Patent Publication Number: US-10758045-B2

Title: Load lock door assemblies, load lock apparatus, electronic device processing systems, and methods

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a divisional application of, and claims priority from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/689,342, filed Apr. 17, 2015, and entitled “LOAD LOCK DOOR ASSEMBLY, LOAD LOCK APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC DEVICE PROCESSING SYSTEMS, AND METHODS”, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/984,226 filed Apr. 25, 2014, and entitled “LOAD LOCK DOOR ASSEMBLY, LOAD LOCK APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC DEVICE PROCESSING SYSTEMS, AND METHODS”, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to slit valve doors, and more specifically to doors for load lock apparatus in electronic device processing systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventional electronic device processing systems may include multiple process chambers and one or more load lock chambers surrounding a transfer chamber. These systems may employ a transfer robot that may be housed within the transfer chamber and which is adapted to transport substrates between the various process chambers and one or more load lock chambers. 
     Conventional load locks include a load lock body and a load lock chamber, a load lock entry into the load lock chamber that is accessed from, for example, a factory interface by a factory interface robot on a factory side of the load lock, and a load lock exit coupled to the transfer chamber. Substrates (e.g., semiconductor wafers) may be placed into and also exit from the load lock chamber through the entry by action of the factory interface robot. Likewise, substrates may enter and exit the transfer chamber through the load lock exit by action of the transfer chamber robot. 
     Conventional load lock apparatus include an entry load lock door assembly operative with the load lock entry, and an exit load lock door assembly operative with the load lock exit. Such load lock door assemblies may be subject to particle contamination in existing configurations. Moreover, such load lock doors of such assemblies may be difficult to open, and, thus relatively high opening force capability may be provided. 
     Accordingly, improved load lock door assemblies, load lock apparatus, electronic device processing systems, and methods enabling reduced contamination and/or easier load lock door opening are desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     In a first aspect, a load lock door assembly is provided. The load lock door assembly includes a load lock door adapted to seal against a sealing surface proximate to a load lock entry of a load lock body, and a door support assembly coupled to the load lock door, the door support assembly including: one or more pivot member operatively pivotable relative to one or more sides of the load lock body, a door support bracket coupled to the load lock door, one or more separator side actuator coupled between the door support bracket the one or more pivot member and actuatable to separate the load lock door from the sealing surface, and one or more pivot side actuator operable to pivot the load lock door. 
     In another aspect, a load lock apparatus is provided. The load lock apparatus includes a load lock chamber adapted to be coupled to, and accessed from, a transfer chamber of a mainframe housing and a factory interface chamber, the load lock chamber formed in a load lock body having first side and a second side, a load lock entry, and a sealing surface proximate the entry; and a load lock door assembly operable with the load lock entry, the load lock door assembly including: a load lock door, and a door support assembly coupled between the load lock door and the load lock body, the door support assembly including: a pivot bracket operatively pivotable relative to the first side, a door support bracket coupled to the load lock door, a separator side actuator on the first side operable between the door support bracket and the pivot bracket to separate the load lock door, and a pivot side actuator operable between the pivot bracket and the load lock body to pivot the load lock door. 
     According to another aspect an electronic device processing system is provided. The electronic device processing system includes a mainframe housing including a transfer chamber housing a robot configured to move substrates; a factory interface having a factory interface chamber; and a load lock apparatus coupled to the mainframe housing and the factory interface, the load lock apparatus including a load lock body and load lock chamber, the load lock chamber accessible from the transfer chamber and the factory interface chamber, a load lock door assembly operable to seal an entry into the load lock chamber from the factory interface chamber, the load lock door assembly including: a load lock door sealable against a sealing surface proximate to the entry; and a door support assembly coupled to the load lock door, the door support assembly including: one or more pivot member operatively pivotable relative to one or more sides of the load lock body, a door support bracket coupled to the load lock door, one or more separator side actuator coupled between the door support bracket the one or more pivot member and actuatable to separate the load lock door from the sealing surface, and one or more pivot side actuator operable to pivot the load lock door. 
     In another aspect, a method of operating a load lock door assembly is provided. The method includes providing a load lock door assembly including a load lock door sealable against a sealing surface proximate to a load lock entry, and a door support bracket coupled to the load lock door; actuating one or more separator side actuator coupled to the door support bracket to separate the load lock door from the sealing surface; and actuating one or more pivot side actuator to pivot the load lock door. 
     Numerous other features are provided in accordance with these and other aspects of the invention. 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 DRAWINGS 
       The drawings, described below, are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure in any way. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of an electronic device processing system including a load lock apparatus including side actuation according to embodiments (shown with top removed for clarity). 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate partial perspective views of a load lock apparatus including side actuation according to embodiments, wherein  FIG. 2A  is a view of the load lock door being in a closed configuration, and  FIG. 2B  is a view of an upper load lock door being separated from a sealing surface on the load lock body. 
