公开(公告)号：US11232965B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-25

申请号：US16591456

申请日：2019-10-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jacob Newman ,  Ulrich Oldendorf ,  Martin Aenis ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Shay Assaf ,  Jeffrey C. Hudgens ,  Alexander Berger ,  William Tyler Weaver

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  B65G47/92 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a transport system and a substrate processing and transfer (SPT) system. The SPT system includes a transport system that connects two processing tools. The transport system includes a vacuum tunnel that is configured to transport substrates between the processing tools. The vacuum tunnel includes a substrate transport carriage to move the substrate through the vacuum tunnel. The SPT system has a variety of configurations that allow the user to add or remove processing chambers, depending on the process chambers required for a desired substrate processing procedure.

公开(公告)号：US11923217B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-05

申请号：US17857749

申请日：2022-07-05

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jacob Newman

IPC: B65G47/91 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

CPC classification number: H01L21/67201 ,  B65G47/91 ,  H01L21/67017 ,  H01L21/67126 ,  H01L21/67196 ,  H01L21/67733 ,  H01L21/67754 ,  H01L21/67757 ,  H01L21/67772 ,  H01L21/67781

Abstract: An embodiment is a processing system for processing a substrate. The processing system includes a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) load lock (FLL) and a vacuum system. The FLL has walls defining an interior space therein. The FLL includes load lock isolation and tunnel isolation doors. The load lock isolation door is operable to close a first opening in a first sidewall of the FLL. The first opening is sized so that a FOUP is capable of passing therethrough. The tunnel isolation door is operable to close a second opening in a second sidewall of the FLL. The second opening is sized so that a substrate is capable of passing therethrough. The vacuum system is fluidly connected to the interior space of the FLL and is operable to pump down a pressure of the interior space of the FLL.

公开(公告)号：US11894251B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-06

申请号：US17647120

申请日：2022-01-05

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jacob Newman ,  Ulrich Oldendorf ,  Martin Aenis ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Shay Assaf ,  Jeffrey C. Hudgens ,  Alexander Berger ,  William Tyler Weaver

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  B65G47/92 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687

CPC classification number: H01L21/67724 ,  B65G47/92 ,  H01L21/67167 ,  H01L21/67709 ,  H01L21/67712 ,  H01L21/68707

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a transport system and a substrate processing and transfer (SPT) system. The SPT system includes a transport system that connects two processing tools. The transport system includes a vacuum tunnel that is configured to transport substrates between the processing tools. The vacuum tunnel includes a substrate transport carriage to move the substrate through the vacuum tunnel. The SPT system has a variety of configurations that allow the user to add or remove processing chambers, depending on the process chambers required for a desired substrate processing procedure.

公开(公告)号：US20230187239A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-15

申请号：US18107701

申请日：2023-02-09

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jacob Newman ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Michael R. Rice ,  Paul B. Reuter ,  Shay Assaf ,  Sushant S. Koshti

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  B65G47/90 ,  H01L21/677

CPC classification number: H01L21/67201 ,  B65G47/90 ,  H01L21/67727

Abstract: The disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods for integrating load locks into a factory interface footprint space. A factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system can include an interior volume defined by a bottom, a top and a plurality of sides, a load lock disposed within the interior volume of the factory interface, and a factory interface robot disposed within the interior volume of the factory interface, wherein the factory interface robot is configured to transfer substrates between a set of substrate carriers and the load lock.

公开(公告)号：US11380564B2

公开(公告)日：2022-07-05

申请号：US16545749

申请日：2019-08-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jacob Newman

IPC: B65G47/91 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: An embodiment is a processing system for processing a substrate. The processing system includes a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) load lock (FLL) and a vacuum system. The FLL has walls defining an interior space therein. The FLL includes load lock isolation and tunnel isolation doors. The load lock isolation door is operable to close a first opening in a first sidewall of the FLL. The first opening is sized so that a FOUP is capable of passing therethrough. The tunnel isolation door is operable to close a second opening in a second sidewall of the FLL. The second opening is sized so that a substrate is capable of passing therethrough. The vacuum system is fluidly connected to the interior space of the FLL and is operable to pump down a pressure of the interior space of the FLL.

