Abstract:
A multi-chamber processing system for use in manufacturing semiconductor devices allows various ones of the chambers to be disassembled while wafers continue to be processed using the remaining chambers. The multi-chamber processing system includes a load lock chamber, a process chamber, and a transfer chamber through which wafers are transferred between the load lock and process chambers, and a respective pair of gates interposed between the load lock chamber and the transfer chamber and between the transfer chamber and the process chamber. The manufacturing process can continue uninterrupted when the process chamber is cleaned or when one of the load lock and process chambers must be repaired.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to equipment for manufacturing a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-chamber processing system that includes loadlock, transfer and process chambers for manufacturing a semiconductor device.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Currently, the manufacturing of semiconductor devices generally involves fabricating minute integrated circuits (IC) by subjecting a wafer having a large diameter to a highly precise and complicated process. To this end, a multi-chamber processing system has become a significant tool in carrying out such a complex process on wafers while providing a high throughput. A conventional multi-chamber processing system comprises a plurality of vacuum chambers and a transfer chamber for transferring a wafer between the vacuum chambers. The vacuum chambers are connected with the transfer chamber via gate valves.  
         [0005]     A conventional multi-chamber processing system is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The conventional multi-chamber processing system comprises first and second load ports  10 ,  12  by which wafers are loaded into the system, a front end system  20  including an ATM robot  22  for transferring the wafers and an ATM aligner  24  for aligning each wafer transferred by the ATM robot  22 , first and second load lock chambers  30 ,  32 , first and second process modules  50 ,  52 , a transfer chamber  40 , and a robot  42  having a vacuum chuck disposed in the transfer chamber. The first and second load lock chambers  30 ,  32  include shelf units. The ATM robot  22  transfers wafers from the first and second load pots  10 ,  12  to t he ATM aligner  34 , and onto the shelf units of the load lock chambers  30 ,  32 . The robot  42 , on the other hand, transfers the wafers between the process modules  50 ,  52  and the first and second load lock chambers  30 ,  32 .  
         [0006]     More specifically, first, the ATM robot  22  transfers a wafer from the first port  10  or the second load port  12  to the ATM aligner  24 . Then, the ATM aligner  24  aligns the wafer with the first or second process modules  52 ,  54 . Next, the ATM robot  22  transfers the aligned wafer onto the shelf unit of the first or second load lock chamber  30 ,  32 . This process is repeated until all of the wafers are transferred from the first and second load ports  10 , 12  into the first and second load lock chambers  30 ,  32 . The first and second load lock chambers  30 ,  32  are sealed and then evacuated to prevent any impurities from entering the chambers  30 ,  32 . Then, the robot  42  transfers a wafer from the shelf unit of the first or second load lock chamber  30 ,  32  to the first or second process module  50 ,  52 . Once the processing of the wafer is completed in the process module  50 ,  52 , the wafer is transferred onto the shelf unit of the first load lock chamber  30  or the second load lock chamber  32  by the robot  42 . Then the first load lock chamber  30  or the second load lock chamber  32  is vented. Subsequently, the doors of the first and second load lock chambers  30 ,  32  are opened, and wafers are transferred by the ATM robot  22  from the first and second load lock chambers  30 ,  32  to the shelf units of the first load port  10  and the second load port  12 . A number of wafers are processed by repeatedly performing these operations.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates another conventional multi-chamber processing system. This conventional multi-chamber processing system comprises first and second load lock chambers  60 ,  62  having shelf units, first, second and third process chambers  80 ,  82 ,  84 , a transfer chamber  70  through which wafers are transferred by a robot between the process chambers  80 ,  82  and  84  and the first and second load lock chambers  60 ,  62 , first and second inner gates  64 ,  66  that separate the first and second load lock chambers  60 ,  62  from the transfer chamber  70 , respectively, and third, fourth and fifth inner gates  72 ,  74 ,  76  that separate the first, second and third process chambers  80 ,  82 ,  84  from the transfer chamber  70 , respectively.  
         [0008]     The conventional processing system shown in  FIG. 2  operates as follows. First, a wafer is transferred into the first load lock chamber  60  or the second load lock chamber  62 . At this time, the first or second load lock chamber  60 ,  62  have been evacuated to prevent any impurities from remaining in them. Next, the first inner gate  64  and the third inner gate  72  are opened by a controller (not shown). The wafer is transferred from the shelf unit of the first load lock chamber  60  into the first process chamber  80  by the transfer robot disposed in the transfer chamber  70 . The first inner gate  72  is then closed by the controller whereupon the wafer is processed in the first process chamber  80 . Once the processing of the wafer has been completed, the controller opens the first inner gate  72  and the transfer robot transfers the processed wafer onto the shelf unit of the first load lock chamber  60 . A number of wafers are processed by repeatedly performing these operations. Also, although an operation involving the first load lock chamber  60  and the first process chamber  80  has been described, similar operations are carried out involving the second load lock chamber  62  and the second and third process chambers  82 ,  84 .  
