公开(公告)号：US12014944B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-18

申请号：US18045119

申请日：2022-10-07

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Doug McAllister ,  Helder Lee

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673

CPC classification number: H01L21/67265 ,  H01L21/67356

Abstract: A system includes a factory interface, a load port connected to the factory interface, a container connected to the load port, and a controller connected to a robot arm of the factory interface. The controller determines that the container is configured to store replacement parts for a process chamber of the system and causes the robot arm to move according to a first mapping pattern to identify, using a detection system at a distal end of an end effector of the robot arm, positions in the container. Regions of the container that do not contain replacement parts are determined and the robot arm is moved according to a second mapping pattern to identify a position in the container of a wafer and/or an empty carrier for a replacement part. A mapping of positions of replacement parts and positions of the wafer and/or empty carrier is recorded in a storage medium.

公开(公告)号：US11469123B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-11

申请号：US16994413

申请日：2020-08-14

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Doug McAllister ,  Helder Lee

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673

Abstract: A method for detecting positions of replacement parts, wafers, or empty carriers for a replacement part stored at a replacement parts storage container is provided. A container is received at a at a load port of a factory interface of an electronics processing system. The container is configured to store replacement parts for a process chamber of the electronics processing system. A robot arm is moved according to a first mapping pattern to identify, using a detection system at a distal end of an end effector of the robot arm, positions of one or more replacement parts in the container. Regions of the container that do not contain replacement parts are determined. The robot arm is moved according to a second mapping pattern to identify, within the regions of the container that do not contain replacement parts, using the detection system, a position in the container of at least one of a wafer or an empty carrier for a replacement part. A mapping of positions of the one or more replacement parts and of positions of at least one of the empty carrier or the wafer in the container is recorded in a storage medium.

公开(公告)号：USD954769S1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US29736743

申请日：2020-06-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Designer： Aaron Green ,  Nicholas Michael Bergantz

公开(公告)号：US20210057256A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-25

申请号：US16990839

申请日：2020-08-11

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Andreas Schmid ,  Leon Volfovski ,  Sanggyum Kim ,  Damon Cox ,  Paul Wirth

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  G01B11/27 ,  B25J11/00 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: A method for calibrating an aligner station of an electronics processing system is provided. A calibration is retrieved, by a first robot arm of a transfer chamber, from a processing chamber connected to the transfer chamber. The calibration object has a target orientation in the processing chamber. The calibration is placed, by the first robot art, in a load lock connected to the transfer chamber. The calibration is retrieved from the load lock by a second robot arm of a factory interface connected to the load lock. The calibration object is placed, by the second robot arm, at an aligner station housed in or connected to the factory interface. The calibration object has a first orientation at the aligner station. A difference is determined between the first orientation at the aligner station and an initial target orientation at the aligner station. The initial target orientation at the aligner station is associated with the target orientation in the processing chamber. A first characteristic error value associated with the processing chamber is determined based on the difference between the first orientation and the initial target orientation. The first characteristic error value is recorded in a storage medium. The aligner station is to use the first characteristic error value for alignment of objects to be placed in the processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20240304478A1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-12

申请号：US18666686

申请日：2024-05-16

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Doug McAllister ,  Helder Lee

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673

CPC classification number: H01L21/67265 ,  H01L21/67356

Abstract: A system includes a factory interface, a load port connected to the factory interface, and a system controller. The system controller is to, responsive to detecting that a container is received at the load port, determine a type of parts for storage at the container. One or more mapping patterns associated with the determined type of parts is identified. A detection system of robot arm(s) of the factory interface is moved according to the identified mapping pattern(s) to detect one or more parts stored by the container. A mapping of the container is determined based on the movement of the robot arm(s). The mapping indicates regions of the container that stores detected parts and a position of each of the detected parts. Based on the mapping, the robot arm(s) either remove a detected part form the container or place an additional part in the container.

