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US 2009/0024244 A1Published application
High throughput semiconductor wafer processing
AssigneeSemitool, Inc.
InventorsRandy A. Harris, Steve L. Eudy, Paul Z. Wirth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wafer processing system has a wafer loading system accommodating sufficient wafer carriers to substantially maximize the processing speed capability of the processing system. Wafer carriers are placed into and removed from the loading system by one or two overhead carrier loading tracks. Carriers may be loaded or removed while other carriers are in work. One or more transfer robots may move wafers from the carriers to buffers. One or more process robots in a process module move wafers from buffers, or other locations, to processors in the process module.
Claims21
A method comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier from a first overhead carrier loading track into a first position of a wafer processing system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction, from the first position to a second position;
- lifting the first wafer carrier to a third position;
- docking the first wafer carrier at a docking position;
- removing a door from the first wafer carrier;
- removing wafers from the first wafer carrier;
- processing the wafers removed from the first wafer carrier;
- replacing the processed wafers into the first wafer carrier or into an auxiliary wafer carrier;
- replacing the door onto the first wafer carrier;
- undocking the first wafer carrier;
- lowering a second wafer carrier from the first overhead carrier loading track into the first position of the wafer processing system;
- and
- lifting the first wafer carrier from the wafer processing system via a second overhead carrier loading track.
10 more elements
A method comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier from an overhead carrier loading track into a first position of a wafer processing system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction, from the first position to a second position;
- lifting the first wafer carrier to a third position;
- lowering a second wafer carrier from the overhead carrier loading track into the first position of the wafer processing system;
- docking the first wafer carrier at a docking position;
- removing a door from the first wafer carrier;
- removing wafers from the first wafer carrier;
- processing the wafers removed from the first wafer carrier;
- replacing the processed wafers into the first wafer carrier;
- replacing the door onto the first wafer carrier;
- undocking the first wafer carrier;
- moving the second wafer carrier up to an intermediate position vertically above the first position;
- moving the first wafer carrier down from the third position back to the second position;
- moving the second wafer carrier substantially in the first direction from the intermediate position into third position;
- moving the first wafer carrier from the second position back to the first position;
- docking the second wafer carrier at the docking position;
- lifting first wafer carrier up from the processing system using the overhead carrier loading track.
14 more elements
A method comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier from a first overhead carrier loading track into a first position of a wafer processing system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction from the first position to a second position;
- docking the first wafer carrier at a first docking position;
- removing a door from the first wafer carrier;
- removing wafers from the first wafer carrier;
- processing the wafers removed from the first wafer carrier;
- replacing the processed wafers into the first wafer carrier or into an auxiliary wafer carrier;
- replacing the door onto the first wafer carrier;
- undocking the first wafer carrier;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a second direction from the second position to a first position;
- lowering a second wafer carrier from a second overhead carrier loading track into third position of the wafer processing system, substantially vertically above the second position;
- docking the second wafer carrier at a second docking position above the first docking position;
- removing a door from the second wafer carrier;
- removing wafers from the second wafer carrier;
- processing the wafers removed from the second wafer carrier;
- replacing the processed wafers into the second wafer carrier;
- replacing the door onto the second wafer carrier;
- undocking the second wafer carrier;
- lifting the first wafer carrier up off of the processing system with the first overhead loading track;
- and
- lifting the second wafer carrier up off of the processing system with the second overhead loading track.
18 more elements
A method comprising:
- lowering a first wafer carrier from a first overhead carrier loading track into a first position of a wafer processing system;
- moving the first wafer carrier substantially in a first direction, from the first position to a second position;
- lifting the first wafer carrier to a third position;
- docking the first wafer carrier at a docking position;
- removing a door from the first wafer carrier;
- removing wafers from the first wafer carrier;
- processing the wafers removed from the first wafer carrier;
- replacing the processed wafers into the first wafer carrier or into an auxiliary wafer carrier;
- replacing the door onto the first wafer carrier;
- undocking the first wafer carrier;
- lowering a second wafer carrier from a second overhead carrier loading track into a stack position above the third position;
- lowering the first wafer carrier from the third position back to the second position;
- lowering the second wafer carrier from the stack position to the third position;
- moving the first wafer carrier from the second position back to the first position;
- docking the second wafer carrier at the docking position;
- and
- lifting the first wafer carrier from the wafer processing system via the first overhead carrier loading track.
14 more elements
A processing system comprising:
- a docking wall having a plurality of docking openings;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- a first row of carrier loading positions accessible by a first overhead loading track, and a second row of carrier loading positions accessible by a second overhead loading track;
- a shuttle actuator positioned to move a carrier to or from a position in the first row to or from a position in the second row;
- a carrier loader positioned to receive a carrier from the shuttle actuator, at the second row;
- a lift actuator linked to the carrier loader for lifting and lowering the carrier loader;
- at least one robot on a second side of the docking wall, opposite from the first side;
- and
- at least one processing chamber accessible by the robot.
6 more elements
A processing system comprising:
- a docking wall having a plurality of docking openings;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- a first row of carrier loading positions accessible by an overhead load/unload track, and a second row of carrier loading positions parallel to the first row;
- a shuttle actuator positioned to move a carrier from a position in the first row to a position in the second row;
- a first carrier loader having a first lift actuator;
- a second carrier loader having a second lift actuator, with the second carrier loader adapted to move in a direction opposite to movement of the first carrier loader;
- at least one robot on a second side of the docking wall, opposite from the first side;
- and
- at least one process chamber accessible by the robot.
6 more elements
A processing system comprising:
- a docking wall having a first row of docking openings and a second row of docking openings above the first row;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- a first row of carrier loading positions accessible by a first overhead loading track, and a second row of carrier loading positions accessible by a second overhead loading track;
- a shuttle actuator positioned to move a first carrier from a position in the first row to a position at a docking opening in the first row of docking openings;
- a docking actuator positioned to dock a second carrier at a docking opening in the second row of docking openings;
- at least one robot on a second side of the docking wall, opposite from the first side;
- and
- at least one process chamber accessible by the robot.
5 more elements
A processing system comprising:
- a docking wall having a plurality of docking openings;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- a first row of carrier loading positions accessible by a first overhead loading track, and a second row of carrier loading positions accessible by a second overhead loading track;
- a carrier loader having upper and lower carrier holding plates, with the upper carrier plate accessible by a second overhead loading track;
- an upper docking actuator attached to the upper carrier plate and a lower docking actuator attached to the lower carrier plate;
- a lift actuator connected to the carrier loader for lifting and lowering the carrier loader;
- a shuttle actuator adapted to move a carrier from the first row onto the lower carrier holding plate;
- at least one robot on a second side of the docking wall, opposite from the first side;
- and
- at least one process chamber accessible by the robot.
7 more elements
A processing system comprising:
- a docking wall having a plurality of docking openings;
- a carrier loading system on a first side of the docking wall, with the carrier loading system having:
- first and second rows of carrier positions on the carrier loading system, with at least one of the first and second rows of carrier positions accessible by at least one overhead loading track;
- at least one actuator positioned to move a first carrier from the first row or the second row to a docking opening;
- a first buffer and a second buffer;
- at least one transfer robot movable to carry a wafer from a carrier to the first and/or second buffers;
- and
- a process module including:
- a first row of process chambers;
- a first robot movable to carry a wafer between the first buffer and a process chamber in the first row of process chambers;
- a second row of process chambers;
- a second robot movable to carry a wafer between the second buffer and a process chamber in the second row of process chambers;
- and
- a dividing wall separating the first and second row of process chambers.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.