Vacuum substrate processing system having multiple processing chambers and a central load/unload chamber
    4.
    发明授权
    Vacuum substrate processing system having multiple processing chambers and a central load/unload chamber 失效
    具有多个处理室和中央负载/卸载室的真空基板处理系统

    公开(公告)号:US06214119B1

    公开(公告)日:2001-04-10

    申请号:US09195749

    申请日:1998-11-18

    IPC分类号: C23C1600

    摘要: The present invention includes plural plasma processing vessels and a wafer queuing station arrayed with a wafer transfer arm in a controlled environment. Wafers are movable within the controlled environment one at a time selectably between the several plasma vessels and the wafer queuing station without atmospheric or other exposure so that possible contamination of the moved wafers is prevented. The system is selectively operative in either single-step or multiple-step processing modes, and in either of the modes, the several plasma etching vessels are operable to provide a desirably high system throughput. In the preferred embodiment, the several plasma vessels and the queuing station are arrayed about a closed pentagonal locus with the wafer transfer arm disposed within the closed locus. The wafer transfer arm is movable in R and &THgr; between the several plasma etching vessels and the wafer queuing station, and selectably actuatable vacuum locks are provided between each of the plasma etching vessels and the R and &THgr; movable wafer transfer arm to both maintain an intended atmospheric condition and to allow wafer transport therethrough. The plasma vessels each include first and second water-cooled electrodes that are movable relatively to each other so as to provide a selectable gap dimension therebetween. One of the electrodes includes a selectively movable pedestal portion slidably mounted thereto that is cooperative with the R and &THgr; movable wafer transfer arm to load and unload wafers respectively into and out of the associated plasma vessel. The wafer transfer arm is operative to pick-up the wafers by back-side and peripheral wafer contact only, which therewith prevents possible front-side contact-induced contamination of the wafer surfaces. A sensor on the transfer arm is operative to provide a signal indication of proper wafer seating.

    摘要翻译: 本发明包括多个等离子体处理容器和在受控环境中排列有晶片传送臂的晶片排队台。 晶片可以在受控环境内一次性地选择性地在几个等离子体容器和晶片排队台之间可选地没有大气或其他暴露,从而防止移动的晶片的可能的污染。 该系统选择性地以单步或多步处理模式操作,并且在任一模式中,几个等离子体蚀刻容器可操作以提供期望的高系统吞吐量。 在优选实施例中,几个等离子体容器和排队台围绕封闭的五边形轨迹排列,其中晶片传送臂设置在闭合轨迹内。 晶圆传送臂可在R和& 在等离子体蚀刻容器和晶片排队台之间,并且可选择地致动的真空锁提供在每个等离子体蚀刻容器与R和& 可移动晶片传送臂保持预期的大气条件并允许晶片从其中传输。 等离子体容器各自包括可相对于彼此移动的第一和第二水冷电极,以便在它们之间提供可选择的间隙尺寸。 其中一个电极包括可滑动地安装在其上的与R和& 可移动的晶片传送臂将晶片分别装入和卸载相关联的等离子体容器。 晶片传送臂可操作用于仅通过背面和外围晶片接触来拾取晶片,从而防止晶片表面的可能的前侧接触引起的污染。 传送臂上的传感器可操作以提供适当的晶片座位的信号指示。

    Multiple-processing and contamination-free plasma etching system
    6.
    发明授权
    Multiple-processing and contamination-free plasma etching system 失效
    多处理和无污染等离子体蚀刻系统

    公开(公告)号:US5344542A

    公开(公告)日:1994-09-06

    申请号:US809031

    申请日:1991-12-16

    摘要: The present invention includes plural plasma etching vessels and a wafer queuing station arrayed with a wafer transfer arm in a controlled environment. Wafers are movable within the controlled environment one at a time selectably between the several plasma vessels and the wafer queuing station without atmospheric or other exposure so that possible contamination of the moved wafers is prevented. The system is selectively operative in either single-step or multiple-step processing modes, and in either of the modes, the several plasma etching vessels are operable to provide a desirably high system throughput. In the preferred embodiment, the several plasma vessels and the queuing station are arrayed about a closed pentagonal locus with the wafer transfer arm disposed within the closed locus. The wafer transfer arm is movable in R and TT between the several plasma etching vessels and the wafer queuing station, and selectably actuatable vacuum locks are provided between each of the plasma etching vessels and the R and TT movable wafer transfer arm to both maintain an intended atmospheric condition and to allow wafer transport therethrough. The plasma vessels each include first and second water-cooled electrodes that are movable relatively to each other so as to provide a selectable gap dimension therebetween. One of the electrodes includes a selectively movable pedestal portion slidably mounted thereto that is cooperative with the R and TT movable wafer transfer arm to load and unload wafers respectively into and out of the associated plasma vessel. The wafer transfer arm is operative to pick-up the wafers by back-side and peripheral wafer contact only, which therewith prevents possible front-side contact-induced contamination of the wafer surfaces. A sensor on the transfer arm is operative to provide a signal indication of proper wafer seating.

