Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8303764B2/en
Timestamp: 2020-07-04 04:09:19
Document Index: 690602387

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 200710192971', 'Application No. 07253711', 'Application No. 08253702', 'Application No. 200710192971', 'Application No. 2007', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 08253702']

US8303764B2 - Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates - Google Patents
Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates Download PDF
US8303764B2
US8303764B2 US13/042,407 US201113042407A US8303764B2 US 8303764 B2 US8303764 B2 US 8303764B2 US 201113042407 A US201113042407 A US 201113042407A US 8303764 B2 US8303764 B2 US 8303764B2
US13/042,407
US20110158773A1 (en
2006-09-19 Priority to US11/523,101 priority Critical patent/US7901539B2/en
2011-03-07 Application filed by Brooks Automation Inc filed Critical Brooks Automation Inc
2011-03-07 Priority to US13/042,407 priority patent/US8303764B2/en
2011-06-30 Publication of US20110158773A1 publication Critical patent/US20110158773A1/en
2012-01-18 Assigned to BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC. reassignment BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: INTEVAC, INC.
2012-11-06 Publication of US8303764B2 publication Critical patent/US8303764B2/en
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/523,101, filed Sep. 19, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Referring now to FIG. 3, processing chambers 31 are located linearly along transport chamber 32. Wafers enter system 34 via FOUP 33 or some equivalent feeding device. FOUP (from front opening unified pod) 33 comprises a housing or enclosure where wafers are housed and kept clean while waiting to enter the processing operations. Associated with the FOUP may also be a feeding mechanism to place wafers into the system for processing and to remove wafers from the system to be temporarily stored after processing. A cassette of wafers is placed into the FOUP where wafers are then transferred one by one from the cassette by a blade that lifts the wafer from the cassette within FOUP 33 and carries the wafer into load lock compartment 35 thus entering the system. From load lock compartment 35 wafers travel along transport chamber 32 from which they transfer into processing chambers 31. After a substrate enters a processing chamber, the substrate leaves the support arm and rests instead on a substrate support within the chamber. At this point a valve is closed to separate the atmosphere of the processing chamber from the atmosphere of the transport chamber. This permits changes to be made within the processing chamber without contaminating the transport chamber or other processing chambers. After processing the valve separating the processing chamber from the transport chamber opens and the wafer is removed from the processing chamber and transferred along transport chamber 32 to another processing chamber for additional processing or to the load lock from which the wafer is returned to FOUP 33. In this Figure there are shown 4 processing chambers 31. There is also shown 4 process power supplies 37 and a power distribution unit 36. These in combination provide the electronics for the system and the power to each individual process chamber. Above the process chambers 31 are process gas cabinets 38 and information processing cabinets 40. It is through these units that information keyed into the system control movements of the substrates along transport chamber 32 and whether or not the substrate is transferred into a processing chamber for further processing. These units also provide records of what has occurred within the processing chambers. Gases are provided for use within the chambers during processing. Although the robotic handling mechanism to feed wafers into the system and through the processing stations in the system is described as a two arm system, in fact more than two arms may be present and each can be set to move independently or together within the transport travel chamber.
The processing chambers in a system may perform different processes as desired in the manufacture of wafers. Many manufacturers today buy dedicated systems in which the entire system is given over to sputter or etch processes. In essence there are sufficient sputter steps or etch steps in the manufacture of a wafer that a four or more stage system can be entirely devoted to sputtering operations. Alternatively, a wafer can be carried through a series of operations, each different yet each required in leading to a final process. For example, in a five process station, one could reasonably expect the following sequence in use. At the first process station the wafer will be subjected to a degas operation; the second station could be a pre-cleaning station; the third a sputtering station to deposit titanium for example; the fourth a sputter station to deposit nickel vanadium for example; and, at the fifth station the sputter deposition of gold could occur.
