Chuck transport method and system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A substrate processing system comprising:
- a transfer chamber forming an enclosed volume having therein a transfer arm configured to transfer a substrate;
a processing chamber separate from said transfer chamber;
a chuck assembly with a plurality of chucks configured to receive the substrate, said chuck assembly being movably configured to provide for transfer of the substrate between said transfer chamber and said processing chamber such that when one of said plurality of chucks is in a processing position within said processing chamber another one of said plurality of chucks is in a substrate exchange position within said transfer chamber; and
a valve movably mounted within said enclosed volume of the transfer chamber and configured to form a separately sealed intermediate chamber within said enclosed volume of the transfer chamber such that another substrate on said another one of said plurality of chucks can be processed while located at said substrate exchange position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for transporting a plurality of substrates between a transfer chamber and at least one processing chamber. The system includes a chuck assembly with a plurality of chucks configured to receive wafer substrates, where the chuck assembly is movably configured to provide for transfer of the plurality of substrates between a transfer chamber and a processing chamber. The system provides a structure that allows for the processing of one substrate on a first chuck, while a second substrate is loaded onto a second chuck and prepared for processing.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A substrate processing system comprising:
-
a transfer chamber forming an enclosed volume having therein a transfer arm configured to transfer a substrate; a processing chamber separate from said transfer chamber; a chuck assembly with a plurality of chucks configured to receive the substrate, said chuck assembly being movably configured to provide for transfer of the substrate between said transfer chamber and said processing chamber such that when one of said plurality of chucks is in a processing position within said processing chamber another one of said plurality of chucks is in a substrate exchange position within said transfer chamber; and a valve movably mounted within said enclosed volume of the transfer chamber and configured to form a separately sealed intermediate chamber within said enclosed volume of the transfer chamber such that another substrate on said another one of said plurality of chucks can be processed while located at said substrate exchange position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for transporting a plurality of substrates between a transfer chamber forming an enclosed volume and at least one separate processing chamber, said method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving in a first chuck on a chuck assembly a first one of the plurality of substrates from a cassette within the enclosed volume of the transfer chamber when the first chuck is in a substrate exchange position; transporting the first one of the plurality of substrates from the transfer chamber to the at least one processing chamber by moving the first chuck from the substrate exchange position to a processing position; receiving in a second chuck on the chuck assembly a second one of the plurality of substrates from the cassette within the enclosed volume of the transfer chamber when the second chuck is in the substrate exchange position; and positioning a valve within the enclosed volume of the transfer chamber to form a separately sealed intermediate chamber sealed within the enclosed volume of the transfer chamber and around said second one of the plurality of substrates; and performing a processing step within an said intermediate chamber when one of the plurality of substrates is in the substrate exchange position. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification