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US 11,380,564 B2Granted
Processing system having a front opening unified pod (FOUP) load lock
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorJacob Newman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment is a processing system for processing a substrate. The processing system includes a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) load lock (FLL) and a vacuum system. The FLL has walls defining an interior space therein. The FLL includes load lock isolation and tunnel isolation doors. The load lock isolation door is operable to close a first opening in a first sidewall of the FLL. The first opening is sized so that a FOUP is capable of passing therethrough. The tunnel isolation door is operable to close a second opening in a second sidewall of the FLL. The second opening is sized so that a substrate is capable of passing therethrough. The vacuum system is fluidly connected to the interior space of the FLL and is operable to pump down a pressure of the interior space of the FLL.
Claims13
A processing system for processing a substrate, the processing system comprising:
- a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) load lock having walls defining an interior space therein, the FOUP load lock comprising:
- a load lock isolation door operable to close a load lock isolation door opening in a first sidewall of the FOUP load lock, the load lock isolation door opening being sized so that a FOUP is capable of passing therethrough to and from the interior space;
- and
- a tunnel isolation door operable to close a first slit valve opening in a second sidewall of the FOUP load lock, the first slit valve opening being sized so that a substrate capable of being placed in the FOUP is capable of passing through the first slit valve opening to and from the interior space;
- a shuttle disposed in the interior space, the shuttle comprising a clamp, a lateral extender, and a vertical lift;
- a vacuum system fluidly connected to the interior space of the FOUP load lock, the vacuum system being operable to pump down a pressure of the interior space of the FOUP load lock;
- and
- a FOUP elevator system disposed on the FOUP load lock outside the interior space, the FOUP elevator system comprising a first shelf and a second shelf, the first shelf and the second shelf being operable to move at least along the first sidewall of the FOUP load lock, the first shelf and the second shelf being operable to move to a loading position to receive or provide a FOUP and to move to a load lock transfer position to transfer a FOUP through the load lock isolation door opening to or from the interior space, the first shelf being operable to move to a cleared position when the second shelf is in the loading position, the second shelf being operable to move to a queueing position when the first shelf is in the load lock transfer position.
5 more elements
A method for providing a substrate to a processing system, the method comprising:
- positioning a first Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) at a load lock door opening of a FOUP load lock;
- using a shuttle, transferring the first FOUP through the load lock door opening to an interior space of the FOUP load lock;
- after transferring the first FOUP to the interior space, pumping down a pressure of the interior space;
- using the shuttle, positioning the first FOUP at a slit valve opening of the FOUP load lock;
- using the shuttle, transferring the first FOUP from the interior space through the load lock door opening to a first shelf of a FOUP elevator system of the FOUP load lock;
- moving the first shelf, with the first FOUP on the first shelf, to a loading position to provide the first FOUP to an overhead hoist transfer (OHT) system;
- moving a second shelf of the FOUP elevator system, with a second FOUP on the second shelf, from a queueing position to the load lock door opening;
- using the shuttle, transferring the second FOUP from the second shelf through the load lock door opening to the interior space;
- after transferring the second FOUP from the second shelf, moving the second shelf to the loading position;
- receiving a third FOUP on the second shelf at the loading position from the OHT system;
- moving the second shelf, with the third FOUP on the second shelf, to the queueing position;
- and
- moving the first shelf, without a FOUP on the first shelf, to the load lock door opening, the first shelf without a FOUP thereon being at the load lock door opening while the second shelf with the third FOUP thereon is at the queueing position.
10 more elements
A processing system for processing a substrate, the processing system comprising:
- a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) load lock being configured to receive a FOUP in an interior space of the FOUP load lock, wherein the FOUP load lock further comprises:
- a shuttle disposed in the interior space, the shuttle comprising a clamp, a lateral extender, and a vertical lift;
- and
- a vacuum system fluidly connected to the interior space of the FOUP load lock, the vacuum system being operable to pump down a pressure of the interior space of the FOUP load lock;
- a transfer chamber attached to the FOUP load lock, the transfer chamber comprising a transfer robot, the transfer robot being operable to transfer a substrate from the FOUP in the interior space to the transfer chamber;
- a processing chamber attached to the transfer chamber, the transfer robot being operable to transfer a substrate from the transfer chamber to the processing chamber;
- and
- a FOUP elevator system disposed outside the interior space, the FOUP elevator system comprising a first shelf and a second shelf moveable along a track, wherein the first shelf and the second shelf are moveable along the track to a loading position to receive or provide a FOUP, the first shelf and the second shelf are moveable along the track to a load lock transfer position to transfer a FOUP to or from the interior space, the first shelf is movable along the track to a cleared position when the second shelf is at the loading position;
- and the second shelf is moveable along the track to a queueing position when the first shelf is at the load lock transfer position.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.