Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for cleaning and drying a container for semiconductor workpieces. The apparatus comprises a load port with a fixture that receives a dirty container and delivers it to a deck assembly with a carrier that removably receives the container for further handling. While the container is received by the carrier, a robot with a first end effector removes the container door and places it on a portion of the carrier. The robot includes a second end effector that engages the carrier and elevates the carrier and container for insertion into a process chamber. The process chamber includes a rotor with at least one receptacle wherein the rotor is rotated to create both high pressure and low pressure regions. Once the container and carrier are loaded into the rotor, the rotor is rotated and means for cleaning injects a processing fluid onto the container and carrier. After a rinse stage and while the rotor is rotating, the means for drying delivers air across the container and carrier.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally processing a microelectronic workpiece comprises a rotatable carousel assembly configured to support at least one workpiece. A driver is coupled to the carousel assembly and rotates the carousel assembly, moving the workpiece between a loading station, a heating station and a cooling station. The loading, heating and cooling stations are radially positioned about a center axis of the carousel assembly. The heating station includes a heating element and an actuator for moving the heating element into thermal engagement with the workpiece in the heating station. The cooling station includes a cooling element and an actuator for moving the cooling element into thermal engagement with the workpiece in the cooling station. A process fluid distribution manifold for delivering process fluid to the workpieces at each station extends through a central opening in the carousel assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally processing a microelectronic workpiece is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotatable carousel assembly configured to support at least one workpiece. A driver is coupled to the carousel assembly and rotates the carousel assembly, moving the workpiece between a loading station, a heating station and a cooling station. The loading, heating and cooling stations are radially positioned and approximately equally spaced about a center axis of the carousel assembly. The heating station includes a heating element and an actuator for moving the heating element into thermal engagement with the workpiece in the heating station. The cooling station includes a cooling element and an actuator for moving the cooling element into thermal engagement with the workpiece in the cooling station. A process fluid distribution manifold for delivering process fluid to the workpieces at each station extends through a central opening in the carousel assembly.

Abstract: A workpiece handling and processing system has a interface section for loading wafers from cassettes into carriers. The wafers are lifted out of cassettes by a buffer elevator and moved into a position over an open carrier by a buffer robot. A comb elevator lifts combs entirely through the open cassette, to transfer the wafers from the buffer robot into the carrier. A process robot moves loaded carriers from the interface section to one or more process chambers in a process section. The advantages of processing wafers within a carrier are achieved within a compact space and with high throughput.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning boxes used for handling flat media includes a rotor rotatably mounted within an enclosure, with spray nozzles in the enclosure for spraying fluid toward the rotor. The rotor has at least one box holder assembly for holding a box. At least one retainer bar is located on the rotor for engaging a front section of the box to retain the box in the box holder assembly during rotation of the rotor. The retainer bar is preferably moveable from a first position where the retainer bar restrains the box on the box holder assembly, to a second position where the retainer bar is moved away from the box. The box holder assembly may alternatively include a base with a plurality of grooved elements thereon that are adapted to engage a flange on the box for securing the box to the box holder assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally processing a microelectronic workpiece is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotatable carousel assembly configured to support at least one workpiece. A driver is coupled to the carousel assembly and rotates the carousel assembly, moving the workpiece between a loading station, a heating station and a cooling station. The loading, heating and cooling stations are radially positioned and approximately equally spaced about a center axis of the carousel assembly. The heating station includes a heating element and an actuator for moving the heating element into thermal engagement with the workpiece in the heating station. The cooling station includes a cooling element and an actuator for moving the cooling element into thermal engagement with the workpiece in the cooling station. A process fluid distribution manifold for delivering process fluid to the workpieces at each station extends through a central opening in the carousel assembly.

