Multi-chamber integrated process system

• US 4,951,601 A
• Filed: 06/23/1989
• Issued: 08/28/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Maydan, Dan, Toshima, Masato, Cheng, David, Somekh, Sasson, Hoppe, Peter D., Harari, Isaac, Wang, David N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bueker, Richard
• Application Number:
  US07/371,700
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/719, 118/729, 414/217, 204/298, 204/298 MC, 156/345
• US Class Current: 118/719
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67167 surrounding a central transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67184 characterized by the presence of more than one transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/137 including means for charging or discharging wafer cassette
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

An integrated modular multiple chamber vacuum processing system is disclosed. The system includes a load lock, may include an external cassette elevator, and an internal load lock wafer elevator, and also includes stations about the periphery of the load lock for connecting one, two or several vacuum process chambers to the load lock chamber. A robot is mounted within the load lock and utilizes a concentric shaft drive system connected to an end effector via a dual four-bar link mechanism for imparting selected R-θ movement to the blade to load and unload wafers at the external elevator, internal elevator and individual process chambers. The system is uniquely adapted for enabling various types of IC processing including etch, deposition, sputtering and rapid thermal annealing chambers, thereby providing the opportunity for multiple step, sequential processing using different processes.

Claims

1. An integrated vacuum processing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers, comprising:

a vacuum load lock chamber, having a closable entrance;

at least one vacuum processing chamber mounted to said load lock chamber and communicating therewith via openings in the adjacent chambers;

each of said processing chambers including a wafer support means and being adapted for performing a process selected from at least one of gas chemistry etching, gas chemistry deposition, physical sputtering and rapid annealing on at least one wafer positioned on the support and, further including means for reversibly moving a wafer along an axis from a selected internal position adjacent the wafer support means to and onto the wafer support means; and

a wafer handling robot mounted within the load lock chamber, comprising;

a wafer support blade;

a foldable dual four-bar link mechanism mounting the blade at a first, output end thereof and having a second, opposite actuator end comprising an input link rotatably mounted at a selected location with the chamber for moving the four-bar link mechanism between a folded configuration with the output end on one side of the selected mounting position and selected extended orientations with the output end on the opposite side of the selected mounting position, including an extended configuration with the wafer support blade at said selected internal position;

means for rotating the input link to extend and retract the foldable dual four-bar link mechanism and support blade; and

means for rotating the dual four-bar link mechanism and wafer support blade.

2. The processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an internal elevator mounted within the load lock chamber, said internal elevator having a number of wafer mounting positions and being adapted for selectively moving said wafer mounting positions to a first selected load lock position internal and adjacent to the load lock chamber entrance independent of adjacent wafer mounting positions, for transferring wafers to and from said wafer support blade.

3. The processing system of claim 1, further comprising an external elevator mounted outside the load lock chamber, said external elevator having a number of wafer mounting positions and being movable for selectively locating said wafer mounting positions at a second selected load lock position external and adjacent to the load lock chamber entrance for transferring wafers to and from said wafer support blade.

4. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 1, at least one of the processing chambers being adapted for gas chemistry deposition.

5. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 1, at least one of the processing chambers being adapted for gas chemistry etching.

6. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 2, at least one of the processing chambers further comprising:

an electrode assembly having a horizontal upper face for supporting the wafer, said electrode face being generally aligned with the selected internal position; and

said moving means comprising;

a group of generally vertically oriented pins;

support means mounting the pins in a spaced array; and

means for sequentially moving the support means upwardly and downwardly to remove the wafer from the wafer support blade at the selected internal position adjacent the processing chamber opening and onto the wafer support electrode and to return the wafer to the wafer support blade at the selected internal position.

7. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 6, the processing chamber being adapted for gas chemistry etching.

8. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 2, the moving means of at least one of the processing chambers further comprising:

a generally horizontal group of vertically oriented pins;

a generally horizontal circular clamp ring means;

a generally cylindrical wafer support electrode assembly having an upper face for supporting the wafer;

a support arm assembly mounting the clamp ring means at an upper end thereof, and further mounting said pins in a generally spaced array of diameter less than the clamp ring diameter, said upper ends of the pins being spaced vertically below said clamping ring;

a vertically movable elevator mechanism mounted within the chamber, mounting said support arm assembly for vertical movement thereof;

said cylindrical electrode having vertical slots therein for permitting vertical movement of said support pins therethrough; and

means for sequentially moving the shaft upwardly and downwardly to permit positioning of the load lock wafer blade over the wafer support electrode at the selected internal position, removing the wafer from the blade at the selected internal position, clamping the wafer to the wafer support electrode and returning the wafer to the blade at the selected internal position.

9. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 8, the processing chamber being adapted for gas chemistry etching.

10. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 1, the load lock chamber being adapted for processing a wafer positioned therein.

11. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 2, the first elevator having a plate intermediate first and second groups of wafer positions for sealing the first group within the load lock chamber and isolating the second group from the load lock chamber.

12. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 11, further comprising means for applying gas to the load lock chamber to condition said first group of wafers.

