Vacuum carrier interface having a switchable reduced capacity airlock chamber

A semiconductor processing system, comprising:

• a transfer module;
• one or more process modules, the one or more process modules configured to perform a semiconductor process on a substrate;
• and
• a vacuum carrier interface configured to interface with the transfer module, the vacuum carrier interface comprising:
• an input interface configured to receive one or more substrates at atmospheric pressure;
• a substrate handling manifold configured to receive the one or more substrates from the input interface at atmospheric pressure and interface with the transfer module in a vacuum;
• an output interface configured to deliver one or more substrates to the transfer module from the substrate handling manifold;
• a vacuum manifold base plate and a lower pedestal, which are spaced apart, the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal forming a chamber between a lower surface of the vacuum manifold base plate and an upper surface of the lower pedestal;
• and
• an indexer configured to raise and lower the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal, wherein the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal in a lowered position form a vacuum indexer above the vacuum manifold base plate, and the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal in a raised position form an airlock chamber between the lower surface of the vacuum manifold base plate and the upper surface of the lower pedestal when the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal is placed within the substrate handling manifold.

A method of delivering a substrate to a process module in a vacuum, the method comprising:

• receiving one or more substrates at atmospheric pressure at an input interface of a vacuum carrier interface;
• processing the one or more substrates received from the input interface at atmospheric pressure in the vacuum carrier interface into a vacuum, the vacuum carrier interface comprising:
• an input interface configured to receive one or more substrates at atmospheric pressure;
• a substrate handling manifold configured to receive the one or more substrates from the input interface at atmospheric pressure and interface with a transfer module in a vacuum;
• an output interface configured to deliver one or more substrates to the transfer module from the substrate handling manifold;
• a vacuum manifold base plate and a lower pedestal, which are spaced apart, the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal forming a chamber between a lower surface of the vacuum manifold base plate and an upper surface of the lower pedestal;
• and
• an indexer configured to raise and lower the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal, wherein the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal in a lowered position form a vacuum indexer above the vacuum manifold base plate, and the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal in a raised position form an airlock chamber between the lower surface of the vacuum manifold base plate and the upper surface of the lower pedestal when the vacuum manifold base plate and the lower pedestal is placed within the substrate handling manifold;
• and
• delivering the one or more substrates in a vacuum to the transfer module via the output interface.