Triple chamber load lock

Apparatus for transferring substrates comprising:

• a first chamber having an evacuable volume;
• a second chamber having an evacuable volume;
• a third chamber disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber;
• a first substrate transfer mechanism movable between a first position and a second position, the first substrate transfer mechanism comprising:
• a first plate movable between the first chamber and the third chamber, the first plate providing a vacuum seal between the first chamber and the third chamber when the first substrate transfer mechanism is in the first position;
• a second plate coupled to the first plate, the second plate providing a vacuum seal between the second plate and a portion of the first chamber when in the first position;
• and
• one or more substrate holder disposed between the first plate and the second plate.

Apparatus for transferring a substrate between a first environment having a first pressure and a second environment having a vacuum pressure, the apparatus comprising:

• a chamber body having a first side wall, a second side wall, a top and a bottom defining a chamber volume therebetween;
• a first interior wall disposed between the first side wall and the second side wall, the first interior wall having a first aperture disposed therein;
• a first region defined between the first interior wall and the top of the chamber body, the first region being selectively isolatable from the first environment;
• a second interior wall disposed between the first side wall and the second side wall, the first interior wall having a second aperture disposed therein;
• a second region defined between the second interior wall and the bottom of the chamber body, the second region being selectively isolatable from the first environment;
• a third region defined between the first interior wall and the second interior wall the third region having fluid communication with the second environment and begin selectively isolatable from the first and second regions;
• a first substrate transfer mechanism moveable between the first and third regions, the first substrate transfer mechanism comprising:
• a first plate;
• a second plate coupled to the first plate;
• a first substrate holder disposed between the first plate and the second plate;
• and
• a second substrate holder disposed between the first substrate holder and the second plate;
• and
• a second substrate transfer mechanism moveable between the second and third regions, the second substrate transfer mechanism comprising:
• a first plate;
• a second plate coupled to the first plate;
• a first substrate holder disposed between the first plate and the second plate;
• and
• a second substrate holder disposed between the first substrate holder and the second plate.

Apparatus for transferring a substrate comprising:

• a transfer chamber adapted to transfer substrate in a vacuum environment;
• at least one robot disposed within the transfer chamber;
• one or more processing chamber coupled to the transfer chamber;
• and
• a first load lock chamber having an evacuable volume;
• a second load lock chamber having an evacuable volume;
• a third load lock chamber disposed between the first load lock chamber and the second load lock chamber, the third load lock chamber having an aperture fluidly coupling the third load lock chamber and the transfer chamber;
• a first substrate transfer mechanism a first position and a second position, the first substrate transfer mechanism comprising:
• a first plate movable between the first chamber and the third chamber, the first plate providing a vacuum seal between the first chamber and the third chamber when the first substrate transfer mechanism is in the first position;
• a second plate coupled to the first plate, the second plate providing a vacuum seal between the second plate and first chamber when in the first position;
• and
• one or more substrate holder disposed between the first plate and the second plate;
• and
• a second substrate transfer mechanism a first position and a second position, the second substrate transfer mechanism comprising:
• a first plate movable between the second chamber and the third chamber, the first plate providing a vacuum seal between the third chamber and the second chamber when the second substrate transfer mechanism is in the second position;
• a second plate coupled to the first plate, the second plate providing a vacuum seal between the second chamber and the second plate when the substrate transfer mechanism is in the second position;
• and
• one or more substrate holder disposed between the first plate and the second plate.

A method for transferring substrates between a first pressure and a second pressure comprising:

• providing at least one substrate disposed on a first substrate transfer mechanism disposed in an intermediate region of a load lock chamber;
• transferring substrates disposed on the first substrate transfer mechanism between the intermediate region of a load lock chamber and a transfer chamber, the transfer chamber having a first pressure and one or more process chambers coupled thereto;
• moving substrates disposed on the first substrate transfer mechanism between the intermediate region and a first region of the load lock chamber;
• sealing the first region from the third region by a first seal plate of the first substrate transfer mechanism;
• applying a secondary vacuum force to the first substrate transfer mechanism to offset a primary vacuum force applied to the first seal plate by the first pressure;
• venting the first region to about the second pressure.

A method for determining the location of a substrate positioned on a robot element subjected to changing thermal conditions, comprising:

• sensing and storing a set of metrics of the substrate prior to a change in thermal conditions;
• subjecting the robot element to changed thermal conditions;
• sensing and storing a set of metrics of the substrate after the change in thermal conditions;
• and
• resolving the position of the substrate resulting from thermal change of the robot element metrics.