Stacked process modules for a semiconductor handling system
AssigneeBlueShift Technologies, Inc.
InventorPeter van der Meulen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for a vacuum-based semiconductor handling system. The system may be a linear system with a four-link robotic SCARA arm for moving materials in the system. The system may include one or more vertically stacked load locks or vertically stacked process modules.
Claims22
A method of handling a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing system that includes a plurality of vertically stacked loading stations coupled to a shared vacuum environment and a plurality of process modules arranged in a linear system having a loading end and an exit end at opposite ends of the linear system, and at least one vertically stacked mid-entry station between the loading end and the exit end, the plurality of process modules sharing the shared vacuum environment and the plurality of process modules including a plurality of vertically stacked process modules, the method comprising:
- adding the wafer to the shared vacuum environment at one of the plurality of vertically stacked loading stations at the loading end of the linear system;
- moving the wafer to a top process module of a first one of the plurality of vertically stacked process modules relatively proximal to the loading end of the linear system;
- processing the wafer in the top process module;
- moving the wafer to a bottom process module of a second one of the plurality of vertically stacked process modules relatively proximal to the exit end of the linear system;
- processing the wafer in the bottom process module;
- and
- removing the wafer from the shared vacuum environment at the exit end of the linear system.
A method of handling a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing system that includes a plurality of vertically stacked loading stations coupled to a shared vacuum environment and a plurality of process modules arranged in a linear system having a loading end and an exit end at opposite ends of the linear system and at least one vertically stacked mid-entry station between the loading end and the exit end, the plurality of process modules sharing the shared vacuum environment and the plurality of process modules including a plurality of vertically stacked process modules, the method comprising:
- adding the wafer to the shared vacuum environment at one of the plurality of vertically stacked loading stations at the loading end of the linear system;
- moving the wafer to a bottom process module of a first one of the plurality of vertically stacked process modules relatively proximal to the loading end of the linear system;
- processing the wafer in the bottom process module;
- moving the wafer to a top process module of a second one of the plurality of vertically stacked process modules relatively proximal to the exit end of the linear system;
- processing the wafer in the top process module;
- and
- removing the wafer from the shared vacuum environment at the exit end of the linear system.
A method of handling a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing system that includes a plurality of vertically stacked loading stations coupled to a shared vacuum environment and a plurality of process modules arranged in a linear system having a loading end and an exit end at opposite ends of the linear system, the plurality of process modules sharing the shared vacuum environment and the plurality of process modules including a plurality of vertically stacked process modules, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of robotic arms for moving the wafer among the plurality of vertically stacked process modules, the plurality of robotic arms include at least one top robotic arm set and at least one bottom robotic arm set;
- adding the wafer to the shared vacuum environment at one of the plurality of vertically stacked loading stations at the loading end of the linear system;
- moving the wafer to a top process module of a first one of the plurality of vertically stacked process modules relatively proximal to the loading end of the linear system;
- processing the wafer in the top process module;
- moving the wafer to a bottom process module of a second one of the plurality of vertically stacked process modules relatively proximal to the exit end of the linear system;
- processing the wafer in the bottom process module;
- and
- removing the wafer from the shared vacuum environment at the exit end of the linear system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.