Substrate treatment apparatus

• US 20070217896A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Kyue-Sang, Seo, Byong-Kyu, Kim, Ki-Sang, Park, Soon-Chon
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,812 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 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67745 characterized by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67766 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling

Abstract

A substrate treatment apparatus is provided. The substrate treatment apparatus includes a process room, a load port in which a container receiving wafers is disposed, and a wafer transfer module disposed between the load port and the process room to transfer the wafers between the load port and the process room. The wafer transfer module includes a first barrier, a second barrier extending from a first end of the first barrier or from a portion near the first end of the first barrier at a predetermined inclined angle with respect to the first barrier, and a third barrier extending from a second end of the first barrier or from a portion near the second end of the first barrier at a predetermined inclined angle. The load portion is provided along the first barrier. The process room includes a plurality of chambers arranged along the second and third barriers.

Claims

1. A substrate treatment apparatus, comprising:

a process room;

a load port in which a container receiving wafers is disposed; and

a wafer transfer module disposed between the load port and the process room to transfer the wafers between the load port and the process room, the wafer transfer module including;

a first barrier,

a second barrier extending from a first end of the first barrier at a first predetermined angle with respect to the first barrier, and

a third barrier extending from a second end of the first barrier at a second predetermined angle with respect to the first barrier, wherein the load port is provided along the first barrier, and the process room includes a plurality of chambers arranged along the second and third barriers.

2. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an end of the second barrier opposite from the first barrier meets with an end of the third barrier opposite from the first barrier, to form a triangle.

3. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first predetermined angle and the second predetermined angle are equal.

4. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the chambers of the process room are arranged in a “

”

shape.

5. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the process room comprises:

a first transfer chamber, in which a first robot for transferring the wafers is installed, the first transfer chamber being provided on a side of the second barrier;

a second transfer chamber, in which a second robot for transferring the wafers is installed, the second transfer chamber being provided on a side of the third barrier;

a first process chamber having a first partition facing the first transfer chamber and a second partition facing the second transfer chamber;

a second process chamber disposed adjacent the first transfer chamber and opposite the first process chamber; and

a third process chamber disposed adjacent the second transfer chamber and opposite the first process chamber.

6. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first partition of the first process chamber, which faces the first transfer chamber, and the second partition of the first process chamber, which faces the second transfer chamber, each include an entrance for the transfer of the wafers.

7. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a controller for controlling the robots provided in the first and second process chambers, wherein a first process performed in the second and third process chambers is different from a second process performed in the first process chamber, and

the controller controls the robots such that the wafers that are processed in the second and third process chambers are sequentially transferred to the first process chamber.

8. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the process room performs two processes consecutively;

and

the first process chamber performs a shorter process, and the second and third process chambers perform a longer process.

9. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first process chamber performs an ashing process using plasma;

and

the second and third process chambers perform an etching process.

10. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a controller for controlling the robots provided in the first and second process chambers, wherein a first process performed in the second and third process chambers is different from a second process performed in the first process chamber, and

the controller controls the robots such that the wafers that are processed in the first process chamber are sequentially transferred to the second and third process chambers.

11. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the process room further comprises:

a fourth process chamber disposed on a side of the first transfer chamber opposite the wafer transfer module; and

a fifth process chamber disposed on a side of the second process chamber opposite the wafer transfer module.

12. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the process room performs two processes consecutively;

and

the first process chamber performs a shorter process, and the second through fifth process chambers perform a longer process.

13. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first process chamber performs an ashing process using plasma;

and

the second through fifth process chambers perform an etching process.

14. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the process room performs two processes consecutively;

and

the second and third process chambers perform a shorter process, and the first, fourth and fifth process chambers perform a longer process.

15. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second and third process chambers perform an ashing process using plasma generated by an ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) source;

and

the first, fourth and fifth process chambers perform an etching process.

16. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the barriers of the first and second transfer chambers which face the wafer transfer module comprise:

an entrance for the transfer of the wafers;

a gate valve for closing and opening the entrances; and

a vacuum source connected to the first and second transfer chambers, to maintain the interiors thereof at a predetermined vacuum pressure.

17. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a transfer chamber robot in each of the transfer chambers; and

a transfer module robot in the wafer transfer module.

18. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the transfer chamber robot has a substantially straight and linear blade on which the wafer is disposed, and the transfer module robot has a C-shaped blade on which the wafer is disposed.

19. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the transfer module robot comprises:

a lower arm pivotally attached to the substrate apparatus;

an upper arm pivotally coupled to the lower arm, the upper arm being independently driven with respect to the lower arm; and

a hand unit pivotally coupled to the upper arm, the hand unit being independently driven with respect to the lower and upper arms.

20. The substrate treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the hand unit comprises:

a coupling rod pivotally coupled to the upper arm; and

one or more blades provided on respective opposite ends of the coupling rod, on which the wafer is disposed.