         FIGS. 2C and 2D  illustrate partial perspective views of a load lock apparatus including side actuation according to embodiments, wherein  FIG. 2C  is a view of an upper load lock door being separated and pivoted, and  FIG. 2D  is a side plan view of the upper load lock door being separated and pivoted. 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a side view of another load lock apparatus including side actuation according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates a partially cross-sectioned top view of another load lock apparatus including side actuation according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates a partially cross-sectioned top view of the load lock apparatus including side actuation and shows a first lateral side of the load lock door opening before a second lateral side (door peeling action) according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a partially cross-sectioned top view of a load lock apparatus including side actuation and a spring allowing a first lateral side of the load lock door to open before a second lateral side (door peeling action) according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates a side view of another load lock apparatus including single side actuation according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates a partially cross-sectioned top view of a load lock apparatus including single side actuation according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a flowchart depicting a method of operating a load lock door assembly according to embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic device processing systems (e.g., semiconductor wafer processing tools) utilizing one or more load lock apparatus enable passing of substrates (e.g., wafers) into a vacuum environment and may utilize a load lock door assembly on each load lock apparatus, such as on an entry thereof. 
     In accordance with a first aspect, an electronic device processing system  100 , as shown in  FIG. 1  is provided. The electronic device processing system  100  includes a mainframe housing  102  including walls with facets and may include one or more process chambers  103 A- 103 F coupled to the facets. The processes carried out in the process chambers  103 A- 103 F may comprise at least one selected from a deposition process, an oxide removal process, a nitration process, an etching process, and an annealing process. Other processes may also be carried out therein. The mainframe housing  102  may also include one or more load lock apparatus  104  coupled to facets thereof according to another aspect of the invention. The one or more load lock apparatus  104  may interface with, and be accessible from, a factory interface chamber  105 C of a factory interface  105 , for example, to enable transfer of substrates  106  into and out of a transfer chamber  108  and to and from substrate carriers  110  (e.g., Front Opening Unified Pods—FOUPs) docked to the factory interface  105 . Transfer of substrates  106  to and from the substrate carriers  110  may be by a factory interface robot  105 R (shown dotted). A transfer robot  109  may be provided in the transfer chamber  108  and adapted to interface with the process chambers  103 A- 103 F and load lock chambers  104 C of the one or more load lock apparatus  104 . Any suitable robot type may be used for factory interface robot  105 R and the transfer robot  109 . 
     Further details of examples of various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to  FIGS. 1-6  herein. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2A-2D , an example of a load lock apparatus  104  according to embodiments of the present invention is disclosed. The load lock apparatus  104  is useful to aid in transfer of substrates  106  between a first area (e.g., a factory interface chamber  105 C of the factory interface  105  ( FIG. 1 )) and the transfer chamber  108  ( FIG. 1 ), wherein each of transfer chamber  108  and factory interface chamber  105 C may be at a different pressure or vacuum level. The substrate  106  may be a silicon wafer, which may be an electronic device precursor such as an incomplete semiconductor wafer having a plurality of incomplete chips formed thereon. In some cases, the substrate  106  may have a mask formed or provided thereon. In some embodiments, a vacuum level for the transfer chamber  108  may be between about 0.01 Torr and about 80 Torr, for example, whereas the factory interface  105  may be at or near atmospheric pressure. 
     Load lock apparatus  104  is adapted to be located between, coupled to, and/or accessed from the transfer chamber  108  and the factory interface chamber  105 C. Thus, load lock chambers  104 C may be accessible from both the transfer chamber  108  and the factory interface chamber  105 C by the transfer robot  109  and the factory interface robot  105 R, respectively. 
     Each load lock apparatus  104  as disclosed, includes as shown in  FIGS. 2A-2D , upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber (not shown) that are located at a different vertical levels (e.g., one above the other) and may be separated by a wall. Upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber are adapted to carry out a transfer of a substrate  106  at different times, as will be apparent from the following. Upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber may include standard components therein, such as cooling plates and lift pin assemblies. 
     Load lock apparatus  104  includes a load lock body  210  of rigid material (e.g., aluminum) connectable to the factory interface  105  and to the mainframe housing  102 . Connection may be by way of a mechanical connection, such as by bolting or the like, and may be a sealed connection. In one aspect, the connection to the load lock body  210  interfaces with a wall  105 W the factory interface  105 . The load lock body  210  may be one integral piece of material in some embodiments. 
     In the depicted embodiment, the load lock apparatus  104  includes an upper load lock chamber  204 CU and a lower load lock chamber (not shown) located below the upper load lock chamber  204 CU, each being formed in the load lock body  210 . Upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber each include a load lock entry  211  and a load lock exit  213  thereto. Each load lock entry  211  may include a load lock door assembly  212  interfacing therewith. Load lock door assembly  212  may be housed entirely within the factory interface chamber  105 C in some embodiments. One possible interface location of the load lock body  210  with wall  105 W is shown dotted. 
