Abstract: Examples of an interface module include a fan filter unit including a fan and a filter, a housing surrounding a space adjacent to the filter, a discharge system attached to the housing, a substrate support instrument provided in the housing, an upper housing surrounding a space adjacent to the fan, a gas supply system attached to the upper housing, a circulation duct connected to the housing and the upper housing, and a radiator provided between the fan and the filter.

Abstract: Examples of a substrate transfer system include a chamber in which a plurality of through holes are formed on a side surface, a substrate transfer device provided in the chamber, and a lamp heater disposed in the chamber. The lamp heater is configured to heat an inner wall of the chamber and the substrate transfer device.

Abstract: Examples of a method for teaching a transportation position includes correcting the position of an alignment jig having a plurality of sloping surfaces relative to a susceptor pin projecting upwards from an upper surface of a susceptor by lowering a robot hand to bring one of the sloping surfaces into contact with the susceptor pin and causing the susceptor pin to slide on the sloping surfaces by virtue of an own weight of the aliment jig, detecting a position of the alignment jig before and after the positional correction of the alignment jig, and correcting a movement destination information by an amount corresponding to a difference between an initial position and a corrected position of the alignment jig.

Abstract: Examples of a method for teaching a transportation position includes correcting the position of an alignment jig having a plurality of sloping surfaces relative to a susceptor pin projecting upwards from an upper surface of a susceptor by lowering a robot hand to bring one of the sloping surfaces into contact with the susceptor pin and causing the susceptor pin to slide on the sloping surfaces by virtue of an own weight of the aliment jig, detecting a position of the alignment jig before and after the positional correction of the alignment jig, and correcting a movement destination information by an amount corresponding to a difference between an initial position and a corrected position of the alignment jig.

Abstract: Examples of a substrate transporting system include a substrate transporting robot, a module that houses the substrate transporting robot therein and has an EFEM door, a load port for placing a FOUP having a FOUP door thereon, and a controller for opening the EFEM door while the FOUP door is closed when the FOUP is located at a dock position of the load port.

Abstract: A method for positioning wafers in dual wafer transport, includes: simultaneously moving first and second wafers placed on first and second end-effectors to positions over lift pins protruding from first and second susceptors, respectively; and correcting the positions of the first and second wafers without moving any of the lift pins relative to the respective susceptors or without moving the lift pins relative to each other, wherein when the first and second wafers are moved to the respective positions, the distance between the first wafer and tips of the lift pins of the first susceptor is substantially smaller than the distance between the second wafer and tips of the lift pins of the second susceptor.

Abstract: A pre-baking apparatus for heating a substrate upstream of a process tool is adapted to be connected to an EFEM (equipment front end module) and includes: a chamber which has a front face with multiple slots arranged in a height direction of the chamber, and which is divided into multiple compartments extending from the multiple slots, respectively, toward a rear end of the chamber for loading and unloading substrates; and a connecting frame for connecting the chamber to the process tool. The multiple compartments are separated from each other by a divider plate and provided with heaters for heating the multiple compartments, and each compartment has a gas injection port for blowing a hot inert gas over the substrate placed therein toward the slot.

Abstract: A pre-baking apparatus for heating a substrate upstream of a process tool is adapted to be connected to an EFEM (equipment front end module) and includes: a chamber which has a front face with multiple slots arranged in a height direction of the chamber, and which is divided into multiple compartments extending from the multiple slots, respectively, toward a rear end of the chamber for loading and unloading substrates; and a connecting frame for connecting the chamber to the process tool. The multiple compartments are separated from each other by a divider plate and provided with heaters for heating the multiple compartments, and each compartment has a gas injection port for blowing a hot inert gas over the substrate placed therein toward the slot.

Abstract: A cluster type semiconductor processing apparatus includes a wafer handling chamber having a polygonal base including multiple sides for wafer processing chambers and two adjacent sides for wafer loading/unloading chambers as viewed in a direction of an axis of the wafer handling chamber. An angle A between two adjacent sides of the multiple sides for wafer processing chambers is greater than an angle B which is calculated by dividing 360° by the number of the total sides consisting of the multiple sides for wafer processing chambers and the two adjacent sides for wafer loading/unloading chambers.

Abstract: A method for positioning wafers in dual wafer transport, includes: simultaneously moving first and second wafers placed on first and second end-effectors to positions over lift pins protruding from first and second susceptors, respectively; and correcting the positions of the first and second wafers without moving any of the lift pins relative to the respective susceptors or without moving the lift pins relative to each other, wherein when the first and second wafers are moved to the respective positions, the distance between the first wafer and tips of the lift pins of the first susceptor is substantially smaller than the distance between the second wafer and tips of the lift pins of the second susceptor.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate handling chamber, a pair of position sensors, and a substrate transfer robot. Each of the sensors comprises an emitter configured to emit a beam of light, and a receiver configured to receive the light beam. The substrate transfer robot comprises an end effector and a robot actuator. The end effector is configured to hold a substrate such that the substrate has a same expected position with respect to the end effector every time the substrate is held. The robot actuator is configured to move the end effector within the handling chamber to transfer substrates among a plurality of substrate stations. An edge of a substrate held in the expected position by the end effector can partially block a light beam of one of the position sensors, while another end of the end effector partially blocks a light beam of the other position sensor.

Abstract: A semiconductor-processing apparatus includes: a wafer handling chamber; a wafer processing chamber; a wafer handling device; a first photosensor disposed in the wafer handling chamber in front of the wafer processing chamber at a position where the wafer partially blocks light received by the first photosensor at a ready-to-load position and substantially entirely blocks light received by the first photosensor when the wafer moves from the ready-to-load position toward the wafer processing chamber in the x-axis direction; and a second photosensor disposed in the wafer handling chamber in front of the wafer processing chamber at a position where the wafer does not block light received by the second photosensor at the ready-to-load position and partially blocks light received by the second photosensor when the wafer moves from the ready-to-load position toward the wafer processing chamber in the x-axis direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus for transferring semiconductor substrates from a first container to a second container, includes: multiple end effectors; at least one robot arm with which the multiple end effectors are independently rotatably joined; and a controller storing software including instructions to judge which end effector or end effectors in the multiple end effectors are to be selected based on a distribution status of substrates stored in the first and second containers and to rotate the selected end effector(s) for unloading a substrate or substrates from the first container and loading the substrate or substrates to the second container.

Abstract: A semiconductor-processing apparatus includes: a wafer handling chamber; a wafer processing chamber; a wafer handling device; a first photosensor disposed in the wafer handling chamber in front of the wafer processing chamber at a position where the wafer partially blocks light received by the first photosensor at a ready-to-load position and substantially entirely blocks light received by the first photosensor when the wafer moves from the ready-to-load position toward the wafer processing chamber in the x-axis direction; and a second photosensor disposed in the wafer handling chamber in front of the wafer processing chamber at a position where the wafer does not block light received by the second photosensor at the ready-to-load position and partially blocks light received by the second photosensor when the wafer moves from the ready-to-load position toward the wafer processing chamber in the x-axis direction.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate handling chamber, a pair of position sensors, and a substrate transfer robot. Each of the sensors comprises an emitter configured to emit a beam of light, and a receiver configured to receive the light beam. The substrate transfer robot comprises an end effector and a robot actuator. The end effector is configured to hold a substrate such that the substrate has a same expected position with respect to the end effector every time the substrate is held. The robot actuator is configured to move the end effector within the handling chamber to transfer substrates among a plurality of substrate stations. An edge of a substrate held in the expected position by the end effector can partially block a light beam of one of the position sensors, while another end of the end effector partially blocks a light beam of the other position sensor.

Abstract: A cluster type semiconductor processing apparatus includes a wafer handling chamber having a polygonal base including multiple sides for wafer processing chambers and two adjacent sides for wafer loading/unloading chambers as viewed in a direction of an axis of the wafer handling chamber. An angle A between two adjacent sides of the multiple sides for wafer processing chambers is greater than an angle B which is calculated by dividing 360° by the number of the total sides consisting of the multiple sides for wafer processing chambers and the two adjacent sides for wafer loading/unloading chambers.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus for transferring semiconductor substrates from a first container to a second container, includes: multiple end effectors; at least one robot arm with which the multiple end effectors are independently rotatably joined; and a controller storing software including instructions to judge which end effector or end effectors in the multiple end effectors are to be selected based on a distribution status of substrates stored in the first and second containers and to rotate the selected end effector(s) for unloading a substrate or substrates from the first container and loading the substrate or substrates to the second container.

Abstract: Semiconductor processing equipment that has increased efficiency, throughput, and stability, as well as reduced operating cost, footprint, and faceprint is provided. Other than during deposition, the atmosphere of both the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber are evacuated using the transfer chamber exhaust port, which is located below the surface of the semiconductor wafer. This configuration prevents particles generated during wafer transfer or during deposition from adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Additionally, by introducing a purge gas into the transfer chamber during deposition, and by using an insulation separating plate 34, the atmospheres of the transfer and reaction chambers can be effectively isolated from each other, thereby preventing deposition on the walls and components of the transfer chamber.

Abstract: The equipment comprises a semiconductor-processing device in which a load-lock chamber, a transfer chamber and a reaction chamber are modularized into, a main frame, a stand-alone chamber frame on which the semiconductor-processing device is placed, a sliding mechanism for enabling attaching/removing of the chamber frame to/from the main frame smoothly, and a positioning mechanism for fixing a position of the chamber frame. This enables the processing device to be attached and removed at will. The method comprises pulling out from the main frame the chamber frame, on which the modularized semiconductor-processing device is placed; forming a maintenance space inside the main frame; maintaining the semiconductor-processing device and peripherals attached in the vicinity of the main frame, and putting the chamber frame with the processing device back into the main frame.

Abstract: Semiconductor processing equipment that has increased efficiency, throughput, and stability, as well as reduced operating cost, footprint, and faceprint is provided. Other than during deposition, the atmosphere of both the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber are evacuated using the transfer chamber exhaust port, which is located below the surface of the semiconductor wafer. This configuration prevents particles generated during wafer transfer or during deposition from adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Additionally, by introducing a purge gas into the transfer chamber during deposition, and by using an insulation separating plate 34, the atmospheres of the transfer and reaction chambers can be effectively isolated from each other, thereby preventing deposition on the walls and components of the transfer chamber.