Abstract:
A first substrate carrier is provided that includes a body adapted to store one or more substrates; and either (1) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features that extend into a storage region of the body or (2) coupling features that extend alongside the body, so that the substrate carrier&#39;s overall height is not increased by the entire height of the coupling feature. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/219,332, filed Sep. 2, 2005, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/607,283, filed Sep. 4, 2004. Each of these applications is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to a substrate carrier having reduced height.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Manufacturing of semiconductor devices typically involves performing a sequence of procedures with respect to a substrate such as a silicon substrate, a glass plate, etc. These steps may include polishing, deposition, etching, photolithography, heat treatment, and so forth. Usually a number of different processing steps may be performed in a single processing system or “tool” which includes a plurality of processing chambers. However, it is generally the case that other processes are required to be performed at other processing locations within a fabrication facility, and it is accordingly necessary that substrates be transported within the fabrication facility from one processing location to another. Depending on the type of semiconductor device to be manufactured, there may be a relatively large number of processing steps required, to be performed at many different processing locations within the fabrication facility.  
         [0004]     It is conventional to transport substrates from one processing location to another within substrate carriers such as sealed pods, cassettes, containers and so forth. Many types of substrate carrier designs exist, but generally conventional substrate carriers are designed in a manner that unnecessarily increases the size (e.g., height) of such carriers. Clearance requirements for transporting such carriers and the space required to stack/store such carriers thereby increase.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In a first aspect of the invention, a substrate carrier includes (1) a body adapted to store one or more substrates; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features that do not increase an overall height of the substrate carrier.  
         [0006]     In a second aspect of the invention, a substrate carrier includes (1) a body for storing one or more substrates, the body having a substrate storage region for storing a substrate; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features adapted to extend into the substrate storage region outside of a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate positioned in the substrate storage region.  
         [0007]     In a third aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of stacked support shelves. Each support shelf is adapted to support a small lot size substrate carrier. The support shelves are spaced a distance from each other that allows only small lot size substrate carriers to be transported between the support shelves. The small lot size substrate carriers have (1) a body adapted to store one or more substrates; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features that do not increase an overall height of the substrate carrier.  
         [0008]     In a fourth aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of stacked support shelves. Each support shelf is adapted to support a small lot size substrate carrier. The support shelves are spaced a distance from each other that allows only small lot size substrate carriers to be transported between the support shelves. The small lot size substrate carriers have (1) a body for storing one or more substrates, wherein the body has a substrate storage region for storing a substrate; and (2) a bottom surface having one or more coupling features adapted to extend into the substrate storage region outside of a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate positioned in the substrate storage region.  
         [0009]     In a fifth aspect of the invention, an end effector includes (1) a top surface; and (2) one or more coupling features on the top surface thereof, adapted to couple to the coupling features of the substrate carrier of the first apparatus.  
         [0010]     In a sixth aspect of the invention, an end effector includes (1) a top surface; and (2) one or more coupling features on the top surface thereof, adapted to couple to the coupling features of the substrate carrier of the second apparatus. Numerous other aspects are provided in accordance with these and other aspects of the invention.  
         [0011]     Other features and aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a conventional substrate carrier.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of a conventional substrate carrier.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded isometric view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with a top portion removed.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3B  is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a first cross-sectional side view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a second cross-sectional side view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of an end effector and a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the end effector and the substrate carrier of  FIG. 7  shown interfacing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of a system for storing and/or docking a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a substrate carrier in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a bottom view of a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is an isometric view of an end effector and a substrate carrier in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of the end effector and the substrate carrier of  FIG. 13  shown interfacing in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     The present invention provides an improved substrate carrier. More specifically, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier, which is described below with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention provides a substrate carrier which more efficiently uses the space occupied by the substrate carrier.  
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a bottom surface  101  of a conventional substrate carrier  103 . With reference to  FIG. 1 , the bottom surface  101  of the conventional substrate carrier  103  includes three V-shaped grooves  105 . The V-shaped grooves  105  are adapted to couple to corresponding portions of a substrate carrier support (not shown). The V-shaped grooves  105  are positioned such that the V-shaped grooves  105  overlap a footprint of a substrate  107  (shown in phantom) stored in a storage region (not shown in  FIG. 1 ; shown as  201  in  FIG. 2 ) of the conventional substrate carrier  103 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of a conventional substrate carrier. With reference to  FIG. 2 , the bottom surface  101  of the conventional substrate carrier is of a thickness t at least as high as a height h of the V-shaped grooves  105 . Such thickness contributes to the overall space occupied by (e.g., height of) the conventional substrate carrier  103  and does not extend into the storage region  201 . Therefore, the space occupied by the conventional substrate carrier  103  is used inefficiently.  
