Semiconductor processing system with gas curtain

A wafer processing system, comprising:

• a load chamber adapted to receive wafers from an external source and having an exhaust;
• a handling chamber attached to and in communication with said load chamber;
• a reaction chamber attached to and in communication with said handling chamber and a delivery port provided therebetween;
• a wafer handler mounted in said handling chamber including an extension arm for transferring wafers to and from said reaction chamber through said delivery port;
• an isolation valve mounted in said handling chamber to alternately open and close the delivery port;
• and
• a gas curtain apparatus mounted in said handling chamber adjacent said isolation valve, said gas curtain apparatus having an upper portion positioned above the level of the delivery port for generating a first flow of gas generally downward, and a lower portion positioned below the level of the delivery port for generating a second flow of gas generally upward, both the first and second gas flows being exhausted from said load chamber exhaust when said isolation valve is closed.

A method of processing wafers, comprising the steps of:

• loading a wafer from an external source into a load chamber having an exhaust;
• extracting said wafer from said load chamber into a handling chamber attached to and in communication with said load chamber using a wafer handler mounted in said handling chamber;
• opening a delivery port between said handling chamber and a reaction chamber attached to and in communication with said handling chamber by actuating an isolation valve mounted in said handling chamber;
• generating an upward curtain of purge gas flow from a location below the level of said delivery port and a downward curtain of purge gas flow from a location above the level of said delivery port;
• delivering said wafer through said delivery port to said reaction chamber;
• closing said delivery port by actuating said isolation valve;
• and
• exhausting said upward and downward curtains of purge gas flow from said handling chamber by creating a pressure gradient in said handling chamber with said a pressure balanced exhaust system.

A wafer processing system, comprising:

• a handling chamber;
• a reaction chamber attached to and in communication with said handling chamber and a delivery port provided therebetween;
• an isolation valve mounted in said handling chamber to alternately open and close the delivery port;
• a gas curtain apparatus mounted in said handling chamber adjacent said delivery port;
• a supply of first gas;
• a supply of second gas;
• and
• one or more valves located between said first gas supply and said gas curtain apparatus and between said second gas supply and said gas curtain apparatus, for switching gas flow for said gas curtains from a first gas to a second gas during a cycle of transferring a wafer from the handling chamber into the reaction chamber through the delivery port.

A wafer processing system, comprising:

• a handling chamber;
• a wafer handler mounted in said handling chamber for transferring wafers having an extension arm and a Bernoulli wand through which gas is flowed to lift a wafer;
• a supply of first gas;
• a supply of second gas;
• and
• one or more valves located between said first gas supply and said wafer handler and between said second gas supply and said wafer handler for switching gas flow for said Bernoulli wand from a first gas to a second gas.

A method of transferring wafers in a wafer processing system, comprising the steps of:

• lifting a wafer into a handling chamber using a wafer handler mounted in said handling chamber;
• opening a delivery port between said handling chamber and a reaction chamber attached to and in communication with said handling chamber by actuating an isolation valve mounted in said handling chamber;
• generating an upward curtain of purge gas flow from a location below the level of said delivery port and a downward curtain of purge gas flow from a location above the level of said delivery port;
• delivering said wafer through said delivery port to said reaction chamber;
• closing said delivery port by actuating said isolation valve.

A method of transferring wafers in a wafer processing system, the system including a wafer handling chamber with a wafer handler mounted therein and a wafer processing chamber connected thereto, a delivery port and isolation valve separating the handling and processing chambers, and a gas curtain apparatus positioned in the handling chamber in the vicinity of the isolation valve, the method comprising the steps of:

• flowing a first gas through the gas curtain apparatus while the isolation valve is closed;
• switching the flow of gas through the gas curtain apparatus from said first gas to a second, different gas;
• sweeping said first gas from the vicinity of the delivery port with said gas curtain apparatus after said step of switching, then;
• opening said delivery port by actuating said isolation valve;
• delivering a wafer through said delivery port to said processing chamber by extending said wafer handler through said delivery port;
• and
• closing said delivery port by actuating said isolation valve.