Single loadlock chamber with wafer cooling function
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A loadlock chamber, comprising:
- (a) one or more walls defining an enclosure, the walls having a sealable loading port selectively sealable by a door and a plurality of side-by-side wafer transfer slots selectively sealable by one or more slit valves the wafer transfer slots disposed substantially opposite of the loading port;
(b) a plurality of wafer support plates disposed in the enclosure, the wafer support plates defining a plurality of side-by-side wafer seats;
(c) a vacuum port disposed in a wall of the enclosure;
(d) an actuator coupled to the wafer support plates to align the wafer support plates with the loading port for transferring a plurality of wafers through the loading port and to align the side-by-side wafer seats with the side-by-side wafer transfer slots for transferring two or more wafers substantially simultaneously through the wafer transfer slots; and
(e) a vacuum pump coupled to the vacuum port;
whereby a plurality of wafers are transferred into the loadlock chamber through the loading port onto the wafer seats while the wafer transfer slots are sealed by the one or more slit valves, then the vacuum pump evacuates the loadlock chamber while the loading port is sealed by the door and the wafer transfer slots are sealed by the one or more slit valves and then two or more wafers are transferred out of the loadlock chamber substantially simultaneously through the side-by-side wafer transfer slots while the loading port is sealed by the door.
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Abstract
A vacuum loadlock is provided for housing a pair of wafers in proper alignment for concurrent processing. In one embodiment, a single chamber loadlock is provided with a gas diffuser disposed therein to decrease venting times within the loadlock. In another embodiment, a dual chamber loadlock is provided having first and second isolatable region disposed adjacent a transfer region to increase throughput of the system.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A loadlock chamber, comprising:
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(a) one or more walls defining an enclosure, the walls having a sealable loading port selectively sealable by a door and a plurality of side-by-side wafer transfer slots selectively sealable by one or more slit valves the wafer transfer slots disposed substantially opposite of the loading port; (b) a plurality of wafer support plates disposed in the enclosure, the wafer support plates defining a plurality of side-by-side wafer seats; (c) a vacuum port disposed in a wall of the enclosure; (d) an actuator coupled to the wafer support plates to align the wafer support plates with the loading port for transferring a plurality of wafers through the loading port and to align the side-by-side wafer seats with the side-by-side wafer transfer slots for transferring two or more wafers substantially simultaneously through the wafer transfer slots; and (e) a vacuum pump coupled to the vacuum port; whereby a plurality of wafers are transferred into the loadlock chamber through the loading port onto the wafer seats while the wafer transfer slots are sealed by the one or more slit valves, then the vacuum pump evacuates the loadlock chamber while the loading port is sealed by the door and the wafer transfer slots are sealed by the one or more slit valves and then two or more wafers are transferred out of the loadlock chamber substantially simultaneously through the side-by-side wafer transfer slots while the loading port is sealed by the door. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A loadlock chamber, comprising:
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(a) one or more walls defining an enclosure, the walls having a sealable loading port and one or more sealable wafer transfer slots; (b) a plurality of wafer support plates disposed in the enclosure, wherein the wafer support plates define two or more side-by-side wafer seats; (c) a vacuum port disposed in a wall of the enclosure, the vacuum port coupled to a vacuum pump for evacuating the loadlock chamber; and (d) an actuator coupled to the wafer support plates to align the wafer support plates with the loading port for transferring a plurality of wafers through the loading port and to align the side-by-side wafer seats with the one or more wafer transfer slots for transferring two or more wafers substantially simultaneously through the wafer transfer slots. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A loadlock chamber, comprising:
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(a) one or more walls defining an enclosure, the walls having a sealable loading port, one or more sealable wafer transfer slots disposed substantially opposite of the loading port, and a purge gas inlet; (b) a plurality of wafer support plates disposed in the enclosure, wherein the wafer support plates define two or more side-by-side wafer seats and each wafer seat includes a wafer support member; (c) a vacuum port disposed in a wall of the enclosure; (d) an actuator coupled to the wafer support plates to align the wafer support plates with the loading port for transferring a plurality of wafers through the loading port and to align the side-by-side wafer seats with the one or more wafer transfer slots for transferring two or more wafers substantially simultaneously through the wafer transfer slots; (e) a vacuum pump coupled to the vacuum port to evacuate the loadlock chamber; and (f) a purge gas source connected to the purge gas inlet to selectively provide a purge gas into the loadlock chamber; wherein the loading port and the wafer transfer slots are selectively sealed to facilitate transferring a plurality of wafers through the loading port, transferring two or more wafers substantially simultaneously through the one or more wafer transfer slots, purging the loadlock chamber using a puree gas, and evacuating the loadlock chamber using the vacuum pump. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification