Patent ID: 11965241
Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC C  H | IPC C  H

Claim 0:
1. A cluster tool suitable for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising:
a first mainframe including a first transfer chamber;
one or more process chambers mounted to the first mainframe and configured to conduct a process operation at a first pressure that is less than 700 Torr;
a second mainframe including a second transfer chamber, the second mainframe coupled to the first mainframe;
a pressure stabilization chamber between the first transfer chamber and the second transfer chamber;
one or more epitaxial deposition chambers coupled to the second mainframe and configured to conduct an epitaxial deposition operation at an atmospheric pressure within a range of 700 Torr to 800 Torr; and
a controller comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a plurality of operations to be conducted, the plurality of operations comprising:
performing the process operation on a substrate at the first pressure in one of the one or more process chambers;
maintaining a pressure of the pressure stabilization chamber at the first pressure;
transferring the substrate from the process chamber to the pressure stabilization chamber through a first door of the pressure stabilization chamber;
closing the first door;
increasing the pressure of the pressure stabilization chamber to the atmospheric pressure;
opening a second door of the pressure stabilization chamber;
transferring the substrate from the pressure stabilization chamber to one of the one or more epitaxial deposition chambers; and
conducting an epitaxial deposition operation on the substrate while maintaining the epitaxial deposition chamber at the atmospheric pressure.