Substrate processing apparatus and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device by using same

• US 20030077150A1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ishitsuka, Ryuji, Matsuda, Tomoyuki, Matsunaga, Tatsuhisa, Noto, Kouichi
• Application Number:
  US10/255,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20030077150A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67757 vertical transfer of a batch of workpieces

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a process room for treating one or more substrates, an antechamber of a loadlock type installed to be adjoined to the process room, and a buffer chamber installed to be adjoined to the antechamber, the buffer chamber being maintained at an atmospheric pressure while the one or more substrates are transferred from a carrier for accommodating the one or more substrates to the buffer chamber and at a vacuum condition while the one or more substrates are transferred from the buffer chamber to the antechamber. The buffer chamber is equipped with a loading port for loading the carrier at a top or a side portion thereof. The antechamber is equipped with a stocker for storing one or more product substrates or/and one or more dummy substrates therein. The elevator is arranged at a corner portion of the antechamber in order to reduce dead space.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process room for treating one or more substrates;

an antechamber of a loadlock type installed to be adjoined to the process room; and

a buffer chamber installed to be adjoined to the antechamber, the buffer chamber being maintained at an atmospheric pressure while the one or more substrates are transferred from a carrier for accommodating the one or more substrates to the buffer chamber and at a vacuum condition while the one or more substrates are transferred from the buffer chamber to the antechamber,

wherein the buffer chamber is equipped with a loading port for loading the carrier at a top or a side portion thereof.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of the claim 1, further comprising a first substrate loading-transferring device for transferring the one or more substrates between the buffer chamber and the antechamber, and a second substrate loading-transferring device for transferring the one or more substrates between the carrier loaded in the loading port and the buffer chamber, wherein the second substrate loading-transferring device is arranged above an upper portion of the first substrate loading-transferring device.

3. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process room for treating one or more substrates;

an antechamber of a loadlock type installed to be adjoined to the process room; and

a buffer chamber installed to be adjoined to the antechamber, the buffer chamber being maintained at an atmospheric pressure while the one or more substrates are transferred from a carrier for accommodating the one or more substrates to the buffer chamber and at a vacuum condition while the one or more substrates are transferred from the buffer chamber to the antechamber,

wherein the antechamber is equipped with a stocker for storing one or more product substrates or/and one or more dummy substrates therein.

4. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process room for treating one or more substrates;

an antechamber installed to be adjoined to the process room, the antechamber being of a loadlock type; and

an elevator for loading the one or more substrates to and unloading the one or more substrates from the process room, the elevator being installed in the antechamber,

wherein the elevator is arranged at a corner portion of the antechamber in order to reduce dead space.

5. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

transferring one or more substrates from a carrier for accommodating the one or more substrates to a buffer chamber at an atmospheric pressure;

transferring the one or more substrates from the buffer chamber to an antechamber of a loadlock type at a vacuum condition;

transferring the one or more substrates from the antechamber to a process room at a vacuum condition; and

processing the one or more substrates in the process room,

wherein the buffer chamber is installed to be adjoined to the antechamber, the buffer chamber is equipped with a loading port for loading the carrier at a top or a side portion thereof, and the antechamber is installed to be adjoined to the process room.