         [0009]     In the above-described conventional multi-chamber processing system, the operations of the whole system are stopped from time to time to repair or clean one or more of the process chambers. For example, a problem may arise in one of the chambers or a chamber might need to be mechanically cleaned to remove particles that have accumulated therein as the result of film-forming processes carried out on the wafers. In these cases, the process chamber in question is separated from the transfer chamber so that it can be disassembled and examined or cleaned. However, this opens a port in the transfer chamber at a location where the process chamber has been separated therefrom. Accordingly, it becomes impossible to use the transfer chamber. Consequently, it is also impossible to operate the other process chambers. That is, the convention multi-chamber processing system h s a drawback in that the operation of the entire system must be stopped if there is a problem in any one of the process chambers. Thus, the productivity is severely limited.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to substantially obviate one or more problems, limitations and disadvantages of the prior art.  
         [0011]     More specifically, one object of the present invention is to provide a multi-chamber processing system that can operate with a high degree of productivity.  
         [0012]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-chamber processing system by which specific chambers can be repaired or cleaned without the need to stop the operation of the entire system.  
         [0013]     The foregoing and other objects and advantages are realized by providing a multi-chamber processing system having a dual assembly of gates (e.g., gate valves) interposed between each load lock chamber and a transfer chamber and between the transfer chamber and each process chamber.  
         [0014]     According to one aspect of the invention, preferably inner gate of the dual gate assembly associated with each process chamber is installed at the side (exit) of the transfer chamber, thereby making it possible to separate one or more process chambers from the transfer chamber without the need to stop the manufacturing operation in its entirety.  
         [0015]     According to another aspect of the invention, preferably the inner gate of the dual gate assembly associated with each load lock chamber is installed at the side (entrance) of the transfer chamber, thereby making it possible to separate one or more load lock chambers from the transfer chamber without the need to stop the manufacturing operation in its entirety.  
         [0016]     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a respective gate assembly detachably connects each load lock chamber to the transfer chamber, and each process chamber to the transfer chamber. Each of the gate assemblies includes a respective inner gate fixed to the transfer chamber so that each of the load lock and process chambers can be disassembled from the transfer chamber while the respective inner gates remained fixed thereto. Accordingly, the system can remain in operation when any of the load lock and process chambers is disassembled from the transfer chamber via a gate assembly.  
         [0017]     The inner gate assembly that detachably connects a load lock chamber to the transfer chamber further comprises a passageway extending between the transfer chamber and the loadlock chamber, and an outer gate located at an exit of the load lock chamber. Likewise, each gate assembly that detachably connects a process chamber to the transfer chamber further comprises a passageway extending between the transfer chamber and the process chamber, and an outer gate located at an entrance of the process chamber. The passageways have outside walls made of aluminum, and inside walls made of quartz. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof made with reference to the attached drawings in which:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a conventional multi-chamber processing system;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of another conventional multi-chamber processing system; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a multi-chamber processing system according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to  FIG. 3 .  
         [0023]     The multi-chamber processing system of the present invention comprises first and second load lock chambers  100 ,  102  each containing a shelf unit, first, second and third process chambers  500 ,  502 ,  504  for processing wafers, respectively, a transfer chamber  300  containing a transfer robot for transferring the wafers between the process chambers  500 ,  502  and  504  and the load lock chambers  100 ,  102 , first and second gate assemblies  200 ,  202  that separate the load lock chambers  100 ,  102  from the transfer chamber  300 , respectively, and third, fourth and fifth inner gate assemblies  400 ,  402 ,  404  that separate the process chambers  500 ,  502 ,  504  from the transfer chamber  300 , respectively. The first gate assembly  200  detachably couples the first load lock chamber  100  to the transfer chamber  300  and comprises first and second (outer and inner) gates  204 ,  206 , and a connection unit  212 . The second gate assembly  202  detachably couples the second load lock chamber  102  to the transfer chamber  300  and comprises third and fourth (outer and inner) gates  208 ,  210 , and a connection unit  214 . The third gate assembly  400  detachably couples the first process chamber  500  to the transfer chamber  300  and comprises fifth and sixth (inner and outer) gates  406 ,  408 , and a connection unit  420 . The fourth gate assembly  402  detachably couples the second process chamber  502  to the transfer chamber  300  and comprises seventh and eighth (inner and outer) gates  410 ,  412 , and a connection unit  422 . The fifth gate assembly  404  detachably couples the third process chamber  504  to the transfer chamber  300  and comprises ninth and tenth (inner and outer) gates  414 ,  416 , and a connection unit  424 . The inner gates  206 ,  210 ,  406 ,  410  and  414 , though, remain fixed to the transfer chamber  300  during the disassembly of any of the load lock or process chambers.  
