Robotically loaded epitaxial deposition apparatus
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsDavid W. Severns, Brian Tompson, Paul R. Lindstrom, David K. Carlson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A susceptor carrying semiconductor wafers for processing is suspended from a compliant attachment at its upper end and is lowered into a reaction chamber for processing. At the completion of processing, the susceptor is withdrawn vertically to permit a robot to unload the processed wafers and load unprocessed wafers. In order to fix the position of the susceptor during the loading operations, a support carriage is moved into position to engage the lower end of the susceptor. Noxious and corrosive chloride vapors are simultaneously withdrawn from the reaction chamber by a vacuum line attached to the support carriage.
Claims3
A method for handling and supporting semiconductor substrates comprising:
- a. compliantly supporting a vertically oriented susceptor from the top end thereof;
- b. stabilizing said susceptor vertically from the bottom end thereof by engaging said bottom end with a plurality of frictionally engageable contact pads so that there is no lateral movement between said pads and said bottom end that can generate particulates;
- and
- c. loading or unloading substrates from said susceptor while it is stabilized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.