Integrated tool with interchangeable wet processing components for processing microfeature workpieces

• US 7,371,306 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Semitool Incorporated (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harris, Randy A., Davis, Jeffry Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore; Karla A.
• Application Number:
  US10/860,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20050061438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345.31, 156/345.32
• US Class Current: 156/345.22
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 17/00 Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67005 Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere processes per se H01L21/30, H01L21/46, H01L23/00; simple temporary support means, e.g. using adhesives, electric or magnetic means H01L21/68, H01L21/302
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6723 comprising at least one plating chamber electroless plating apparatuses C23C, electroplating apparatuses C25D
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance

Abstract

An integrated tool that enables wet chemical processing chambers, lift-rotate units and other hardware to be quickly interchanged without having to recalibrate the transport system or other components to the replacement items. These tools are expected to reduce the down time associated with repairing or maintaining processing chambers and/or lift-rotate units so that the tools can maintain a high throughput. Several aspects of these tools are particularly useful for applications that have stringent performance requirements because components are more likely to require maintenance more frequently, and reducing the down time associated with maintaining such components will significantly enhance the integrated tool.

Claims

1. An integrated tool for wet chemical processing of microfeature workpieces, comprising:

a mounting module having a plurality of positioning elements and attachment elements;

a wet chemical processing chamber having a first interface member engaged with one of the positioning elements and a first fastener engaged with one of the attachment elements, wherein a lower portion of the processing chamber is below the first interface member and is located within the mounting module;

a transport system carried by the mounting module for transporting workpieces within the tool, the transport system having a second interface member engaged with one of the positioning elements and a second fastener engaged with one of the attachment elements; and

wherein the mounting module is configured to maintain relative positions between positioning elements such that the transport system does not need to be recalibrated when the processing chamber is replaced with another processing chamber.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein the mounting module includes a deck comprising:

a rigid outer member, wherein a plurality of the positioning elements and a plurality of the attachment elements are on the outer member;

a rigid interior member juxtaposed to the outer member;

bracing between the outer member and the interior member, wherein the outer member, the bracing, and the interior member are fastened together; and

wherein the wet chemical processing chamber is attached to the deck.

3. The tool of claim 1 wherein the mounting module includes a deck comprising:

a rigid first panel, wherein a plurality of the positioning elements and a plurality of the attachment elements are on the first panel;

a rigid second panel juxtaposed to the first panel;

braces between the first and second panels, wherein the first panel, the braces and the second panel are fastened together to be dimensionally stable; and

wherein the wet chemical processing chamber is attached to the deck.

4. The tool of claim 1 wherein the mounting module includes a deck comprising:

a plurality of joists;

a rigid first panel attached to one side of the joists and having a plurality of (a) the positioning elements and (b) the attachment elements;

a rigid second panel juxtaposed to the first panel and attached to another side of the joists; and

wherein the wet chemical processing chamber is attached to first panel of the deck.

5. The tool of claim 4 wherein the first panel, the second panel and the joists comprise stainless steel.

6. The tool of claim 4 wherein the first panel, the second panel and the joists comprise a fiber reinforced material.

7. The tool of claim 1 wherein the mounting module further comprises:

a processing deck comprising an upper panel having a plurality of (a) the positioning elements and (b) the attachment elements, braces attached to the upper panel, a lower panel under the upper panel and attached to the braces, and a chamber opening in the lower panel and the upper panel, wherein the first interface member of the wet chemical processing chamber is engaged with a corresponding positioning element of the upper panel of the processing deck, and wherein a portion of the chamber is in the chamber opening; and

a platform having a plurality of the positioning elements and being fixedly disposed in the tool relative to the processing deck, and wherein the second interface member of the workpiece transport mechanism is engaged with a corresponding positioning element of the platform.

8. The tool of claim 7 wherein the upper panel, the lower panel and the platform comprise stainless steel.

9. The tool of claim 7 wherein the upper panel, the lower panel and the platform comprise a fiber reinforced material.

10. The tool of claim 1 wherein the mounting module comprises a deck for carrying the wet chemical processing chamber, a platform for carrying the transport system, and adjustable footings for adjustably attaching the mounting module to the frame, and wherein:

the deck comprises a plurality of joists, a rigid first panel attached to one side of the joists and having a first set of the positioning elements and a first set of the attachment elements, a rigid second panel juxtaposed to the first panel and attached to another side of the joists, and a chamber opening through the first panel and the second panel;

the platform comprises a second set of positioning elements and a second set of attachment elements;

the wet chemical processing station is at least partially located in the chamber opening and includes a plurality of first interface members and a plurality of first fasteners, and the first interface members being engaged with corresponding positioning elements of the first set of positioning elements and the first fasteners being engaged with corresponding attachment elements of the first set of attachment elements; and

the transport system is carried by the platform and includes a plurality of second interface members and a plurality of second fasteners, and the second interface members being engaged with corresponding positioning elements of the second set of positioning elements and the second fasteners being engaged with corresponding attachments elements of the second set of attachment elements.

11. The tool of claim 10 wherein the wet chemical processing chamber comprises an electrochemical deposition chamber having a vessel, a first electrode in the vessel, a workpiece holder disposed relative to the vessel to hold a workpiece in a processing solution, and a second electrode carried by the workpiece holder to engage a workpiece.

12. The tool of claim 10 wherein the wet chemical processing chamber comprises a cleaning chamber having a fluid delivery system that directs a cleaning fluid onto a workpiece.

