opening; and (d) an unload position wherein the top and bottom portions contact one another and wherein at least a portion of the substrate handler extends through the first opening.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view, in pertinent part, of a conventional processing system as previously described;
  • FIGS. 2A-D are schematic side sectional views of a novel processing system, showing an inventive loadlock chamber in a closed position, an opened position, a load position and an unload position, respectively;
  • FIG. 3 is a top view of the novel processing system of FIGS. 2A-D taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2B; and
  • FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the transfer chamber of FIGS. 2A-3.
  • FIGS. 2A-D are schematic side sectional views of a novel processing system 100, showing an inventive loadlock chamber 101 in a closed position, an opened position, a load position and an unload position, respectively, and FIG. 3 is a top view of the novel processing system 100 taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2B.
  • the inventive loadlock chamber 101 contains a substrate handler 103 adapted to transfer a wafer (not shown) between a wafer carrier loading station 105 and a transfer chamber 107 of a processing tool (not shown) .
  • the inventive loadlock chamber 101 comprises a stationary top plate 109 and a vertically moveable bottom plate 111.
  • the top plate 109 and the bottom plate 111 are coupled so as to touch at an intersection surface 113 (FIG. 2A and FIG. 3) .
  • the top plate 109 and/or the bottom plate 111 may comprise an O-ring or the like (not shown) for forming a seal between the top plate 109 and the bottom plate 111 (e.g., a seal that is capable of withstanding/maintaining vacuum pressure in a region 114 formed between the top plate 109 and the bottom plate 111 as described below) .
  • the bottom plate 111 is mounted to the substrate handler 103, so as to move vertically therewith, such that when the substrate handler 103 moves vertically downward, the bottom plate 111 moves downward (FIG. 2B) .
  • the bottom plate 111 is in the lowered position (FIG.
  • the loadlock chamber 101 is in an "opened" position, and a blade B of the substrate handler 103 is adjacent an opening 115 created between the stationary top plate 109 and the lowered bottom plate 111.
  • the substrate handler 103 may be raised and/or lowered via a vertical actuator such as a motor 117.
  • FIGS. 2A-D show the inventive loadlock chamber 101 in the closed, opened, load and unload positions, respectively.
  • the motor 117 is energized and moves the substrate handler 103 downward, carrying the bottom plate 111 therewith.
  • the opening 115 is created between the stationary top plate 109 and the bottom plate 111, which is attached to and moves downward with the substrate handler 103.
  • the inventive loadlock chamber 101 is then in the opened position as shown in FIG. 2B.
  • the blade B of the substrate handler 103 moves horizontally and extends to a position beneath a wafer (not shown) contained within a pod 121 positioned on the wafer carrier loading station 105.
  • the inventive loadlock chamber 101 is then in the load position as shown in FIG. 2C.
  • the blade B of the substrate handler 103 lifts slightly (so as to pick up the wafer) , retracts and carries the wafer into the inventive loadlock chamber 101 (FIG. 2B) .
  • the substrate handler 103 may remain stationary while the pod 121 (or a wafer support therein) indexes downward to place a wafer on the substrate handler 103.
  • the blade B of the substrate handler 103 then may retract so as to carry the wafer into the inventive loadlock chamber 101 (FIG. 2B) .
  • the motor 117 elevates the substrate handler 103, carrying the wafer and the bottom plate 111 vertically upward such that the bottom plate 111 again contacts and seals against the stationary top plate 109.
  • the opening 115 is closed, as shown in FIG. 2A (creating the sealed region 114) .
  • the inventive loadlock chamber 101 is pumped down to a desired vacuum level.
  • An arm 123 of the substrate handler 103 rotates 180 degrees so as to place the blade B adjacent a slit valve 119.
  • the slit valve 119 then opens and the substrate handler 103 extends so as to transfer the wafer into the transfer chamber 107 through the slit valve 119 (placing the inventive loadlock chamber 101 in the unload position as shown in FIG. 2D) .
  • the opening 115 may be created at a lower elevation than the elevation of the slit valve 119; accordingly the wafer carrier loading station 105 may be positioned at a lower elevation than the transfer chamber 107.
  • the substrate handler 103 and the bottom plate 111 lower so as to open the inventive loadlock chamber 101, the substrate handler 103 is positioned adjacent (e.g., at the same elevation as) the wafer carrier loading station 105, and when the substrate handler 103 and the bottom plate 111 raise so as to close the inventive loadlock chamber 101, the substrate handler 103 is positioned adjacent (e.g., at the same elevation as) the transfer chamber 107.
  • the opening 115 may be created at the same elevation as the slit valve 119 (so that the wafer carrier loading station 105 and the transfer chamber 107 may be located at the same level) .
  • the novel processing system 100 occupies a smaller footprint than the conventional processing system 11 of FIG. 1 (e.g., as the interface chamber 19 is not required) .