     Load lock door assembly  212  includes a load lock door  214  sealable against a sealing surface  215  proximate to and surrounding the load lock entry in a load lock body  210 . Load lock door assembly  212  includes a door support assembly  216  coupled to the load lock door  214 . Door support assembly  216  includes a door support bracket  217  coupled to the load lock door  214 , one or more pivot members  218 , one or more separator side actuator  220 , and one or more pivot side actuator  222  on one or more sides of the load lock body  210 . 
     The one or more pivot members  218  may be brackets that may be operatively pivotable relative to one or more sides (a first side  210 S 1  and a second side  210 S 2 , which may be lateral sides) of a load lock body  210  by including any suitable pivot mechanism, such as a step bolt and bushing, or other suitable bearing or pivot device. In the depicted embodiment, the door support bracket  217 , which is c-shaped, is coupled to the load lock door  214  (e.g., such as by bolts or screws (not shown), may first translate perpendicularly relative to the sealing surface  215  of the load lock body  210 . In this manner, the one or more separator side actuator  220  coupled between the door support bracket  217  and the pivot member  218  may be actuatable to separate the load lock door  214  from the sealing surface  215 , i.e., move the load lock door  214  perpendicularly away from the sealing surface  215 . Door support bracket  217  may include suitable slide feature to slide on a mating slide feature of the pivot member  218 , such as a key and keyway, T-member and T-slot, linear bearing slide, or the like. 
     The one or more pivot side actuator  222  may be coupled between respective one or more sides (e.g., first side  210 S 1 , and/or second side  210 S 2 ) of the load lock body  210  and the pivot member  218  and may be operable to pivot the door support bracket  217  and coupled load lock door  214  up or down. In the depicted embodiment, the load lock door assembly  212  at the upper part of the load lock body  210  is pivoted upwardly to open, and the load lock door assembly  212  at the bottom is pivoted downwardly to open. 
     Separation side actuators  220  and pivot side actuators  222  may be pneumatic actuators, hydraulic actuators, electric actuators, or the like, for example. Other suitable types of actuators may be used. Suitable control signals to the separation side actuators  220  and pivot side actuators  222  may be generated by a non-transitory computer-readable medium including contents that are configured to cause a processor of a controller  221  to perform a method of operating a load lock door assembly  212 . 
     In particular, signals may be sent from the controller  221  to actuate one or more separator side actuators  220  coupled to the door support bracket  217  to separate the load lock door  214  from the sealing surface  215 . Likewise, a signal may be sent from the controller  221  to actuate one or more pivot side actuator  222  to pivot the load lock door  214 . Controller  221 , shown only in  FIG. 2A  for clarity, may include suitable processor, memory, analog to digital converters, and other suitable electronics to carry out signal processing, storage, and signal generation operations. A like controller  221  may be provided in the other embodiments described herein. 
     It should be apparent that the load lock entry  211  to each of the upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber may function as an exit in some embodiments. Likewise, the load lock exit  213  may function as an entry in some embodiments. Accordingly, substrates  106  may pass through the upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber in either direction. Conventional slit valves may be used on the side of the load lock body  210  adjacent to the transfer chamber  108  (on the transfer chamber side). Slit valves on the load lock exit  213  may include any suitable slit valve construction, such as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,173,938; 6,347,918; and 7,007,919, for example. 
     The upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber may be of conventional construction, and may include one or more supports adapted to allow one or more substrates  106  to be placed and supported thereon. Supports may be made of any suitable construction, such as pins, pedestals, slots, platforms, or the like. In some embodiments, a lift actuator may be used to lift or lower the one or more supports in the upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber. The upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber may include a cooling plate, and may include a vacuum pump connected thereto. In other embodiments, the substrates may be placed onto a support in the upper load lock chamber  204 CU and lower load lock chamber by Z-axis capability of the factory interface robot  105 R and/or transfer robot  109 . 
     In the depicted embodiment, a separator side actuator  220  is provided on each of the first side  210 S 1  and second sides  210 S 2 . Likewise, a pivot side actuator  222  is provided on each of the first side  210 S 1  and second side  210 S 2 . The construction on the second side  210 S 2  may be identical to the construction of the first side  210 S 1 . However, it should be recognized that only one pivot side actuator  222 , located on either side (e.g., either first side  210 S 1  or second side  210 S 2 ) may be used in some embodiments. Further, only one separator side actuator  220  may be used in some embodiments. The separator side actuator  220  and pivot side actuator  222  may be on opposite sides in some embodiments. 
