Multi-chamber system having compact installation set-up for an etching facility for semiconductor device manufacturing

• US 6,503,365 B1
• Filed: 01/26/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwag, Gyu-hwan, Kim, Ki-sang, Jeoung, Gyu-chan
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, JEFFRIE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/237,229
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 118/719, 156/345, 156/345.31, 156/345.32, 414/939, 414/935, 414/217, 414/222.01, 414/222.07, 414/222.12, 414/223.01, 414/937, 414/941
• US Class Current: 156/345.32
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67161 characterized by the layout of the process chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67167 surrounding a central transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67178 vertical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67184 characterized by the presence of more than one transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/137 including means for charging or discharging wafer cassette
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/141 includes means for gripping wafer

Abstract

A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices occupies a minimum amount of floor space in a cleanroom by installing a plurality of processing chambers in multi-layers and in parallel along a transfer path situated between the processing chambers. The multi-layers number 2 to 5, and the transfer path can be rectangular in shape and need only be slightly wider than the diameter of a wafer. The total width of the multi-chamber system is the sum of the width of one processing chamber plus the width of the transfer path.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:

a cassette stage for mounting a cassette having wafers stacked thereon;

a transfer path adjacent to the cassette stage for providing space for transportation of wafers, the transfer path being at atmospheric pressure;

a plurality of processing chambers aligned with the transfer path;

a transfer mechanism installed in the transfer path for loading and unloading the wafers stacked on the cassette stage; and

at least one load lock chamber, each said load lock chamber being directly connected to at one side of at least one of the processing chambers and serving as a stand-by area for the wafers.

2. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein the processing chambers are installed in multiple layers.

3. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein each processing chamber has a gate formed on a side away from the transfer path, the gate being selectively opened and closed to allow passage of the wafers.

4. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one load lock chambers comprises:

a transfer arm for receiving the wafers from the transfer mechanism and transferring the wafers to a corresponding processing chamber;

an inner transfer device for moving the transfer arm; and

gates formed on a side of the transfer path and a side of the corresponding processing chamber, respectively, the gates being selectively opened and closed to allow passage of the wafers.

5. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 4, wherein the transfer arm comprises a plurality of transfer arms for simultaneously transferring a plurality of wafers.

6. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one load lock chambers has a vacuum pressure generator for forming vacuum pressure therein.

7. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of processing chambers have one common load lock chamber.

8. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein processing chambers are connected by gates such that wafers finishing one process in one processing chamber can be directly moved to another processing chamber for a subsequent process.

9. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein the processing chambers have a vacuum pressure generator for forming vacuum pressure therein.

10. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein the transfer mechanism comprises:

a transfer arm for selectively holding the wafers;

a transfer robot for loading and unloading the wafers into the processing chamber by moving the transfer arm;

a horizontal driving part for moving the transfer robot horizontally; and

a controller for controlling the transfer robot and the horizontal driving part by applying control signals thereto.

11. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 10, wherein the transfer mechanism further comprises a vertical driving part for moving the transfer robot vertically on receipt of a control signal from the controller.

12. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 11, wherein the vertical driving part comprises a motor or a pneumatic cylinder.

13. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 10, wherein the transfer arm is provided with a vacuum line so as to vacuum-suction the wafers.

14. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 10, wherein the transfer arm comprises a plurality of transfer arms which simultaneously transfer a plurality of wafers.

15. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 10, wherein the horizontal driving part comprises a motor or a pneumatic cylinder.

16. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein the transfer path is extended and the transfer mechanism comprises a plurality of the transfer mechanisms installed so as to transfer wafers from one transfer mechanism to another.

17. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 1, wherein the transfer mechanism transfers unprocessed wafers from a cassette mounted on a first cassette stage to one of the processing chambers, and processed wafers from another of the processing chambers to a second cassette stage which is located such that the wafers are easily transferred to a subsequent process.

18. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices of claim 1, wherein the transfer path has a rectangular shape.

19. A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:

a cassette stage for mounting a cassette having wafers stacked thereon;

a transfer path adjacent to the cassette stage for providing space for transportation of wafers, the transfer path being at atmospheric pressure and having a width slightly larger than a diameter of the wafers;

a plurality of processing chambers aligned in a plurality of layers parallel to and adjoining the transfer path;

a transfer mechanism capable of vertical/horizontal reciprocal movement installed in the transfer path for loading and unloading the wafers stacked on the cassette stage; and

a load lock chamber directly connected to one side of the processing chambers, the load lock chamber serving as a stand-by area for the wafers.

20. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 19, wherein the transfer path has a rectangular shape.

21. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of layers of the processing chambers include 2 to 5 layers.

22. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 19, wherein the load lock chamber comprises:

a transfer arm for receiving wafers from the transfer mechanism and transferring the wafers to the processing chambers;

an inner transfer device for moving the transfer arm; and

gates formed on a side of the transfer path and sides of the processing chambers, respectively, the gates being selectively opened and closed to allow passage of the wafers.

23. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 22, wherein the transfer arm comprises a plurality of transfer arms for simultaneously transferring a plurality of wafers.

24. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 19, wherein the transfer mechanism comprises:

a transfer arm having a vacuum line so as to selectively vacuum-suction the wafers;

a transfer robot for loading and unloading the wafers into the processing chamber by moving the transfer arm;

a vertical driving part for moving the transfer robot vertically;

a horizontal driving part for moving the transfer robot horizontally; and

a controller for controlling the transfer robot, the vertical driving part, and the

horizontal driving part by applying control signals thereto.

25. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 24, wherein the transfer arm comprises a plurality of the transfer arms which simultaneously transfer a plurality of wafers.

26. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 24, wherein the vertical driving part and the horizontal driving part each comprise a motor or a pneumatic cylinder.

27. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 19, wherein the transfer path is extended, and the transfer mechanism comprises a plurality of transfer mechanisms installed so as to transfer wafers from one transfer mechanism to another.

28. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 19, wherein the transfer mechanism transfers unprocessed wafers from a cassette mounted on a first cassette stage to one of the processing chambers, and processed wafers from another of the processing chambers to a second cassette stage which is located such that the wafers are easily transferred to a subsequent process.

29. A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:

a first cassette stage for mounting a cassette having unprocessed wafers stacked thereon;

a transfer path adjacent to the first cassette stage that provides space for transportation of wafers, the transfer path being at atmospheric pressure and having a width slightly larger than a diameter of the wafers;

a plurality of processing chambers arranged in multi-layers and aligned in parallel adjoining the transfer path;

a transfer mechanism capable of vertical/horizontal reciprocal movement installed in the transfer path for loading and unloading the wafers stacked on the first cassette stage; and

a second cassette stage placed opposite to the first cassette stage and mounting thereon a cassette having processed wafers stacked thereon.

30. The multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices according to claim 29, wherein the transfer mechanism comprises:

a transfer arm having a vacuum line for selectively vacuum-suctioning wafers;

a transfer robot for loading and unloading wafers to the processing chambers by moving the transfer arm;

a vertical driving part for vertically moving the transfer robot;

a horizontal driving part for horizontally moving the transfer robot; and

a controller for controlling the transfer robot, the vertical driving part, and the horizontal driving part by applying control signals thereto.