Patent ID: 11923215
Assignee: MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 10:
11. A method for processing a workpiece in a semiconductor processing system, the method comprising:
transferring a plurality of workpieces comprising at least a first workpiece and a second workpiece to a workpiece column in a loadlock chamber, the workpiece column configured to support a plurality of workpieces in a stacked arrangement;
transferring, with a workpiece handling robot located in a transfer chamber, the plurality of workpieces from the workpiece column to at least two processing stations in a first process chamber through one or more first slit doors, wherein the workpiece handling robot comprises a first robot arm and a second robot arm, the first robot arm and the second robot arm each having a pair of workpiece blades;
performing a first treatment process on the plum of workpieces in the first process chamber;
transferring, with the workpiece handling robot, the plurality of workpieces to at least two processing stations in a second process chamber through one or more second slit doors that are vertically aligned with the one or more first slit doors, the second process chamber aligned with the first process chamber along a straight side;
performing a second treatment process on the plurality of workpieces in the second process chamber,
transferring, with the workpiece handling robot, the plurality of workpieces to at least two processing stations in a third process chamber disposed on an opposite side of the transfer chamber from the first process chamber and the second process chamber, and
performing a third treatment process on the plurality of workpieces in the third process chamber,
wherein after grabbing a first workpiece and a second workpiece and prior to transferring the first workpiece and the second workpiece, the workpiece handling robot is configured to grab at least a third workpiece already located on one of the two side-bar-side processing stations in the first process chamber, the second process chamber, or the third process chamber with one of the pair of workpiece blades located on the first robot arm.