Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a temperature of a substrate located in a semiconductor processing environment is disclosed. The substrate has a top surface and an edge surface, and is positioned in a prescribed location within the semiconductor processing environment. An infrared camera oriented to view one side of the edge surface of the substrate is triggered to obtain an infrared image of the one side of the edge surface of the substrate. The infrared image is processed to obtain a temperature profile of the substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of analyzing uniformity for substrate processing, and related apparatus and systems, for semiconductor manufacturing. In one or more embodiments, a non-uniformity is indicated, and the non-uniformity is a temperature non-uniformity and/or a physical non-uniformity. In one or more embodiments, a signal profile is accepted or rejected. In one or more embodiments, a method of analyzing uniformity for substrate processing applicable for semiconductor manufacturing includes heating an internal volume of a processing chamber using a target value. The method includes rotating a substrate support, and scanning, while rotating the substrate support, a sensor across one or more sections to take a plurality of readings. The method includes generating a signal profile including the plurality of readings, and analyzing the signal profile by comparing the signal profile to a range.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of adjusting uniformity for substrate processing, and related apparatus and systems, for semiconductor manufacturing. In one or more embodiments, a heating power applied to a set of one or more heat sources is adjusted by an adjustment factor. In one or more embodiments, a method of adjusting uniformity. The method includes scanning a sensor across one or more sections to take a plurality of readings, generating a signal profile including the plurality of readings, and analyzing the signal profile by comparing the signal profile to a range. The method includes adjusting one or more heating parameters if at least one portion of the signal profile is outside of the range. The adjusting includes identifying a set of one or more heat sources that correlate with the at least one portion of the signal profile, and adjusting a heating power by an adjustment factor.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a substrate support for processing of semiconductor substrates. In one example, the substrate support has a body. The body has a top surface configured to support a substrate thereon. The body has a bottom surface opposite the top surface. The body has an upper portion disposed at the top surface and a lower portion disposed at the bottom surface. An IR blocking material is encased by the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the IR blocking material is an optically opaque at IR wavelengths and the lower portion is optically transparent at IR wavelengths.

Abstract: A carrier FOUP and a method of placing a carrier are provided. The carrier FOUP includes a body and a door. The body includes a plurality of chamfers, and one or more carriers are placed on, and supported by, the plurality of chamfers. The method of placing a carrier includes placing the carrier in the carrier FOUP and closing the door of the carrier FOUP. When the door is closed, the door pushes against the carrier and aligns the carrier with the alignment feature. The alignment features align the carrier, removing the need to be aligned by the factory interface robot when placing or removing the carrier from the carrier FOUP.

Abstract: An alignment module for housing and cleaning masks. The alignment module comprises a mask stocker, a cleaning chamber, an alignment chamber, an alignment stage a transfer robot. The mask stocker is configured to house a mask cassette configured to store a plurality of masks. The cleaning chamber is configured to clean the plurality of masks by providing one or more cleaning gases into a chamber after a mask is inserted into the cleaning chamber. The alignment stage is configured to support a carrier and a substrate. The transfer robot is configured to transfer a mask from one or more of the alignment stage and the mask stocker to the cleaning chamber.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a substrate support for processing of semiconductor substrates. In one example, the substrate support has a body. The body has a top surface configured to support a substrate thereon. The body has a bottom surface opposite the top surface. The body has an upper portion disposed at the top surface and a lower portion disposed at the bottom surface. An IR blocking material is encased by the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the IR blocking material is an optically opaque at IR wavelengths and the lower portion is optically transparent at IR wavelengths.

Abstract: An alignment module for positioning a mask on a substrate comprises a mask stocker, an alignment stage, and a transfer robot. The mask stocker houses a mask cassette that stores a plurality of masks. The alignment stage is configured to support a carrier and a substrate. The transfer robot is configured to transfer one of the one or more masks from the mask stocker to the alignment stage and position the mask over the substrate. The alignment module may be part of an integrated platform having one or more transfer chambers, a factory interface having a substrate carrier chamber and one or more processing chambers. A carrier may be coupled to a substrate within the substrate carrier chamber and moved between the processing chambers to generate a semiconductor device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a substrate transfer device having a contactless latch and contactless coupling providing the ability to lock and unlock the substrate transfer device at atmospheric and vacuum pressure with without particle generation at a base of the substrate transfer device, the contactless latch, and the contactless coupling. The substrate transfer device includes a lid having one or more lid grooves, a base having one or more base grooves, and a rotation member rotatably coupled to the lid. Each flange of one or more flanges of the substrate transfer device is rotatable in aligned lid grooves and base grooves, and each flange of the one or more flanges has an arm with a ferromagnetic material coupled thereto. The base is coupled to the lid when the ferromagnetic material of the arm is aligned and spaced from a magnetic material of a slot of the one or more base grooves.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a processing system for forming one or more layers of a photodiode. In one embodiment, the processing system includes a transfer chamber, a plurality of processing chambers, and a controller configured to cause a process to be performed in the processing system. The process includes performing a pre-clean process on a substrate, aligning and placing a first mask on the substrate, depositing a first layer on the substrate, and depositing a second layer on the substrate. The processing system can form layers of a photodiode in a low defect, cost effective, and high utilization manner.

Abstract: A chucking station comprises a chuck, a power supply, and one or more pumping elements. The chuck comprises a plurality of first vacuum ports configured to interface with a surface of a substrate and a plurality of second vacuum ports configured to interface with a surface of a carrier. The chuck further comprises a first electrical pin configured to be in electrical communication with a first electrode of the carrier, and a second electrical pin configured to be in electrical communication with a second electrode of the carrier. The power supply is configured to apply a chucking voltage and a de-chucking voltage to the first and second electrical pins. The one or more pumping elements is coupled to the first and second vacuum ports and configured to generate a vacuum between the substrate and the chuck and a vacuum between the carrier and the chuck.

