APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR POLISHING AND CLEANING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS
Wafer processing apparatuses and methods for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers with high productivity, small footprint, easy maintenance and low defectivity are provided. The apparatuses comprise a polishing apparatus and a cleaning apparatus. The polishing apparatus comprises at least one polishing module. Each module comprises at least one polishing surface, at least one polishing head, at least one wafer transfer station and a transport mechanism to transfer the at least one polishing head between the at least one polishing surface and the at least one wafer transfer station. The polishing module may comprise a shield member and fluid injection devices to protect the at least one polishing surface from foreign particles. The cleaning apparatus can comprise two or more dry chambers for high productivity. The wafer processing apparatuses can comprise two cleaning apparatuses for high productivity.
This application is entitled to the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 61/280,441 filed on Nov. 3, 2009, 61/283,324 filed on Dec. 2, 2009, 61/283,479 filed on Dec. 4, 2009, 61/283,694 filed on Dec. 8, 2009, 61/284,160 filed on Dec. 14, 2009, 61/284,448 filed on Dec. 21, 2009, and 61/399,096 filed on Jul. 6, 2010, which are all incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer processing equipments, and more particularly to apparatuses and methods for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONLocal and global planarization of semiconductor wafers becomes increasingly important as more metal layers and interlayer dielectric layers are stacked on the wafers. A preferred method to planarize the wafers is a polishing method, where a surface of a semiconductor wafer is polished using a slurry solution supplied between the wafer and a polishing pad. The polished wafer is cleaned using chemicals and deionized (DI) water and then dried before the wafer is further processed in an apparatus for deposition of metallic or dielectric layers or photolithography.
In general, a wafer processing apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafers includes a polishing apparatus and a cleaning apparatus. The polishing apparatus generally comprises multiple polishing tables where polishing pads are placed and multiple polishing heads that support and press the wafers against the polishing pads. The cleaning apparatus generally comprises multiple cleaning chambers for cleaning semiconductor wafers and a dry chamber for drying the cleaned wafers. The wafers polished in the polishing apparatus are cleaned sequentially through the multiple cleaning chambers and then dried in the dry chamber.
One of the most important performance factors of a wafer processing apparatus for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers is productivity. For high productivity, a wafer processing apparatus can comprise two cleaning apparatuses because productivity of a wafer processing apparatus can be limited by low productivity of a single cleaning apparatus. When integrating two cleaning apparatuses with a polishing apparatus, the arrangement of the polishing apparatus and the cleaning apparatuses becomes important to efficiently polish and clean multiple semiconductor wafers. In addition, the footprint of a wafer processing apparatus must also be considered since a wafer processing apparatus with a large footprint requires a larger clean room to house the equipment, which translates into greater cost of operation.
Another important performance factor of a wafer processing apparatus for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers is ease of maintenance. For easy maintenance, the arrangement of polishing and cleaning apparatuses in a wafer processing apparatus becomes important to provide enough space for engineers to access the polishing and cleaning apparatuses in order to maintain them.
One of the most important performance factors of a cleaning apparatus used in a wafer processing apparatus for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers is productivity. For high productivity of a wafer processing apparatus, productivity of a cleaning apparatus needs to be improved because productivity of a wafer processing apparatus can be limited by low productivity of a cleaning apparatus.
One of the most important performance factors of a polishing apparatus used in a wafer processing apparatus for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers is productivity. For higher productivity, a polishing apparatus typically requires more polishing tables and more polishing heads. As the numbers of polishing tables and polishing heads included in a polishing apparatus are increased, the efficient arrangement of the polishing tables and the polishing heads becomes important to design a polishing apparatus providing efficient polishing of semiconductor wafers with a small footprint.
Another important performance factor of a polishing apparatus used in a wafer processing apparatus for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers is defectivity. Defectivity can be caused by large foreign particles dropping onto polishing pads from moving parts used to transfer polishing heads between the polishing pads. For low defectivity, a polishing apparatus requires an efficient design to protect polishing pads from the foreign particles.
In view of these issues, what is needed is an apparatus and method for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers with high productivity, small footprint, sufficient maintenance space and low defectivity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn apparatus for polishing an object in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises at least one polishing surface, at least one polishing head assembly comprising at least one polishing head, at least one object transfer station and a transport mechanism configured to transport the at least one polishing head assembly between the at least one polishing surface and the at least one object transfer station. The transport mechanism comprises a support structure comprising an opening disposed over the at least one polishing surface and the at least one object transfer station, at least one inner guide rail supported by the support structure, wherein the at least one inner guide rail is surrounded by the opening, at least one first guide block slidibly coupled to the at least one inner guide rail, at least one outer guide rail supported by the support structure, wherein the at least one outer guide rail surrounds the opening, at least one second guide block slidibly coupled to the outer guide rail, at least one head supporting member mounted to the at least one first guide block and the at least one second guide block, wherein the at least one head supporting member supports the at least one polishing head assembly, and at least one drive mechanism coupled to the at least one head supporting member, wherein the at least one drive mechanism is configured to transport the at least one polishing head assembly coupled to the at least one head supporting member between the at least one polishing surface and the at least one object transfer station.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention.
With reference to
In the following description of the polishing apparatus 5, only the components of the first polishing module 10 are described. The components of the second polishing module 10′ are not described separately because the components of the first polishing module are used in the same manner as the components of the second polishing module. The components used in the second polishing module 10′ are designated with an additional prime symbol (′) after the same reference numbers used to designate the components used in the first polishing module 10, similar to the designations of the first and second polishing modules 10 and 10′. For example, the first polishing heads of the first and second polishing modules 10 and 10′ are designated as 20a and 20a′, respectively.
With reference to
As shown in
The rotation mechanism 26 is overhead mounted above the polishing tables 13a and 13b to a top frame structure (not shown in
The wafer transfer station 18 and the first and second polishing surfaces 14a and 14b are disposed angularly about the rotation axis 28 such that angles from a center 18c of the wafer transfer station 18 to the respective rotation axes 15a and 15b of the first and second polishing surfaces 14a and 14b about the rotation axis 28 may be equal to each other and in the range from 100 to 110 degree. Any device that can transfer wafers with the polishing heads 20a-20c can be used as the wafer transfer station 18.
For polishing wafers, the polishing heads 20a-20c with the wafers are transferred to the polishing surfaces 14a and 14b about the rotation axis 28 by the rotation mechanism 26 and then pressed against the polishing surfaces 14a and 14b. The polishing heads 20a-20c are rotated about the respective rotation axes 23a-23c and the polishing surfaces 14a and 14b are also rotated about the respective rotation axes 15a and 15b. Slurry is supplied onto the polishing surfaces 14a and 14b during this polishing process.
