Patent ID: 8092659
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: C23C,H01J,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method performed by a processing system comprising: receiving a plurality of workpieces in at least one load lock; creating a low pressure in the at least one load lock significantly below ambient pressure; rotating a first pallet in a cleaning chamber to successively align individual workpiece support areas on the first pallet with a first entrance into the cleaning chamber, each workpiece support area only supporting a single workpiece; controlling a robotic arm in a transport module to move workpieces, one at a time, from the at least one load lock to associated workpiece support areas on the first pallet through the first entrance into the cleaning chamber while the first pallet rotates to successively align the workpiece support areas with the first entrance into the cleaning chamber and while the at least one load lock, the transport module, and the cleaning chamber are at the low pressure, the robotic arm only placing one workpiece over an associated workpiece support area; controlling the cleaning chamber to etch all workpieces on the first pallet, while the workpieces are supported on the first pallet, for batch cleaning of the workpieces using a plasma, wherein no additional workpieces are introduced into the cleaning chamber, and no workpieces are removed from the cleaning chamber, until batch cleaning of all the workpieces on the first pallet has been completed; after the batch cleaning of all the workpieces in the cleaning chamber is completed, rotating the first pallet in the cleaning chamber to successively align each workpiece support area with the first entrance to the cleaning chamber while the robotic arm transports the workpieces, one at a time, from the first pallet to a rotating second pallet in a sputtering chamber through a second entrance into the sputtering chamber while the second pallet rotates to successively align workpiece support areas on the second pallet with the second entrance for receiving associated workpieces from the robotic arm and while the cleaning chamber, the transport module, and the sputtering chamber are at the low pressure, each workpiece support area on the second pallet only supporting a single workpiece, the robotic arm only placing one workpiece over an associated workpiece support area on the second pallet, the sputtering chamber comprising a plurality of targets for sputtering target material onto the workpieces using a plasma; batch sputtering target material on the workpieces while the workpieces are supported on the second pallet, wherein no additional workpieces are introduced into the sputtering chamber, and no workpieces are removed from the sputtering chamber, until batch sputtering on all the workpieces on the second pallet has been completed; and after the batch sputtering, rotating the second pallet in the sputtering chamber to successively align each workpiece support area on the second pallet with the second entrance to the sputtering chamber while the robotic arm transports the workpieces, one at a time, from the second pallet to the at least one load lock while the sputtering chamber, the transport module, and the at least one load lock are at the low pressure.