     The embodiment of  FIGS. 3A-3C  provides an alternative embodiment of a load lock apparatus  304 . This embodiment includes a load lock door assembly  312 , wherein one of the separator side actuators  320  that may be coupled between the door support bracket  317  and the pivot member  318  on a side of the load lock body  310  is actuatable to open a first lateral side  314 R (e.g., a right side) of the load lock door  314  before a second lateral side  314 L (e.g., a left side) of the load lock door  314 . This differential door separation or peeling action, according to one or more embodiments of the invention, allows the load lock door  314  to be opened with less force when there is some differential pressure acting upon the load lock door  314 . By opening one side before the other, the load lock door  314  may, in essence, be zipped open from the sealing surface  315  from one end. Once the vacuum is broken between the load lock entry  311  and the load lock door  314 , the other separator side actuator  320  may be actuated to further separate the load lock door  314  from the sealing surface  315 . 
     In operation, the load lock door assembly  312  causes the load lock door  314  to be first separable from the sealing surface  315  of the load lock body  310  using the one or more separator side actuator  320  (e.g., one then the other in this embodiment) and then pivotable about a horizontal axis  324  using the one or more pivot side actuator  322 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 3A-3C , the door support bracket  317  of the load lock door assembly  312  may include one or more pivot joints  325  allowing first lateral side  314 R of the load lock door  314  to be opened before a second lateral side  314 L of the load lock door  314  (See  FIG. 3C ), or vice versa. Thus, the door support bracket  317  and load lock door  314  may pivot about vertical axes  326  (see  FIG. 3A ) at the pivot joints  325 . 
     The embodiment of  FIG. 4  provides an alternative embodiment of a load lock apparatus  404 . This embodiment is identical to the  FIG. 3A-3C  embodiment, except that the load lock door assembly  412  includes a spring  428  providing flexibility and thereby allowing a first lateral side  314 R of the load lock door  314  to be opened before a second lateral side  314 L of the load lock door  314 . In operation, the springs  428  allow the door support bracket  417  and load lock door  314  to pivot about a vertical axis. Any suitable spring may be used. 
     The embodiment of  FIGS. 5A and 5B  provides an alternative embodiment of a load lock apparatus  504 . This embodiment is identical to those previously described including a load lock body  510  with a load lock chamber  504 C therein. A load lock door assembly  512  is operable to seal a load lock door  514  against a sealing surface  515  on the load lock body  510  and seal the load lock entry  511  and also open via pivoting to allow access to the load lock entry  511 . Load lock door assembly  512  includes the load lock door  514  and a door support assembly  516  coupled to the load lock door  514 . Door support assembly  516  includes a pivot member  518  (e.g., a bracket) operatively pivotable relative to a single side  510 S of the load lock body  510 , and a door support bracket  517  coupled to the load lock door  514 . Coupling may be provided by the door support bracket  517  coupled to the load lock door  514  being made integral in some embodiment. As shown, door support assembly  516  includes a separator side actuator  520  coupled between the door support bracket  517  the pivot member  518  and actuatable to separate the load lock door  514  from the sealing surface  515  or to close same by pivoting about vertical axis  526 . 
     Door support assembly  516  further includes a pivot side actuator  522  operable to pivot the load lock door  514  up or down, like a gull wing. The load lock door  514  and door support bracket  517  each pivot about the vertical axis  526  formed by a pivot joint between the door support bracket  517  and the pivot member  518 . This pivoting about the vertical axis  526  allows a first lateral side  514 R of the load lock door  514  to be opened before a second lateral side  514 L of the load lock door  514  where pivot side actuator  522  is operable to pivot the load lock door  514  up or down to open a path to the load lock entry  511 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a method  600  of operating a load lock door assembly (e.g., load lock door assembly  212 ,  312 ,  412 ,  512 ) is provided. The method  600  includes, in  602 , providing a load lock door assembly including a load lock door (e.g., load lock door  214 ,  314 ,  514 ) sealable against a sealing surface (e.g., sealing surface  215 ,  315 ,  515 ) proximate to a load lock entry (e.g., load lock entry  211 ,  311 ,  511 ), and a door support bracket (e.g., door support bracket  217 ,  317 ,  417 ,  517 ) coupled to the load lock door. 
     The method  600  includes, in  604 , actuating one or more separator side actuator (e.g., separator side actuator  220 ,  320 ,  520 ) coupled to the door support bracket to separate the load lock door from the sealing surface; and in  606 , actuating one or more pivot side actuator (e.g., pivot side actuator  222 ,  322 ,  522 ) to pivot the load lock door. 
     The foregoing description discloses only example embodiments of the disclosure. Modifications of the above-disclosed load lock door assemblies, load lock apparatus, systems, and methods which fall within the scope of the disclosure will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, while the present disclosure has been disclosed in connection with example embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the scope of the disclosure, as defined by the following claims.