Semiconductor processing apparatus comprising chamber partitioned into reaction and transfer sections

• US 6,899,507 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takeshi, Suwada, Masaei, Yamagishi, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer, Dean J.
• Application Number:
  US10/072,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20030152445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 414/217, 414937-939, 414/805
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• 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

Semiconductor processing equipment that has increased efficiency, throughput, and stability, as well as reduced operating cost, footprint, and faceprint is provided. Other than during deposition, the atmosphere of both the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber are evacuated using the transfer chamber exhaust port, which is located below the surface of the semiconductor wafer. This configuration prevents particles generated during wafer transfer or during deposition from adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Additionally, by introducing a purge gas into the transfer chamber during deposition, and by using an insulation separating plate 34, the atmospheres of the transfer and reaction chambers can be effectively isolated from each other, thereby preventing deposition on the walls and components of the transfer chamber. Finally, the configuration described herein permits a wafer buffer mechanism to be used with the semiconductor processing equipment, thereby further increasing throughput and efficiency.

Claims

1. Vacuum load lock semiconductor wafer processing equipment, comprising:

a load lock chamber,

a transfer chamber,

a reaction chamber located above said transfer chamber, and

a robot located outside said load lock chamber that includes a wafer transfer arm that is configured to support said semiconductor wafers in the reaction chamber during a wafer processing process,

wherein said wafer transfer arm is adapted to operate inside said load lock chamber and inside a vacuum, and is adapted to transfer said semiconductor wafers between the load lock chamber, the transfer chamber, and the reaction chamber.

2. The vacuum load lock semiconductor processing equipment described in claim 1, further comprising:

a load lock chamber exhaust port through which gases within the load lock chamber can be evacuated,

a transfer chamber exhaust port through which gases within the transfer chamber can be evacuated, and

a reaction chamber exhaust port through which gases within the reaction chamber can be evacuated.

3. The vacuum load lock semiconductor processing equipment described in claim 2, wherein said transfer chamber is evacuated from a position lower than said semiconductor wafers.

4. The vacuum load lock semiconductor processing equipment described in claim 1, further comprising:

an insulation separating plate adapted to separate said transfer chamber from said reaction chamber.

5. The vacuum load lock semiconductor processing equipment described in claim 1, wherein said reaction chamber comprises an insulating material.

6. The vacuum load lock semiconductor processing equipment described in claim 1, wherein said transfer chamber and said reaction chamber are configured to prevent formation of a film on an interior surface of said transfer chamber.

7. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

providing a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber, and a reaction chamber, wherein the reaction chamber is positioned above the transfer chamber;

moving a semiconductor wafer between the load lock chamber, the transfer chamber, and the reaction chamber using a wafer transfer arm;

when the semiconductor wafer is not in the reaction chamber, removing gases from the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber through a transfer chamber exhaust port that is positioned below a wafer processing position; and

when the semiconductor wafer is in the reaction chamber, removing gases from the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber through a reaction chamber exhaust port located in the reaction chamber.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

introducing an inactive gas into the transfer chamber;

flowing the inactive gas from the transfer chamber to the reaction chamber during a wafer processing operation; and

exhausting the inactive gas through the reaction chamber exhaust port during the wafer processing operation.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing an insulating material on an interior surface of the reaction chamber.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the semiconductor wafer separates the reaction chamber from the transfer chamber in the wafer processing position without a seal.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising pressurizing the transfer chamber with an inactive gas during a wafer processing operation.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising switching an active exhaust port from the transfer chamber exhaust port to the reaction chamber exhaust port.

13. A method of processing semiconductor wafers, comprising:

providing a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber, and a reaction chamber, wherein said reaction chamber is located above said transfer chamber;

providing a robot that includes a wafer transfer arm, wherein said wafer transfer arm is adapted to operate inside said load lock chamber and inside a vacuum and to support said semiconductor wafers in the reaction chamber during a wafer processing process;

transferring said semiconductor wafers between said load lock chamber, said transfer chamber, and said reaction chamber using said wafer transfer arm;

evacuating said reaction chamber by removing a gas within the reaction chamber through a reaction chamber exhaust port; and

evacuating said transfer chamber by removing a gas within the transfer chamber through a transfer chamber exhaust port.

14. A method of processing semiconductor wafers, comprising:

providing a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber, and a reaction chamber, wherein said reaction chamber is located above said transfer chamber;

providing a robot that includes a wafer transfer arm, wherein said wafer transfer arm is adapted to operate inside said load lock chamber and inside a vacuum and to support said semiconductor wafers in the reaction chamber during a wafer processing process;

transferring said semiconductor wafers between said load lock chamber, said transfer chamber, and said reaction chamber using said wafer transfer arm; and

;

preventing a reaction gas in said reaction chamber from entering said transfer chamber by introducing an inactive gas into said transfer chamber.

15. A method of processing semiconductor wafers, comprising:

providing a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber, and a reaction chamber, wherein said reaction chamber is located above said transfer chamber;

providing a robot that includes a wafer transfer arm, wherein said wafer transfer arm is adapted to operate inside said load lock chamber and inside a vacuum and to support said semiconductor wafers in the reaction chamber during a wafer processing process;

transferring said semiconductor wafers between said load lock chamber, said transfer chamber, and said reaction chamber using said wafer transfer arm; and

;

preventing deposition on an interior surface of said reaction chamber by providing an insulating material on said interior surface of said reaction chamber.