Referring now FIG. 4 there is illustrated a three station system with top covers removed. An objective in connection with this Figure is to provide more of an understanding of the transport chamber 32. A wafer to be processed enters this system at load lock 35. Load lock 35 is a dual level load lock and can hold and process two wafers simultaneously. One is on a lower lever and the other on an upper level. At the load lock wafers entering the system enter into the vacuum or controlled environment. Also wafers that have been processed pass through load lock 35 during their travels leaving this system and the vacuum or other controlled conditions within the system and return into the FOUP (not shown in this Figure). Once a wafer completes its transition from non-vacuum conditions to vacuum conditions, the wafer is lifted by an arm 41 which moves into transport chamber 32. One such arm is visible while the other is partially covered by elements in the first processing chamber at the left. The visible arm is shown delivering a wafer into this processing chamber 31 (or alternatively removing a wafer that has been processed from this chamber). Arms 41 move along within the transport chamber on a linear rail 43. In this embodiment the rails within the transport chamber 32 hold the support arms 41 above the floor of chamber 32. Also, the driving mechanism, which is not seen in this Figure, acts from outside the vacuum through the walls of the enclosure of chamber 32. It provides a generally linear movement to arms 41 as well as a rotary movement when it is desired to extend an arm into a chamber or into load lock 35. Thus the arms are used to move a wafer into or out of the transport chamber 32, into or out of a processing chamber 31 or into and out of load lock chamber 35. By avoiding contact with the base of this chamber less particles are produced as to maintain the environment in a purer or particle free condition. Additional details of this transport system will be shown and discussed in connection with figures that follow. Also although two arms are illustrated in this figure, it should be readily apparent that a system can have more or less than two arms on a rail and can handle more than two wafer transport devices at any one time.
Referring now to FIG. 5, this figure shows portions of system 34, without covers closing off the internal elements, starting at load lock 35, continuing into the beginning of transport chamber 32 and including a first processing chamber 31. Illustrated in this figure a wafer 42 in load lock 35 rests on arm 41. Another arm 41 is shown extended into process chamber 31. As shown the arms, which act independently and may be at different levels, can be extended into different areas at the same time. The arms move wafers along transport chamber 32 into the system from the load lock and then about the system from processing chamber to processing chamber. Eventually the arms move the wafers after processing along the transport chamber and into load lock 35 and then out of system 34. When processing is completed, the wafer may then pass back into the FOUP from the load lock where processed wafers are collected. A wafer in the load lock or in process chambers is transferred by being lifted on a support surface associated with arm 41. Lift pins at the support surface raise the wafer to allow the arm access below the wafer permitting the arm to lift the wafer and move the wafer for next steps in the system. Alternatively, a structure in the nature of a shelf to slide under the wafer and support the wafer during transport may be employed to support and hold the wafer and to accept and release wafers from arms 41 when brought or taken from a chamber or compartment. The arms are positioned to pass above and below each other without contact and can pass by each other. They are connected to an internal drive and support mechanism 45. Drive and support mechanism 45 is provided with a linear drive track along which drive and support mechanism travels within transport chamber 32. Movement of drive and support mechanism 45 is brought about by an external driver such as a motor. One form of drive causes drive and support mechanism 45 to move linearly along drive track 46. Another causes rotation of arms 41 to extend them from the transport chamber 32 into load lock 35 or process chambers 31 in the course of moving a wafer 42 into and through the system. Within drive track 46 are individual rails 47 (rails 47 are more clearly shown in FIG. 6) on which each drive and support mechanism independently rides enabling positioning so that each arm 41 moves and acts independently of the other. Movement of the wafer into a process chamber is in the nature of translating from its linear drive path into the chamber. This occurs because the wafer is undergoing two forms of motion simultaneously in the preferred embodiment. It is being moved linearly and rotated at the same time. The use of external motors or other forms of drive mechanism to drive this mechanism within the vacuum of transport chamber 32 reduces unwanted particles within the enclosed vacuum area.
Referring now to FIG. 8 there is illustrated a processing system in accordance with this invention. As in the case of FIG. 3, FOUP 33 receives and stores wafers for presentation to system 34 including process chambers 31, which in this embodiment are intended to illustrate chambers in which sputter deposition occurs, by transferring the wafers first to load lock 35 and then along transport or transfer chamber 32. Processed wafers are then fed back along transfer chamber 32 to load lock 35 and then out of the system to FOUP 33.
Referring now to FIG. 9 there is illustrated an eight station processing system in accordance with this invention. FOUP 33 feeds wafers to load locks 35. Wafers are then moved along transport chambers 32 and from transport chambers 32 into processing chambers 31. In this figure both sets of transport chambers are positioned in the central area and the process chambers 31 are on the outer sides. In FIG. 10 the processing sections are all lined up so that one set of processing chambers is a duplicate of the next set. Thus the processing chambers of the system appear lined up in parallel.