As shown in
Still referring to
In the description of the polishing apparatus 5, positioning the centers 23a-23c of the polishing heads 20a-20c at the polishing position P11 means that the centers 23a-23c can be positioned on the circular path 28a within 1 inch distance range from P11 toward P12; positioning the centers 23a-23c at the polishing position P12 means that the centers 23a-23c can be positioned on the circular path 28a within 1 inch distance range from P12 toward P21; positioning the centers 23a-23c at the polishing position P21 means that the centers 23a-23c can be positioned on the circular path 28a within 1 inch distance range from P21 toward P22; and positioning the centers 23a-23c at the polishing position P22 means that the centers 23a-23c can be positioned on the circular path 28a within 1 inch distance range from P22 toward P21. During the polishing process on the polishing positions P11-P22, the centers 23a-23c of the polishing heads 20a-20c can be oscillated clockwise one inch and counterclockwise one inch to and from P11, P12, P21 and P22 respectively about the rotation axis 28 by the rotation mechanism 26.
Turning back to
Depending on the locations of the pad conditioning devices 80a-80b′ and the slurry arms 90a-90b′ relative to the polishing surfaces 14a-14b′, polishing positions on the polishing surfaces 14a-14b′ are determined. For example, the polishing apparatus 5 shown in
With different locations of the pad conditioning devices 80a-80b′ and the slurry arms 90a-90b′ relative to the polishing surfaces 14a and 14b′ and different arrangement of the polishing modules 10 and 10′, different polishing positions can be used as shown in
With reference to
The cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′ are devices where polished wafers are placed by the wafer transfer device 40. The first cleaner buffer 16b is positioned at a first end 120x of the first cleaning apparatus 120 which is adjacent to the polishing apparatus 5. The second cleaner buffer 16b′ is positioned at a first end 120x′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120′ which is adjacent to the polishing apparatus 5. The cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′ may be enclosed in the respective cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ as one of the components of the respective cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′. Respective second ends 120y and 120y′ of the first and second cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ are positioned adjacent to the factory interface 64. The wafer output stages 16c and 16c′ are positioned at the respective second ends 120y and 120y′ of the first and second cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′.
The polishing apparatus 5 is disposed in the back side of the wafer processing apparatus 100 such that the respective imaginary planes A and A′ of the polishing modules 10 and 10′ are parallel to a depth direction of the wafer processing apparatus 100. The cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ are disposed between the factory interface 64 and the polishing apparatus 5 such that longer sides 120a and 120a′ of the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ are parallel to the depth direction of the wafer processing apparatus 100. The cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ are disposed such that there is a space 120S, which is surrounded by the factory interface 64, the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′, and the polishing apparatus 5. The wafer input stage 16a and the wafer transfer device 40 are positioned in the space 120S.
The factory interface 64 includes a cassette 60 and a wafer transfer device 50. The cassette 60 is a device to store wafers to be processed and the wafers that have been processed. The wafer transfer device 50 transfer wafers from the cassette 60 to the wafer input stage 16a and from the wafer output stages 16c and 16c′ of the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ to the cassette 60. The factory interface 64 may further comprise a linear track 52. The wafer transfer device 50 is coupled to the linear track 52 such that the wafer transfer device 50 can move linearly along the track 52. The linear track 52 is positioned parallel to a width direction of the wafer processing apparatus 100, as indicated in
The wafer input stage 16a is a device where wafers that will be transferred by the wafer transfer device 40 are placed by the wafer transfer device 50. The wafer input stage 16a may be coupled to a stage transfer device 77 such that the wafer input stage 16a can move between a wafer receiving position RP1 and a wafer release position RP2 by the stage transfer device 77. The wafer receiving position RP1 is adjacent to the factory interface 64 such that the wafer input stage 16a can receive wafers from the wafer transfer device 50. The wafer release position RP2 is adjacent to the wafer transfer device 40 such that the wafer input stage 16a can release the wafers to the wafer transfer device 40.
The wafer transfer device 40 is positioned in a space surrounded by the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′, the cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′, and the wafer release position RP2. The wafer transfer device 40 may be mounted to a linear track 42. The linear track 42 is designed and disposed such that the wafer transfer device 40 can move between the wafer release position RP2, the cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′, and the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ of the polishing apparatus 5.
With reference to
The internal wafer transfer device 122 comprises multiple grippers 162a-162e and a vertical-and-lateral transfer mechanism 164. The first gripper 162a transfers a wafer from the cleaner buffer 16b through a first position CP1 and a second position CP2 to the first wafer stage 124a. The second gripper 162b transfers the wafer from the first wafer stage 124a through the second position CP2 and a third position CP3 to the second wafer stage 124b. The third gripper 162c transfers the wafer from the second stage 124b through the third position CP3 and a fourth position CP4 to the third wafer stage 124c. The fourth gripper 162d transfers the wafer from the third stage 124c through the fourth position CP4 and a fifth position CP5 to the fourth wafer stage 124d. The fifth gripper 162e transfers the wafer from the fourth stage 124d through the fifth position CP5 and a sixth position CP6 to the wafer output stage 16c.
Turning back to
A second wafer W2 is transferred from the cassette 60 to the wafer input stage 16a in the same way as the first wafer W1. The wafer W2 is then transferred from the wafer input stage 16a at the wafer release position RP2 to the wafer transfer station 18′ of the second polishing module 10′ by the wafer transfer device 40. The wafer W2 is picked from the wafer transfer station 18′ by the first polishing head 20a′ of the second polishing module 10′. The wafer W2 is polished on the first and second polishing surfaces 14a′ and 14b′, and then placed on the wafer transfer station 18′ by the first polishing head 20a′. The wafer W2 is transferred from the wafer transfer station 18′ to the cleaner buffer 16b′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120′ by the wafer transfer device 40, further transferred from there through the cleaning module 124′ to the wafer output stage 16c′ by the internal wafer transfer device 122′ and then transferred from the wafer output stage 16c′ to the cassette 60 by the wafer transfer device 50.
In general, a first group of wafers such as the first wafer W1 are processed through one of the polishing modules 10 and 10′ and one of the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′; and a second group of wafers such as the second wafer W2 are processed through the other of the polishing modules 10 and 10′ and the other of the second cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′.
With reference to
In an embodiment, the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ used in the wafer processing apparatuses 100a are configured to share the cleaner buffer 16b as described with reference to
In an alternative embodiment of the stage transfer device 79, a wafer relay device 172 can be used as shown in
With reference to
With reference to
The polishing apparatus 5a and 5b can be used in the wafer processing apparatus 100 as a replacement of the polishing apparatus 5 shown in
The polishing apparatuses 5a and 5b can be used in the wafer processing apparatus 100a shown in
With reference to
The polishing apparatus 5b is disposed such that there are a space 111a between the first polishing module 10 of the polishing apparatus 5b and the first ends 120x and 120x′ of the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′; a space 111c between the second polishing module 10′ of the polishing apparatus 5b and the factory interface 64; and a wafer transfer path 111b between the second polishing module 10′ of the polishing apparatus 5b and the first end 120x′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120′. The wafer transfer path 111b connects the spaces 111a and 111c for wafer transfer between the spaces 111a and 111c. The polishing apparatus 5b may be disposed such that a distance 120D* from the second polishing module 10′ to the factory interface 64 is shorter than a distance 120D from the first ends 120x and 120x′ of the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ to the factory interface 64.
The wafer transfer device 40 is disposed in the space 111a such that the wafer transfer device 40 can transfer wafers from the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ to at least one of the cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′ of the first and second cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′. The space 111a also provides a space for an engineer to maintain the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ and the polishing apparatus 5b.
A buffer 16a* is disposed around the wafer transfer path 111b such that the wafer transfer device 40 can take wafers from the buffer 16a*. The buffer 16a* is a device to keep the wafers transferred by a second wafer transfer device 40*. The buffer 16a* may be configured to accommodate wafers vertically.
The second wafer transfer device 40* is disposed in the space 111c. The second wafer transfer device 40* is configured to transfer wafers to be polished from the wafer input stage 16a disposed adjacent to the factory interface 64 to the buffer 16a*. The second wafer transfer device 40* may be mounted to a linear track 42*.
In an operation of the wafer processing apparatus 100b, wafers to be polished are transferred from the wafer input stage 16a to the buffer 16a* by the second wafer transfer device 40*; transferred from the buffer 16a* to at least one of the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ of the polishing apparatus 5b by the wafer transfer device 40′; polished in the polishing apparatus 5b by at least one of the polishing heads 20a-20c′; transferred back to at least one of the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ by the at least one of the polishing heads 20a-20c′; and transferred from the at least one of the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ to at least one of the cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′ of the cleaning apparatuses 120 and 120′ by the wafer transfer device 40.
Alternatively, the wafer processing apparatus 100b may be configured such that the wafer transfer device 40 transfers the wafers polished in the polishing apparatus 5b back to the buffer 16a* instead of transferring them to the cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′. In this embodiment, the wafer transfer device 40* transfers the wafers from the buffer 16a* to at least one of the cleaner buffers 16b and 16b′.
With reference to
The pivoting wafer transfer device 180 is configured to transfer wafers with the polishing heads 20a-20c of the first polishing module 10 at a first transfer position 20P; with the wafer transfer device 40 at a parking position; and with the polishing heads 20a′-20c′ of the second polishing module 10′ at a second transfer position 20P′. The first transfer position 20P is a position where the wafer transfer station 18 of the first polishing module 10 was situated in the polishing apparatus 5 shown in
The first washing device 118 is disposed about the transfer position 20P and can spray DI water to the polishing heads 20a-20c and the wafers held by the polishing heads 20a-20c when the polishing heads 20a-20c are positioned at the transfer position 20P. The second washing device 118′ is disposed about the transfer position 20P′ of the second polishing module 10′ and can spray DI water to the polishing heads 20a′-20c′ and the wafers held by the polishing heads 20a′-20c′ when the polishing heads 20a′-20c′ are positioned at the transfer position 20P′.
With reference to
The pivoting wafer transfer device 180 comprises the loader 188, an arm 186, a shaft 184, a pivoting-and-vertical drive mechanism 182 and a pivoting axis 181. The loader 188 is a device to transfer wafers with the polishing heads. The load 188 is coupled to an end of the arm 186. The other end of the arm 186 is coupled to an end of the shaft 184 as shown in
A procedure of transferring wafers to the polishing heads 20a and 20a′ by the loader 188 is described using the polishing head 20a as an example with reference to
In an embodiment, as shown in
The polishing apparatus 5c shown in
With reference to
Referring to
An annular gear 630 is mounted coaxially to the inner cylindrical support 600c about the rotation axis 28. After the gear 630 is mounted, the circular bottom support 600d is mounted to the lower end of the inner cylindrical support 600c such that the bottom support 600d encloses a space 600S surrounded by the inner cylindrical support 600c. The inner space 600S is used for fluid supply channels such as vacuum and pressurized air, electrical power supply cables and data communication cables.
A first annular rim 605 is mounted to the lower end of the outer cylindrical support 600b such that the first annular rim 605 surrounds the annular opening 650. An annular outer guide rail 640a is mounted to the first annular rim 605 and an annular inner guide rail 640b is mounted to the bottom support 600d such that the outer and inner annular guide rails 640a and 640b surround the annular opening 650. Second and third annular rims 608a and 608b are mounted to the outer and inner guide rails 640a and 640b respectively such that they surround the annular opening 650.
A first group of nozzles 610a are mounted to the first annular rim 605 along the first annular rim 605 such that the first group of nozzles 610a can inject pressurized air toward an annular opening 655a (shown in
Referring to
With reference to
The head support 615a is configured such that its outer radial end is positioned over the outer guide rail 640a and movably coupled to the outer guide rail 640a through at least one guide block 645a. The guide block 645a, which is fixedly mounted to the outer radial end of the head support 615a, is movably coupled to the outer guide rail 640a. The head support 615a is also configured such that its inner radial end is positioned over the inner guide rail 640b and movably coupled to the inner guide rail 640b through at least one guide block 647a. The guide blocks 647a, which is fixedly mounted to the inner radial end of the head support 615a, is movably coupled to the inner guide rail 640b. When the head supports 615a-615c are assembled to the rotation mechanism 600, the annular opening 650 is exposed between the head supports 615a-615c as shown in
With reference to
With reference to
Referring to
The channel assembly 682a is suspended from the top support 600a using at least one bendable support 684a. When the head support 615a reciprocates clockwise and counterclockwise about the rotation axis 28 in order to transfer the polishing head 20a coupled to the rotational-and-vertical drive mechanism 22a between the polishing surfaces 14a and 14b and the wafer transfer station 18, the bendable support 684a supports the channel assembly 682a in a bendable manner such that stretching of the channel assembly 682a is not disturbed by the support 684a. The outlet and inlet ports and the channel assemblies of the second and third head supports 615b and 615c have similar configuration with those of the first head support 615a.
With reference to
The polishing heads 20a-20c can be transferred among the first and second polishing surfaces 14a and 14b and the wafer transfer station 18 by rotating the respective gears 643a-643c using the respective motors 642a-642c. The inlet ports 680a*-680c* are coupled to the respective rotational-and-vertical drive mechanisms 22a-22c and the respective polishing heads 20a-20c to supply vacuum, pressurized air and electrical power and to communicate with them.
With reference to
The three polishing surfaces 14a-14c and the two wafer transfer stations 18 and 18* of the polishing module 110 are angularly disposed about the rotation axis 28 in a sequence of the first wafer transfer station 18, the first polishing surface 14a, the second polishing surface 14b, the third polishing surface 14c and the second wafer transfer station 18*. The second wafer transfer station 18* is disposed such that the center 18c* of the second wafer transfer station 18* is also positioned on the circular path 28a. The polishing module 110 is configured such that the polishing heads 20a-20d can transfer wafers with any of the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18* and polish wafers on any of the polishing surfaces 14a-14c. The wafer transfer device 40 transfers the wafers with the first and second wafer transfer stations 18 and 18*.
