Transfer chamber with side wall port

• US 20020134506A1
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Marohl, Dan A., Franklin, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,568,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/345.31
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling

Abstract

A chamber for transferring a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a chamber for transferring a substrate includes at least one side wall supporting a lid and coupled to a chamber bottom. The side wall, lid and chamber bottom defining an evacuable volume therebetween. A passage is disposed at least partially through the side wall and chamber bottom. The passage has a first end that is disposed in the side wall and is exposed to the evacuable volume. The passage has a second end that is disposed on an exterior side of the chamber bottom. The passage may be utilized as a pumping port when coupled to a pumping system at the second end of the passage. Additionally, the port may be utilized as a sensor housing to shield the sensor from objects within the transfer chamber.

Claims

1. A chamber for us with substrate processing systems, the chamber comprising:

at least one side wall having an interior side;

a lid supported by the side walls;

a chamber bottom coupled to the side walls and having an interior side and an exterior side;

the interior sides of the side wall, lid and chamber bottom defining an evacuable volume therebetween; and

at least one passage disposed through the side wall and the chamber bottom, the passage having a first end disposed on the interior side of the side wall at a position above the chamber bottom.

2. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the passage further comprises:

a first portion disposed in the side wall; and

a second portion coupled to the first portion forming an obtuse or right angle intersection, the second portion terminating at the second end.

3. The chamber of claim 2, wherein the first portion and the second portion intersect at a right angle.

4. The chamber of claim 2, wherein the intersection of the first portion and the second portion has a sectional area 1.5 times a sectional area of the first or the second portion.

5. The chamber of claim 1 further comprising a pumping system coupled to the second end.

6. The chamber of claim 1 further comprising a substrate transfer robot disposed in the evacuable volume.

7. The chamber of claim 1, wherein the first end is disposed in the wall at about midway between the lid and the chamber bottom.

8. The chamber of claim 1 further comprising a sensor mounted in the passage.

9. The chamber of claim 8, wherein the sensor is selected from the group of measuring devices consisting of an ion sensor, a temperature sensor, a RGA sensor, baratron sensor and a convectron sensor.

10. A chamber for use with substrate processing systems, the chamber comprising:

at least one side wall having an interior side;

a lid supported by the side walls;

a chamber bottom coupled to the side walls and having an interior side and an exterior side;

the interior sides of the side wall, lid and chamber bottom defining an evacuable volume therebetween; and

at least one passage disposed through the side wall and the chamber bottom, the passage having a first end disposed on the interior side of the side wall and a second end disposed on the exterior side of the chamber bottom.

11. The chamber of claim 10, wherein the passage further comprises:

a first portion disposed in the side wall; and

a second portion coupled to the first portion forming an obtuse or right angle intersection, the second portion terminating at the second end.

12. The chamber of claim 11, wherein the first portion and the second portion intersect at a right angle.

13. The chamber of claim 11, wherein the intersection of the first portion and the second portion has a sectional area 1.5 times a sectional area of the first or the second portion.

14. The chamber of claim 10 further comprising a pumping system coupled to the second end.

15. The chamber of claim 10 further comprising a substrate transfer robot disposed in the evacuable volume.

16. The chamber of claim 10, wherein the first end is disposed in the wall at about midway between the lid and the chamber bottom.

17. The chamber of claim 10 further comprising a sensor mounted in the second portion of the passage.

18. The chamber of claim 17, wherein the sensor is selected from the group of measuring devices consisting of an ion sensor, a temperature sensor, a RGA sensor, baratron sensor and a convectron sensor.

19. The chamber of claim 10, wherein the passage further comprises:

a first portion disposed in the side wall; and

a second portion coupled to the first portion forming an obtuse or right angle intersection, the second portion terminating at the second end.

20. The chamber of claim 19 further comprising at least roughing pump, a cryogenic pump or a turbomolecular pump coupled to the second portion.

21. The chamber of claim 10 further comprising:

a second passage having a first end disposed on the interior side of the side wall and a second end disposed on the exterior side of the chamber bottom; and

at least a roughing pump, a cryogenic pump or a turbomolecular pump coupled to the second end of the second passage.

22. A chamber for transferring a substrate comprising:

at least one side wall having an interior side and an exterior side, the exterior side having at least one process chamber coupled thereto;

a chamber bottom coupled to the side walls and having an interior side and an exterior side;

the interior sides of the side wall and chamber bottom defining an evacuable volume therebetween;

at least one substrate transfer robot disposed in the evacuable volume;

a passage having a first portion disposed in the side wall and a second portion coupled obliquely to the first portion, the first portion having an end disposed on the interior side of the side wall, the second portion having an end disposed on the exterior side of the chamber bottom; and

a sensor at least partially disposed in the second portion of the passage.

23. The chamber of claim 22, wherein the sensor is not in a line-of-sight defined by the first portion of the passage.

24. The chamber of claim 23, wherein the second portion of the passage is coupled to a pumping system comprising at least a roughing pump, a cryogenic pump or a turbomolecular pump.