公开(公告)号：US11823937B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-21

申请号：US16990839

申请日：2020-08-11

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Andreas Schmid ,  Leon Volfovski ,  Sanggyum Kim ,  Damon Cox ,  Paul Wirth

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  B25J11/00 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67 ,  B25J9/16

CPC classification number: H01L21/681 ,  B25J9/1692 ,  B25J11/0095 ,  H01L21/67196 ,  H01L21/67201 ,  H01L21/67259 ,  H01L21/68707

Abstract: A calibration object is retrieved, by a first robot arm of a transfer chamber, from a processing chamber connected to the transfer chamber and placed in a load lock connected to the transfer chamber. The calibration object is retrieved from the load lock by a second robot arm of a factory interface connected to the load lock and placed at an aligner station housed in or connected to the factory interface. The calibration object has a first orientation at the aligner station. A difference is determined between the first orientation and an initial target orientation at the aligner station. A first characteristic error value associated with the processing chamber is determined based on the determined difference. The first characteristic error value is recorded in a storage medium. The aligner station is to use the first characteristic error value for alignment of objects to be placed in the processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20210057246A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-25

申请号：US16994413

申请日：2020-08-14

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Doug McAllister ,  Helder Lee

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673

Abstract: A method for detecting positions of replacement parts, wafers, or empty carriers for a replacement part stored at a replacement parts storage container is provided. A container is received at a at a load port of a factory interface of an electronics processing system. The container is configured to store replacement parts for a process chamber of the electronics processing system. A robot arm is moved according to a first mapping pattern to identify, using a detection system at a distal end of an end effector of the robot arm, positions of one or more replacement parts in the container. Regions of the container that do not contain replacement parts are determined. The robot arm is moved according to a second mapping pattern to identify, within the regions of the container that do not contain replacement parts, using the detection system, a position in the container of at least one of a wafer or an empty carrier for a replacement part. A mapping of positions of the one or more replacement parts and of positions of at least one of the empty carrier or the wafer in the container is recorded in a storage medium.

公开(公告)号：US20210020476A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-21

申请号：US16923903

申请日：2020-07-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew Paul Harbert ,  Michael C. Kuchar ,  Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Leon Volfovski ,  Sivakumar Ramalingam ,  Karuppasamy Muthukamatchi ,  Douglas R. McAllister

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/673

Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a first loadlock chamber of the loadlock system, a first object from a factory interface via a first opening. The first object is transferred into the first loadlock chamber via a first robot arm. The factory interface is at a first state. The first loadlock chamber is configured to receive different types of objects. The method further includes sealing a first loadlock door against the first opening to create a first sealed environment at the first state in the first loadlock chamber and causing the first sealed environment of the first loadlock chamber to be changed to a second state. The method further includes actuating a second loadlock door to provide a second opening between the first loadlock chamber and a transfer chamber. The first object is to be transferred from the first loadlock chamber to the transfer chamber via a second robot arm.

公开(公告)号：US20240025670A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-25

申请号：US18375409

申请日：2023-09-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Aaron Green ,  Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Damon K. Cox ,  Andreas Schmid

IPC: B65G47/90 ,  B25J15/08

CPC classification number: B65G47/90 ,  B25J15/08

Abstract: A carrier includes a carrier body configured to be supported on a robot to transport one or more process kit rings within a substrate processing system. The carrier further includes fingers extending from the carrier body. The fingers are configured to support the one or more process kit rings. A first finger of the plurality of fingers includes an upper surface that forms a recess to receive the one or more process kit rings.

公开(公告)号：US11759954B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-19

申请号：US16860992

申请日：2020-04-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Damon K. Cox ,  Alexander Berger

IPC: B25J9/16 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687 ,  B65G47/90 ,  H01L21/68 ,  B25J11/00 ,  B25J13/08

CPC classification number: B25J9/1692 ,  B65G47/905 ,  H01L21/67167 ,  H01L21/67196 ,  H01L21/67259 ,  H01L21/67706 ,  H01L21/67742 ,  H01L21/67745 ,  H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  B25J9/1697 ,  B25J11/0095 ,  B25J13/08

Abstract: A calibration object is placed at a target orientation in a station of an electronics processing device by a first robot arm, and then retrieved from the station by the first robot arm. The calibration object is transferred to an aligner station using the first robot arm, a second robot arm and/or a load lock, wherein the calibration object has a first orientation at the aligner station. The first orientation at the aligner station is determined. A characteristic error value is determined based on the first orientation. The aligner station is to use the characteristic error value for alignment of objects to be placed in the first station.