13. The integrated processing system of claim 17, further comprising a second integrated process system mounted to the load lock chamber, said second integrated process system comprising:

a second vacuum load lock chamber, having a closable entrance; and

at least one second vacuum processing chamber mounted to said second load lock chamber and communicating therewith via openings in the adjacent chambers;

each of said second processing chambers including a wafer support means and being adapted for performing a process sequence selected from at least one of gas chemistry etching, gas chemistry deposition, physical sputtering and rapid annealing on a wafer positioned on the support and, further including means for reversibly moving a wafer along an axis from a selected internal position adjacent the wafer support means thereof to and onto the wafer support means thereof;

an internal elevator mounted within the load lock chamber, said internal elevator having a number of wafer mounting positions and being adapted for selectively moving wafers to an internal position adjacent the second load lock chamber entrance; and

said second integrated processing system comprising a wafer handling robot mounted within the load lock chamber comprising a wafer support blade;

a foldable dual four-bar link mechanism mounting the blade at a first, output end thereof and having a second, opposite actuator end comprising an input link rotatably mounted at a selected location within the chamber for moving the dual four-bar link mechanism between a folded configuration with the output end on one side of the selected mounting position and selected extended orientations with the output end on the opposite side of the selected mounting position, including an extended configuration with the wafer support blade at said selected internal position;

means for rotating the input link for extending and retracting the foldable dual four-bar link mechanism and mounted support blade; and

means for rotating the dual four-bar link mechanism and wafer support blade.

14. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 13, at least one of the load lock chambers being adapted for processing a wafer positioned therein.

15. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 13, at least one of the internal load lock chamber elevators having a plate intermediate first and second groups of wafer positions for sealing the first group within the associated load lock chamber and isolating the second group from the associated load lock chamber.

16. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 15, further comprising means for applying gas to the said load lock chamber to condition said first group of wafers.

17. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 1, the moving means of at least one of the processing chambers further comprising:

a first generally circular horizontal array of fingers adapted for holding the wafer;

a second generally circular horizontal array of fingers interdigitated with the first fingers, the second fingers being adapted for holding a generally circular susceptor in a horizontal orientation;

a first vertically movable elevator mechanism mounting the first fingers for moving the first fingers (a) upwardly to lift the wafer off the blade preparatory to lifting movement of the second fingers into a processing position and (b) downwardly to return the wafer to the selected internal position and the load lock blade; and

a second vertically movable elevator mechanism mounting the second fingers for moving the second fingers (c) upwardly past the first fingers to lift the wafer therefrom and onto the susceptor and into the said processing position, and (d) downwardly for depositing the processed wafer onto the first fingers preparatory to return by the first fingers to the selected internal position and the load lock blade.

18. An integrated vacuum processing system comprising:

a load lock chamber having a closable entrance;

at least a pair of vacuum processing chambers mounted to said load lock chamber and communicating therewith via openings in the adjoining chambers;

each of said vacuum processing chambers including a wafer support and robot means for reversibly moving a wafer from a selected internal position adjacent the chamber opening to and onto the wafer support;

a first elevator mounted externally to the load lock chamber, said first elevator having a number of wafer mounting positions and being adapted for selectively moving said wafer mounting positions to a position adjacent the load lock chamber entrance;

a second elevator mounted within the load lock chamber, said second elevator having a number of wafer mounting positions and being adapted for selectively moving wafers to a position adjacent the load lock chamber entrance;

a blade assembly mounted within said load lock chamber, comprising;

a wafer support blade and a dual four-bar link pivot mechanism, each of said two four-bar link thereof comprising first and second side links pivotally mounted at opposite ends thereof to connecting end links, said two four-bar links being joined to a common middle link and being joined to opposite first and second end links, the first end link being mounted to the wafer support blade and the second end link mounting the associated first and second side links at respective first and second shafts; and

means for imparting R and θ

movement to the wafer support blade via the dual four-bar link mechanism for selectively positioning the blade, comprising;

(a) a hollow rotatable drive shaft having a collar at the upper end thereof, said first pivot shaft extending within the hollow shaft for co-axial independent rotation, and said second shaft being mounted to said collar, spaced from said first shaft;

(b) means for rotating the hollow drive shaft to rotate the blade assembly about the first shaft; and

(c) means for rotating the first shaft to extend and retract the blade along a generally straight axis through the opposite end links.

19. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 18, said robot means further comprising:

a first, generally circular horizontal array of fingers adapted for holding the wafer;

a second generally circular horizontal array of fingers interdigitated with the first fingers, the second fingers being adapted for holding a generally circular wafer support in a horizontal orientation;

a first vertically movable elevator mechanism mounting the first fingers for moving the first fingers (a) upwardly to lift the wafer off the blade preparatory to lifting movement of the second fingers into a processing position and (b) downwardly to return the wafer to the blade; and

a second, vertically movable elevator mechanism mounting the second fingers for moving the second fingers (c) upwardly past the first fingers to lift the wafer therefrom and onto the susceptor and into the said processing position, and (d) downwardly for depositing the processed wafer onto the first fingers preparatory to return by the first fingers to the blade.

20. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 18, said robot means further comprising:

a group of wafer support pins;

a generally circular clamp ring;

a generally cylindrical wafer support electrode assembly having an upper face for supporting the wafer;

a support arm assembly mounting the clamping ring at an upper end thereof, and further mounting said pins vertically in a generally circular array of diameter less than the clamp ring diameter, said upper ends of the pins being spaced vertically below said clamping ring;

an elevator mechanism mounted within the chamber, for moving the support arm assembly vertically;

said cylindrical electrode having vertical slots therein for permitting vertical movement of said wafer support pins therethrough; and

means for sequentially moving the shaft upwardly and downwardly to selected positions to permit positioning of the wafer blade over the wafer support electrode, removing the wafer from the blade at the selected internal chamber position, clamping the wafer to the wafer support electrode and returning the wafer to the blade at the selected internal chamber position.

21. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 20, the second elevator having a plate intermediate first and second groups of wafer positions for sealing the first group within the load lock chamber and isolating the second group from the load lock chamber.

22. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 20, further comprising means for applying ambient gas to said load lock chamber to condition said first group of wafers.