Direct loadlock interface
AssigneeAsyst Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAnthony C. Bonora, Joshua T. Oen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A loadlock chamber for transferring one or more semiconductor wafers from a storage and transfer pod into high-vacuum process chambers in a contaminant free environment. The loadlock chamber includes mechanisms for separating a wafer-carrying cassette from the storage and transfer pod, mechanisms for transferring the cassette into a chamber which may be sealed and evacuated, and mechanisms for allowing transfer of wafers between the cassette and the various process chambers, wherein each of the mechanisms operates in an environment that is sealed against the external environment.
Claims41
A loadlock chamber for transferring at least one semiconductor wafer supported within a support structure from a pod into a wafer fabrication process chamber without exposing the at least one semiconductor wafer or support structure to an atmosphere exterior to the pod and loadlock chamber, the pod including a pod door and a pod cover mating with the pod door, the loadlock chamber comprising:
- means for receiving the pod;
- means for separating the support structure from the pod door and pod cover prior to loading the support structure into an interior of the loadlock chamber without exposing the support structure or at least one semiconductor wafer to the atmosphere exterior to the pod and loadlock chamber;
- and
- means for loading the support structure into said interior of the loadlock chamber without exposing the support structure or at least one semiconductor wafer to the atmosphere exterior to the pod and loadlock chamber, said interior including means for allowing transfer of the at least one semiconductor wafer from said interior to the wafer fabrication process chamber.
A chamber for transferring a wafer provided within a support structure from a pod, in which the wafer is stored and/or transferred, to a wafer fabrication process, the pod including a pod door on which the support structure is supported, and a pod cover engaged with the pod door, the chamber comprising:
- an assembly on a top surface of the chamber capable of engaging and supporting the pod cover;
- sealing means on said assembly for providing a seal between the pod cover and said assembly;
- a port access door on a top surface of the chamber, the port access door capable of supporting the pod door, and said port access door moving between a first position in which said port access door seals an interior of the chamber and a second position in which said port access door allows entry into said interior;
- disengaging means as part of said port access door for disengaging the pod door from the pod cover;
- separation means as part of said assembly for separating the support structure from the pod door;
- means for transferring the support structure into said interior of the chamber when said port access door is in said second position;
- and
- means for transferring the wafer from said interior to the wafer fabrication process when said port access door is in said first position;
- wherein the chamber is capable of transferring the wafer from the pod to the wafer fabrication process in an environment that is sealed against an environment external to the pod and said chamber.
A system for separating a semiconductor wafer cassette from a pod in which the semiconductor wafer cassette is stored and/or transported, the pod including a pod door on which the cassette is supported, and a pod cover engaged with the pod door, the system comprising:
- an assembly for receiving and supporting the pod, said assembly including:
- a first support surface for receiving and supporting the pod door, and
- a second support surface, for receiving and supporting the pod cover;
- disengaging means provided within said assembly for disengaging the pod cover from the pod door;
- first moving means provided within said assembly for moving said second support surface with respect to said first support surface to separate the pod cover from the pod door;
- gripping means supported on and moving with said second support surface for supportably gripping the cassette, and for lifting the cassette off of the pod door;
- and
- second moving means for moving said first support surface and the pod door away from the cassette.
A loadlock chamber for transferring a semiconductor wafer supported in a cassette from a pod in which the cassette is sealed into a semiconductor wafer fabrication process chamber, the pod including a pod door on which the cassette is supported, and a pod cover engaged with the pod door, the loadlock chamber comprising:
- an assembly for receiving and supporting the pod;
- a port door within said assembly for receiving and supporting the pod door and for sealing an interior of the loadlock chamber;
- a support plate within said assembly for receiving and supporting the pod cover;
- a disengaging mechanism provided within said assembly for disengaging the pod cover from the pod door;
- a lifting mechanism provided within said assembly for lifting said support plate with respect to said port door to separate the pod cover from the pod door;
- a gripping mechanism supported on and moving with said support plate for supportably gripping the cassette after the pod cover has been separated from the pod door, and for lifting the cassette off of the pod door as result of the movement of said support plate;
- a moving mechanism provided within said assembly for moving said port door and the pod door out of a vertical path of the cassette and for moving said port door out of sealing engagement with said loadlock chamber interior;
- a translating plate for moving into engagement with the cassette and for transporting the cassette into said loadlock chamber interior, said moving mechanism capable of moving said port door back into sealing engagement with the loadlock chamber interior to seal the loadlock chamber interior after the cassette is located within said loadlock chamber interior;
- and
- at least one access port for allowing transfer of the semiconductor wafer within the cassette from said loadlock chamber interior into the semiconductor wafer processing chamber.