         [0030]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded isometric view of a substrate carrier  301  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 3A , the substrate carrier  301  includes a body  303  for storing one or more substrates. The body  303  includes a storage region  305  in which one or more substrates  307  (shown in phantom) may be stored. The body  303  further includes a top surface  309  and a bottom surface  311 . In contrast to a conventional substrate carrier, the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301  includes one or more coupling features  313 - 317  adapted to extend into the storage region  305  outside a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate positioned in the storage region  305 . For example, the one or more coupling features  313 ,  315 ,  317  (shown in  FIG. 3B ) occupy a position along a periphery of a footprint of a substrate  307  that may be stored in the storage region  305 . The one or more coupling features  313 - 317  may couple to corresponding features of a substrate carrier support, such as an end effector (not shown  FIG. 3A ; shown as  401  in  FIG. 4  and as  701  in  FIGS. 7-8 ). In one embodiment, the one or more coupling features includes a hole, a slot and at least one surface for receiving a pad. However, a larger or smaller number, different shapes and/or different orientations of coupling features may be employed. For example, in some embodiments, the one or more coupling features include the hole  313  and slot  315  as described above. In such embodiments, a portion of the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301 , which does not extend into the storage region  305  as described above, may be adapted to couple to a pad included on an end effector surface that supports the substrate carrier  301 . Details of the one or more coupling features  313 - 317  are described below with reference to  FIGS. 4-7 .  
         [0031]     Note that the substrate carrier  301  may be single piece or multi-piece construction (as shown). In one or more embodiments, the feature  317  may merely serve to keep cross sections of the carrier at an approximately constant thickness (e.g., for molding purposes), rather than as a kinematic coupling. The coupling features  313 - 317  may be, for example, conical or otherwise shaped to provide a large capture window during kinematic coupling.  
         [0032]      FIG. 3B  is an isometric view of a bottom surface of the substrate carrier  301  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 3B , the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301  includes a hole  313  and a slot  315  that extend into a storage region outside a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate  307  (shown in phantom) positioned in the storage region. The bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier may also include a region (e.g., slot)  317 , which extends into the storage region outside a footprint that would be occupied by a substrate  307 , for receiving an end effector pad.  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a first cross-sectional side view of the substrate carrier  301  of  FIG. 3A  taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3A  and illustrates a hole  313  included (e.g., embedded) in the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301 . The substrate carrier  301  is shown interfacing with an end effector  401 . The hole  313  may be a height h 1  of about 11 mm and may be conical (although, the bottom surface  311  may include a hole  313  of a larger or smaller height and/or a different shape). One or more portions of the hole  313  extends into storage region  305 . Therefore, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier  103  ( FIG. 1 ), the thickness h 2  of the bottom surface  311  that extends below the storage region  305  does not need to be at least as high as the hole  313 . Similarly, a slot  315  is included (e.g., embedded) in the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301 . The slot  315  may be a height h 3  of about 11 mm and may be conical. (The slot  315 , however, may be of a larger or smaller height and/or a different shape). Similar to the hole  313 , one or more portions of the slot  315  extends into storage region  305 . Therefore, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier  103  ( FIG. 1 ), the thickness h 2  of the bottom surface  311  that extends below the storage region  305  does not need to be at least as high as the slot  315 . In this manner, an overall space (e.g., height h 4 ) occupied by the substrate carrier  301  may be reduced compared to that of a conventional substrate carrier  103 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a second cross-sectional side view of the substrate carrier  301  of  FIG. 3A  taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3A , and illustrates a region  317  (e.g., a groove or slot) for receiving a pad of an end effector as described further below. The region  317  is included (e.g., embedded) in the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301 . The region  317  may be of a height h 5  of about 11 mm and may be flat. However, the region  317  may be of a larger or smaller height and/or a different shape). Similar to the hole  313 , one or more portions of the region  317  may extend into storage region  305 . Therefore, in contrast to a conventional substrate carrier  103  ( FIG. 1 ), the thickness h 2  of the bottom surface  311  that extends below the storage region  305  does not have to be at least as high at the region  317 , and consequently, an overall space (e.g., height h 4 ) occupied by the substrate carrier  301  may be reduced as compared to a conventional substrate carrier  103  ( FIG. 1 ).  
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of a substrate carrier  301  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 6 , the radius r 1  of the hole  313  on the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301  is about 12.7 mm (although, the radius of the hole  313  may be larger or smaller). On the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301 , the slot  315  has a width w 1  of about 25.4 mm, a length l 1  of about 33 mm and a radius r 2  of about 12.7 mm (although, the slot  315  may be of a larger or smaller width w 1 , length l 1  and/or radius r 2 ). Further, in embodiments which include a region  317 , which extends into the storage area  305 , the region  317  may have an inner radius r 3  of about 147.3 mm, an outer radius r 4  of about 157.5 mm and a length of about 40 mm. However, the region  317  may have a larger or smaller inner radius, outer radius and/or length.  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of an end effector  701  and a substrate carrier  301  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 7 , the substrate carrier  301  is adapted to interface with the end effector  701 . For example, the substrate carrier  301  may be coupled to, supported by and/or moved by the end effector  701 . More specifically, the one or more coupling features  313 - 317  of the substrate carrier  301  may couple to corresponding features (e.g., posts, pins and/or pads) extending from a top surface  703  of the end effector  701 . More specifically, the hole  313  and slot  315  on the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301  may couple to corresponding posts  705 ,  707  on the end effector  701 . In some embodiments, such corresponding posts  705 ,  707  on the end effector  701  may be conical or spherical. The region  317  in the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301  may couple to a corresponding pin or pad  709  on the end effector  701 . The corresponding pin or pad  709  may be, for example, a flat-headed pin. The one or more coupling features  313 - 317  of the substrate carrier  301  and/or the corresponding features  705 - 709  of the end effector  701  may be kinematic features, adapted to kinematically align the substrate carrier  301  with the end effector  701 , thereby ensuring that the substrate carrier  301  properly rests on the end effector  701 . For example, the hole  313  may align the substrate carrier  301  with the end effector  701  along the x and y axes; the slot  315  may prevent the substrate carrier  301  from rotating on the end effector  701  in the xy-plane; and the region  317  may prevent movement of the substrate carrier  301  along the z-axis. In some embodiments in which the substrate carrier  301  does not include a region  317 , which extends into the storage region, a portion of the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301  may contact the pad  709  and prevent the substrate carrier  301  from moving along the z-axis (as well as to prevent rotation about the axis formed by the posts  705  and/or  707 ).  
         [0037]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the end effector  701 , shown interfacing with the substrate carrier  301  of  FIG. 7  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, coupling features  313 - 317  on the bottom surface  311  of the substrate carrier  301  receive and/or couple to coupling features  705 - 709  of the end effector  701 , thereby aligning the substrate carrier  301  with the end effector  701  and ensuring the end effector  701  properly supports the substrate carrier  301 .  
         [0038]     The one or more coupling features  313 - 317  of the substrate carrier  301  may be adapted to interface with any other device for supporting the substrate carrier  301  (in a addition to an end effector). For example, the one or more coupling features  313 - 317  may be adapted to couple to corresponding coupling features of a support shelf, a load port, or the like, thereby aligning the substrate carrier  301  therewith.  
         [0039]      FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of a system  901  for storing and/or docking (e.g., positioning a substrate carrier at a tool load port for door opening and substrate removal) a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 9 , the system  901  may be employed for loading a substrate into a semiconductor device manufacturing tool (not shown). The system  901  may include one or more load ports or similar locations where substrates or substrate carriers (e.g., small lot size substrate carriers) are placed for transfer to and/or from a processing tool (e.g., one or more docking stations  903 , although transfer locations that do not employ docking/undocking movement may be employed).  
         [0040]     In one aspect, the one or more load ports or similar locations may be spaced a distance from each other such that only the substrate carrier  301  (or the substrate carrier  1001  of  FIGS. 10-14  described below) may be transported between such locations. In the particular embodiment shown, the system  901  includes a total of eight docking stations  903 , arranged in two columns  905  of four docking stations each. Other numbers of columns and/or docking stations  903  may be employed. Each docking station  903  is adapted to support and/or dock a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention at the docking station  903  and to allow a substrate (not shown) to be extracted from the substrate carrier at the docking station  903  and transferred to the processing tool (not shown). The system  901  may include one or more storage shelves or other storage locations (e.g., storage shelf  907 , shown in phantom, adapted to store a substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention). The system may include an end effector  909  mounted on a support  911 . The end effector  909  may be, for example, in the form of a horizontally-oriented platform  913  adapted to support the substrate carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, the system  901  may be similar to the wafer loading station 201 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/650,480, filed Aug. 28, 2003 and titled “Substrate Carrier Handler That Unloads Substrate Carriers Directly From a Moving Conveyor” (Attorney Docket No. 7676), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. However, similar to the end effector  701  of  FIG. 8 , the load ports (e.g., docking stations  903 ), support shelves  907  (only one shown) and/or end effector  909  of the system  901  may include coupling features (e.g., posts, pads or pins) for interfacing with the one or more coupling features on the bottom surface of the substrate carrier  301  (or substrate carrier  1001  of  FIGS. 10-14 ).  
