Patent SG-11201908188S-A (SG)
Title: Reduced footprint platform architecture with linear vacuum transfer module
Inventor: GOULD RICHARD H
IPC: H01L21/67
Filed: 2018-03-14
Abstract: 208 ▪ 224 • 212 204 216. 220 FIG. 2A W O 20 18/ 17 0 10 4 Al (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 20 September 2018 (20.09.2018) WIP0 I PCT o mons °nolo it oloim mrnom oimIE (10) International Publication Number WO 2018/170104 Al (51) International Patent Classification: HO1L 21/677 (2006.01) HO1L 21/67 (2006.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/US2018/022397 (22) International Filing Date: 14 March 2018 (14.03.2018) (25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (30) Priority Data: 62/471,478 15 March 2017 (15.03.2017) US (71) Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION [US/US]; 4650 Cushing Parkway, Fremont, California 94538 (US). (72) Inventors: GOULD, Richard H.; 4367 Torres Ave., Fre- mont, California 94536 (US). BLANK, Richard; 5033 Paseo Olivos, San Jose, California 95130 (US). (74) Agent: AQUINO, Damian M. et al.; Harness, Dickey & Published: Pierce, P.L.C., P.O. Box 828, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48303 (US). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JO, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Declarations under Rule 4.17: — of inventorship (Rule 4.17(iv)) — with international search report (Art. 21(3)) (54) Title: REDUCED FOOTPRINT PLATFORM ARCHITECTURE WITH LINEAR VACUUM TRANSFER MODULE (57) : An atmosphere-to-vacuum (ATV) transfer module for a substrate pro- 200-1 236 cessing tool includes a first side configured to interface with at least one loading sta- tion, a transfer robot assembly arranged within the ATV transfer module, and a sec- ond side opposite the first side. The transfer robot assembly is configured to transfer 240 substrates between the at least one loading station and at least one load lock arranged 232 between the ATV transfer module and a vacuum transfer module (VTM). The second side is configured to interface with the at least one load lock. The transfer robot as- sembly is arranged adjacent to the second side, and the at least one load lock extends through the second side into an interior volume of the ATV transfer module.