    摘要翻译: 本发明包括多个等离子体蚀刻容器和在受控环境中排列有晶片传送臂的晶片排队台。 晶片可以在受控环境内一次性地选择性地在几个等离子体容器和晶片排队台之间可选地没有大气或其他暴露,从而防止移动的晶片的可能的污染。 该系统选择性地以单步或多步处理模式操作,并且在任一模式中,几个等离子体蚀刻容器可操作以提供期望的高系统吞吐量。 在优选实施例中,几个等离子体容器和排队台围绕封闭的五边形轨迹排列,其中晶片传送臂设置在闭合轨迹内。 晶片传送臂可以在几个等离子蚀刻容器和晶片排队台之间的R和TT中移动,并且可选择地致动的真空锁提供在每个等离子体蚀刻容器与R和TT可移动晶片传送臂之间,以保持预期的 大气条件并允许晶片从其中传输。 等离子体容器各自包括可相对于彼此移动的第一和第二水冷电极,以便在它们之间提供可选的间隙尺寸。 其中一个电极包括可滑动地安装在其上的可选择性地移动的基座部分,其与R和TT可移动晶片传送臂协作以将晶片分别加载和卸载相关联的等离子体容器。 晶片传送臂可操作用于仅通过背面和外围晶片接触来拾取晶片,从而防止晶片表面的可能的前侧接触引起的污染。 传送臂上的传感器可操作以提供适当的晶片座位的信号指示。

    System providing multiple processing of substrates
    7.
    发明授权
    System providing multiple processing of substrates 失效
    提供基板多重处理的系统

    公开(公告)号:US5308431A

    公开(公告)日:1994-05-03

    申请号:US863723

    申请日:1992-04-03

    摘要: The present invention includes plural plasma etching vessels and a wafer queuing station arrayed with a wafer transfer arm in a controlled environment. Wafers are movable within the controlled environment one at a time selectably between the plasma vessels and the wafer queuing station without atmospheric or other possible contamination. The system is selectively operative in either single-step or multiple-step processing modes. In the preferred embodiment, the plasma vessels and the queuing station are arrayed about a closed pentagonal locus with the wafer transfer arm disposed within the closed locus. The wafer transfer arm is movable between the plasma etching vessels and the wafer queuing station. Selectably actuable vacuum locks are provided between the plasma etching vessels and the wafer transfer arm to maintain an intended atmospheric condition and to allow wafer transport therethrough. The plasma vessels each include first and second water-cooled electrodes that are movable relatively to each other. The wafer transfer arm is operative to pick-up the wafers by back-side and peripheral wafer contact only. A sensor on the transfer arm provides an indication of proper wafer seating. Wafer processing in each vessel is regulated by a state controller for processing a plurality of wafers from a single cassette to provide an orderly and efficient throughput of wafers for diverse or similar processing in the plural vessels.

    摘要翻译: 本发明包括多个等离子体蚀刻容器和在受控环境中排列有晶片传送臂的晶片排队台。 晶片可在受控环境内一次性地可选地在等离子体容器和晶片排队台之间移动,而无大气或其它可能的污染。 该系统选择性地以单步或多步处理模式操作。 在优选实施例中,等离子体容器和排队台围绕封闭的五边形轨迹排列,晶片传送臂设置在闭合轨迹内。 晶片传送臂可在等离子体蚀刻容器和晶片排队台之间移动。 在等离子蚀刻容器和晶片传送臂之间提供可选择地致动的真空锁,以保持预期的大气条件并允许晶片从其中传输。 等离子体容器各自包括可相对于彼此移动的第一和第二水冷电极。 晶片传送臂可操作以仅通过背面和外围晶片接触来拾取晶片。 传送臂上的传感器提供了适当的晶片座位的指示。 每个容器中的晶片处理由状态控制器调节,用于从单个盒处理多个晶片,以提供用于在多个容器中进行多种或类似处理的晶片的有序且有效的吞吐量。

