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US 7,018,517 B2Granted
Transfer chamber for vacuum processing system
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsShinichi Kurita, Emanuel Beer, Hung T. Nguyen, Wendell T. Blonigan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transfer chamber for a substrate processing tool includes a main body having side walls adapted to couple to at least one processing chamber and at least one load lock chamber. The main body houses at least a portion of a robot adapted to transport a substrate between the processing chamber and the load lock chamber. A lid couples to and seals a top of the main body of the transfer chamber. The transfer chamber also has a domed bottom adapted to couple to and to seal a bottom portion of the main body of the transfer chamber.
Claims30
A transfer chamber comprising:
- a main body having sidewalls adapted to couple to at least one processing chamber and at least one load lock chamber and to house at least a portion of a robot adapted to transport a substrate between the at least one processing chamber and the at least one load lock chamber;
- a lid adapted to couple to and to seal a top portion of the main body of the transfer chamber;
- and
- a domed bottom adapted to couple to and to seal a bottom portion of the rain body of the transfer chamber;
- wherein the domed bottom includes a domed region having a radius of curvature greater than a radius of the main body.
2 more elements
A vacuum processing system, comprising:
- a transfer chamber comprising:
- a main body having sidewalls adapted to couple to at least one processing chamber and at least one load lock chamber and to house at least a portion of a robot adapted to transport a substrate between the at least one processing chamber and the at least one load lock chamber;
- a lid adapted to couple to and to seal a top portion of the main body of the transfer chamber;
- and
- a domed bottom adapted to couple to and to seal a bottom portion of the main body of the transfer chamber;
- wherein the domed bottom includes a domed region having a radius of curvature greater than a radius of the main body;
- at least one processing chamber coupled to the main body of the transfer chamber;
- at least one load lock chamber coupled to the main body of the transfer chamber;
- and
- a robot at least partially extending through the domed bottom into the transfer chamber, the robot adapted to transport a substrate between the at least one processing chamber and the at least one load lock chamber via the transfer chamber.
7 more elements
A method of forming a domed bottom for a transfer chamber adapted to couple at least one load lock chamber to at least one processing chamber, the method comprising:
- selecting a material;
- and
- forming a domed bottom from the material, the domed bottom having an outer diameter sized to fit against and configured to form a seal with a bottom portion of a main body of a transfer chamber wherein the domed bottom is adapted to have a domed region with a radius of curvature greater than a radius of the main body and an aperture having a diameter sized to accommodate at least a portion of a robot adapted to transfer substrates between at least one load lock chamber and at least one processing chamber coupled to the transfer chamber.
A transfer chamber comprising:
- a main body having sidewalls adapted to couple to at least one processing chamber and at least one load lock chamber and to house at least a portion of a robot adapted to transport a substrate between the at least one processing chamber and the at least one load lock chamber;
- a lid adapted to couple to and to seal a top portion of the main body of the transfer chamber;
- and
- a domed bottom adapted to couple to and to seal a bottom portion of the main body of the transfer chamber;
- wherein the domed bottom includes:
- a cylindrical region having a height adapted to accommodate at least a portion of an arm of a robot positioned within the transfer chamber;
- and
- a domed region having:
- a first radiused portion having a first radius of curvature;
- and
- a second radiused portion extending between the first radiused portion and the cylindrical region and having a second radius of curvature that is less than the first radius of curvature;
- wherein the first radius of curvature is greater than a radius of the main body.
9 more elements
A method of forming a domed bottom for a transfer chamber adapted to couple at least one load lock chamber to at least one processing chamber, the method comprising:
- selecting a material;
- and
- forming a domed bottom from the material, the domed bottom having:
- a cylindrical region having a height adapted to accommodate at least a portion of an arm of a robot positioned within the transfer chamber;
- and
- a domed region having:
- a first radiused portion having a first radius of curvature;
- and
- a second radiused portion extending between the first radiused portion and the cylindrical region and having a second radius of curvature that is less than the first radius of curvature;
- wherein the first radius of curvature is greater than a radius of the main body.
7 more elements
A method of transporting substrates, comprising:
- providing a transfer chamber having:
- a main body having sidewalls adapted to couple to at least one processing chamber and at least one load lock chamber and to house at least a portion of a robot adapted to transport a substrate between the at least one processing chamber and the at least one load lock chamber;
- a lid adapted to couple to and to seal a top portion of the main body of the transfer chamber;
- and
- a domed bottom adapted to couple to and to seal a bottom portion of the main body of the transfer chamber;
- wherein the domed bottom includes a domed region having a radius of curvature greater than a radius of the main body;
- providing a substrate to the transfer chamber;
- and
- employing the transfer chamber to transport the substrate during electronic device manufacturing.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.