Computer controlled system for processing semiconductor wafers

In a wafer processing system, means defining a reaction chamber having inlet and outlet ports, a walking beam conveyor extending through the ports for carrying a wafer into and out of the chamber, load locks associated with the inlet and outlet ports for maintaining the chamber in a closed condition as the wafer passes through the ports, a first electrode mounted in a stationary position in the chamber, a second electrode mounted on a swinging arm for movement between an upright wafer receiving position adjacent to the conveyor and an inverted wafer processing position above the first electrode, means for securing the wafer to the second electrode for movement therewith, means for introducing a reagent gas into the chamber, and means for energizing the electrodes to ionize the gas to form a plasma for processing the wafer.

In a wafer processing system, means defining a reaction chamber having inlet and outlet ports, a walking beam conveyor extending through the ports for carrying a wafer into and out of the chamber, load locks associated with the inlet and outlet ports for maintaining the chamber in a closed condition as the wafer passes through the ports, means for introducing a reagent gas into the chamber, and electrically energized electrodes for ionizing the gas to form a plasma for processing the wafer, said electrodes comprising a first electrode mounted in a stationary position away from the conveyor, a second electrode mounted on a swinging arm for movement between an upright wafer receiving position adjacent to the conveyor and an inverted wafer processing position above the first electrode, and means for securing the wafer to the second electrode for movement therewith.

In a wafer processing system:

• means defining a reaction chamber having inlet and outlet ports, load locks operable to provide access to the chamber through the ports while maintaining the chamber in a closed condition, conveyor means for carrying a wafer into and out of the chamber through the load locks, a first electrode mounted in a stationary position within the chamber, a second electrode mounted on a swinging arm for movement between an upright receiving position adjacent to the conveyor means and an inverted wafer processing position above the first electrode, means for securing the wafer to the second electrode for movement therewith, flow control means for controlling the admission of gas into the chamber, means for energizing the electrodes to ionize the gas to form a plasma for processing the wafer, and exhaust pump for evacuating the chamber, and computer means for controlling operation of the conveyor means, the load locks, the swinging arm the flow control means, the exhaust pump and energization of the electrodes to process the wafer in a predetermined manner.

In a process for processing a wafer having a generally planar surface in a system comprising a reaction chamber, a conveyor for carrying the wafer into and out of the chamber, a first electrode mounted in a stationary position within the chamber, and a second electrode mounted on a swinging arm for movement between a wafer receiving position and a wafer processing position, the steps of:

• transporting the wafer into the chamber on the conveyor transferring the wafer from the conveyor to the second electrode, securing the wafer to the second electrode, swinging the arm about an axis parallel to the wafer surface to move the second electrode and the wafer from the receiving position to the processing position, introducing reagent gas into the chamber, and energizing the electrodes to ionize the gas and form a plasma for processing the wafer.

In a wafer processing system:

• means defining a reaction chamber, a first electrode mounted in a predetermined position within the chamber, a second electrode mounted on a swinging arm for movement between a wafer receiving position away from the first electrode and a wafer processing position adjacent to the first electrode, conveyor means comprising a walking beam having relatively moveable elongated rails for carrying the wafer to and from the reaction chamber, a plurality of fingers operatively connected to the rails and extending through openings in the second electrode for moving the wafer onto and off of the second electrode when said electrode is in the wafer receiving position, means for securing the wafer to the second electrode for movement with said electrode between the wafer receiving position and the wafer processing position, means for introducing a reagent gas into the chamber, and means for energizing the electrodes to ionize the gas and form a plasma for processing the wafer between the electrodes when the second electrode is in the processing position above the first electrode.

In a wafer processing system:

• a reaction chamber, means for introducing a reagent gas into the chamber, first and second electrically energized electrodes for ionizing the gas to form a plasma for processing the wafer, conveyor means for transporting the wafer into and out of the reaction chamber, and a plurality of fingers operatively connected to the conveyor means and extending through openings in one of the electrodes for transferring the wafer between the conveyor means and the one electrode.