Other variations are readily possible and easily conceived. For example, instead of lining up the processing chambers as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, processing chambers could be positioned one set above another or one set following another. If aligned with one set following another, the sets can be lined up so that the second set continues in line following the first set or alternatively the second set can be set at some form of angle to the first set. Since a transport chamber can feed wafers to each side of the chamber, two sets of processors can be set around a single transport chamber and fed by the same transport chamber (see FIG. 11A where numbers designate the same items as were discussed in connection with earlier figures. It is noted that added to FIGS. 11A and 11B is a showing of the valve 39 that separates the processing chambers 31 from the transport chambers 32 as has been discussed above.) If the second set of processors is a continuation of the first set there can sometimes be benefits to positioning additional load locks along the system. It is of course possible to add a FOUP at the far end and position a load lock before the FOUP so that the wafer can travel in a straight line entering at one end and leaving at the other (see FIG. 11B, where again numbers designate the same item as in earlier figures). In this latter case, the wafer can be programmed to enter or leave at either or both end(s). It is also possible to position processing chambers along the transfer chamber at irregular intervals or with spacing between the processing chambers. In this arrangement the key feature will be the positioning of the transfer chamber so that it can feed wafers to the individual processing chambers as desired and as directed by the computer controls for the system.
The linear architecture of the present invention is extremely flexible and lends itself to multiple substrate sizes and shapes. Wafers used into the fabrication of semiconductors are typically round and about 200 or 300 mm in diameter.
The semiconductor industry is always trying to get more devices per wafer and has steadily moved to larger and larger wafer sizes from 75 mm, 100 mm, 200 mm to 300 mm and there is an on going effort to look at moving to 450 mm diameter wafers. Due to the unique architecture the floor space required in the clean room wafer fab would not grow as large as it would with a typical cluster tool with the processes located on the circumference.
Further if it is desired to increase the size of the cluster tool type (FIG. 1) to increase output, the add on to the total measurements is to a raised power; whereas, an increase in size of the system described in this application is in a single direction, i.e., length, with the width of the system staying the same. In similar processes, such as an aluminum process, throughput for the same period of time using the system of the type illustrated in FIG. 9, which occupies less space than the equipment shown in FIG. 1, the equipment of FIG. 9 produces almost twice as many wafers (in quick calculations about 170%) as does a system like that of FIG. 1. Thus there is a considerable improvement in wafer output per a measured clean room area using the system disclosed as compared to prior art units. Obviously this achieves an objective of reducing costs in the manufacture of wafers:
1. A substrate transfer system for transferring substrates to substrate processing chambers, comprising:
a linear chamber body supporting a vacuum condition, the linear chamber body having an opening at one end for coupling to a loadlock and having a plurality of openings on at least one side thereof, each opening for coupling to a respective substrate processing chamber;
a linear drive track situated inside the linear chamber body within the vacuum condition;
a support mechanism linearly riding on the linear drive track;
a rotatable magnetic head attached to the support mechanism within the vacuum condition;
a substrate support arm connected to the support mechanism and coupled to the magnetic head such that rotation of the magnetic head rotates the substrate support aim;
an outer rail coupled to the linear chamber body outside the vacuum condition;
a driving mechanism comprising a driver linearly riding on the outer rail outside the vacuum and acting on the magnetic head from outside the vacuum through a wall of the linear chamber body to provide the support aim both linear and rotary movements through the magnetic head.
2. The substrate transfer system of claim 1, further comprising:
a second linear drive track;
a second support mechanism riding on the second linear drive track;
a second substrate support arm connected to the second support mechanism;
a second outer rail; and,
a second driving mechanism riding on the second outer rail and acting from outside the vacuum through wall of the chamber to provide the second support arm linear and rotary movements.
3. The substrate transfer system of claim 2, wherein the support arms are positioned to pass above and below each other and without contact.
4. The substrate transfer system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the support arms comprises an articulated arm.
5. The substrate transfer system of claim 2, wherein each arm moves and acts independently of the other.
6. The substrate transfer system of claim 2, wherein each of the driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism further comprise a rotary motor and a magnetic coupler affixed to the rotary motor.
7. The substrate transfer system of claim 6, wherein the magnetic coupler comprises a magnetic driver positioned outside the vacuum wall.
8. The substrate transfer system of claim 6, wherein the magnetic head and the magnetic coupler comprise a plurality of magnets arrange to simultaneously impart attractive magnetic forces and repulsive magnetic forces between the magnetic head and the magnetic coupler.
9. The substrate transfer system of claim 2, wherein the substrate support arm comprises a non-articulated arm and the second substrate support aim comprises a SCARA robotic arm.
10. The substrate transfer system of claim 2, wherein the SCARA robotic arm is configured to pass over the non-articulated arm.
a loadlock;
a linear transfer chamber supporting a vacuum condition, the linear chamber body having an opening at one end for coupling to the loadlock, and having a plurality of openings on at least one side thereof, each opening for coupling to a respective substrate processing chamber;
a linear drive track mounted inside the linear transfer chamber within the vacuum condition;
first and second support mechanisms riding on the linear drive track;
first and second support arms connected respectively to the first and second support mechanisms;
outer rail assembly positioned outside the vacuum condition;
first and second drivers riding on the outer rail assembly;
first and second magnetic coupler arrangements respectively provided on the first and second drivers and acting from outside the vacuum through vacuum wall of the chamber to provide each of the support arms both linear and rotary movements.
12. The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the first support arm is a straight arm while the second support arm is a selective compliant articulated assembly robotic arm (SCARA), and wherein the SCARA is positioned to pass above the straight arm.
13. The substrate processing system of claim 12, further comprising rotary motors and wherein the rotary movement is driven by the rotary motors.
14. The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the support arms are positioned to pass above and below each other and without contact.
15. The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the support arms can pass by each other.
16. The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the support mechanisms independently ride on the linear drive track, whereby each arm moves and acts independently of the other.
17. The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein the linear drive track comprises linear rails and the support aims move along the linear rails.
18. The substrate processing system of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second drivers comprise a rotary motor and the magnetic coupling arrangements are affixed to the respective rotary motor.
19. The substrate processing system of claim 11, further comprising a first and a second magnetic head, respectively coupled to the first and second support arms.
20. The substrate processing system of claim 19, wherein the first and second magnetic heads and the magnetic coupling arrangements comprise a plurality of magnets arrange to simultaneously impart attractive magnetic forces and repulsive magnetic forces between the magnetic heads and the magnetic coupling arrangements.
US13/042,407 2006-09-19 2011-03-07 Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates Active US8303764B2 (en)
US11/523,101 US7901539B2 (en) 2006-09-19 2006-09-19 Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates
US13/042,407 US8303764B2 (en) 2006-09-19 2011-03-07 Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates
US11/523,101 Continuation US7901539B2 (en) 2006-09-19 2006-09-19 Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates
US20110158773A1 US20110158773A1 (en) 2011-06-30
US8303764B2 true US8303764B2 (en) 2012-11-06
ID=39187236
US11/523,101 Active 2029-12-13 US7901539B2 (en) 2006-09-19 2006-09-19 Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates
US13/042,407 Active US8303764B2 (en) 2006-09-19 2011-03-07 Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates
US (2) US7901539B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1965409A3 (en)
CN (1) CN101150051B (en)
MY (1) MY148631A (en)
SG (1) SG141371A1 (en)
TW (1) TWI446477B (en)
JP5578539B2 (en) * 2008-11-14 2014-08-27 インテバック・インコーポレイテッドＩｎｔｅｖａｃ Ｉｎｃｏｒｐｏｒａｔｅｄ Substrate transfer processing apparatus and method
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TWI553768B (en) * 2014-03-04 2016-10-11 台灣積體電路製造股份有限公司 System and method for transferring semiconductor element
JP2017220579A (en) * 2016-06-08 2017-12-14 株式会社ディスコ Wafer processing system
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2006-09-19 US US11/523,101 patent/US7901539B2/en active Active
2007-09-14 TW TW96134558A patent/TWI446477B/en active
2007-09-14 MY MYPI20071546 patent/MY148631A/en unknown
2007-09-18 SG SG200708454-4A patent/SG141371A1/en unknown
2007-09-19 CN CN2007101929710A patent/CN101150051B/en active IP Right Grant
2007-09-19 EP EP07253711A patent/EP1965409A3/en not_active Withdrawn
2011-03-07 US US13/042,407 patent/US8303764B2/en active Active
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TW200832591A (en) 2008-08-01
US7901539B2 (en) 2011-03-08
EP1965409A2 (en) 2008-09-03
SG141371A1 (en) 2008-04-28
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MY148631A (en) 2013-05-15
US20110158773A1 (en) 2011-06-30
US20180141762A1 (en) 2018-05-24 Semiconductor wafer handling and transport
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:INTEVAC, INC.;REEL/FRAME:027555/0518