Method of and apparatus for performing sequential processes requiring different amounts of time in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising:
- a first batch reactor in which a first process is performed, the first batch reactor having an inlet;
at least two second batch reactors in which the same second process is performed, the second process requiring more time to complete than the first process, and each of the second batch reactors having a respective inlet;
a loadlock chamber that confronts the inlets of the first and second reactors so as to provide a path along which wafers can be transferred through the loadlock chamber between the first and either of the second reactors, the loadlock chamber being sealed from outside air; and
a transfer module disposed in the loadlock chamber, the transfer module having a working envelope encompassing the inlets of said first and second reactors and operable to transfer respective groups of wafers to and from the reactors, wherein the transfer module comprises;
a boat standby support configured to support the boats at a standby position;
a wafer transferring device having a working envelope encompassing said boat standby support and operable to load wafers into a boat supported at the standby position;
a first boat changer having a working envelope encompassing said standby position and locations respectively aligned with the inlets of the reactors, said first boat changer being operable to transfer the boats between said standby position and each of the inlets of the first and second reactors; and
a respective boat elevator operable to transfer a said boat between each of said locations and the inside of the reactor that has an inlet adjacent the location.
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes first and second processes, the latter requiring more processing time. An apparatus for performing the semiconductor manufacturing process includes a first reactor, and a plurality of second reactors for each first reactor. A first group of wafers are subjected to the first process within the first reactor, and are then transferred into a second reactor as isolated from the outside air. The first group of wafers is subjected to the second process within the second reactor. At the same time, a second group of wafers are subjected to the first process within the first reactor. After the first process is completed, the second group of wafers is transferred into an unoccupied one of the second reactors as isolated from the outside air. There, the second group of wafers is subjected to the second process. Accordingly, process failures otherwise due to the exposure of the wafers are minimized, and productivity is high despite the difference in the processing times.
228 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising:
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a first batch reactor in which a first process is performed, the first batch reactor having an inlet;
at least two second batch reactors in which the same second process is performed, the second process requiring more time to complete than the first process, and each of the second batch reactors having a respective inlet;
a loadlock chamber that confronts the inlets of the first and second reactors so as to provide a path along which wafers can be transferred through the loadlock chamber between the first and either of the second reactors, the loadlock chamber being sealed from outside air; and
a transfer module disposed in the loadlock chamber, the transfer module having a working envelope encompassing the inlets of said first and second reactors and operable to transfer respective groups of wafers to and from the reactors, wherein the transfer module comprises;
a boat standby support configured to support the boats at a standby position;
a wafer transferring device having a working envelope encompassing said boat standby support and operable to load wafers into a boat supported at the standby position;
a first boat changer having a working envelope encompassing said standby position and locations respectively aligned with the inlets of the reactors, said first boat changer being operable to transfer the boats between said standby position and each of the inlets of the first and second reactors; and
a respective boat elevator operable to transfer a said boat between each of said locations and the inside of the reactor that has an inlet adjacent the location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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3. An apparatus for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising:
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a first batch reactor in which a first process is performed, the first batch reactor having an inlet;
at least two second batch reactors each comprising a furnace of a chemical vapor deposition system having a respective inlet, the deposition process performed in the furnace requiring more time to complete than the first process;
a cooling station at which wafers are cooled after having undergone a chemical vapor deposition process in either of said second reactors;
a loadlock chamber that confronts the inlets of the first and second reactors so as to provide a path along which wafers can be transferred through the loadlock chamber between the first and either of the second reactors, the loadlock chamber being sealed from outside air;
a plurality of wafer boats each configured to support a group of wafers; and
a transfer module disposed in the loadlock chamber, the transfer module having a working envelope encompassing the inlets of said first and second reactors and operable to transfer respective groups of wafers to and from the reactors, the transfer module comprising a boat standby support configured to support the boats at a standby position, and a boat changer having a working envelope encompassing said standby position and said cooling station, said boat changer being operable to transfer the boats between said standby position and said cooling station.
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4. An apparatus for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process, the apparatus comprising:
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a first batch reactor in which a first process is performed, the first batch reactor having an inlet;
at least two second batch reactors in which the same second process is performed, the second process requiring more tune to complete than the first process, and each of the second batch reactors having a respective inlet, said first reactor being disposed equidistantly from said second reactors;
a loadlock chamber that confronts the inlets of the first and second reactors so as to provide a path along which wafers can be transferred through the loadlock chamber between the first and either of the second reactors, the loadlock chamber being sealed from outside air; and
a transfer module disposed in the loadlock chamber, the transfer module having a working envelope encompassing the inlets of said first and second reactors and operable to transfer respective groups of wafers to and from the reactors.
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Specification