IN VACUUM OPTICAL WAFER HEATER FOR CRYOGENIC PROCESSING
First Claim
1. A vacuum assembly for processing substrates comprising:
- a processing chamber configured to cryogenically process one or more substrates;
a transfer chamber connected to said processing chamber;
a substrate handling robot disposed in said transfer chamber, said handling robot configured to displace one or more substrates from said processing chamber to said transfer chamber associated with an in-line processing system; and
a radiative heater connected to said transfer chamber above said substrate handling robot, said heater projecting energy on at least one of said one or more substrates during an in-line process such that when said substrate handling robot displaces said at least one substrate in said transfer chamber, said heater heats said at least one substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum assembly used for warming processed substrates above the dew point to prevent unwanted moisture on the processed substrate surfaces as well as reducing negative impact on manufacturing throughput. The vacuum assembly includes a processing chamber, a substrate handling robot, and a heater which may be an optical heater. The processing chamber is configured to cryogenically process one or more substrates. The transfer chamber is connected to the processing chamber and houses the substrate handling robot. The substrate handling robot is configured to displace one or more substrates from the processing chamber to the transfer chamber. The heater is connected to the transfer chamber above the substrate handling robot such that the heater emits energy incident on the substrate when the substrate handling robot displaces the substrate in the transfer chamber.
383 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vacuum assembly for processing substrates comprising:
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a processing chamber configured to cryogenically process one or more substrates; a transfer chamber connected to said processing chamber; a substrate handling robot disposed in said transfer chamber, said handling robot configured to displace one or more substrates from said processing chamber to said transfer chamber associated with an in-line processing system; and a radiative heater connected to said transfer chamber above said substrate handling robot, said heater projecting energy on at least one of said one or more substrates during an in-line process such that when said substrate handling robot displaces said at least one substrate in said transfer chamber, said heater heats said at least one substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vacuum assembly for processing substrates in an ion implanter comprising;
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a processing chamber configured to cryogenically process one or mere substrates; a transfer chamber connected;
to said processing chamber;a first substrate handling robot disposed in said transfer chamber, said first handling robot configured to displace one or more substrates from said processing chamber to said transfer chamber; a first heater connected to said transfer chamber above said first substrate handling robot such that said first heater projects energy on at least one of said one or more substrates during an in-line process when said substrate handling robot displaces said at least one substrate in said transfer chamber; a second substrate handling robot disposed in said transfer chamber, said second handling robot configured to displace one or more substrates from, said processing chamber to said, transfer chamber; and a second heater connected to said transfer chamber above said second substrate handling robot such that said second heater projects energy on at least one of said one or more substrates during the in-line process when said, second substrate handling robot displaces said at least one substrate in said transfer chamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of processing substrates comprising:
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providing unprocessed substrates to a loadlock; retrieving the unprocessed substrates from the loadlock with a substrate handling robot located within a transfer chamber; transferring the unprocessed substrates using the substrate handling robot from the loadlock to a process chamber via the transfer chamber; processing the substrate in the process chamber at Cryogenic temperatures; transferring the processed wafer from the process chamber to the transfer chamber using the substrate handling robot; exposing the processed substrate to optical energy from an optical heater located above the substrate handling robot in the transfer chamber; determining if the temperature of the cryogenically processed substrate is above the dew point; and transferring the substrate to the loadlock when the temperature of the cryogenically processed substrate is above the dew point.
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Specification