         [0024]     The first and second gates  204 ,  206  are respectively located at an exit of the first load lock chamber  100  and an entrance of the transfer chamber  300  through which a wafer can pass. Also, the first and second gates  204 ,  206  are operable to open and close the exit of the first load lock chamber  100  and the entrance of the transfer chamber  300 . The third and fourth gates  208 ,  210  are respectively located at an exit of the second load lock chamber  102  and an entrance of the transfer chamber  300  through which a wafer can pass. Also, the third and fourth gates  208 ,  210  are operable to open and close the exit of the second load lock chamber  200  and the entrance of the transfer chamber  300 . The fifth and sixth gates  406 ,  408  are respectively located at an exit of the transfer chamber  300  and an entrance of the first process chamber  500  through which a wafer can pass. Also, the fifth and sixth gates  406 ,  408  are operable to open and close the exit of the first process chamber  500  and the entrance of the transfer chamber  300 . The seventh and eighth gates  410 ,  412  are respectively located at an exit of the transfer chamber  300  and an entrance of the second process chamber  502  through which a wafer can pass. Also, the seventh and eighth gates  410 ,  412  are operable to open and close the exit of the first process chamber  502  and the entrance of the transfer chamber  300 . The ninth and tenth gates  414 ,  418  are respectively located at an exit of the transfer chamber  300  and an entrance of the third process chamber  504  through which a wafer can pass. Also, the ninth and tenth gates  414 ,  418  are operable to open and close the exit of the first process chamber  504  and the entrance of the transfer chamber  300 .  
         [0025]     The connection units  212 ,  214 ,  420 ,  422 ,  424  comprise passageways that connect the load lock chambers  100 ,  102  to the transfer chamber  300  and connect the process chambers  500 ,  502 ,  504  to the transfer chamber  300 , respectively. The outer wall of each of the connection units  212 ,  214 ,  420 ,  422 ,  424  comprises aluminum, whereas the inner wall (right and left and upper walls) thereof are made of quartz.  
         [0026]     An operation of the multi-chamber processing system of the present invention will now be described in detail.  
         [0027]     A wafer is transferred into the first load lock chamber  100  or the second load lock chamber  102 . At this time, a door of the first or second load lock chamber  100 , 102  is closed by a controller and the first or second load lock chamber  100 ,  102  is vented so a s to be evacuated. Here, an operation involving the first load lock chamber  100  and the first process chamber  500  will be described below. Once the vacuum is created in the first load lock chamber  100 , the first and second gate  204 ,  206  and the fifth and sixth gates  406 ,  408  are opened by the controller. Then, the wafer is transferred from the shelf unit of the first load lock chamber  100  into the first process chamber  500  by the transfer robot disposed in the transfer chamber  300 . The fifth and sixth gates  406 ,  408  are then closed and the wafer is processed in the first process chamber  500  under the command of the controller. Once the processing of the wafer has been completed, the fifth and sixth gates  406 ,  408  are opened, and the processed wafer is transferred onto the shelf unit of the first load lock chamber  100  by the transfer robot in the transfer chamber  300 . A number of wafers are processed by repeatedly performing these operations. At the same time, similar operations are performed involving the second load lock chamber  102  and the second and third process chambers  502 ,  504 .  
         [0028]     Now, if the second process chamber  502  needs to be cleaned, e.g., if an excessive amount of polymer has adhered to the eighth gate  412 , the seventh gate  410  is closed and the eighth gate  412  is opened by the controller. Then, a technician disassembles the second process chamber  502  and cleans the eighth gate. Regardless, the first and third process chambers  500 ,  504  can be operated while the eighth gate  412  is being cleaned because the seventh (inner) gate  410  remains fixed to the transfer chamber  300 .  
         [0029]     Furthermore, if a problem arises in the first load lock chamber  100 , for example, the problem can also be attended to without stopping the operation of the entire system. More specifically, the first gate  204  is opened, the second inner gate  206  is closed and the first load lock chamber  100  is disassembled so that it can be repaired. Likewise, if a problem occurs in the second load lock chamber  102 , the second load lock chamber  102  can be repaired without stopping the operation of the entire system. In this case, the third gate  208  is opened, the fourth inner gate  210  is closed, and the second load lock chamber  102  is disassembled so that it can be repaired.  
         [0030]     As described in detail above, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment of the present invention has dual gates interposed between each load lock chamber and the transfer chamber and between the transfer chamber and each process chamber. Accordingly, any one of the load lock or process chambers can be cleaned or repaired without the need to shut down the entire system. Thus, the overall manufacturing process can be carried out with a high degree of productivity.  
         [0031]     Finally, although the present invention has been described above in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the present invention is not so limited. Rather, various changes to and modifications of these preferred embodiments are within the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.