METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR USE IN PROCESSING WAFERS

• US 20070269986A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revasum, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Strasbaugh Co.
• Inventors: Walsh, Tom, Halley, Dave, Kalenian, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,052,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/692
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/30 for single side lapping of plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 37/345 Feeding, loading or unloading work specially adapted to lapping
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67161 characterized by the layout of the process chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67219 comprising at least one polishing chamber polishing apparatuses B24B
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68785 characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support

Abstract

The present embodiment provides for methods and systems for use in processing objects such as wafers, including polishing and/or grinding wafers. Some embodiments provide systems that include a front-end module and a processing module. The front end module couples with a storage device that stores objects for processing. The front-end module can comprise a single robot, a transfer station, and a plurality of end effectors. The processing module is coupled with the front-end module such that the single robot delivers objects from the storage device to the processing module. The processing module comprising a rotating table, and a spindle with a carrier configured to retrieve the delivered object and process the object on the rotating table.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a front-end module that couples with a storage device that stores objects for processing, the front-end module comprising;

a single robot;

a transfer station; and

a plurality of end effectors; and

a processing module coupled with the front-end module such that the single robot delivers objects from the storage device to the processing module, the processing module comprising;

a rotating table; and

a spindle with a carrier configured to retrieve the delivered object and process the object on the rotating table.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front-end module further comprises a wet basin that receives the object after being processed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the front-end module further comprises a portable cart that is independent of and couples with the front-end module such that objects are delivered from the wet basin of the front end to the portable cart.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module comprises a load station at which the single robot delivers the object to the processing module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tool changer to change between the plurality of end effectors.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of end effectors comprise a wet end effector to grasp and transport wet wafers and a dry end effector to grasp and transport dry wafers.

7. A system for use in processing wafers, comprising:

a load station that receives wafers to be processed, the load station comprising;

a linear rail assembly providing movement of a portion of the load station in two orthogonal directions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the load station comprises a wafer chuck that comprises segmented shoulders providing edge contact support of the wafer in the load station.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the load station further comprises:

a wafer chuck;

a wafer guide ring biased with the wafer chuck; and

a load guide ring aligned with the wafer guide ring such that the wafer chuck is separated from the wafer guide ring when the wafer guide ring is moved to contact the load guide ring as the wafer chuck is advanced through the load guide ring to release the wafer from the load station.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the load station further comprises:

a first biasing spring that biases the wafer chuck in contact with the wafer guide ring and allows expansion such that the wafer chuck separates from the wafer guide ring.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the load guide ring comprises a truncated cone that aligns with the wafer chuck and provides at least some compensation for misalignment between the wafer chuck and the load guide ring.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the load station further comprises a load guide ring comprising one or more recesses providing a tolerance between the load guide ring and a carrier that retrieves a wafer from the load station.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the recesses are positioned at least partially on an inner circumference of the load guide ring and allow portions of the carrier to extend into the recesses.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the load station further comprising a second biasing spring such that the biasing spring positions a portion of the load station at a center position, the linear rail assembly allows the portion of the load station to shift relative to the center position when cooperating with a carrier to remove the wafer and the biasing spring returns the portion of the load station to substantially the center position when the carrier retrieves the wafer.

15. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a sensor, comprising;

sensor cap;

a sensor tube cooperated with the sensor cap, the sensor tub couples with a fluid source from which fluid is received forcing the sensor cap in an extended direction toward a wafer when the wafer is positioned in the load station; and

a proximity sensor cooperated with the sensor cap to detect a presence of the wafer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor cap comprises a tip from which at least a portion of the fluid exits such that the fluid exiting the tip substantially prevents the sensor cap from contacting the wafer when the wafer is positioned within the load station.

17. The system of claim 7, wherein the load station comprises load guide ring that comprises a chamfer.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a spindle; and

a carrier coupled with the spindle, the carrier cooperates with the load station to retrieve wafers from the load station and the carrier comprises a chamfered retaining ring that cooperates with the chamfer of the load guide ring of the load station to align the portion of the load station with the carrier.

19. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a rotating table;

a first spindle with a first carrier to retrieve one or more of the wafers from the load station and process the wafers on the rotating table;

a first turret coupled with the first spindle to move the first spindle and first carrier between the load station and the rotating table; and

a first turret motor to drive the first turret to move the first spindle.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a second spindle with a second carrier to retrieve one or more of the wafers from the load station and process the wafers on the rotating table;

a second turret concentric with and position within the first turret, the second turret coupled with the second spindle to move the second spindle and second carrier between the load station and the rotating table; and

a second turret motor to drive the second turret to move the second spindle.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a front-end module comprising a robot that delivers the wafers to the load station, wherein the front-end module further couples with a portable cart that is independent of and couples with the front-end module such that wafers are delivered by the robot from the front end to the portable cart.

22. A method for use in processing wafers, comprising:

loading a wafer into a loading station;

moving a carrier into contact with the load station;

maintaining alignment of the load station with the carrier as the carrier is cooperated with the load station; and

moving the wafer to contact the carrier.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the maintaining alignment of the load station with the carrier comprises shifting a positioning of a portion of the load station from a bias center position as the carrier is cooperated with the load station.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

returning the portion of the load station to substantially the biased center position upon withdrawal of the carrier from the load station.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the loading the wafer and the moving the wafer to contact the carrier comprise only edge contacting the wafer in loading the wafer in to the load station and moving the wafer.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the moving the wafer into contact with the carrier comprises:

biasing a wafer chuck with a wafer guide ring of the load station together; and

the moving the wafer to contact the carrier comprises;

moving the wafer chuck supporting the wafer, and the wafer guide ring until the wafer guide ring contacts a load guide ring of the load station;

continuing to move the wafer chuck and the wafer through the load guide ring after the wafer guide ring contacts the load guide ring separating the wafer chuck and the wafer guide ring; and

extending the wafer chuck toward the carrier such that the wafer contacts the carrier.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

activate a wafer holder in the carrier to hold the wafer in place with the carrier;

removing the carrier with the wafer from the load station; and

moving the carrier and wafer to a polishing position.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the loading a wafer into a loading station comprises:

removing a wafer from a storage element by edge-contact;

moving the wafer to the load station; and

confirming that the wafer is positioned in the load station.

27. The method of claim 27, wherein the moving the wafer chuck and wafer guide ring comprises compensating for miss-alignment between the wafer chuck and the carrier through contacts on the load guide ring.