  • the slit valve 119 may be, for example, the slit valve disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/216,868, filed July 7, 2000 (AMAT Docket No. 4514/L/ATD/MBE titled "Automatic Slit/Gate Valve”) which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety
  • the transfer chamber 107 may be, for example, the transfer chamber disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/611,549, filed July 7, 2000 (AMAT Docket No. 1259/P2/ATD/DV titled "Method and Apparatus For Improved Substrate Handling" which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
  • FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a transfer chamber 411 containing a substrate carriage 413 and temperature adjustment plate 415 that represents one exemplary embodiment of the transfer chamber 107 of FIGS. 2A-3.
  • the transfer chamber 411 is described in further detail in previously incorporated U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/611,549.
  • the transfer chamber 411 includes a central shaft 417 fixedly coupled to the temperature adjustment plate 415 and that extends therefrom through a center region of the substrate carriage 413.
  • the central shaft 417 is not in contact with the center region of the substrate carriage 413, but rather is coupled to the substrate carriage 413 via a motor (not shown) .
  • the substrate carriage 413 comprises three equally spaced branches 419a-c which extend radially outward from the center region of the substrate carriage 413.
  • Each branch 419a-c comprises a pair of substrate supports 421a-b which face outwardly (i.e., away from each other) therefrom.
  • the branches 419a-c are preferably machined from the same piece of material or may be made of two or more separate parts connected together using bolts, screws or other connectors including welding, such that they rotate and/or elevate together as a unit.
  • a substrate handler blade 424a of a substrate handler (not shown) are configured so as to define a plurality of substrate seats 423a-c each of which supports a substrate (not shown) by its edge.
  • a passage is maintained for a substrate handler blade 424a of a substrate handler (not shown) to pass therethrough during substrate handoffs between the substrate carriage 413 and the substrate handler blade 424a, as described further below.
  • the substrate supports 421a-b are preferably made of a ceramic such as alumina, quartz or any other hard material which is compatible with semiconductor substrates and does not produce particles or scratch a substrate during contact therewith.
  • the substrate supports 421a-b are attached to the underside of the branches 419a-c, such that the substrate carriage 413 may lower the substrate supports 421a-b below the top surface of the temperature adjustment plate 415, and below the substrate handler blade 424a, thus transferring a substrate supported by a substrate seat 423a- c to the temperature adjustment plate 415 and/or to the substrate handler blade 424a, while the remainder of the substrate carriage 413 (i.e., the branches 419a-c) remains above and does not contact either the temperature adjustment plate 415 and/or the substrate handler blade 424a.
  • the temperature adjustment plate 415 is configured to simultaneously support two substrates (not shown) , when the substrate carriage 413 lowers the substrate supports 421a-b to an elevation below the top surface of the temperature adjustment plate 415.
  • the temperature adjustment plate 415 is preferably coextensive with the substrates placed thereon.
  • the temperature adjustment plate 415 includes four notches 425a-d placed to receive the substrate supports 421a-b.
  • the temperature adjustment plate 415 also comprises a cut out region 426 in which the substrate handler (not shown) may be housed. The cut out region 426 is configured to provide sufficient space for the substrate handler to swing about a central axis when the substrate handler extends and retracts without interfering engagement with a heating plate 415a.
  • the substrate carriage 413 positions one of the substrate support seats 423a-c adjacent the slit valve 119 and lowers.
  • the slit valve 119 opens and the blade B of the substrate handler 103 extends therethrough carrying a wafer to a position above the substrate support seat 423a-c adjacent the slit valve 119.
  • the substrate carriage 413 elevates, lifting the wafer from the blade B onto the substrate support seat 423a-c.
  • the blade B retracts, the loadlock chamber 101 assumes the closed position (FIG. 2A) and the substrate carriage 413 rotates to position the wafer adjacent a slit valve 427.
  • the substrate carriage 413 then lowers transferring the wafer to the blade 424a.
  • the slit valve 427 opens and the blade 424a extends therethrough to place the wafer into another chamber (not shown) coupled to the transfer chamber 411, such as a processing chamber.
  • the wafer may be heated or cooled via the temperature adjustment plate 415 prior to wafer transfer as described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/611,549.
  • the inventive load lock chamber 101 may be configured such that the top plate 109 moves up and down rather than the bottom plate 111 and/or the substrate handler 103.
  • the particular shapes of the top plate 109 and the bottom plate 111 are merely exemplary, and other shapes may be employed.
  • Other mechanisms may be employed to raise and lower the bottom plate 111 and the substrate handler 103, and the bottom plate 111 and substrate handler 103 may be raised and lowered independently if desired.
  • Other types of substrate handlers may be employed within the inventive loadlock chamber 101.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)

Abstract

Dans un premier aspect, la présente invention concerne un sas de chargement comprenant : (1) une première partie de sas apte à rester stationnaire ; (2) une seconde partie de sas apte à se déplacer par rapport à la première partie de sas ; et (3) un dispositif de manipulation de substrat placé entre la première et la seconde partie de sas. Le sas de chargement de l'invention est apte à adopter : (a) une position fermée dans laquelle la première et la seconde partie de sas sont en contact l'une avec l'autre de manière qu'elles définissent une région capable de maintenir une pression sous vide ; (b) une position ouverte dans laquelle la seconde partie de sas s'éloigne de la première partie de sas de façon à définir une ouverture ; et (c) une position de chargement dans laquelle au moins une partie du dispositif de manipulation de substrat s'étend à travers l'ouverture. L'invention se rapporte également à des systèmes et à des procédés conformes à l'aspect décrit ci-dessus ainsi qu'à d'autres aspects.
PCT/US2001/041238 2000-07-07 2001-06-30 Sas de chargement WO2002005332A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001273667A AU2001273667A1 (en) 2000-07-07 2001-06-30 Loadlock chamber
US10/332,195 US20040096300A1 (en) 2001-06-30 2001-06-30 Loadlock chamber

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US21714400P 2000-07-07 2000-07-07
US60/217,144 2000-07-07

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002005332A2 true WO2002005332A2 (fr) 2002-01-17
WO2002005332A3 WO2002005332A3 (fr) 2002-05-10

Family

ID=22809832

Family Applications (1)

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PCT/US2001/041238 WO2002005332A2 (fr) 2000-07-07 2001-06-30 Sas de chargement

Country Status (4)

Country Link
CN (1) CN1440564A (fr)
AU (1) AU2001273667A1 (fr)
TW (1) TW541589B (fr)
WO (1) WO2002005332A2 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006133818A1 (fr) * 2005-06-17 2006-12-21 Merz Pharma Gmbh & Co. Kgaa Procede et un dispositif pour produire par fermentation des matieres biologiquement actives
US10283379B2 (en) 2015-01-22 2019-05-07 Applied Materials, Inc. Batch LED heating and cooling chamber or loadlock

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0764973A2 (fr) * 1991-10-25 1997-03-26 Electrotech Limited Système de traitement
US5788447A (en) * 1995-08-05 1998-08-04 Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. Substrate processing apparatus
WO1999013504A1 (fr) * 1997-09-10 1999-03-18 Tokyo Electron Limited Mecanisme de sas et appareil de traitement
US6034000A (en) * 1997-07-28 2000-03-07 Applied Materials, Inc. Multiple loadlock system

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0764973A2 (fr) * 1991-10-25 1997-03-26 Electrotech Limited Système de traitement
US5788447A (en) * 1995-08-05 1998-08-04 Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. Substrate processing apparatus
US6034000A (en) * 1997-07-28 2000-03-07 Applied Materials, Inc. Multiple loadlock system
WO1999013504A1 (fr) * 1997-09-10 1999-03-18 Tokyo Electron Limited Mecanisme de sas et appareil de traitement

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006133818A1 (fr) * 2005-06-17 2006-12-21 Merz Pharma Gmbh & Co. Kgaa Procede et un dispositif pour produire par fermentation des matieres biologiquement actives
EA012052B1 (ru) * 2005-06-17 2009-08-28 Мерц Фарма Гмбх Унд Ко. Кгаа Устройство и способ для ферментативного получения биологически активных соединений
US7927836B2 (en) 2005-06-17 2011-04-19 Merz Pharma Gmbh & Co. Kgaa Device and method for the production of biologically active compounds by fermentation
US10283379B2 (en) 2015-01-22 2019-05-07 Applied Materials, Inc. Batch LED heating and cooling chamber or loadlock
US11315806B2 (en) 2015-01-22 2022-04-26 Applied Materials, Inc. Batch heating and cooling chamber or loadlock

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2002005332A3 (fr) 2002-05-10
AU2001273667A1 (en) 2002-01-21
CN1440564A (zh) 2003-09-03
TW541589B (en) 2003-07-11

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