Vacuum process system

• US 20040105737A1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Hirose, Jun, Ozawa, Jun, Narushima, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,025,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67161 characterized by the layout of the process chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67167 surrounding a central transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67184 characterized by the presence of more than one transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67745 characterized by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

A vacuum process system comprises: a load port on which an object to be processed is set; a common transfer chamber disposed adjacent to the load port, having an internal space set at an atmospheric pressure level, and including a first transfer device that is movable and transfers the object into/from the load port, the first transfer device being disposed within the internal space; and a process unit having one process chamber for subjecting the object to a predetermined process, and a vacuum transfer chamber connected to the process chamber, having an internal space set at a vacuum pressure level, and including a second transfer device for transferring the object into/from the process chamber, the second transfer device being disposed within the internal space. The process units are individually connected to the common transfer chamber such that the process units are substantially parallel to each other. The vacuum chamber of each process unit is connected to the common transfer chamber. Each process unit extends linearly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the common transfer chamber. The object is transferred into/from the vacuum transfer chamber by means of the first transfer device.

Claims

1. A vacuum process system comprising:

a load port on which a plurality of objects to be processed is set;

a common transfer chamber disposed adjacent to the load port, having an internal space set at an atmospheric pressure level, and including a first transfer device that is movable and transfers the at least one of said plurality of objects into/from the load port, the first transfer device being disposed within the internal space; and

a plurality of process units each having one process chamber for subjecting the object to a predetermined process, and a vacuum transfer chamber connected to the process chamber, the process chamber having an internal space set at a vacuum pressure level, and including a second transfer device for transferring the object into/from the process chamber, the second transfer device being disposed within the internal space of the process chamber,

characterized in that a plurality of said process units are individually connected to the common transfer chamber such that the process units are substantially parallel to each other, and

the vacuum transfer chamber of each process unit is connected to the common transfer chamber, each process unit extends linearly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the common transfer chamber, and the object is transferred into/from the vacuum transfer chamber by means of the first transfer device.

2. A vacuum process system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first transfer device moves substantially in a longitudinal direction of the common transfer chamber, and each process unit extends linearly in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the common transfer chamber.

3. A vacuum process system according to claim 1, characterized in that each process unit is detachably connected to the common transfer chamber.

4. A vacuum process system according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one extension transfer chamber is detachably connected to the common transfer chamber, and the first transfer device is movable over a range of the common transfer chamber and the extension transfer chamber.

5. A vacuum process system according to claim 4, characterized in that the process unit is detachably connected to the extension transfer chamber.

6. A vacuum process system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the extension transfer chamber is provided with a third transfer device that is movable and transfers the object between the load port and the vacuum transfer chamber of each process unit.

7. A vacuum process system according to claim 6, characterized in that the third transfer device is movable over a range of the common transfer chamber and the extension transfer chamber.

8. A vacuum process system according to claim 1, characterized in that the vacuum transfer chambers of adjacent ones of the process units are mutually connected via an intermediate path chamber that can be set at a predetermined vacuum pressure level,

an openable/closable gate valve is provided between the intermediate path chamber and each vacuum transfer chamber, and

the object is transferred into/from the intermediate path chamber by means of the second transfer chamber.

9. A vacuum process system according to claim 8, characterized in that a control section for controlling operations of the first and second transfer devices is provided to enable the object to be successively transferred to the process units via the intermediate path chamber.

10. A vacuum process system according to claim 1, characterized in that the common transfer chamber comprises a rectangular container.

11. A vacuum process system according to claim 1, characterized in that an alignment mechanism for aligning the object is provided in the vacuum transfer chamber.

12. A vacuum process system according to claim 1, characterized in that the vacuum transfer chamber comprises a transfer chamber including the second transfer device, disposed adjacent to the process chamber, and always set at a predetermined vacuum pressure level, and a load lock chamber for connecting the transfer chamber and the common transfer chamber, the load lock chamber having an internal space that can be selectively set at an atmospheric pressure level and a vacuum pressure level.

13. A vacuum process system according to claim 1, characterized in that the vacuum transfer chamber comprises a load lock chamber for connecting the process chamber and the common transfer chamber, the load lock chamber having an internal space that can be selectively set at an atmospheric pressure level and a vacuum pressure level.

14. A vacuum process system according to claim 13, characterized in that the second transfer device has a support portion for supporting the object, and the support portion is movable only linearly to transfer the object.

15. A vacuum process system according to claim 13, characterized in that the vacuum transfer chamber includes two buffers on which the object is placed in a standby state.