Multichamber integrated process system

• US 5,292,393 A
• Filed: 12/16/1991
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, David N., Maydan, Dan, Toshima, Masato, Cheng, David, Somekh, Sasson, Hoppe, Peter D., Harari, Isaac
• Primary Examiner(s): BUEKER, RICHARD R
• Application Number:
  US07/808,786
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 118/719, 118/729, 118/715, 118/723, 156/345, 204/298.25, 414/217
• US Class Current: 156/345.32
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67167 surrounding a central transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock 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 comprising:

a vacuum load lock chamber, having a closable entrance;

a plurality of vacuum processing chambers mounted to said load lock chamber and communicating therewith via openings in the adjacent chambers;

each of said processing chambers including a workpiece support means and further including means for reversibly moving a workpiece along an axis from a selected internal position adjacent the workpiece support means to and onto the workpiece support means;

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

a workpiece support blade;

a foldable dual four-bar link mechanism mounted the blade at a first, output end thereof and having a second, opposite actuator end comprising an input link rotatable mounted at a selected location within 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 workpiece 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 workpiece support blade;

at least one of the processing chambers further comprising;

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

said moving means in said at least one processing chamber 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 workpiece form the workpiece support blade at the selected internal position adjacent the processing chamber opening and onto the workpiece support blade at the selected internal position; and

the moving means of at least a second one of the processing chambers further comprising;

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

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 workpiece off the blade preparatory to lifting movement of the second fingers into a processing position and (b) downwardly to return the workpiece 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 workpiece therefrom and onto the susceptor and into the said processing position, and (d) downwardly for depositing the processed workpiece onto the first fingers preparatory to return by the first fingers to the selected internal position and the load lock blade.

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

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

4. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 1, 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 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 electrode assembly comprising a 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 workpiece blade over the workpiece support electrode at the selected internal position, removing the workpiece from the blade at the selected internal position, clamping the workpiece to the workpiece support electrode and returning the workpiece to the blade at the selected internal position.

5. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 1, wherein the load lock chamber is adapted for processing a workpiece positioned therein.

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

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

said moving means comprised 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 workpiece from the workpiece ;

support blade at the selected internal position adjacent the processing chamber opening and onto the workpiece support electrode and to return the workpiece to the workpiece 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 processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

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

9. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 8, the first elevator having a plate intermediate first and second groups of workpiece positions for sealing the first group within the load lock chamber and isolating the second group from the load lock chamber.

10. The integrated vacuum processing system of claim 9, further comprising means for applying gas to the load lock chamber to condition said first group of workpieces.

11. 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 workpiece support and robot means for reversibly moving a wafer from a selected internal position adjacent the chamber opening to and onto the workpiece support;

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

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

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

a workpiece 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 workpiece 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 O 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.