Substrate handling system and method
OwnerJames R. McLaneinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for handling substrates in a vacuum chamber. The system includes a first robot configured for transferring substrates from a first set of load locks to a preprocessing station, and for transferring substrates from a process platen to the first set of load locks; a second robot configured for transferring substrates from a second set of load locks to the preprocessing station, and for transferring substrates from the process platen to the second set of load locks; and a transfer mechanism for transferring substrates from the preprocessing station to the process platen.
Claims29
A substrate handler, having a vacuum chamber for processing a substrate in a controlled environment, the substrate handler comprising:
- a first robot configured for transferring substrates from a first set of load locks to a preprocessing station, and for transferring substrates from a process platen to the first set of load locks;
- a second robot configured for transferring substrates from a second set of load locks to the preprocessing station, and for transferring substrates from the process platen to the second set of load locks;
- and
- a transfer mechanism for transferring substrates from the transfer station to the process platen.
A method of handling substrates in a chamber, comprising:
- loading a first substrate from a first set of load locks to a preprocessing station using a first robot;
- preprocessing the first substrate on the preprocessing station;
- moving the first substrate to a process platen using a transfer mechanism;
- loading a second substrate from a second set of load locks to the preprocessing station using a second robot;
- preprocessing the second substrate on the preprocessing station;
- processing the first substrate on the process platen;
- moving the first substrate to the second set of load locks using the second robot;
- moving the second substrate to the process platen using the transfer mechanism;
- processing the second substrate on the process platen;
- and
- moving the second substrate to the first set of load locks using the first robot.
A method of handling substrates in a chamber, comprising:
- loading a first substrate from a first set of load locks to a preprocessing station using a first robot;
- preprocessing the first substrate on the preprocessing station;
- picking the first substrate off the preprocessing station and storing the first substrate on a transfer mechanism;
- loading a second substrate from a second set of load locks to the preprocessing station using a second robot;
- preprocessing the second substrate on the preprocessing station;
- placing the first substrate onto a process platen from the transfer mechanism;
- picking the second substrate off the preprocessing station and storing it on the transfer mechanism;
- loading a third substrate from the first set of load locks to the preprocessing station using the first robot;
- and
- processing the first substrate on the process platen.
A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed controls the flow of substrates within a substrate handler, the program product comprising:
- program code configured for causing a first robot to transfer substrates from a first set of load locks to a preprocessing station, and to transfer substrates from a process platen to the first set of load locks;
- program code configured for causing a second robot to transfer substrates from a second set of load locks to the preprocessing station, and to transfer substrates from the process platen to the second set of load locks;
- program code configured for causing a transfer mechanism to transfer substrates from the preprocessing station to the process platen;
- and
- program code configured for pumping and venting the first and second set of load locks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.