Method and apparatus for substrate transfer and processing

• US 6,213,704 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc. (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc. (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kurita, Shinichi, White, John M., Tiner, Robin L., Blonigan, Wendell T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keenan, James W.
• Application Number:
  US09/082,428
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 414/154, 414/191, 414/217, 414/749.3, 414/805, 414/939
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2249/02 Controlled or contamination-free environments or clean space conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/061 Lifting, gripping, or carrying means, for one or more sheets forming independent means of transport, e.g. suction cups, transport frames suction means as load-engaging elements attached to the lifting or lowering gear of cranes B66C1/02; suction cups for attaching purposes F16B47/00; suction cups on gripping heads B25J15/0616; suction cups in general B65G47/91; suction cups combined with cutting means on vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; devices for turning sheets B65G49/067; suspending devices B65G49/066
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/064 in a horizontal position B65G49/066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67207 comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67236 the substrates being processed being not semiconductor wafers, e.g. leadframes or chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67748 horizontal transfer of a single workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

The present invention allows large glass substrates to be rapidly moved from one processing station to another. Such movement occurs such that drives in different chambers are synchronized to move the glass substrates on shuttles at appropriate times. In systems according to the invention, at least a first and second chamber are provided. Typically, the first chamber is a load lock and the second chamber is a processing chamber. A substrate transfer shuttle is used to move substrate along a guide path defined by, e.g., guide rollers. Drive mechanisms are employed for most chambers to drive the shuttle along associated portions of the path. A control system is provided which powers the drive mechanism for the first chamber to drive the substrate transfer shuttle from a first position toward a second position and through an intermediate position. At the intermediate position, the substrate transfer shuttle begins to engage and induce movement of the drive mechanism for the second chamber. The control system receives an input caused by the induced movement of the drive mechanism for the second chamber, this input indicative of the substrate transfer shuttle having moved a predetermined distance beyond the intermediate position. The input may then be used to synchronize movement of the substrate transfer shuttle from the first chamber to the second chamber. Such synchronization may include reducing power to the drive mechanism for the first chamber and/or powering the drive mechanism for the second chamber.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a first processing chamber;

a second processing chamber in communication with the first processing chamber;

a substrate transfer shuttle moveable along a shuttle path between a first position in the first chamber and a second position in the second chamber to transfer a substrate between the first chamber and the second chamber;

a drive mechanism isolated from the chambers and located between the first and second chambers, the drive mechanism configured to move the substrate transfer shuttle along an associated portion of a shuttle path; and

a control system configured to control the drive mechanism and to power the drive mechanism to drive the substrate transfer shuttle from at least the first position to the second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism further comprises a pinion gear and a motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third chamber in communication with the second chamber; and

a second substrate transfer shuttle movable along a shuttle path between a third position in the third chamber and the second position in the second chamber for transferring a substrate between the third chamber and the second chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism includes separate drives for each of the first, second and third chambers configured to move the substrate transfer shuttles along associated portions of the shuttle paths;

and wherein the control system controls each drive.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second chamber is configured to perform a process on the substrate in a target position within the second chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the substrate transfer shuttle has mounted thereon an element located at a predetermined location, the element capable of being sensed by a sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including a sensor assembly in the second chamber located along the shuttle path and configured to detect when the element is at a predetermined distance from the target position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control system controls movement of the substrate transfer shuttle along the shuttle path and is configured to receive an input from the sensor assembly indicating the position of the substrate transfer shuttle, the sensor assembly output providing a feedback to the control system to correct for errors in positioning of the substrate transfer shuttle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a leading edge relative to a direction of motion and the second chamber is configured to perform a process on the substrate in a target position within the second chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including a lift mechanism cooperating with the substrate transfer shuttle for supporting the substrate at the target position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate transfer shuttle carries the substrate at a substrate-carrying location defined on the substrate transfer shuttle, said substrate transfer shuttle having a forward edge spaced a predetermined distance away from the substrate-carrying location and movable along a shuttle path between the first chamber and the second chamber, the substrate transfer shuttle configured and arranged so that when in the target position the substrate may be exchanged between the substrate transfer shuttle and the lift mechanism.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further including a sensor in the second chamber located along the shuttle path and configured to detect when the forward edge of the substrate transfer shuttle or the leading edge of the substrate reaches an intermediate location separated from the target position by the predetermined distance.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control system controls movement of the substrate transfer shuttle along the shuttle path and is configured to receive an input from the sensor indicating that the forward edge of the substrate transfer shuttle or the leading edge of the substrate has reached the intermediate location in terminating movement of the substrate transfer shuttle when the substrate transfer shuttle moves the predetermined distance beyond the intermediate location.

14. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a first chamber;

a second chamber in selective communication with the first chamber;

a third chamber in selective communication with the second chamber;

a substrate transfer shuttle moveable along a shuttle path between a first position in the first chamber, a second position in the second chamber, and a third position in the third chamber, to transfer a substrate between the chambers;

a first drive mechanism configured to move the substrate transfer shuttle along at least a portion of the shuttle path between the first and second chambers;

a second drive mechanism configured to move the substrate transfer shuttle along at least a portion of the shuttle path between the second and third chambers;

a control system to control the first and second drive mechanisms and configured to;

drive the substrate transfer shuttle from the first position toward the third position through an intermediate position wherein the substrate transfer shuttle at least partially engages the second drive mechanism; and

receive an input indicative of the substrate transfer shuttle having a passed through the intermediate position,

whereby transfer of the substrate transfer shuttle is synchronized between the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control system is further configured to, upon powering of the first drive mechanism, power the second drive mechanism.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to:

upon receiving said input, reduce power to the first drive mechanism.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control system is further configured to, after powering of the first drive mechanism, and before contact between the shuttle and the second drive mechanism, power the drive mechanism for the second chamber.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control system is further configured to, upon receiving said input, power the second drive mechanism.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control system includes an encoder coupled to a motor to determine an amount of movement caused by the motor.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second drive mechanisms further include pinion gears and said substrate transfer shuttle further includes a toothed rack, wherein said pinion gears are meshable with said toothed rack.

21. A method for processing a substrate, comprising:

moving a substrate transfer shuttle along a shuttle path between a first position in a first chamber and through a second position in a second chamber and to a third position in a third chamber to transfer a substrate between the first chamber and the third chamber;

controlling a drive mechanism for each of the first, second, and third chambers to move the substrate transfer shuttle along associated portions of the shuttle path, wherein said controlling includes;

powering the drive mechanism for the first chamber to drive the substrate transfer shuttle from the first position toward the third position and through an intermediate position wherein the substrate transfer shuttle begins to engage and be driven by the drive mechanism for the second chamber;

receiving an input indicative of the substrate transfer shuttle having passed through the intermediate position;

powering the drive mechanism for the second chamber to drive the substrate transfer shuttle from the intermediate position toward the third position.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said controlling further includes, upon powering of the drive mechanism for the first chamber, powering the drive mechanism for the second chamber.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said controlling further includes, after powering of the drive mechanism for the first chamber, and before contact of the shuttle and the drive mechanism for the second chamber, powering the drive mechanism for the second chamber.

24. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a first chamber;

a second chamber in communication with the first chamber;

a substrate transfer shuttle moveable along a shuttle path between a first position in the first chamber and a second position in the second chamber to transfer a substrate between the first chamber and the second chamber;

a drive mechanism between the first and second chambers configured to move the substrate transfer shuttle along an associated portion of a shuttle path, the drive mechanism including;

powered drive members isolated from the chambers; and

non-powered members substantially isolated from processes carried out within the chambers; and

a control system to control the drive mechanism and configured to power the drive mechanism to drive the substrate transfer shuttle from the first position to the second position.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first chamber is a load lock and the second chamber is a processing chamber.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the drive mechanism further comprises a pinion gear and a motor.

27. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:

a load lock chamber;

a processing chamber in communication with the load lock chamber;

a substrate transfer shuttle moveable along a shuttle path between a first position in the load lock chamber and a second position in the processing chamber to transfer a substrate between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber;

a drive mechanism isolated from the chambers and located between the load lock chamber and processing chamber, the drive mechanism configured to move the substrate transfer shuttle along an associated portion of a shuttle path; and

a control system configured to control the drive mechanism and to power the drive mechanism to drive the substrate transfer shuttle from at least the first position to the second position.