Semiconductor wafer handling and transport

• US 8,672,605 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Ltd. (United Kingdom) (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: van der Meulen, Peter, Kiley, Christopher C, Pannese, Patrick D., Ritter, Raymond S., Schaefer, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): KEENAN, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US12/025,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20080187417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,234 Days
• Field of Search: 414/805, 414/939
• US Class Current: 414/805
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 25/02 the carrier or impeller having different forward and return paths of movement, e.g. walking beam conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 37/00 Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes series of co-operating belt conveyor units B65G15/22; series of co-operating chain conveyor units B65G17/26; sequence control of combined conveyors B65G43/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67161 characterized by the layout of the process chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67745 characterized by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67748 horizontal transfer of a single workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68792 characterised by the construction of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

Modular wafer transport and handling facilities are combined in a variety of ways deliver greater levels of flexibility, utility, efficiency, and functionality in a vacuum semiconductor processing system. Various processing and other modules may be interconnected with tunnel-and-cart transportation systems to extend the distance and versatility of the vacuum environment. Other improvements such as bypass thermal adjusters, buffering aligners, batch processing, multifunction modules, low particle vents, cluster processing cells, and the like are incorporated to expand functionality and improve processing efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for moving a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing process, the method comprising:

providing a tunnel capable of being sealed for holding a sealed environment, a plurality of process ports disposed in a wall of the tunnel, an exchange zone having at least one exchange zone port, an exchange port disposed in the wall of the tunnel and being distinct from the plurality of process ports and at least one exchange zone port, and a track for guiding cart motion within the tunnel, where

the exchange zone is communicably coupled to a sealable wafer handling interface, the sealable wafer handling interface having an external atmosphere and including a wafer handling interface robotic arm,

each one of the at least one exchange zone port and the plurality of process ports having an isolation valve that opens and closes a respective one of the ports, and

a sealable workpiece handling module is communicably coupled to the tunnel through a respective one of the process ports or exchange port of the tunnel and including a robotic arm operable to reach through the respective one of the process ports or the exchange port from outside the tunnel;

retrieving a wafer with a respective one of the robotic arms;

positioning the wafer outside at least one of the plurality of process ports or the exchange port of the tunnel;

positioning a cart inside the tunnel adjacent the at least one of the plurality of process ports or the exchange port of the tunnel;

opening the at least one of the plurality of process ports or the exchange port of the tunnel;

inserting a respective one of the robotic arms into the tunnel through the at least one of the plurality of process ports or the exchange port of the tunnel and transferring the wafer to the cart;

withdrawing the robotic arm from the tunnel;

closing the at least one of the plurality of process ports or the exchange port of the tunnel; and

transferring the wafer between the tunnel and the external atmosphere wherein the tunnel includes a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and second end being communicably coupled to the sealable workpiece handling module including the robotic arm at the at least one exchange zone port for reaching into the exchange zone through the at least one exchange zone port and indirectly transferring the wafer between the tunnel and the external atmosphere of the sealable wafer handling interface through the sealable workpiece handling module and the at least one exchange zone port.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein indirectly transferring the wafer between the tunnel and the external atmosphere includes transferring, within the exchange zone, the wafer from the wafer handling interface robotic arm to the robotic arm at the at least one exchange zone port and transferring the wafer to the cart with the robotic arm at the at least one exchange zone port.