Abstract: A modular apparatus for thermally processing a microelectronic workpiece is provided. The modular apparatus comprises a mounting module having a rotatable carousel assembly configured to support at least one workpiece. A driver is coupled to the carousel assembly and rotates the carousel assembly, moving the workpiece between a loading station, a heating station and a cooling station. The thermal processing modular apparatus has a front docking unit for removeably connecting it to a load/unload module and a rear docking unit for removeably connecting it to a wet chemical processing tool, or another tool for otherwise processing a workpiece. A transport system (i.e., robot) services the modular tool units that can be automatically calibrated to work with individual processing components of the tool units.

Abstract: A centrifugal processor includes an elongated inlet and outlet in fluid communication with a rotor housing having an eccentric bowl. A rotor having fan blades and adapted to hold flat media is rotatably disposed within the rotor housing. An intake gate is pivotably mounted to the rotor housing to swing about the rotor into a closed position during a rinse mode and into an open position during a drying mode. The gate has a wedge that is designed to almost contact the rotor when the gate is in the open position for drying. The geometry of the elongated inlet, outlet, and eccentric bowl, in combination with the design of the rotor and that of the intake gate, work together to create a cross flow fan having a flow path across the flat media and one that exposes the flat media to large volumes of incoming air only once.

Abstract: An integrated tool that enables wet chemical processing chambers, lift-rotate units and other hardware to be quickly interchanged without having to recalibrate the transport system or other components to the replacement items. These tools are expected to reduce the down time associated with repairing or maintaining processing chambers and/or lift-rotate units so that the tools can maintain a high throughput. Several aspects of these tools are particularly useful for applications that have stringent performance requirements because components are more likely to require maintenance more frequently, and reducing the down time associated with maintaining such components will significantly enhance the integrated tool.

Abstract: Interchangeable workpiece handling apparatuses and associated tools for processing microfeature workpieces are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a device support having a first alignment surface at an alignment plane. A processing chamber is received in an aperture at the alignment plane. A workpiece handling device is positioned proximate to the processing chamber and includes a workpiece support, a drive unit operatively coupled to the workpiece support to move the workpiece support along a generally linear motion axis, and a mounting portion coupled to the workpiece support and having a second alignment surface removably mated with the first alignment surface. In a particular embodiment, the workpiece handling device is supported relative to the device support only at or above the alignment plane. Accordingly, the workpiece handling device can be easily removed from the device support and need not impede access to components beneath the alignment plane.

Abstract: A wet chemical processing chamber comprising a fixed unit, a detachable unit releasably coupled to the fixed unit, a seal contacting the fixed unit and the detachable unit, and a processing component disposed in the fixed unit and/or the detachable unit. The fixed unit can have a first flow system configured to direct a processing fluid through the fixed unit and a mounting fixture for fixedly attaching the fixed unit to a platform or deck of an integrated processing tool. The detachable unit can include a second flow system configured to direct the processing fluid to and/or from the first flow system of the fixed unit. The seal has an orifice through which processing fluid can flow between the first and second flow systems, and the processing component can impart a property to the processing fluid for processing a surface on a microfeature workpiece having submicron microfeatures.

