Gas flow control in a substrate processing system

• US 6,016,611 A
• Filed: 07/13/1998
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc. (Applied Materials Incorporated), Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc. (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: White, John M., Blonigan, Wendell T., Richter, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Drake, Malik N.
• Application Number:
  US09/115,110
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 34/92, 34/60, 34/209, 34/210, 34/218
• US Class Current: 34/92
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

A substrate processing system can include an evacuable chamber adjacent a process chamber and back-to-back process chambers, or other combinations of evacuable chambers and process chambers. The processing system includes various isolation valves disposed between adjacent chambers, as well as gas flow valves and vacuum valves. A controller controls the respective positions of the various gas flow valves and vacuum valves depending, in part, on whether the various isolation valves are in their open or sealed positions. By controlling the positions of the valves, the flow of gas to and from the different chambers can be controlled, for example, to help maximize throughput, increase efficiency, and reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination between chambers.

Claims

1. A substrate processing system comprising:

an evacuable chamber having a door which can be opened or closed;

a first process chamber disposed adjacent the evacuable chamber;

an isolation valve having open and sealed positions and disposed between the evacuable chamber and the first process chamber;

a first gas supply;

at least one gas flow path connecting the first gas supply to the evacuable chamber, wherein each gas flow path includes a gas flow valve having open and closed positions;

vacuum lines connected respectively to the evacuable chamber and the first process chamber, wherein each vacuum line includes a vacuum valve having open and closed positions;

a controller for controlling the respective positions of the gas flow and vacuum valves, wherein when the door is open and the isolation valve is in its sealed position, the controller controls the gas flow and vacuum valves to cause gas to flow from the first gas supply into the evacuable chamber and out of the evacuable chamber through the door, and wherein when the door is closed and the isolation valve is open, the controller controls the gas flow and vacuum valves to cause gas to flow from the first gas supply into the evacuable chamber, and from the evacuable chamber into the first process chamber and out the process chamber via the vacuum line connected to the first process chamber.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein when the door is open and the isolation valve is in its sealed position, gas flows from the first gas supply into the evacuable chamber along a first path, and when the door is closed and the isolation valve is open, gas flows from the first gas supply into the evacuable chamber along a second path.

3. The system of claim 1 further including:

a second process chamber;

a region between the first and second process chambers;

an isolation valve having open and sealed positions and disposed between the first chamber and the region between the first and second chambers;

a second gas supply;

a gas flow path including a gas flow valve having open and closed positions and connecting the second gas supply to the region between the first and second process chambers;

wherein when gas is caused to flow from the first gas supply to the first process chamber, the controller also controls the gas flow and isolation valves to cause gas to flow from the second gas supply into the region between the chambers, and from the region between the chambers into the first process chamber and out the first process chamber via the vacuum line connected to the first process chamber.

4. A substrate processing system, comprising:

an evacuable chamber having a door which can be opened or closed;

a process chamber disposed adjacent the evacuable chamber;

an isolation valve having open and sealed positions and disposed between the evacuable chamber and the process chamber;

first and second gas supplies;

a first flow path connecting the first gas supply to the evacuable chamber, and a second flow path connecting the second gas supply to the process chamber, wherein each gas flow path includes a gas flow valve having open and closed positions;

vacuum lines connected, respectively, to the evacuable chamber and the process chamber, wherein each vacuum line includes a vacuum valve having open and closed positions;

a controller for controlling the respective positions of the gas flow valves and the vacuum valves, wherein when the door is open and the isolation valve is in its sealed position, the controller controls the gas flow valves and the vacuum valves to cause gas to flow from the first gas supply into the evacuable chamber and out of the evacuable chamber through the door, and wherein when the door is closed and the isolation valve is open, the controller controls the gas flow valves and the vacuum valves to cause gas to flow from the second gas supply into the process chamber, and from the process chamber into the evacuable chamber and out the evacuable chamber via the vacuum line connected to the evacuable chamber.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the process chamber is used for processes using inert gases only.

6. A substrate processing system comprising:

first and second process chambers;

a region between the first and second process chambers;

a first isolation valve having open and sealed positions and disposed between the first process chamber and the region;

a second isolation valve having open and sealed positions and disposed between the second process chamber and the region;

a gas supply;

a gas flow path connecting the gas supply to the region between the process chambers, wherein the gas flow path includes a gas flow valve having open and closed positions;

vacuum lines connected to each of the process chambers and the region between the process chambers, wherein each vacuum line includes a vacuum valve having open and closed positions;

a controller for controlling the respective positions of the gas flow valve and the vacuum valves, wherein when the first and second valves are in their respective open positions, the controller controls the gas flow valve and the vacuum valves to cause gas to flow from the gas supply into the region between the process chambers, and from the region between the process chambers into the respective process chambers and out of the process chambers via the respective vacuum lines connected to the process chambers.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein when the first and second isolation valves are in their respective sealed positions, the controller controls the gas flow valve and the vacuum valves to cause gas to flow from the gas supply into the region between the process chambers and out of the region via the vacuum line connected to the region between the process chambers.

8. The system of claim 7 further including components of a substrate transfer mechanism in the region between the process chambers, wherein the gas flow in the region between the process chambers sweeps particulate contamination on components of the substrate transfer mechanism out of the region between the process chambers.

9. A substrate processing system comprising:

first and second process chambers;

a region between the first and second process chambers;

a first isolation valve having open and sealed positions and disposed between the first process chamber and the region;

a second isolation valve having open and sealed positions and disposed between the second process chamber and the region;

first and second gas supplies;

a gas flow path connecting the first gas supply to the first process chamber, and a second flow path connecting the second gas supply to the second process chamber, wherein each gas flow path includes a gas flow valve having open and closed positions;

vacuum lines connected to the region between the process chambers, wherein the vacuum line includes a vacuum valve having open and closed positions;

a controller for controlling the respective positions of the gas flow valves and the vacuum valve, wherein when the first and second isolation valves are in their respective open positions, the controller controls the gas flow valves and the vacuum valve to cause gas to flow from the first gas supply into first process chamber, and from the first process chamber into the region between the process chambers; and

from the second gas supply into the second process chamber, and from the second process chamber into the region between the process chambers, wherein the gas flowing from the process chambers into the region between the process chambers flows out of the region between the process chambers via the vacuum line connected to the region between the process chambers.

10. The system of claim 9 further including:

a third gas supply; and

a flow path connecting the third gas supply to the region between the process chambers and including a gas flow valve having open and closed positions;

wherein when the first and second isolation valves are in their respective sealed positions, the controller controls the gas flow valves and the vacuum valve to cause gas to flow from the third gas supply into the region between the process chambers, and out of the region between the process chambers via the vacuum line connected to the region.

11. The system of claim 10 further including components of a substrate transfer mechanism in the region between the process chambers, wherein the gas flow in the region between the process chambers sweeps particulate contamination on components of the substrate transfer mechanism out of the region between the process chambers.