Apparatus and method for enhanced degassing of semiconductor wafers for increased throughput

A method of degassing semiconductor wafers in a multi-station degas apparatus, comprising:

• positioning a heater and wafer holder assembly stage having a plurality of wafer slots in a sequential manner through each of said wafer slots to the next available wafer slot;
• removing a first of a plurality of wafers from one of said wafer slots using a transfer robotic arm after said wafer has been subjected to a degas treatment in a degas chamber;
• re-positioning said heater and wafer holder assembly stage to receive a second wafer from said loader robotic arm;
• loading said second wafer in an available wafer slot using said loader robotic arm after said first wafer has been removed;
• retracting said robotic arms;
• sealing said heater and wafer holder assembly stage into said degas chamber;
• and
• degassing said second wafer in said heater and wafer holder assembly while said first wafer is subjected to other process stations within said multi-station degas apparatus.

A multi-station degas apparatus for semiconductor wafer processing, comprising:

• a process degas chamber;
• a load/transfer chamber;
• a heater and wafer holder assembly stack having a plurality of slots, said heater and wafer holder assembly stack positionable within said degas chamber and said load/transfer chamber;
• a conduction heater in each of said plurality of slots for individual conduction heating of said wafers,
• a vertical motion bar and platform capable of moving said heater and wafer holder assembly stack to and from said chambers;
• at least two robotic arms for placing and removing wafers from said heater and wafer holder assembly stack;
• gas inlets for introducing process gases to said degas chamber;
• an o-ring positioned to seal said heater and wafer holder assembly stack and said platform when said heater and wafer holder assembly stack is raised into said degas chamber;
• a turbo-pump to extract water vapor and other contaminants from said degas chamber;
• and,
• pressure, temperature and positioning control devices.