US 7,246,985 B2Granted

Work-piece processing system

AssigneeAxcelis Technologies, Inc.

InventorJoseph Ferrara

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Abstract

A transfer system for use with a tool for processing a work-piece at low or vacuum pressure such as an ion implanter for implanting silicon wafers. An enclosure defines a low pressure region for processing of work-pieces placed at a work-piece processing station within the low pressure region. A two tier multiple work-piece isolation load lock transfers work-pieces from a higher pressure region to the lower pressure for processing and back to said higher pressure subsequent to said processing. A first robot transfers work-pieces within the low pressure region from the load locks to a processing station within the low pressure region. Multiple other robots positioned outside the low pressure region transfers work-pieces to and from the two tier work-piece isolation load locks from a source of said work-pieces prior to processing and to a destination of said work-pieces after said processing.

Claims23

Dependent claims

For use with a tool for processing a work-piece at low pressure, a work-piece transfer system comprising:

a) a first isolation load lock housed within a load lock housing for transferring a work-piece from a higher pressure region to a lower pressure region and back to said higher pressure region including first and second access openings facing said higher pressure region at different angles to allow the first load lock to be accessed from two different directions;
b) a second isolation load lock housed within said load lock housing positioned next to the first work-piece isolation load lock for transferring a work-piece from a higher pressure region to a lower pressure region and back to said higher pressure region including first and second access openings facing said higher pressure region at different angles to allow the second load lock to be accessed from two different directions;
c) a work-piece processing station for processing work-pieces at low pressure;
d) a first robot for transferring work-pieces from one of said first and second work-piece isolation load locks to the work-piece processing station;
and
e) multiple other robots positioned in said higher pressure region outside the low pressure region for transferring work-pieces to and from the adjacent work-piece isolation load locks from a source of said work-pieces prior to processing and to a destination of said work-pieces after said processing wherein each of said multiple other robots is aligned in facing relation for moving workpieces through a specified one of said first and second access openings of a given load lock.

3 more elements

A process for serially processing multiple work-pieces at low pressure comprising:

positioning two load locks adjacent to each other wherein each load lock has first and second atmosphere access openings that confront a region of atmosphere at different angles;
providing a low pressure robot having two end effectors for moving work-pieces to a processing station from the two load locks;
positioning multiple in-air robots in facing relationship with a specified atmosphere access opening of the two load locks for moving workpieces into and out of said two load locks;
grasping an unprocessed work-piece with one in-air robot and moving said unprocessed work-piece into a first load lock of said two load locks through a first atmospheric load lock access opening having a facing relationship with said one in-air robot and placing the unprocessed work-piece inside the first load lock;
lowering the pressure within the first load lock;
removing the unprocessed work-piece from the first load lock with one end effector of said low pressure robot and moving the unprocessed work-piece to a processing station;
placing an already processed work-piece obtained from the processing station with a second end effector of said low pressure robot into one load lock of said two load locks;
raising the pressure within the one load lock;
and
removing the processed work-piece from the one load lock through a specified atmospheric load lock access opening.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/826,419Filed 16 Apr 2004
Published: US 2005/0232727 A120 Oct 2005
Granted: 24 Jul 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H10P 72/0471
Comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process: comprising at least one ion or electron beam chamber
H10P 72/0466
Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations: characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber
H10P 72/3302
Into and out of processing chamber: mechanical parts of transfer devices
H10P 72/3304
Into and out of processing chamber: characterised by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices