Automated Replacement of Consumable Parts Using End Effectors Interfacing with Plasma Processing System

• US 20170334074A1
• Filed: 08/02/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Genetti, Damon Tyrone, McChesney, Jon, Paterson, Alex, Witkowicki, Derek John, Ngo, Austin
• Granted Patent: US 10,427,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0095 Manipulators transporting wafers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0014 having fork, comb or plate shaped means for engaging the lower surface on a object to be transported
• 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 21/67383 characterised by substrate supports
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance

Abstract

A cluster tool assembly includes a vacuum transfer module, a process module having a first side connected to the vacuum transfer module. An isolation valve having a first side and a second side, the first side of the isolation valve coupled to a second side of the process module. A replacement station is coupled to the second side of the isolation valve. The replacement station includes an exchange handler and a part buffer. The part buffer includes a plurality of compartments to hold new or used consumable parts. The process module includes a lift mechanism to enable placement of a consumable part installed in the process module to a raised position. The raised position provides access to the exchange handler to enable removal of the consumable part from the process module and store in a compartment of the part buffer. The exchange handler of the replacement station is configured to provide a replacement for the consumable part from the part buffer back to the process module. The lift mechanism is configured to receive the consumable part provided for replacement by the exchange handler and lower the consumable part to an installed position. The replacement by the exchange handler and the process module is conducted while the process module and the replacement station are maintained in a vacuum state.

Claims

1. An end-effector connectable to a robot for use with a processing tool, comprising:

a finger assembly defined from a plate that includes a base and a pair of fingers that extend outward from the base, each of the pair of fingers includes a proximal end adjacent to the base where the finger assembly is coupled to an arm of the robot and a distal end is at tips of the pair of fingers;

a first set of contact pads disposed on a top surface of the finger assembly at the base and at the distal end of the pair of fingers, such that the first set of contact pads define an outer diameter, the first set of contact pads used to support a consumable part, when handled by the finger assembly;

a second set of contact pads disposed on the top surface of the finger assembly at the proximal end adjacent to the base and near the distal end, such that the second set of contact pads define an inner diameter, the second set of contact pads is used to support a substrate, when handled by the finger assembly,

wherein the outer diameter is disposed concentric to the inner diameter, and wherein the first set of contact pads provides a contact surface that is distinct from a contact surface provided by the second set of contact pads.

2. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter is equal to or less than a diameter of the substrate and wherein the outer diameter is equal to or less than a diameter of the consumable part.

3. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact pads are disposed along a circumference of a circle defined by the outer diameter, and the second set of contact pads are disposed along a circumference of a circle defined by the inner diameter.

4. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact pads is disposed at a first height and the second set of contact pads is disposed at a second height, wherein the first height is different from the second height such that the contact surface defined by the first height for receiving the consumable part is distinct from the contact surface defined by the second height for receiving the substrate.

5. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact pads includes,

a first pair of contact pads located at the base of the finger assembly;

and

a second pair of contact pads located proximal to the distal end of the finger assembly, wherein the first pair and the second pair of the first set of contact pads are defined outside of the second set of contact pads.

6. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the second set of contact pads includes,

a third pair of contact pads located at the proximal end of the pair of fingers such that the third pair of contact pads is between the first pair and second pair of contact pads of the first set;

and

a fourth pair of contact pads located at the distal end such that the fourth pair of contact pads is between the second pair of contact pads of the first set and the third pair of contact pads of the second set.

7. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter is equal to or less than a diameter of the substrate and wherein the outer diameter is equal to or less than a diameter of the consumable part.

8. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact pads are disposed along a circumference of a circle defined by the outer diameter, and the second set of contact pads are disposed along a circumference of a circle defined by the inner diameter.

9. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the first set of contact pads is disposed at a first height and the second set of contact pads is disposed at a second height, wherein the first height is different from the second height such that the contact surface defined by the first height for receiving the consumable part is distinct from the contact surface defined by the second height for receiving the substrate.

10. The end-effector of claim 1, further includes a third set of contact pads that are located proximal to the first set of contact pads, wherein a distance between the first set of contact pads and the third set of contact pads correlate with a cross sectional profile of a bottom surface of the consumable part.

11. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the finger assembly is coupled to the arm of the robot by connecting the base to a wrist plate.

12. The end-effector of claim 11, wherein the wrist plate is connected to the base via a mounting armset the mounting armset includes a top plate and a bottom plate, the base of the finger assembly is mounted between the top plate and the bottom plate of the mounting armset.

13. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the first set and the second set of contact pads are made of elastomeric material.

14. The end-effector of claim 1, wherein the robot is disposed within a vacuum transfer module of the processing tool.

15. An end-effector assembly connectable to a robot for use with a processing tool, comprising:

a finger assembly defined from a plate that includes a base and a pair of fingers, each of the pair of fingers includes a proximal end adjacent to the base where the finger assembly is connected to an arm of the robot and a distal end is at tips of the pair of fingers, a first contact pad is disposed on a top surface of the finger assembly near a center of a fork formed by the pair of fingers near the proximal end, a second set of contact pads is disposed on the top surface of the finger assembly near the distal end of the pair of fingers;

a triangular carrier plate disposed over the finger assembly, such that the first contact pad and the second set of contact pads define a contact surface for supporting the triangular carrier plate, when handled by the finger assembly; and

a set of support pads is disposed on a top surface of the triangular carrier plate, such that each support pad of the set is disposed near a respective apex of the triangular carrier plate, a distance of each support pad from a center of the triangular carrier plate is at least greater than an inner radius of a consumable part, the set of support pads providing a support surface for the consumable part, when handled by the end-effector assembly.

16. The end-effector assembly of claim 15, wherein the robot is disposed within an atmospheric transfer module.

17. The end-effector assembly of claim 16, wherein the triangular carrier plate is a separate unit that is stored in a replacement station that is coupled to the atmospheric transfer module and retrieved by the robot when the consumable part is to be delivered to or retrieved from a process module of the processing tool, and wherein the replacement station is used to store consumable parts.

18. The end-effector assembly of claim 15, wherein the triangular carrier plate is disposed over the finger assembly such that a base of the triangular carrier plate is received over the base of the finger assembly.