In an operation of the polishing apparatus 5c*, the wafer transfer device 40 sequentially supplies wafers to the first transfer station 18; the polishing heads 20a-20d are sequentially transferred from the second wafer transfer station 18* to the first wafer transfer station 18 in order to sequentially load the wafers from the first transfer station 18; the polishing heads 20a-20d are sequentially transferred from the first wafer transfer station 18 through the polishing surfaces 14a-14c after loading the wafers; the wafers held by the polishing heads 20a-20d are sequentially polished on the polishing surfaces 14a-14c; the polishing heads 20a-20d are sequentially transferred from the third polishing surface 14c to the second wafer transfer station 18*; the wafers are sequentially unloaded from the polishing heads 20a-20d to the second transfer station 18*; and the wafers are sequentially removed from the second transfer station 18* by the wafer transfer device 40.
With reference to
(1) positioning the first, second, third and fourth polishing heads 20a-20d at the first wafer transfer station 18, the second wafer transfer station 18*, the third polishing surface 14c and the second polishing surface 14b respectively; transferring a first wafer W1 to the first wafer transfer station 18 by the wafer transfer device 40; and loading the wafer W1 to the first polishing head 20a from the first wafer transfer station 18 as shown in
(2) transferring the first polishing head 20a from the first wafer transfer station 18 to the first polishing surface 14a; transferring the second polishing head 20b from the second wafer transfer station 18* to the first wafer transfer station 18 such that the second wafer transfer station 18* is cleared to receive the third polishing head 20c; polishing the wafer W1 on the first polishing surface 14a by the first polishing head 20a; and transferring a second wafer W2 to the second wafer transfer station 18* by the wafer transfer device 40 as shown in
(3) transferring the third polishing head 20c to the second wafer transfer station 18*; and loading the wafer W2 to the third polishing head 20c from the second wafer transfer station 18* as shown in
(4) transferring the third polishing head 20c from the second wafer transfer station 18* to the third polishing surface 14c; transferring the second polishing head 20b from the first wafer transfer station 18 to the second wafer transfer station 18* such that the first wafer transfer station 18 is cleared to receive the first polishing head 20a; and polishing the wafer W2 on the third polishing surface 14c by the third polishing head 20c as shown in
(5) transferring the first polishing head 20a from the first polishing surface 14a to the first wafer transfer station 18; and unloading W1 from the first polishing head 20a to the first wafer transfer station 18 as shown in
(6) transferring the wafer W1 from the first wafer transfer station 18 by the wafer transfer device 40; supplying a third wafer W3 to the first wafer transfer station 18 by the wafer transfer device 40; and loading the wafer W3 to the first polishing head 20a as shown in
(7) transferring the first polishing head 20a from the first wafer transfer station 18 to the first polishing surface 14a; transferring the second polishing head 20b from the second wafer transfer station 18* to the first wafer transfer station 18; and polishing W3 on the first polishing surface 14a by the first polishing head 20a as shown in
(8) transferring the third polishing head 20c from the third polishing surface 14c to the second wafer transfer station 18*; and unloading the wafer W2 from the third polishing head 20c to the second wafer transfer station 18* as shown in
The wafer W2 is then transferred from the second wafer transfer station 18* by the wafer transfer device 40 and a fourth wafer W4 is supplied to the second wafer transfer station 18* by the wafer transfer device 40. The wafer W4 is processed in the same way as the wafer W2 was processed on the third polishing surface 14c by the third polishing head 20c.
As understandable from the method described with reference to
The polishing apparatus 5c* shown in
The polishing apparatus 5c* shown in
With reference to
The wafer input stage 16a is disposed between a first end 120Vx of the first cleaning apparatus 120V and a second end 120Vy′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ such that the wafer transfer device 50 of the factory interface 64 can transfer wafers to the wafer input stage 16a. The wafer input stage 16a may be configured to accommodate the wafers vertically or horizontally.
The wafer transfer device 40 transfers wafers to be polished from the wafer input stage 16a to wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ of the polishing modules 110a and 110a′ and transfers polished wafers from the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ to respective cleaner buffers 16Vb and 16Vb′ of the cleaning apparatuses 120V and 120V′. The wafer transfer device 40 may be mounted on the linear track 42 which extends between the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ and the wafer input stage 16a.
The first cleaning apparatus 120V is disposed adjacent to the factory interface 64 such that (1) its longer side 120Va is parallel to a longer side 64a of the factory interface 64 and therefore parallel to a width direction of the wafer processing apparatus 200; and (2) the first end 120Vx of the first cleaning apparatus 120V is adjacent to the wafer input stage 16a and a second end 120Vy of the first cleaning apparatus 120V which is opposite to the first end 120Vx is disposed adjacent to a second end 64y of the factory interface 64.
The cleaner buffer 16Vb of the first cleaning apparatus 120V is disposed in the first end 120Vx of the first cleaning apparatus 120V such that the wafer transfer device 40 can transfer wafers to the cleaner buffer 16Vb; and a wafer output stage 16Vc is disposed in the second end 120Vy of the first cleaning apparatus 120V such that the wafer transfer device 50 of the factory interface 64 can transfer the wafers from the wafer output stage 16Vc.
The second cleaning apparatus 120V′ is disposed either in the left side or in the right side of the wafer processing apparatus 200 such that (1) its longer side 120Va′ is parallel to a depth direction of the wafer processing apparatus 200; and (2) a second end 120Vy′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ is disposed adjacent to a first end 64x of the factory interface 64 such that the wafer transfer device 50 of the factory interface 64 can transfer wafers from a wafer output stage 16Vc′ disposed in the second end 120Vy′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′. A cleaner buffer 16Vb′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ is disposed in a first end 120Vx′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ which is opposite to the second end 120Vy′ of the cleaning apparatus 120V′ such that the wafer transfer device 40 can transfer wafers to the cleaner buffer 16Vb′.
