Vacuum processing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A load lock comprising:
- a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid;
space within said chamber for a wafer carrier having a door; and
a door opener, positioned inside said load lock in proximity to said space for a wafer carrier,whereby said door opener can open and close the door of the wafer carrier while said chamber is under vacuum.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for performing one semiconductor manufacturing operation or sequence of operations with reduced particulate contamination. A vacuum-tight wafer carrier, which contains numerous wafers in vacuum in a sealed box, is placed into a platform inside a vacuum load lock. The platform contains slots and protruding fingers to provide accurate registration of the position of the wafer carrier. After the load lock is pumped down, the door of the wafer carrier is opened, and a transfer arm removes wafers from the wafer carrier, in any desired order, and transfers them one by one through a port into a processing chamber.
130 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A load lock comprising:
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a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid; space within said chamber for a wafer carrier having a door; and a door opener, positioned inside said load lock in proximity to said space for a wafer carrier, whereby said door opener can open and close the door of the wafer carrier while said chamber is under vacuum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A load lock comprising:
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a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid; space within said chamber where a wafer carrier having a door and containing wafers of a predetermined diameter can be placed; and an elevatable and extensible transfer arm, said transfer arm containing support elements such that one of said wafers of said predetermined diameter can be supported by said transfer arm with edge contact only. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An integrated circuit processing station comprising:
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a load lock comprising; a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid and also an openable vacuum-tight port; space within said chamber where a wafer carrier containing wafers of a predetermined diameter can be placed; and an elevatable and extensible transfer arm, said transfer arm containing support elements such that one of said wafers of said predetermined diameter can be supported by said transfer arm with edge contact and not with substantial area contact; a wafer stage in proximity to said port on the outside of said load lock chamber, said wafer stage comprising a wafer support positioned so that said transfer arm from said load lock can place a wafer on said wafer support and lower and retract to leave said wafer on said wafer support. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A wafer transport system comprising:
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a wafer carrier having slots for holding a plurality of wafers therein, said wafer carrier also having a vacuum sealable door, said wafer carrier also having a safety latch to hold said vacuum sealable door shut; and a load lock, comprising a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid; space within said chamber for a wafer carrier; and a door opener, positioned inside said load lock in proximity to said space for a wafer carrier, whereby said door opener can open and close the door of said wafer carrier while said load lock is under vacuum; said load lock also comprising a finger for releasing said safety latch whenever said wafer carrier is placed in said wafer carrier space inside said load lock.
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31. A wafer transport system, comprising:
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a wafer carrier having slots for holding a plurality of wafers therein, said wafer carrier also having a vacuum sealable door, said wafer carrier also having a safety latch to hold said vacuum sealable door shut; and a load lock, comprising a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid; space within said chamber where a wafer carrier containing wafers of a predetermined diameter can be placed; a door opener, positioned inside said load lock in proximity to said space for a wafer carrier, whereby said door opener can open and close the door of said wafer carrier while said load lock is under vacuum; and an elevatable and extensible transfer arm, said transfer arm containing support elements such that one of said wafers of said predetermined diameter can be supported by said transfer arm with edge contact only; said load lock also comprising a finger for releasing said safety latch whenever said wafer carrier is placed in said wafer carrier space inside said load lock.
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32. A method for fabricating integrated circuits, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a plurality of wafers in a wafer carrier box, said wafer carrier box having a vacuum sealable door; (b) placing said wafer carrier box into a load lock attached to a process station, said lock having a vacuum sealable lid; (c) closing said lid and pumping down said load lock to a pressure less than 10 to the -4 Torr; (d) opening said door of said wafer carrier and extending a transfer arm into said wafer carrier, to remove a selected one of said wafers therefrom; (e) transferring wafers in a desired sequence from said wafer carrier to said process station and back by extending said transfer arm through a port between said load lock and said process station, and (f) closing said door of said wafer carrier, closing said port in said adjacent processing chamber, and raising the pressure of said load lock to approximately atmospheric, so that said wafers remain in vacuum inside said wafer carrier and said door of said wafer carrier is held closed by differential pressure; and (g) removing said wafer carrier from said load lock. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification