Decentralized substrate handling and processing system
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorScott Gregory Lloyd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronics manufacturing system includes a first substrate transfer via having position detection sensors to detect a position of a substrate in the first substrate transfer via and flow-controlled valves to inject inert gas through a floor and move the substrate in a predetermined direction with reference to the position within the first substrate transfer via by adjusting a pressure of the inert gas underneath the substrate. A processing chamber is coupled to the first substrate transfer via and having a pedestal with apertures and flow-controlled devices to inject inert gas through the apertures to receive the substrate from the first substrate transfer via and move the substrate into a second substrate transfer via after processing of the substrate.
Claims21
An electronics manufacturing system comprising:
- a first substrate transfer via comprising:
- a plurality of position detection sensors to detect a position of a substrate in the first substrate transfer via;
- and
- a plurality of flow-controlled valves configured to:
- inject inert gas through a floor of the first substrate transfer via;
- and
- move the substrate in a predetermined direction with reference to the position within the first substrate transfer via by adjusting a pressure of the inert gas underneath the substrate;
- and
- a processing chamber coupled to the first substrate transfer via, the processing chamber comprising:
- a pedestal comprising a plurality of apertures;
- and
- a plurality of flow-controlled devices to:
- inject inert gas through the plurality of apertures to receive the substrate from the first substrate transfer via;
- and
- move the substrate into a second substrate transfer via after processing of the substrate.
A processing chamber comprising:
- a pedestal comprising a plurality of apertures, the pedestal sized to receive a substrate and comprising a first post;
- a flow-controlled device to:
- inject inert gas, via the first post, through the plurality of apertures of the pedestal to receive the substrate on the pedestal from a first substrate transfer via for processing;
- and
- inject inert gas, via the first post, through the plurality of apertures of the pedestal to eject the substrate from the pedestal into a second substrate transfer via after processing of the substrate;
- a lower enclosure comprising a second post, the lower enclosure adapted to receive the pedestal;
- a lift physically connected to one of the lower enclosure or the second post, the lift to raise the lower enclosure and the pedestal into the processing chamber;
- and
- an exhaust channel, formed within the second post, to purge process waste after processing.
A method comprising:
- injecting inert gas through a first plurality of flow-controlled valves and through a porous floor of a first substrate transfer via of an electronics manufacturing system, the inert gas pushing up beneath a substrate within the first substrate transfer via;
- receiving, from a plurality of position detection sensors within the first substrate transfer via, positioning data of the substrate moving through the first substrate transfer via;
- processing, by a controller coupled to the plurality of position detection sensors and to the first plurality of flow-controlled valves, the positioning data to determine a location of the substrate within the first substrate transfer via;
- and
- adjusting, by the controller, a pressure of the inert gas from at least some of the first plurality of flow-controlled valves to move the substrate in a predetermined direction with reference to the location toward a processing chamber coupled to the first substrate transfer via.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.