Abstract: An integrated tool and automatic calibration systems that enable wet chemical processing chambers, lift-rotate units and other hardware to be quickly interchanged without having to recalibrate the transport system or other components to the replacement items. These tools are expected to reduce the down time associated with repairing or maintaining processing chambers and/or lift-rotate units so that the tools can maintain a high throughput. Several aspects of these tools are particularly useful for applications that have stringent performance requirements because components are more likely to require maintenance more frequently, and reducing the down time associated with maintaining such components will significantly enhance the integrated tool.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning boxes used for handling flat media includes a rotor rotatably mounted within an enclosure, with spray nozzles in the enclosure for spraying fluid toward the rotor. The rotor has at least one box holder assembly for holding a box. At least one retainer bar is located on the rotor for engaging a front section of the box to retain the box in the box holder assembly during rotation of the rotor. The retainer bar is preferably moveable from a first position where the retainer bar restrains the box on the box holder assembly, to a second position where the retainer bar is moved away from the box. The box holder assembly may alternatively include a base with a plurality of grooved elements thereon that are adapted to engage a flange on the box for securing the box to the box holder assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning boxes used for handling flat media includes a rotor rotatably mounted within an enclosure, with spray nozzles in the enclosure for spraying fluid toward the rotor. The rotor has at least one box holder assembly for holding a box. At least one retainer bar is located on the rotor for engaging a front section of the box to retain the box in the box holder assembly during rotation of the rotor. The retainer bar is preferably moveable from a first position where the retainer bar restrains the box on the box holder assembly, to a second position where the retainer bar is moved away from the box. The box holder assembly may alternatively include a base with a plurality of grooved elements thereon that are adapted to engage a flange on the box for securing the box to the box holder assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning boxes used for handling flat media includes a rotor rotatably mounted within an enclosure, with spray nozzles in the enclosure for spraying fluid toward the rotor. The rotor has at least one box holder assembly for holding a box. At least one retainer bar is located on the rotor for engaging a front section of the box to retain the box in the box holder assembly during rotation of the rotor. The retainer bar is preferably moveable from a first position where the retainer bar restrains the box on the box holder assembly, to a second position where the retainer bar is moved away from the box. The box holder assembly may alternatively include a base with a plurality of grooved elements thereon that are adapted to engage a flange on the box for securing the box to the box holder assembly.

Abstract: A centrifugal processor includes an elongated inlet and outlet in fluid communication with a rotor housing having an eccentric bowl. A rotor having fan blades and adapted to hold flat media is rotatably disposed within the rotor housing. An intake gate is pivotably mounted to the rotor housing to swing about the rotor into a closed position during a rinse mode and into an open position during a drying mode. The gate has a wedge that is designed to almost contact the rotor when the gate is in the open position for drying. The geometry of the elongated inlet, outlet, and eccentric bowl, in combination with the design of the rotor and that of the intake gate, work together to create a cross flow fan having a flow path across the flat media and one that exposes the flat media to large volumes of incoming air only once.

Abstract: A process system for processing semiconductor wafers includes a stocker module, and immersion module, and a process module. A process robot moves on a lateral rail to transfer wavers between the modules. The immersion module is separated from the other modules, to avoid transmission of vibration. Immersion tanks are radially positioned within the immersion module, to provide a compact design. An immersion robot moves batches of wafers on an end effector between the immersion tanks. The end effector may be detachable from the immersion robot, so that the immersion robot can move a second batch of wafers, while the first batch of wafers undergoes an immersion process.

Abstract: An automated workpiece processing system has a transfer robot including an end effector having arms which move linearly towards each other to pick up a workpiece. Each arm has two workpiece contactors for engaging the edges of the workpiece. The contactors are positioned equally distant from the workpiece edges. The arms are moved linearly together, while they remain parallel to each other. The contactors contact the edges of the workpiece without causing sliding or displacement of the workpiece. Transfer robot movement or pre-positioning of the end effector is minimized, expediting handling of workpieces within the automated system.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system has a carrier including wafer slots. A process robot engages the carrier and installs the carrier into a rotor within a process chamber. The rotor has a tapered or stepped inside surface matching a tapered or stepped outside surface of the carrier. Wafer retainers on the carrier pivot to better secure wafers within the carrier.

Abstract: An automated processing system has an indexer bay perpendicularly aligned with a process bay within a clean air enclosure. An indexer in the indexer bay provides stocking or storage for work in progress wafers. Immersion and spin process modules are located in the process bay. A process robot moves between the indexer bay and process bay to carry wafers to and from the process modules. The wafers are processed within a carrier, reducing the potential for physical damage to the wafers. The process robot hands the carrier off to a rotor, in the spin process modules, or to an immersion elevator in the immersion module. Both spin and immersion processing are performed within an automated system.