A loadlock chamber for transferring a semiconductor wafer supported in a cassette into a semiconductor wafer fabrication process chamber, comprising:
- a port door for receiving and supporting the cassette and for sealing an interior of the loadlock chamber;
- a support plate provided circumferencially of said port door for receiving and supporting a cover capable of fitting over the cassette;
- a lifting mechanism for lifting said support plate with respect to said port door;
- a gripping mechanism supported on and moving with said support plate for supportably gripping the cassette and for lifting the cassette off of the pod door;
- a moving mechanism provided within said assembly for moving said port door out of a vertical path of the cassette and out of sealing engagement with said loadlock chamber interior;
- a translating plate for moving into engagement with the cassette and for transporting the cassette into said loadlock chamber interior, said moving mechanism capable of moving said port door back into sealing engagement with the loadlock chamber interior to seal the loadlock chamber interior after the cassette is located within said loadlock chamber interior;
- and
- at least one access port for allowing transfer of the semiconductor wafer within the cassette from said loadlock chamber interior into the semiconductor wafer processing chamber.
A method of transferring a semiconductor wafer supported within a support structure from a storage and/or transfer pod to a wafer fabrication process location, the pod comprising a pod door and a pod cover mating with the pod door, the method comprising the steps of:
- locating the pod adjacent a loadlock chamber proximate to the wafer fabrication process location;
- creating a sealed environment within the pod and said loadlock chamber;
- separating the support structure from the pod cover within said sealed environment;
- separating the support structure from the pod door within said sealed environment;
- transferring the support structure into an interior of said loadlock chamber after said support structure has been separated from the pod cover and pod door;
- and
- transferring the semiconductor wafer from said loadlock chamber interior into the wafer fabrication process location.
In a system having one or more semiconductor wafers provided within a plurality of cassettes, each cassette provided within a pod, a method of loading the plurality of cassettes into a sealed operation chamber within an interior of the loadlock chamber, the one or more semiconductor wafers capable of passing from the operation chamber into a wafer fabrication process chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
- loading a first pod on the loadlock chamber;
- creating a first sealed environment within said first pod and said loadlock chamber;
- separating a first cassette of the plurality of cassettes from said first pod within said first sealed environment;
- transferring said first cassette into the operation chamber;
- creating a second sealed environment within said operation chamber;
- removing said first pod from the loadlock chamber with the first cassette remaining sealed within the operation chamber;
- loading a second pod on the loadlock chamber;
- recreating said first sealed environment within said second pod and said loadlock chamber;
- separating a second cassette of the plurality of cassettes from said second pod;
- opening the operation chamber so that the inside of said second pod and the operation chamber together comprise a third sealed environment;
- transferring said second cassette into the operation chamber adjacent to said first cassette;
- and
- recreating said second sealed environment within said operation chamber.
A method for transferring at least one semiconductor wafer supported within a cassette from a pod having a pod cover and a pod door with said cassette resting on said pod door, into a wafer fabrication process, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving the pod on a housing of a chamber;
- opening said pod and said chamber without exposing the cassette or at least one semiconductor wafer to the atmosphere exterior to the pod and chamber;
- positioning the cassette in direct contact with an upper support surface of a vertical transport device provided within said chamber;
- transporting the cassette into an interior of said chamber via said vertical transport device.
A loadlock chamber for transferring at least one semiconductor wafer supported within a support structure from a pod into a wafer fabrication process chamber without exposing the at least one semiconductor wafer or support structure to an atmosphere exterior to the pod and loadlock chamber, the pod including a pod door and a pod cover mating with the pod door, the upper surface of the loadlock chamber defining a fixed reference plane, the loadlock chamber comprising:
- means for receiving the pod;
- separation means for separating the support structure from the pod, said separation means including:
- first means for raising the pod cover with respect to the fixed reference plane while the pod door and the support structure remain in a fixed position with respect to the fixed reference plane, and
- second means for raising the pod cover and the support structure with respect to the fixed reference plane while the pod door remains in a fixed position with respect to the fixed reference plane;
- means for loading the support structure into an interior of the loadlock chamber without exposing the support structure or at least one semiconductor wafer to the atmosphere exterior to the pod and loadlock chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.