Substrate processing apparatus

• US 20050105991A1
• Filed: 10/09/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Christopher Hofmeister, Robert T. Caveney
• Inventors: Hofmeister, Christopher, Caveney, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,398 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 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67184 characterized by the presence of more than one transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/677 for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67709 using magnetic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67724 by means of a cart or a vehicule
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67727 using a general scheme of a conveying path within a factory
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67766 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

Substrate processing apparatus having a chamber, a generally linear array of process modules, a substrate transport, and a drive system. The chamber is capable of being isolated from the outside atmosphere. Each process module of the array is communicably connected to the chamber to allow a substrate to be transferred between the chamber and process module. The substrate transport is located in and is movably supported from the chamber. The transport is capable of moving along a linear path defined by the chamber for transporting the substrate between process modules. The drive system is connected to the chamber for driving and moving the transport along the linear path. The chamber comprises a selectable number of chamber modules serially abutted to defined the chamber. Each module has an integral portion of the drive system.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a chamber capable of being isolated from outside atmosphere;

a generally linear array of process modules each communicably connected to the chamber to allow a substrate to be transferred between chamber and process module;

a substrate transport located in and movably supported from the chamber, the transport being capable of moving along a linear path defined by the chamber for transporting the substrate between process modules; and

a drive system connected to the chamber for driving and moving the transport along the linear path;

wherein the chamber comprises a selectable number of chamber modules serially abutted to define the chamber, each module having an integral portion of the drive system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber modules are interchangeable.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the integral portion of the drive system of the chamber module drives the transport in the chamber module.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein integral portions of the drive system of adjacent chamber modules cooperate to cause the transport to move freely between adjacent chamber modules.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein adjacent chamber modules are capable of being isolated from each other, and wherein the transporter and drive system are configured to allow the transporter to move between adjacent chamber modules through a closable passage capable of isolating the adjacent chamber modules.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a linear drive system isolated from an interior environment of the chamber.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the drive system comprises an iron core linear drive system.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a coreless linear drive system.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport has a substrate transport arm for transferring the substrate between the chamber and process modules, and wherein the transport is a passive transport.

10. A substrate transport apparatus comprising:

a first end configured for loading a substrate into the apparatus;

an apparatus module, connected to the first end to allow the substrate to be moved between the first end and apparatus module, and capable of being isolated from outside atmosphere, the apparatus module having at least one process chamber and a substrate transport chamber module communicably connected to each other to allow the substrate to be transferred therebetween;

another apparatus module optionally connected to the apparatus module in series relative to the front end, the other module having another process chamber and another substrate transport chamber module communicably connected to each other to allow the substrate to be transferred therebetween; and

a substrate transport located in and movable relative to the transport chamber module for moving the substrate between the transport chamber module and the other transport chamber module