With reference to
The cleaning apparatus 120V further comprises two internal wafer transfer devices 122a and 122b. The first internal wafer transfer device 122a comprises four gripping devices 70a-70d. Each gripping device comprises a gripper 71 and a vertical-and-gripping drive mechanism 72. The vertical-and-gripping drive mechanism 72 is configured to move the gripper 71 vertically as shown in
The linear drive mechanism 74a is configured to reciprocate the supporting member 73a between a wafer taking position WT1 and a wafer release position WT2 as shown in
The second internal wafer transfer device 122b comprises two gripping devices 70x and 70y. The gripping devices 70x and 70y are fixedly mounted to respective supporting members 73x and 73y, which are slidibly coupled to a liner drive mechanism 74b. The linear drive mechanism 74b is configured to reciprocate the supporting member 73x and therefore the gripping device 70x between fifth, sixth and seventh gripper positions C5-C7 and a parking position 70xp as shown in
With reference to
(1) positioning the supporting member 73a of the first internal wafer transfer device 122a at the position WT1; positioning the gripping devices 70x and 70y at the respective parking positions 70xp and 70yp; transferring a first wafer W1 to the cleaner buffer 16Vb by the wafer transfer device 40 (not shown in
(2) transferring the supporting member 73a to the position WT2; transferring a second wafer W2 to the cleaner buffer 16Vb by the wafer transfer device 40; lowering the gripping device 70a to the first cleaning chamber 125Va; placing the wafer W1 to the first cleaning chamber 125Va; moving the gripping device 70a upward; and cleaning the wafer W1 in the first cleaning chamber 125Va as shown in
(3) returning the supporting member 73a to the position WT1; lowering the gripping devices 70b and 70a to the first cleaning chamber 125Va and the cleaner buffer 16Vb respectively; gripping the wafers W1 and W2 from the first cleaning chamber 125Va and the cleaner buffer 16Vb respectively; and moving the gripping devices 70b and 70a upward as shown in
(4) transferring the supporting member 73a to the position WT2; transferring a third wafer W3 to the cleaner buffer 16Vb by the wafer transfer device 40; lowering the gripping devices 70b and 70a to the second and first cleaning chambers 125Vb and 125Va respectively; placing the wafers W1 and W2 to the second and first cleaning chambers 125Vb and 125Va respectively; moving the gripping devices 70b and 70a upward; and cleaning the wafers W1 and W2 in the respective cleaning chambers as shown in
(5) returning the supporting member 73a to the position WT1; lowering the gripping devices 70c-70a to the second and first cleaning chambers 125Vb and 125Va and the cleaner buffer 16Vb respectively; gripping the wafers W1-W3 from the second and first cleaning chambers 125Vb and 125Va and the cleaner buffer 16Vb respectively; and moving the gripping devices 70c-70a upward as shown in
(6) transferring the supporting member 73a to the position WT2; transferring a fourth wafer W4 to the cleaner buffer 16Vb by the wafer transfer device 40; lowering the gripping devices 70c-70a to the third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vc-125Va respectively; placing the wafers W1-W3 to the third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vc-125Va respectively; moving the gripping devices 70c-70a upward; and cleaning the wafers W1-W3 in the respective cleaning chambers as shown in
(7) returning the supporting member 73a to the position WT1; lowering the gripping devices 70d-70a to the third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vc-125Va and the cleaner buffer 16Vb respectively; gripping the wafers W1-W4 from the third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vc-125Va and the cleaner buffer 16Vb respectively; and moving the gripping devices 70d-70a upward as shown in
(8) transferring the supporting member 73a to the position WT2; lowering the gripping devices 70d-70a to the fourth, third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vd-125Va respectively; placing the wafers W1-W4 to the fourth, third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vd-125Va respectively; moving the gripping devices 70d-70a upward; and cleaning the wafers W1-W4 in the respective cleaning chambers as shown in
(9) returning the supporting member 73a to the position WT1; transferring the gripping device 70x of the second internal wafer transfer device 122b to the position C5; lowering the gripping devices 70x and 70d-70b to the fourth, third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vd-125Va respectively; gripping the wafers W1-W4 from the fourth, third, second and first cleaning chambers 125Vd-125Va respectively; and moving the gripping devices 70x and 70d-70b upward as shown in
(10) transferring the supporting member 73a of the first internal wafer transfer device 122a to the position WT2; transferring the gripping device 70x of the second internal wafer transfer device 122b to the position C7; lowering the gripping devices 70x and 70d-70b to the first dry chamber 125Vx, the fourth, third and second cleaning chambers 125Vd-125Vb respectively; placing the wafers W1-W4 to the respective chambers; moving the gripping devices 70x and 70d-70b upward; and drying the wafer W1 and cleaning the wafers W2-W4 in the respective chambers as shown in
(11) returning the supporting member 73a of the first internal wafer transfer device 122a to the position WT1; transferring the gripping device 70x to the position C5; lowering the gripping devices 70x, 70d and 70c to the fourth, third and second cleaning chambers 125Vd-125Vb respectively; gripping the wafers W2-W4 from the respective chambers; and moving the gripping devices 70x, 70d and 70c upward as shown in
(12) transferring the supporting member 73a to the position WT2; transferring the gripping device 70x to the position C6; lowering the gripping devices 70x, 70d and 70c to the second dry chamber 125Vy, the fourth cleaning chamber 125Vd and the third cleaning chamber 125Vc respectively; placing the wafers W2-W4 to the respective chambers; moving the gripping devices 70x, 70d and 70c upward; and drying the wafer W2 and cleaning the wafers W3 and W4 in the respective chambers as shown in
(13) returning the supporting member 73a to the position WT1; transferring the gripping device 70x to the position C5; transferring the gripping device 70y of the second internal wafer transfer device 122b to the position C7; lowering the gripping devices 70y, 70x and 70d to the first dry chamber 125Vx and the fourth and third cleaning chambers 125Vd and 125Vc respectively; gripping the wafers W1, W3 and W4 from the respective chambers; and moving the gripping devices 70y, 70x and 70d upward as shown in
(14) transferring the supporting member 73a to WT2; transferring the gripping device 70y to C8; transferring the gripping device 70x to C7; lowering the gripping devices 70y, 70x and 70d to the wafer output stage 16Vc, the first dry chamber 125Vx and the fourth cleaning chamber 125Vd respectively; placing W1, W3 and W4 to the wafer output stage 16Vc, the first dry chamber 125Vx and the respective chambers respectively; moving the gripping devices 70y, 70x and 70d upward; and drying W3 in the first dry chamber 125Vx and cleaning W4 in the fourth cleaning chamber 125Vd as shown in
(15) returning the supporting member 73a to the position WT1; transferring the gripping device 70x to C5; transferring the gripping device 70y to the position C6; lowering the gripping devices 70y and 70x to the second dry chamber 125Vy and the fourth cleaning chamber 125Vd respectively; gripping the wafers W2 and W4 from the respective chambers; moving the gripping devices 70y and 70x upward; and transferring the wafer W1 from the wafer output stage 16Vc by the wafer transfer device 50 (not shown in
(16) transferring the gripping device 70y to the position C8; transferring the gripping device 70x to the position C6; lowering the gripping devices 70y and 70x to the wafer output stage 16Vc and the second dry chamber 125Vy respectively; placing the wafers W2 and W4 to the wafer output stage 16Vc and the second dry chamber 125Vy respectively; moving the gripping devices 70y and 70x upward; and drying the wafer W4 in the second dry chamber 125Vy as shown in
(17) transferring the gripping device 70x to its parking position 70xp; transferring the gripping device 70y to the position C7; lowering the gripping device 70y to the first dry chamber 125Vx; gripping the wafer W3 from the first dry chamber 125Vx; moving the gripping device 70y upward; and transferring the wafer W2 from the wafer output stage 16Vc by the wafer transfer device 50 as shown in
(18) transferring the gripping device 70y to the position C8; lowering the gripping device 70y to the wafer output stage 16Vc; placing the wafer W3 to the wafer output stage 16Vc; and moving the gripping device 70y upward as shown in
(19) transferring the gripping device 70y to the position C6; lowering the gripping device 70y to the second dry chamber 125Vy; gripping the wafer W4 from the second dry chamber 125Vy; moving the gripping device 70y upward; and transferring the wafer W3 from the wafer output stage 16Vc by the wafer transfer device 50 as shown in
(20) transferring the gripping device 70y to the position C8; lowering the gripping device 70y to the wafer output stage 16Vc; placing the wafer W4 to the wafer output stage 16Vc; and moving the gripping device 70y upward as shown in
(21) transferring the gripping device 70y to its parking position 70yp; and transferring the wafer W4 from the wafer output stage 16Vc by the wafer transfer device 50 as shown in
In the method described above, placing the wafers to the dry and cleaning chambers 125Vx, 125Vy and 125Vd-125Va means placing the wafers on the respective wafer stages 124Vx, 124Vy and 124Vd-124Va of the dry and cleaning chambers.
In this sequential manner, a first group of the wafers cleaned in the cleaning chambers 125Va-125Vd are dried in the first dry chamber 125Vx and a second group of the wafers cleaned in the cleaning chambers 125Va-125Vd are dried in the second dry chamber 125Vy.
In an embodiment, the cleaning apparatus 120V may comprise more than two dry chambers between the wafer output stage 16Vc and the last cleaning chamber such as the fourth cleaning chamber 125Vd. In this embodiment, the gripping device 70x of the second internal wafer transfer device 122b transfers wafers from the last cleaning chamber to the plurality of dry chambers, and the gripping device 70y of the second internal wafer transfer device 122b transfers the wafers from the plurality of dry chambers to the wafer output stage 16Vc.
In an embodiment, the second internal wafer transfer device 122b comprises either one of the gripping devices 70x and 70y and is configured such that the one of the gripping devices can transfer wafers from the fourth cleaning chamber 125Vd to the dry chambers 125Vy and 125Vx and from the dry chambers 125Vy and 125Vx to the wafer output stage 16Vc.
In an embodiment, the cleaner buffer 16Vb may be also disposed in a cleaning chamber configured to spray DI water or chemicals to a wafer placed on the cleaner buffer 16Vb.
In an embodiment, the cleaning apparatus 120V may comprise two, three or five cleaning chambers between the dry chamber 125y and the cleaner buffer 16Vb, In this embodiment, the first internal wafer transfer device 122a comprises two, three or five gripping devices 70 respectively.
In the wafer processing apparatuses 100, 100a and 100b described with reference to
Turning back to
The cleaner buffer 16Vb′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ may also comprise the pivoting device 16P. The cleaner buffer 16Vb′ receives a wafer from the wafer transfer device 40 at a third angle and then is pivoted to the first angle by the pivoting device 16P. The internal wafer transfer device 122V′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ transfers the wafers from the cleaner buffer 16Vb′ after the cleaner buffer 16Vb′ changes the orientation to the first angle from the third angle.
Referring to
The first polishing module 110a is disposed in the opposite side of the second polishing module 110a′ across the line 200L such that (1) the second and third polishing surfaces 14b and 14c face the first cleaning apparatus 120V across a space SP1; (2) the third polishing surface 14c faces the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ across a space SP2; (3) the first polishing surface 14a faces the third polishing surface 14c′ of the second polishing module 110a′ across the line 200L; and (4) the wafer transfer station 18 is adjacent to the wafer transfer station 18′ of the second polishing module 110a′ and the wafer transfer device 40.
The space SP1 is disposed between the first cleaning apparatus 120V and the first polishing module 110a such that an engineer can access to the first cleaning apparatus 120V through the space SP1 to maintain the first cleaning apparatus 120V. The space SP2 is disposed between the first polishing module 110a and the second cleaning apparatus 120V′. The space SP2 is surrounded by the wafer input stage 16a, the second cleaning apparatus 120V′, the first polishing module 110a, the first cleaning polishing apparatus 120V and the space SP1. The wafer transfer device 40 is disposed in the space SP2.
Still referring to
The method further comprises steps of (1) transferring a second wafer W2 from the cassette 60 to the wafer input stage 16a by the wafer transfer device 50; (2) transferring the wafer W2 from wafer input stage 16a to the wafer transfer station 18′ of the second polishing module 110a′ by the wafer transfer device 40; (3) loading W2 from the wafer transfer station 18′ to the first polishing head 20a′ of the second polishing module 110a′; (4) transferring the first polishing head 20a′ from the wafer transfer station 18′ to the polishing surfaces 14a′-14c′ sequentially about the rotation axis 28′ in order to polish the wafer W2 on the polishing surfaces 14a′-14c′; (5) transferring the first polishing head 20a′ to the wafer transfer station 18′ after polishing W2; (6) unloading the wafer W2 to the wafer transfer station 18′; (7) transferring the wafer W2 from the wafer transfer station 18′ to the cleaner buffer 16Vb′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ by the wafer transfer device 40; (8) transferring the wafer W2 from the cleaner buffer 16Vb′ to the wafer output stage 16Vc′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ through the cleaning module 124V′ by the internal wafer transfer device 122V′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ in order to clean and dry the wafer W2; and (9) transferring the wafer W2 from the wafer output stage 16Vc′ to the cassette 60 by the wafer transfer device 50.
According to a modified embodiment of the wafer processing apparatus 200, the wafer input stage 16a may be disposed inside the first cleaning apparatus 120V such that the wafer input stage 16a is disposed between the second end 120Vy′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ and the cleaner buffer 16Vb of the first cleaning apparatus 120V. In an embodiment the wafer input stage 16a may be positioned over or under the cleaner buffer 16Vb of the first cleaning apparatus 120V.
In another modified embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 200 may further comprises the second wafer transfer device 40* and the buffer 16a*, which are shown in
In an operation of the wafer processing apparatus 200 further comprising the second wafer transfer device 40* and the buffer 16a*, wafers to be polished are transferred from the wafer input stage 16a to the buffer 16a* by the second wafer transfer device 40* and then transferred from there to the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ of the polishing modules 110a and 110a′ by the wafer transfer device 40. After the wafers are polished at one of the polishing modules 110a and 110a′, a first group of the polished wafers are transferred from one of the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ to the buffer 16a* by the wafer transfer device 40 and then further transferred from the buffer 16a* to the cleaner buffer 16Vb of the first cleaning apparatus 120V by the second wafer transfer device 40* in order to clean and dry the wafers in the first cleaning apparatus 120V. A second group of the polished wafers are transferred from the other of the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ to the cleaning buffer 16Vb′ of the second cleaning apparatus 120V′ by the wafer transfer device 40 in order to clean and dry the wafers in the second cleaning apparatus 120V′.
With reference to
The polishing surfaces 14a-14c′ of the polishing modules 110a and 110a′ are disposed such that a line N1 connecting the rotational axes 15a and 15b of the first and second polishing surfaces 14a and 14b of the first polishing module 110a is substantially parallel to a depth direction of the wafer processing apparatus 300; a line N2 connecting the rotational axes 15b and 15c of the second and third polishing surfaces 14b and 14c of the first polishing module 110a is substantially parallel to a width direction of the wafer processing apparatus 300; a line N3 connecting the rotational axes 15a′ and 15b′ of the first and second polishing surfaces 14a′ and 14b′ of the second polishing module 110a′ is substantially parallel to the width direction; a line N4 connecting the rotational axes 15b′ and 15c′ of the second and third polishing surfaces 14b′ and 14c′ of the second polishing module 110a′ is substantially parallel to the depth direction; the polishing surfaces 14a′ and 14b′ of the second polishing module 110a′ are disposed opposite to the factory interface 64 in the back side of the wafer processing apparatus 300; the first polishing surface 14a of the first polishing module 110a, the third polishing surface 14c′ of the second polishing module 110a′ and the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ are disposed between the line N2 and the line N3; and the third polishing surface 14c of the first polishing module 110a, the first polishing surface 14a′ of the second polishing module 110a′ and the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ are disposed between the line N1 and the line N4.
The wafer transfer device 40 is disposed around the third polishing surfaces 14c and 14c′ of the first and second polishing modules 110a and 110a′ such that the wafer transfer device 40 can transfer wafers to and from the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ of the polishing modules 110a and 110a′ through a space G2 between the respective third polishing surfaces 14c and 14c′ of the first and second polishing modules 110a and 110a′.
With reference to
The cleaning apparatus 520 comprises three cleaning chambers 125a-125c and two dry chambers 125x and 125y. However, the cleaning apparatus 520 may comprise six cleaning chambers 125a-125c and 125a′-125c′ and four dry chambers 125x, 125y, 125x′ and 125y′ (the cleaning chambers 125a′-125c′ and the dry chambers 125x′ and 125y′ are not shown in
The cleaning apparatus 520 is disposed adjacent to the factory interface 64 such that a longer side 520a of the cleaning apparatus 520 is parallel to the longer side 64a of the factory interface 64; and the cleaning apparatus 520 is sandwiched between the factory interface 64 and a linear track 42C which is also disposed parallel to the longer side of the factory interface 64. The wafer transfer device 40C is mounted on the linear track 42C such that the wafer transfer device 40C can transfer wafers from the cleaner buffer 16b to the cleaning chambers 125a-125c and from the cleaning chambers 125a-125c to the dry chambers 125x and 125y. The wafer transfer device 40C is configured to comprise first and second arms 41a and 41b such that the first arm 41a is used to transfer wafers to be cleaned from the cleaner buffer 16b to the cleaning chambers 125a-125c and the second arm 41b is used to transfer wafers cleaned in the cleaning chambers 125a-125c to the dry chambers 125x and 125y. The wafer transfer device 40C is also configured to transfer wafers from the wafer input stage 16a to the buffer 16a*. The wafer input stage 16a is disposed between the cleaning chamber 125a and the dry chamber 125x which are adjacent to each other or disposed over any of the cleaning chambers 125a-125c and the dry chambers 125x and 125y such that the wafer transfer device 50 of the factory interface 64 can transfer wafers to the wafer input stage 16a and the wafer transfer device 40C can transfer wafers from the wafer input stage 16a.
The cleaning chambers 125a-125c and the dry chambers 125x and 125y are configured to have respective first openings toward the wafer transfer device 40C such that the cleaning chambers 125a-125c and the dry chambers 125x and 125y can receive wafers from the wafer transfer device 40C through the respective first openings. The dry chambers 125x and 125y are further configured to have respective second openings toward the wafer transfer device 50 such that the wafer transfer device 50 can take the wafers from the dry chambers 125x and 125y through the respective second openings.
The polishing modules 10a and 10a′ and the wafer transfer device 40 are disposed opposite to the factory interface 64 across the wafer transfer device 40C. The buffer 16a* and the cleaner buffer 16b are disposed between the wafer transfer device 40C and the wafer transfer device 40. The wafer transfer device 40 transfers wafers from the buffer 16a* to the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ of the polishing modules 10a and 10a′ and from the wafer transfer stations 18 and 18′ to the cleaner buffer 16b.
The first polishing module 10a is disposed such that a line connecting the rotation axes 15a and 15b of the polishing surfaces 14a and 14b is substantially parallel to a depth direction of the wafer processing apparatus 500, the first polishing surface 14a is adjacent to the linear track 42C, and the wafer transfer station 18 is adjacent to the wafer transfer station 18′ of the second polishing module 10a′ and the wafer transfer device 40.
The second polishing module 10a′ is disposed in the back side of the wafer processing apparatus 500 such that a line connecting the rotation axes 15a′ and 15b′ of the polishing surfaces 14a′ and 14b′ is substantially parallel to a width direction of the wafer processing apparatus 500; distances from the rotational axes 15a′ and 15b′ of the polishing surfaces 14a′ and 14b′ of the second polishing module 10a′ to the factory interface 64 is greater than a distance from the rotation axis 15b of the second polishing surface 14b of the first polishing module 10a to the factory interface 64; the wafer transfer station 18′ faces the wafer transfer device 40; and there is a space SP4 between the second polishing module 10a′ and the linear track 42C. The space SP4 provides a space for the wafer transfer device 40, the buffer 16a* and the cleaner buffer 16b. The space SP4 also provides a space through which an engineer can access the polishing modules 10a and 10a′ and the cleaning apparatus 520 in order to maintain them.
With reference to
Each of the cleaning apparatuses 620 and 620′ comprises the cleaner buffer 16b, multiple cleaning chambers 125a-125c, the dry chamber 125x and multiple internal wafer transfer devices 127. The cleaning chambers 125a-125c are disposed between the cleaner buffer 16b and the dry chamber 125x. The internal wafer transfer devices 127 are disposed and configured to transfer wafers between the cleaner buffer 16b and the cleaning and dry chambers 125a-125c and 125x.
The first cleaning apparatus 620 is disposed adjacent to the factory interface 64 such that a longer side 620a of the cleaning apparatus 620 is substantially parallel to the longer side 64a of the factory interface 64; and the first cleaning apparatus 620 is sandwiched between the factory interface 64 and the linear track 42C which is also disposed parallel to the longer side of the factory interface 64. The second cleaning apparatus 620′ is disposed such that the linear track 42C is sandwiched between the first and second cleaning apparatuses 620 and 620′; and a longer side 620a′ of the second cleaning apparatus 620′ is substantially parallel to the longer side 620a of the first cleaning apparatus 620.
