Semiconductor process equipment

A process station comprising:

• a housing comprising a first wall that comprises a first opening, wherein the first wall at least partially defines a transport region;
• a first membrane covering the first opening, wherein the first membrane comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface at least partially defines the transport region;
• a first cavity formed in the housing and isolated from the transport region by the first membrane, wherein the first cavity is at least partially defined by a portion of the first wall and the first surface of the first membrane;
• a magnetic levitation actuator assembly disposed in the first cavity and over the first surface of the first membrane, wherein the magnetic levitation actuator is configured to generate a first magnetic field that extends through the first membrane and within the transport region;
• a substrate support at least partially disposed in the transport region, the substrate support moveable from a first position to a second position;
• a source assembly disposed over the substrate support, the source assembly configured to process a substrate disposed on the substrate support when the substrate support is in the second position, and wherein the process may be at least one of chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, etch, lithography, ion implantation, ashing, cleaning, thermal process, or a degas;
• and
• an equipment assembly disposed in the housing, wherein a carrier with the substrate disposed thereon is below the equipment assembly when in a park position.

A process station comprising:

• a housing comprising a first wall that comprises a first opening, wherein the first wall at least partially defines a transport region, the housing further comprising a second wall that comprises a second opening;
• a first membrane covering the first opening, wherein the first membrane comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface at least partially defines the transport region;
• a second membrane covering the second opening, the second membrane including a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface of the second membrane at least partially defines the transport region;
• a first cavity formed in the housing and isolated from the transport region by the first membrane, wherein the first cavity is at least partially defined by a portion of the first wall and the first surface of the first membrane;
• a second cavity formed in the housing and isolated the transport region by the second membrane, wherein the first cavity is at least partially defined by the first surface of the second membrane;
• a magnetic levitation actuator assembly disposed in the first cavity and over the first surface of the first membrane, wherein the magnetic levitation actuator is configured to generate a first magnetic field that extends through the first membrane and within the transport region;
• and
• a second magnetic levitation actuator assembly disposed in the second cavity and over the first surface of the second membrane, wherein the magnetic levitation actuator is configured to generate a second magnetic field that extends through the second membrane and within the transport region, and wherein the second magnetic levitation actuator assembly is oriented parallel to the first magnetic levitation actuator assembly.

A process station, comprising:

• a housing comprising one or more walls that define a transport region;
• a membrane attached to a wall of the one or more walls of the housing, the membrane including a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the membrane and a portion of the wall of the one or more walls of the housing define a cavity, and the second surface at least partially defines the transport region;
• and
• a magnetic levitation actuator assembly disposed in the cavity and over the first surface of the membrane, and the magnetic levitation actuator assembly comprises:
• a plurality of stators, wherein each stator of the plurality of stators is configured to generate a first magnetic field that extends through the membrane and into the transport region;
• and
• a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor comprises a magnetic field detection sensor that is configured to detect a position of a magnetically permeable material disposed in the transport region relative to the sensor.

A process station, further comprising:

• a housing including a transport region, an opening, a first interface surface, and a second interface surface, wherein the opening is between the first interface surface and the second interface surface;
• a membrane covering the opening to enclose a cavity formed in the housing from the transport region, the membrane including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface partially defines the cavity and includes a first recess, and the transport region is partially defined by a second surface of the membrane;
• and
• a magnetic levitation actuation assembly including a first linear stator and a first top sensor at least partially disposed in the first recess.