13. The tool of claim 10 wherein:

the wet chemical processing chamber is a first electrochemical deposition chamber comprising a first vessel, a first workpiece holder disposed relative to the first vessel to hold a workpiece in a processing solution, a first cathodic electrode disposed in one of the first vessel or the first workpiece holder, and a first anodic electrode disposed in the other of the first vessel or the first workpiece holder; and

the tool further comprises a second electrochemical deposition chamber comprising a second vessel, a second workpiece holder disposed relative to the second vessel to hold a workpiece in a processing solution, a second cathodic electrode disposed in one of the second vessel or the second workpiece holder, and a second anodic electrode disposed in the other of the second vessel or the second workpiece holder.

14. The tool of claim 10 wherein the wet chemical processing chamber comprises an electrochemical deposition chamber having a vessel, a first electrode in the vessel, a workpiece holder disposed relative to the vessel to hold a workpiece in a processing solution, and a second electrode carried by the workpiece holder to engage a workpiece.

15. The tool of claim 10 wherein the wet chemical processing chamber comprises a cleaning chamber having a fluid delivery system that directs a cleaning fluid onto a workpiece.

16. The tool of claim 10 wherein:

the wet chemical processing chamber is a first electrochemical deposition chamber comprising a first vessel, a first workpiece holder disposed relative to the first vessel to hold a workpiece in a processing solution, a first cathodic electrode disposed in one of the first vessel or the first workpiece holder, and a first anodic electrode disposed in the other of the first vessel or the first workpiece holder; and

the tool further includes a second wet chemical processing chamber comprising a cleaning chamber having a fluid delivery system that directs a cleaning fluid onto a workpiece.

17. The tool of claim 10 wherein the mounting module is configured to maintain relative positions between the positioning elements to within 0.025 inch.

18. The tool of claim 10 wherein the mounting module is configured to maintain relative positions between the positioning elements to within approximately 0.005 to 0.015 inch.

19. An integrated tool for wet chemical processing of microfeature workpieces, comprising:

a mounting module comprising a deck having a rigid outer member with a plurality of positioning elements and a plurality of attachment elements, a rigid interior member juxtaposed to the outer member, and bracing between the outer member and the interior member, wherein the outer member, the bracing and the interior member are fixed together to be dimensionally stable;

a wet chemical processing station attached to the deck, the wet chemical processing station having a vessel including a first interface member engaged with at least one of the positioning elements and a first fastener engaged with an attachment element, and wherein a portion of the vessel is below the deck and within the mounting module; and

a workpiece transport system attached to the mounting module.

20. The tool of claim 19 wherein the outer member is superimposed over the interior member, and the deck further comprises a plurality of bolts clamping the outer member to one side of the bracing the clamping the interior member to another side of the bracing.

21. The tool of claim 19 wherein the bracing comprises horizontal joists, the outer member comprises a rigid top panel attached to a top side of the joists, the interior member comprises a bottom panel superimposed under the top panel and attached to an underside of the joists, and the deck further comprises a plurality of bolts extending through the bracing to clamp the top panel and the bottom panel to the joists.

22. The tool of claim 21 wherein the top panel, the joists, and the bottom panel are configured to maintain relative positions between the positioning elements across the top panel to within 0.025 inch.

23. The tool of claim 21 wherein the top panel, the joists and the bottom panel are configured to maintain relative positions between the positioning elements across the top panel to within 0.010 inch.

24. The tool of claim 21 wherein the top panel comprises stainless steel.

25. The tool of claim 21 wherein the top panel comprises a fiber reinforce composite.

26. An integrated tool for wet chemical processing of microfeature workpieces, comprising:

a mounting module comprising a deck having a first rigid panel with a plurality of positioning elements and a plurality of attachment elements, a second rigid panel superimposed under the first rigid panel, an opening in the first and second rigid panels, and braces between the first and second rigid panels, wherein the first panel, the braces and the second panel are fixed together to be dimensionally stable;

a wet chemical processing station attached to the deck and at least partially positioned in the opening, the wet chemical processing station having a first interface member engaged with at least one of the positioning elements and a first fastener engaged with an attachment element; and

a workpiece transport system attached to the mounting module.

27. The tool of claim 26 wherein the first panel comprises stainless steel.

28. The tool of claim 26 wherein the first panel comprises a fiber reinforced composite.

29. The tool of claim 26 wherein:

the first interface member of the wet chemical processing chamber is engaged with a corresponding positioning element of the first panel of the deck; and

the mounting module further comprises a platform having a plurality of the positioning elements and being fixedly disposed in the tool relative to the deck, and wherein the second interface member of the workpiece transport mechanism is engaged with a corresponding positioning element of the platform.

30. The tool of claim 26 wherein:

the braces comprise a plurality of joists, the rigid first panel is attached to one side of the joists and has a first set of the positioning elements and a first set of the attachment elements, and the rigid second panel is juxtaposed to the first panel and attached to another side of the joists;

the mounting module further comprises a platform including a second set of positioning elements and a second set of attachment elements;

the wet chemical processing station is carried by the deck and includes a plurality of first interface members and a plurality of first fasteners, and the first interface members being engaged with corresponding positioning elements of the first set of positioning elements and the first fasteners being engaged with corresponding attachment elements of the first set of attachment elements; and

the transport system is carried by the platform and includes a plurality of second interface members and a plurality of second fasteners, and the second interface members being engaged with corresponding positioning elements of the second set of positioning elements and the second fasteners being engaged with corresponding attachments elements of the second set of attachment elements.

31. The tool of claim 30 wherein the wet chemical processing chamber comprises an electrochemical deposition chamber having a vessel, a first electrode in the vessel, a workpiece holder disposed relative to the vessel to hold a workpiece in a processing solution, and a second electrode carried by the workpiece holder to engage a workpiece.

32. The tool of claim 30 wherein the wet chemical processing chamber comprises a cleaning chamber having a fluid delivery system that directs a cleaning fluid onto a workpiece.