公开(公告)号：US12142508B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-12

申请号：US17499109

申请日：2021-10-12

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Sushant S. Koshti ,  Paul B. Reuter ,  David Phillips ,  Jacob Newman ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Michael R. Rice ,  Shay Assaf ,  Srinivas Poshatrahalli Gopalakrishna ,  Devendra Channappa Holeyannavar ,  Douglas B. Baumgarten ,  Arunkumar Ramachandraiah ,  Narayanan Ramachandran

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  B65G1/04 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: A factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system can include a load lock disposed within the interior volume of a factory interface and a factory interface robot disposed within the interior volume of the factory interface. The factory interface robot can be configured to transfer substrates between a first set of substrate carriers and the first load lock. The factory interface robot can comprise a vertical tower, a plurality of links, and an end effector.

公开(公告)号：US20230113673A1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-13

申请号：US17499109

申请日：2021-10-12

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Sushant S. Koshti ,  Paul B. Reuter ,  David Phillips ,  Jacob Newman ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Michael R. Rice ,  Shay Assaf ,  Srinivas Poshatrahalli Gopalakrishna ,  Devendra Channappa Holeyannavar ,  Douglas B. Baumgarten ,  Arunkumar Ramachandraiah ,  Narayanan Ramachandran

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/687 ,  B65G1/04

Abstract: A factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system can include a load lock disposed within the interior volume of a factory interface and a factory interface robot disposed within the interior volume of the factory interface. The factory interface robot can be configured to transfer substrates between a first set of substrate carriers and the first load lock. The factory interface robot can comprise a vertical tower, a plurality of links, and an end effector.

公开(公告)号：US10361104B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-23

申请号：US15660784

申请日：2017-07-26

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Shay Assaf ,  Andrew Constant ,  Jacob Newman ,  Charles Carlson ,  William Tyler Weaver ,  Stephen Hickerson

IPC: H01L21/67

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In one implementation, the apparatus includes a load lock chamber coupled to a transfer chamber. The transfer chamber is coupled to a thermal process chamber and a substrate is transferred between each of the load lock chamber, the transfer chamber, and the thermal process chamber. In other implementations, a process platform having a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber, and a thermal process chamber is disclosed. Methods of measuring oxygen concentration in a load lock chamber via evacuation of a transfer chamber are also described herein.

公开(公告)号：US09281222B2

公开(公告)日：2016-03-08

申请号：US14203237

申请日：2014-03-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： William Tyler Weaver ,  Malcolm N. Daniel, Jr. ,  Robert B. Vopat ,  Jason M. Schaller ,  Jacob Newman ,  Dinesh Kanawade ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Stephen C. Hickerson ,  Jeffrey C. Hudgens ,  Marvin L. Freeman

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

CPC classification number: H01L21/67196 ,  H01L21/67742

Abstract: A wafer handling system may include upper and lower linked robot arms that may move a wafer along a nonlinear trajectory between chambers of a semiconductor processing system. These features may result in a smaller footprint in which the semiconductor processing system may operate, smaller transfer chambers, smaller openings in process chambers, and smaller slit valves, while maintaining high wafer throughput. In some embodiments, simultaneous fast wafer swaps between two separate chambers, such as load locks and ALD (atomic layer deposition) carousels, may be provided. Methods of wafer handling are also provided, as are other aspects.

Abstract translation: 晶片处理系统可以包括可以在半导体处理系统的腔室之间沿着非线性轨迹移动晶片的上部和下部连接的机器人臂。 这些特征可以导致半导体处理系统可以操作的更小的占地面积，更小的传送室，处理室中的较小的开口和更小的狭缝阀，同时保持高的晶片生产量。 在一些实施例中，可以提供两个分开的室之间的同时快速晶片交换，例如负载锁和ALD（原子层沉积）转盘。 还提供了晶片处理的方法，以及其它方面。

公开(公告)号：US11817332B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US17028281

申请日：2020-09-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： William T. Weaver ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Shay Assaf ,  Jacob Newman

IPC: H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/67201

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to load lock chambers and methods of using load lock chambers. The load lock chambers include a middle section, an upper section connected to the middle section and a lower section connected to the middle section. A slit valve in a facet on the outside of the middle section provides an opening to access the middle volume from outside the load lock.