Semiconductor processing system with robotic autoloader and load lock

• US 5,224,809 A
• Filed: 12/30/1991
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Maydan, Dan, Lowrance, Robert B., Cheng, David, Somekh, Sasson R., Moran, J. Christopher, Seilheimer, Richard A., Abolnikov, Edward M., Ryan-Harris, Charles, Catlin, Richard M. Jr., Ridgeway, Gregory W., Reinke, Lance S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US07/816,525
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 414/217, 414/220, 414/221, 414/222, 414/225, 414/226, 414/786, 414/281, 414/403, 414/331, 414/416, 414/417, 414/783, 414/732, 414/737, 414/730, 414/917, 414/739, 414/740 , 414/741, 414/729, 414/626, 414/615, 414/619, 414/751, 414/752, 414/753, 118/729, 118/730, 118/500, 118/503, 118/50, 118/50.1, 118/719, 901/14, 901/16, 901/40, 901/31, 901/36, 901/38, 901/21, 294/31.1, 294/88, 294/90, 294/106, 294/119.1, 432/239, 204/298.25, 204/298.26
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67 Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere processes per se H01L21/30, H01L21/46, H01L23/00; simple temporary support means, e.g. using adhesives, electric or magnetic means H01L21/68, H01L21/302; apparatus for manufacturing arrangements for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies and for methods related thereto H01L24/74;
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/13 Handlers utilizing parallel links

Abstract

A wafer processing system includes an autoloader mounted within a load lock for providing batch, cassette-to-cassette automatic wafer transfer between the semiconductor processing chamber and cassette load and unload positions within the load lock. The system provides rapid, contamination-free loading and unloading of semiconductor wafers.

Claims

1. A system comprising a combination of a drive system for positioning and orienting a tool comprising:

arm means for mounting the tool;

a housing mounting the arm means for reversible extensible movement relative thereto;

a first support mounting the housing for pivotal movement about an axis therethrough;

means mounted along said axis for pivoting the housing;

means mounted along said axis for reversibly extending the arm means and tool;

an elevator mounted on a base for movement relative thereto and mounting the housing support;

means for mounting the elevator;

a workpiece processing chamber and an adjacent load lock chamber for holding workpieces for loading into and unloading from the processing chamber through an opening between the chambers;

the processing chamber being mounted on a frame and the frame extending beneath the processing chamber and the load lock chamber thereby supporting both of said chambers;

an the elevator being mounted on a base for said load lock chamber, and extending into the load lock chamber for transferring said workpieces between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for reversibly extending the arm means comprises a motor mounted along said axis, and a closed belt mounted to the housing drivingly engaged by the motor for rotation in opposite directions and operatively connected to the arm means for responsively extending and retracting the arm means.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing is an enclosed housing, the arm means is mounted within the housing for reversible extensible movement out of the housing and the means for reversibly extending the arm means is mounted within the housing.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the housing includes an aperture covered by a filter, permitting transfer of gas between an interior of the housing and an external ambient.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a tool in a form of a workpiece gripper mounted on the arm means.

6. A three axis drive system for orienting and positioning a tool comprising:

arm means for mounting the tool;

a housing mounting the arm means for reversible extensible movement relative thereto;

a first support mounting the housing for pivotal movement about an axis therethrough;

means mounted along said axis for pivoting the housing;

means mounted along said axis for reversibly extending the arm means and tool;

an elevator mounted on a base for movement relative thereto and mounting the housing support; and

means for moving the elevator, further including said tool being in a form of a workpiece gripper,

the workpiece gripper comprising;

a gripper base mounted on the arm means for reversible movement therewith;

a motor driven rotatable shaft extending from the gripper base; and

at least a plurality of movable four-bar link mechanisms mounted on the gripper base, each mechanism having a reversibly pivotal input link,

an output link reciprocally movable in response to a reversible movement of the input link and

an article gripper member mounted on the output link;

said four-bar link mechanisms being positioned on the gripper base in an array about the shaft and with the input links thereof connected to the shaft for rotation therewith such that the output links cooperatively and responsively move the article gripper members inwardly and outwardly for cooperatively gripping and releasing said workpiece.

7. A combination comprising:

a three axis drive system comprising

a first translational drive system, including;

an enclosed housing mounting an elongated arm means therein for reversible extension and retraction movement through an opening in the housing;

an elongated drive belt mounted within the housing for reversible rotation and having a direction of elongation extending along a direction of translation of the arm means,

the drive belt being operatively connected to the arm means for reversibly moving the arm means;

drive means operatively connected to the elongated drive belt for reversibly rotating the drive belt;

a second, rotational drive system, including;

a shaft means defining an axis and mounting the housing thereon for pivotal movement about said axis;

means for reversibly pivoting the housing about said axis independently of the extension and retraction movement of the arm means;

a third, translational drive system comprising an elevator mounted to a base for reciprocal movement relative thereto and mounting the housing thereto;

means operatively connected to the elevator for reversibly translating the elevator and the housing relative to the base;

a workpiece processing chamber and a load lock chamber for holding workpieces for loading into and unloading from the processing chamber;

the processing chamber being mounted on a base and the base extending beneath both the processing chamber and the load lock chamber; and

the elevator being mounted on the base of the load lock chamber, and extending into the load lock chamber, positioning the housing therein for transferring the workpieces between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber.

8. The three axis drive system of claim 7, wherein the drive means for rotating the belt and the means for pivoting the housing are mounted on said axis.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the housing includes an aperture covered by a filter, permitting transfer of gas between an interior of the housing and an external ambient.

10. The system of claim 7 further comprising a tool in a form of a workpiece gripper mounted on the arm means.

11. A three axis drive system comprising:

a first translational drive system, including;

an enclosed housing mounting an elongated arm means therein for reversible extension and retraction movement through an opening in the housing;

an elongated drive belt mounted within the housing for reversible rotation and having a direction of elongation extending along a direction of translation of the arm means,

the drive belt being operatively connected to the elongated drive belt for reversibly rotating the drive belt;

a second, rotational drive system, including;

a shaft means defining an axis and mounting the housing thereon for pivotal movement about said axis;

means for reversibly pivoting the housing about said axis independently of the extension and retraction movement of the arm means;

a third, translational drive system comprising an elevator mounted to a base for reciprocal movement relative thereto and mounting the housing thereto;

means operatively connected to the elevator for reversibly translating the elevator and the housing relative to the base,

further including a workpiece gripper means, the workpiece gripper means comprising;

a gripper base mounted on the arm means for reversible movement therewith;

a motor-driven rotatable shaft extending from the gripper base; and

at least a plurality of movable four-bar link mechanisms mounted on the gripper base, each mechanism having a reversibly pivotal input link, and output link reciprocally movable in response to a reversible movement of the input link and a workpiece gripper member mounted on the output link;

said four-bar link mechanisms being positioned on the gripper base in an array about the shaft and with the input links thereof connected to the shaft for rotation therewith such that the output links cooperatively and responsively move the workpiece gripper members inwardly and outwardly for cooperatively gripping and releasing the workpiece.