Abstract: A method includes aligning and positioning a carrier in a predetermined orientation and location within a first front opening pod (FOUP) of a cluster tool, transferring the carrier to a charging station of the cluster tool, transferring a substrate from a second front opening pod (FOUP) of the cluster tool to the charging station and chucking the substrate onto the carrier, transferring the carrier having the substrate thereon from the charging station to a factory interface of the cluster tool, aligning the carrier having the substrate thereon in the factory interface of the cluster tool such that during substrate processing within a processing platform of the cluster tool the carrier is properly oriented and positioned relative to components of the processing platform, where the processing platform comprises one or more processing chambers, transferring the aligned carrier having the substrate thereon from the factory interface to the processing platform of the cluster tool for substrate processing, and tra

Abstract: A method includes aligning and positioning a carrier in a predetermined orientation and location within a first front opening pod (FOUP) of a cluster tool, transferring the carrier to a charging station of the cluster tool, transferring a substrate from a second front opening pod (FOUP) of the cluster tool to the charging station and chucking the substrate onto the carrier, transferring the carrier having the substrate thereon from the charging station to a factory interface of the cluster tool, aligning the carrier having the substrate thereon in the factory interface of the cluster tool such that during substrate processing within a processing platform of the cluster tool the carrier is properly oriented and positioned relative to components of the processing platform, where the processing platform comprises one or more processing chambers, transferring the aligned carrier having the substrate thereon from the factory interface to the processing platform of the cluster tool for substrate processing, and tra

Abstract: A method includes aligning and positioning a carrier in a predetermined orientation and location within a first front opening pod (FOUP) of a cluster tool, transferring the carrier to a charging station of the cluster tool, transferring a substrate from a second front opening pod (FOUP) of the cluster tool to the charging station and chucking the substrate onto the carrier, transferring the carrier having the substrate thereon from the charging station to a factory interface of the cluster tool, aligning the carrier having the substrate thereon in the factory interface of the cluster tool such that during substrate processing within a processing platform of the cluster tool the carrier is properly oriented and positioned relative to components of the processing platform, where the processing platform comprises one or more processing chambers, transferring the aligned carrier having the substrate thereon from the factory interface to the processing platform of the cluster tool for substrate processing, and tra

Abstract: A method includes aligning and positioning a carrier in a predetermined orientation and location within a first front opening pod (FOUP) of a cluster tool, transferring the carrier to a charging station of the cluster tool, transferring a substrate from a second front opening pod (FOUP) of the cluster tool to the charging station and chucking the substrate onto the carrier, transferring the carrier having the substrate thereon from the charging station to a factory interface of the cluster tool, aligning the carrier having the substrate thereon in the factory interface of the cluster tool such that during substrate processing within a processing platform of the cluster tool the carrier is properly oriented and positioned relative to components of the processing platform, where the processing platform comprises one or more processing chambers, transferring the aligned carrier having the substrate thereon from the factory interface to the processing platform of the cluster tool for substrate processing, and tra

Abstract: A chucking station comprises a chuck, a power supply, and one or more pumping elements. The chuck comprises a plurality of first vacuum ports configured to interface with a surface of a substrate and a plurality of second vacuum ports configured to interface with a surface of a carrier. The chuck further comprises a first electrical pin configured to be in electrical communication with a first electrode of the carrier, and a second electrical pin configured to be in electrical communication with a second electrode of the carrier. The power supply is configured to apply a chucking voltage and a de-chucking voltage to the first and second electrical pins. The one or more pumping elements is coupled to the first and second vacuum ports and configured to generate a vacuum between the substrate and the chuck and a vacuum between the carrier and the chuck.

Abstract: A carrier FOUP and a method of placing a carrier are provided. The carrier FOUP includes a body and a door. The body includes a plurality of chamfers, and one or more carriers are placed on, and supported by, the plurality of chamfers. The method of placing a carrier includes placing the carrier in the carrier FOUP and closing the door of the carrier FOUP. When the door is closed, the door pushes against the carrier and aligns the carrier with the alignment feature. The alignment features align the carrier, removing the need to be aligned by the factory interface robot when placing or removing the carrier from the carrier FOUP.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a processing system for forming one or more layers of a photodiode. In one embodiment, the processing system includes a transfer chamber, a plurality of processing chambers, and a controller configured to cause a process to be performed in the processing system. The process includes performing a pre-clean process on a substrate, aligning and placing a first mask on the substrate, depositing a first layer on the substrate, and depositing a second layer on the substrate. The processing system can form layers of a photodiode in a low defect, cost effective, and high utilization manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a temperature of a substrate located in a semiconductor processing environment is disclosed. The substrate has a top surface and an edge surface, and is positioned in a prescribed location within the semiconductor processing environment. An infrared camera oriented to view one side of the edge surface of the substrate is triggered to obtain an infrared image of the one side of the edge surface of the substrate. The infrared image is processed to obtain a temperature profile of the substrate.

Abstract: An alignment module for housing and cleaning masks. The alignment module comprises a mask stocker, a cleaning chamber, an alignment chamber, an alignment stage a transfer robot. The mask stocker is configured to house a mask cassette configured to store a plurality of masks. The cleaning chamber is configured to clean the plurality of masks by providing one or more cleaning gases into a chamber after a mask is inserted into the cleaning chamber. The alignment stage is configured to support a carrier and a substrate. The transfer robot is configured to transfer a mask from one or more of the alignment stage and the mask stocker to the cleaning chamber.