Multi-chamber system having compact installation set-up for an etching facility for semiconductor device manufacturing
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsKi-sang Kim, Gyu-chan Jeoung, Gyu-hwan Kwag
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices occupies a minimum amount of floor space in a cleanroom by installing a plurality of processing chambers in multi-layers and in parallel along a transfer path situated between the processing chambers. The multi-layers number 2 to 5, and the transfer path can be rectangular in shape and need only be slightly wider than the diameter of a wafer. The total width of the multi-chamber system is the sum of the width of one processing chamber plus the width of the transfer path.
Claims30
A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:
- a cassette stage for mounting a cassette having wafers stacked thereon;
- a transfer path adjacent to the cassette stage for providing space for transportation of wafers, the transfer path being at atmospheric pressure;
- a plurality of processing chambers aligned with the transfer path;
- a transfer mechanism installed in the transfer path for loading and unloading the wafers stacked on the cassette stage;
- and
- at least one load lock chamber, each said load lock chamber being directly connected to at one side of at least one of the processing chambers and serving as a stand-by area for the wafers.
A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:
- a cassette stage for mounting a cassette having wafers stacked thereon;
- a transfer path adjacent to the cassette stage for providing space for transportation of wafers, the transfer path being at atmospheric pressure and having a width slightly larger than a diameter of the wafers;
- a plurality of processing chambers aligned in a plurality of layers parallel to and adjoining the transfer path;
- a transfer mechanism capable of vertical/horizontal reciprocal movement installed in the transfer path for loading and unloading the wafers stacked on the cassette stage;
- and
- a load lock chamber directly connected to one side of the processing chambers, the load lock chamber serving as a stand-by area for the wafers.
A multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising:
- a first cassette stage for mounting a cassette having unprocessed wafers stacked thereon;
- a transfer path adjacent to the first cassette stage that provides space for transportation of wafers, the transfer path being at atmospheric pressure and having a width slightly larger than a diameter of the wafers;
- a plurality of processing chambers arranged in multi-layers and aligned in parallel adjoining the transfer path;
- a transfer mechanism capable of vertical/horizontal reciprocal movement installed in the transfer path for loading and unloading the wafers stacked on the first cassette stage;
- and
- a second cassette stage placed opposite to the first cassette stage and mounting thereon a cassette having processed wafers stacked thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.