HIGH THROUGHPUT SUBSTRATE HANDLING ENDSTATION AND SEQUENCE

申请公布号：: US2015063954(A1)
申请号：: US201314013693
申请日期：: 2013.08.29
申请公布日期：: 2015.03.05
申请人：: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
发明人：: Mitchell Robert J.;Hermanson Eric;Riordon Benjamin B.
分类号：: H01L21/677;B65G47/90
主分类号：: H01L21/677
地址：: Gloucester MA US
摘要：: Systems and methods for facilitating expeditious handling and processing of semiconductor substrates with a minimal number of handling devices. Such a system may include an entry load-lock configured to transfer substrates from an atmospheric environment to a vacuum chamber, an alignment station disposed in the vacuum chamber and configured to adjust orientations of substrates, a first vacuum robot configured to move substrates from the entry load-lock to the alignment station, a process station disposed in the vacuum chamber and configured to perform a designated process on substrates, first and second exit load-locks configured to transfer substrates from the vacuum chamber to the atmospheric environment, and a second vacuum robot configured to move substrates from the alignment station to the process station and further configured to move substrates from the process station to the first exit load-lock and to the second exit load-lock in an alternating fashion.
主权项：: 1. A substrate processing system comprising: a vacuum chamber; an entry load-lock coupled to the vacuum chamber, the entry load-lock configured for transferring substrates between an atmospheric environment and the vacuum chamber; an alignment station disposed in the vacuum chamber, the alignment station configured for adjusting an alignment of said substrates; a first vacuum robot disposed in the vacuum chamber, the first vacuum robot configured for moving said substrates from the entry load-lock to the alignment station; a process station disposed in the vacuum chamber; first and second exit load-locks coupled to the vacuum chamber, the first and second exit load-locks configured for transferring said substrates between the vacuum chamber and the atmospheric environment; and a second vacuum robot disposed in the vacuum chamber, the second vacuum robot configured to move substrates from the alignment station to the process station and further configured to move substrates from the process station to the first exit load-lock and the second exit load-lock in an alternating fashion.