         [0041]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a bottom surface of a substrate carrier  1001  in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 10 , the substrate carrier  1001  includes a body  1003  adapted to store one or more substrates. The body  1003  includes a storage region (not shown in  FIG. 10 ; shown as  1101  in  FIGS. 11 and 14 ) in which the one or more substrates may be stored. The body  1003  further includes a top surface  1005  and a bottom surface  1007 . In contrast to a conventional substrate carrier, the bottom surface  1015  of the substrate carrier  1001  includes one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  that do not increase an overall height of the substrate carrier  1001 . More specifically, the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  do not increase the overall height of the substrate carrier  1001  by extending below a plane defined by a bottom surface  1015  or base of the substrate carrier  1001 . For example, the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  may not extend below the lowest point of a front face  1017  of the substrate carrier  1001 . The one or more of the coupling features  1009 - 1013  are located outside a perimeter of the body  1003 . In this manner, in contrast to the substrate carrier  301  of  FIG. 3 , the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  of the substrate carrier  1001  may not extend into the storage region (not shown in  FIG. 10 ; shown as  1101  in  FIGS. 11 and 14 ).  
         [0042]     The one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  may couple to corresponding features of a substrate carrier support, such as an end effector (not shown in  FIG. 10 ; shown as  1301  in  FIGS. 13-14 ). In one embodiment, the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  are slots, which are substantially V-shaped. A coupling feature  1009 - 1013  may be of a height h 7  of about 0.47 in., a width w 1  of about 1.1 in., form an angle A of about 90 degrees and the peak of the coupling feature  1009 - 1013  may have a radius of curvature of about 0.13 in. However, one or more coupling features may have a larger or smaller height, width, radius of curvature and/or form a larger or smaller angle A or have a different shape. For example, one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  may be a hole. Although the substrate carrier  1001  of  FIG. 10  includes three coupling features  1009 - 1013 , a larger or smaller number of coupling features may be employed.  
         [0043]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of the substrate carrier  1001  taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10  and illustrates how the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  do not increase the overall height h 6  of the substrate carrier  1001  by extending below a plane defined by a bottom surface  1015  or base of the substrate carrier  1001 . The one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013 , in one aspect, may not extend below the lowest point of a front face  1017  of the substrate carrier  1001 . This may be accomplished by placing the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  around a perimeter of the body  1003 . Therefore, the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  (e.g., the coupling features  1011 - 1013  nearest the front face  1017 ) may extend alongside the body  1003  without extending into the storage region  1101  of the substrate carrier  1001 . Thus the one or more couplings features are adapted to occupy a position along a periphery of a substrate stored in the body.  
         [0044]      FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the substrate carrier  1001 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 12 , the coupling features  1009 - 1013  may be positioned and/or oriented such that lines bisecting the width w 2  of each coupling feature intersect at a point P. Other configurations may be employed.  
         [0045]      FIG. 13  is an isometric view of an end effector  1301  and the substrate carrier  1001  in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 13 , the substrate carrier  1001  of  FIG. 10  is adapted to interface with the end effector  1301 . For example, the substrate carrier  1001  may be coupled to, supported by and/or moved by the end effector  1301 . More specifically, the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  of the substrate carrier  1001  may couple to corresponding features  1303  (e.g., posts, pads, pins, etc.) extending from a top surface  1305  of the end effector  1301 . Such corresponding features  1303  on the end effector  1305  may be conical or spherical or flat-headed, for example. The one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  of the substrate carrier  1001  and/or the corresponding features  1303  of the end effector  1301  may be kinematic features, adapted to kinematically align the substrate carrier  1001  with the end effector  1301 , thereby ensuring that the end effector  1301  properly supports the substrate carrier  1001 .  
         [0046]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of the end effector  1301  and the substrate carrier  1001  of  FIG. 13  shown interfacing. More specifically, coupling features  1009 - 1013  on the bottom surface  1015  of the substrate carrier  1001  receive and/or couple to coupling features  1303  of the end effector  1301 , thereby aligning the substrate carrier  1001  with the end effector  1301  and ensuring the end effector  1301  properly supports the substrate carrier  1001 .  
         [0047]     Although  FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate how the substrate carrier  1001  may interface with the end effector  1301 , the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  of the substrate carrier  1001  also may interface with any other device for supporting the substrate carrier  1001 . For example, the one or more coupling features  1009 - 1013  may couple to corresponding coupling features of a support shelf, load port, or the like, thereby aligning the substrate carrier  1001  therewith.  
         [0048]     The foregoing description discloses only exemplary embodiments of the invention. Modifications of the above disclosed apparatus and methods which fall within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For instance, although one or more embodiments of the present invention were described above with reference to a substrate carrier for storing one or two substrates, the present methods and apparatus may be employed with a substrate carrier that stores a larger number of substrates Any of the above described carriers may be have a single shell with kinematic features molded therein, or be of a multi-piece construction.  
         [0049]     Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.