    Method providing multiple-processing of substrates
    8.
    发明授权
    Method providing multiple-processing of substrates 失效
    提供基板多重处理的方法

    公开(公告)号:US5102495A

    公开(公告)日:1992-04-07

    申请号:US689357

    申请日:1991-04-22

    摘要: Plural plasma etching vessels and a wafer queuing station are arrayed about a closed pentagonal locus with a wafer transfer arm therewithin all in a controlled vacuum environment. Wafers are movable within the controlled environment between the several plasma vessels and the wafer queuing station without atmospheric or other exposure so that possible contamination of the moved wafers is prevented. The system is selectively operative in either single-step or multiple-step processing modes, and in either of the modes, the several plasma etching vessels are operable to provide a desirably high system throughput. Wafer processing in each vessel is regulated by a state controller for processing a plurality of wafers from a single cassette, contained within the vacuum environment of the plural plasma etching vessels and wafer queuing station, to provide an orderly and efficient throughput of wafers for diverse or similar processing in the plural vessels. The wafer transfer arm is movable in R and .theta.. The plasma vessels each include first and second water-cooled electrodes that are movable relatively to each other so as to provide a selectable gap dimension therebetween. The wafer transfer arm is operative to pick-up the wafers by back-side contact only whereby front-side contact-induced contamination of the wafer surfaces is prevented. A sensor on the transfer arm is operative to provide a signal indication of proper wafer seating.

    摘要翻译: 多个等离子体蚀刻容器和晶片排队台围绕封闭的五边形轨迹排列,其中晶片传送臂全部在受控的真空环境中。 晶片在几个等离子体容器和晶片排队台之间的受控环境内是可移动的,没有大气或其它暴露,从而可以防止移动的晶片的可能的污染。 该系统选择性地以单步或多步处理模式操作,并且在任一模式中,几个等离子体蚀刻容器可操作以提供期望的高系统吞吐量。 每个容器中的晶片处理由用于从多个等离子体蚀刻容器和晶片排队台的真空环境中包含的单个盒子处理多个晶片的状态控制器来调节,以提供用于不同或不同的等离子体 类似的处理在多个船只。 晶片传送臂可在R和θ中移动。 等离子体容器各自包括可相对于彼此移动的第一和第二水冷电极,以便在它们之间提供可选择的间隙尺寸。 晶片传送臂可操作以通过背侧接触来拾取晶片,从而防止了晶片表面的前侧接触引起的污染。 传送臂上的传感器可操作以提供适当的晶片座位的信号指示。

    Quad processor
    9.
    发明授权
    Quad processor 失效
    四核处理器

    公开(公告)号:US5013385A

    公开(公告)日:1991-05-07

    申请号:US443039

    申请日:1989-12-01

    摘要: The present invention includes plural plasma etching vessels and a wafer queuing station arrayed with a wafer transfer arm in a controlled environment. Wafers are movable within the controlled environment one at a time selectably between the several plasma vessels and the wafer queuing station without atmospheric or other exposure to that possible contamination of the moved wafers is prevented. The system is selectively operative in either single-step or multiple-step processing modes, and in either of the modes, the several plasma etching vessels are operable to provide a desirably high system throughput. In the preferred embodiment, the several plasma vessels and the queuing station are arrayed about a closed pentagonal locus with the wafer transfer arm disposed within the closed locus.Wafer processing in each vessel is regulated by a state controller for processing a plurality of wafers from a single cassette, contained within the vacuum environment of the plural plasma etching vessels and wafer queuing station, to provide an orderly and efficient throughput of wafers for diverse or similar processing in the plural vessels. In this manner a wafer can be processed as soon as a vessel becomes available.

    摘要翻译: 本发明包括多个等离子体蚀刻容器和在受控环境中排列有晶片传送臂的晶片排队台。 晶片可在可控制的环境中可选地在几个等离子体容器和晶片排队台之间可选地被移动,而无需大气或其它暴露,从而可以防止移动的晶片的可能的污染。 该系统选择性地以单步或多步处理模式操作,并且在任一模式中,几个等离子体蚀刻容器可操作以提供期望的高系统吞吐量。 在优选实施例中,几个等离子体容器和排队台围绕封闭的五边形轨迹排列,其中晶片传送臂设置在闭合轨迹内。 每个容器中的晶片处理由用于从多个等离子体蚀刻容器和晶片排队台的真空环境中包含的单个盒子处理多个晶片的状态控制器来调节,以提供用于不同或不同的等离子体 类似的处理在多个船只。 以这种方式,一旦容器变得可用就可以处理晶片。