Substrate deposition systems, robot transfer apparatus, and methods for electronic device manufacturing

• US 10,427,303 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Weaver, William T., Daniel, Jr., Malcolm N., Vopat, Robert B., Schaller, Jason M., Newman, Jacob, Kanawade, Dinesh, Constant, Andrew J., Hickerson, Stephen C., Hudgens, Jeffrey C., Freeman, Marvin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keenan, James
• Application Number:
  US14/211,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20140271055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0095 Manipulators transporting wafers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/043 double selective compliance articulated robot arms [SCARA]
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67161 characterized by the layout of the process chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67201 characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/29 Wrist
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm

Abstract

Electronic device processing systems may include a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber, a first carousel assembly, a second carousel assembly, a first load lock, a second load lock, and a robot adapted to operate in the transfer chamber to exchange substrates between the first and second carousels and the first and second load locks. The robot may include first and second end effectors operable to extend and/or retract simultaneously or sequentially along substantially co-parallel lines of action. Methods and multi-axis robots for transporting substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

Claims

1. An electronic device processing system, comprising:

a mainframe housing including a transfer chamber, a first facet, a second facet opposite the first facet, a third facet, and a fourth facet opposite the third facet;

a first carousel assembly coupled to the first facet;

a second carousel assembly coupled to the third facet;

a first multi-position load lock coupled to the second facet, wherein the first multi-position load lock includes a first double height entrance, and further includes a first moveable lift body;

a first lift assembly coupled to the first moveable lift body;

a second load lock coupled to the fourth facet; and

a multi-axis robot comprising;

a first SCARA comprising;

a first upper arm adapted to rotate about a shoulder axis that extends through the first upper arm;

a first forearm rotationally coupled to and above the first upper arm at an outboard end of the first upper arm;

a first wrist member rotationally coupled to and below the first forearm at a first outer location of the first forearm; and

a first end effector coupled to the first wrist member, the first end effector disposed at a first height; and

a second SCARA comprising;

a second upper arm adapted to rotate about the shoulder axis, the shoulder axis also extending through the second upper arm;

a second forearm rotationally coupled to the second upper arm at an outboard end of the second upper arm, wherein the second forearm is positioned below the first forearm;

a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm at a second outer location of the second forearm; and

a second end effector coupled to the second wrist member, the second end effector disposed at a second height different from the first height;

wherein the first end effector of the first SCARA extends in a first direction away from the shoulder axis, wherein the second end effector of the second SCARA extends in a second direction away from the shoulder axis, and wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction and the first and second directions form substantially co-parallel lines of action;

wherein, at a first time, the first upper arm in a first extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a first plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action and the second upper arm in a second extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a second plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action, wherein the second plan view side is opposite the first plan view side;

wherein the first and second end effectors extend respectively in the first and second directions away from the shoulder axis along the substantially co-parallel lines of action at the first time such that the first and second end effectors respectively extend a distance from the shoulder axis sufficient to extend through a double height entrance of a process chamber and a double height entrance of a multi-position load lock respectively without extending the corresponding first or second wrist members therethrough;

wherein the multi-axis robot is adapted to operate in the transfer chamber to exchange substrates from both the first carousel assembly and the second carousel assembly; and

wherein the first moveable lift body includes a plurality of supports, and the first lift assembly is configured to position at least a selected one of the plurality of supports to engage the first end effector at the first height, the first height being within the double height entrance, and is further configured to position the selected one of the plurality of supports to engage the second end effector at the second height, the second height being within the double height entrance.

2. The electronic device processing system of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to simultaneously place a first substrate into the first carousel assembly and a second substrate into the first multi-position load lock.

3. The electronic device processing system of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to simultaneously pick a first substrate from the first carousel assembly and a second substrate from the first multi-position load lock.

4. The electronic device processing system of claim 3, wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to retract, rotate, and then simultaneously place the first substrate into the first multi-position load lock and place the second substrate into the first carousel assembly.

5. The electronic device processing system of claim 1, wherein the first carousel assembly includes a carousel chamber and a rotating carousel platform having multiple substrate placement locations thereon.

6. The electronic device processing system of claim 1, wherein the second load lock is a second multi-position load lock.

7. The electronic device processing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of supports are configured and adapted to respectively support multiple substrates.

8. The electronic device processing system of claim 7, comprising a greater or equal number of support locations than a number of stations in the first carousel assembly.

9. The electronic device processing system of claim 1, wherein the first double height entrance is sized to accommodate the first end effector and the second end effector, wherein the first end effector is at a different height than the second end effector.

10. An electronic device processing system, comprising:

a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber;

a process chamber coupled to a first facet of the mainframe housing;

a multi-position load lock coupled to a second facet of the mainframe housing at a position generally opposed from the first facet, wherein the multi-position load lock includes a double height entrance, and further includes a moveable lift body;

a lift assembly coupled to the moveable lift body; and

a multi-axis robot comprising;

a first SCARA comprising;

a first upper arm adapted to rotate about a shoulder axis that extends through the first upper arm;

a first forearm rotationally coupled to and above the first upper arm at an outboard end of the first upper arm;

a first wrist member rotationally coupled to and below the first forearm at a first outer location of the first forearm; and

a first end effector coupled to the first wrist member, the first end effector disposed at a first height; and

a second SCARA comprising;

a second upper arm adapted to rotate about the shoulder axis, the shoulder axis also extending through the second upper arm;

a second forearm rotationally coupled to the second upper arm at an outboard end of the second upper arm, wherein the second forearm is positioned below the first forearm;

a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm at a second outer location of the second forearm; and

a second end effector coupled to the second wrist member, the second end effector disposed at a second height different from the first height;

wherein the first end effector of the first SCARA extends in a first direction away from the shoulder axis, wherein the second end effector of the second SCARA extends in a second direction away from the shoulder axis, and wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction and the first and second directions form substantially co-parallel lines of action;

wherein, at a first time, the first upper arm in a first extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a first plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action and the second upper arm in a second extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a second plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action, wherein the second plan view side is opposite the first plan view side;

wherein the first and second end effectors extend respectively in the first and second directions away from the shoulder axis along the substantially co-parallel lines of action at the first time such that the first and second end effectors respectively extend a distance from the shoulder axis sufficient to extend through a double height entrance of a process chamber and a double height entrance of a multi-position load lock respectively without extending the corresponding first or second wrist members therethrough;

wherein the first and second end effectors are adapted to move within the transfer chamber to exchange substrates between the process chamber and the multi-position load lock, and wherein the first and second end effectors are operable to extend and retract along the substantially co-parallel lines of action; and

wherein the moveable lift body includes a plurality of supports, and the lift assembly is configured to position at least a selected one of the plurality of supports to engage the first end effector at the first height, the first height being within the double height entrance, and is further configured to position the selected one of the plurality of supports to engage the second end effector at the second height, the second height being within the double height entrance.