Modular semiconductor processing system
AssigneeASM International N.V.
InventorTheodorus G.M. Oosterlaken
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a modular semiconductor substrate processing system (1), including a plurality of independently operable substrate processing units (100). Each unit (100) comprises a reactor module (104) and a substrate transfer module (102). Within the system (1), the substrate transfer modules (102) of the different units (100) are serially interconnected such that substrates (116) may be exchanged between them. Exchange of substrates (116) between neighboring processing units (100) is facilitated by a shared substrate hand-off station (130) that is associated with each pair of neighboring processing units. The actual transfer of substrates is performed by a substrate handling robot (122), which may preferably be of the SCARA-type.
Claims20
A modular semiconductor substrate processing system, including:
- a plurality of independently operable substrate processing units, each unit including:
- a reactor module at a rear side of the unit, including a reactor for processing at least one substrate;
- and
- a substrate transfer module at a front side of the unit, including:
- a substrate transfer chamber, defined by at least a front wall and two side walls;
- a substrate cassette I/O-port provided in the front wall of the substrate transfer chamber for receiving at least one substrate cassette;
- a substrate handling robot disposed within the substrate transfer chamber and capable of transferring substrates between a substrate cassette received at the I/O-port and the reactor module;
- and
- a coupling provision provided at at least one of the side walls of the substrate transfer chamber, and configured for cooperation with a coupling provision of another processing unit so as to interconnect the respective processing units and to define an optionally closable substrate transfer passage between their substrate transfer chambers;
- wherein the processing units are serially interconnected via said coupling provisions;
- at least one substrate hand-off station configured to temporarily hold at least one substrate, wherein at least one substrate hand-off station is associated with a pair of neighboring, interconnected processing units and at least partially disposed within one of the substrate transfer chambers of said respective pair of neighboring processing units and/or the substrate transfer passage between them;
- wherein the substrate handling robots of said pair of neighboring processing units are configured to access their associated substrate hand-off station so as to exchange substrates via said substrate hand-off station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.