The wafer processing apparatus 600 further comprises the wafer input stage 16a, the buffer 16a*, the wafer output stage 16c, a second buffer 16b* and the wafer transfer device 40. The wafer input stage 16a and the wafer output stage 16c are disposed about the first cleaning apparatus 620 such that the wafer transfer device 50 of the factory interface 64 can transfer wafers to the wafer input stage 16a and from the wafer output stage 16c; and the wafer transfer device 40C can transfer wafers from the wafer input stage 16a and to the wafer output stage 16c. The wafer input stage 16a and the wafer output stage 16c may be disposed over any of the wafer stages 16b, 124a-124c and 124x of the first cleaning apparatus 620.
The buffer 16a* and the second buffer 16b* are disposed about the second cleaning apparatus 620′ such that the wafer transfer device 40C can transfer wafers to the buffer 16a* and from the second buffer 16b*; and the wafer transfer device 40 can transfer wafers from the buffer 16a* and to the second buffer 16b*. The buffer 16a* and the second buffer 16b* may be disposed over any of the wafer stages 16b′, 124a′-124c′ and 124x′ of the second cleaning apparatus 620′.
The wafer processing apparatus 600 uses the same polishing modules 10a and 10a′ used in the wafer processing apparatus 500 shown in
A method of processing wafers in the wafer processing apparatus 600 comprises steps of:
(1) transferring a first wafer W1 from the cassette 60 to the wafer input stage 16a by the wafer transfer device 50; transferring the wafer W1 from the wafer input stage 16a to the buffer 16a* by the wafer transfer device 40C; and transferring the wafer W1 from the buffer 16a* to the wafer transfer station 18 of the first polishing module 10a by the wafer transfer device 40;
(2) loading the wafer W1 to the first polishing head 20a of the polishing module 10a from the wafer transfer station 18; transferring the first polishing head 20a to the first and second polishing surfaces 14a and 14b; returning the first polishing head 20a to the wafer transfer station 18; and unloading the wafer W1 from the first polishing head 20a to the wafer transfer station 18;
(3) transferring the wafer W1 from the wafer transfer station 18 to the second buffer 16b* by the wafer transfer device 40; and transferring W1 from the second buffer 16b* to the cleaner buffer 16b of the first cleaning apparatus 620 by the first arm 41a of the wafer transfer device 40C;
(4) transferring the wafer W1 from the cleaner buffer 16b through the cleaning chambers 125a-125c to the dry chamber 125x by the internal wafer transfer devices 127 in order to clean the wafer W1 in the cleaning chambers 125a-125c and dry W1 in the dry chamber 125x; and
(5) transferring the wafer W1 from the dry chamber 125x of the first cleaning apparatus 620 to the cassette 60 by the wafer transfer device 50.
The method of processing wafers in the wafer processing apparatus 600 further comprises steps of: (1) transferring a second wafer W2 from the cassette 60 to the buffer 16a* in the same manner as the first wafer W1 is transferred to the buffer 16a*; and transferring W2 from the buffer 16a* to the wafer transfer station 18′ of the second polishing module 10a′ by the wafer transfer device 40;
(2) loading the wafer W2 to the first polishing head 20a′ of the polishing module 10a′ from the wafer transfer station 18′; transferring the first polishing head 20a′ to the first and second polishing surfaces 14a′ and 14b′; returning the first polishing head 20a′ to the wafer transfer station 18′; and unloading the wafer W2 from the first polishing head 20a′ to the wafer transfer station 18′;
(3) transferring the wafer W2 from the wafer transfer station 18′ to the cleaner buffer 16b′ of the second cleaning apparatus 620′ by the wafer transfer device 40; and transferring the wafer W2 from the cleaner buffer 16b′ through the cleaning chambers 125a′-125c′ to the dry chamber 125x′ by the internal wafer transfer devices 127 in order to clean the wafer W2 in the cleaning chambers 125a′-125c′ and dry the wafer W2 in the dry chamber 125x′; and
(4) transferring the wafer W2 from the dry chamber 125x′ to the wafer output stage 16c by the second arm 41b of the wafer transfer device 40C; and transferring the wafer W2 from the wafer output stage 16c to the cassette 60 by the wafer transfer device 50.
While the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described above, but it is intended to cover modifications within the inventive concept. As an example, although various apparatuses and methods have been described for polishing and cleaning semiconductor wafers, these apparatuses and methods may be used to polish and clean objects other than semiconductor wafers.
Claims
1. An apparatus for polishing an object comprising:
- at least one polishing surface supported on at least one polishing table;
- at least one polishing head assembly comprising at least one polishing head;
- at least one object transfer station configured to transfer said object with said at least one polishing head when said at least one polishing head is positioned about said object transfer station; and
- a transport mechanism configured to transport said at least one polishing head assembly between said at least one polishing surface and said at least one object transfer station, said transport mechanism comprising; a support structure comprising an opening disposed over said at least one polishing surface and said at least one object transfer station; at least one inner guide rail supported by said support structure, wherein said at least one inner guide rail is surrounded by said opening; at least one first guide block slidibly coupled to said at least one inner guide rail; at least one outer guide rail supported by said support structure, wherein said at least one outer guide rail surrounds said opening; at least one second guide block slidibly coupled to said outer guide rail; at least one head supporting member mounted to said at least one first guide block and said at least one second guide block, wherein said at least one head supporting member supports said at least one polishing head assembly; and at least one drive mechanism coupled to said at least one head supporting member, wherein said at least one drive mechanism is configured to transport said at least one polishing head assembly coupled to said at least one head supporting member between said at least one polishing surface and said at least one object transfer station.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport mechanism further comprises at least one shield member disposed in a space over said at least one head supporting member and below said at least one drive mechanism.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said opening and said at least one inner and outer guide rails of said transport mechanism have annular shapes.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said shield member of said transport mechanism has an annular shape.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said shield member of said transport mechanism is disposed over said opening, at least a part of said at least one inner guide rail, and at least a part of said at least one outer guide rail.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport mechanism is configured to transport said at least one polishing head assembly rotationally about an axis between said at least one polishing surface and said at least one object transfer station.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one drive mechanism of said transport mechanism comprises a gear mounted to said support structure and at least one servo motor mounted to said at least one head support member, wherein said at least one servo motor is movably coupled to said gear.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one polishing surface comprises two polishing surfaces and said at least one object transfer station comprises one object transfer station, wherein said two polishing surfaces and said one object transfer station are disposed angularly about an axis.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one polishing surface comprises three polishing surfaces and said at least one object transfer station comprises two object transfer station, wherein said three polishing surfaces and said two object transfer stations are disposed angularly about an axis such that said two object transfer stations are disposed adjacent to each other.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport mechanism further comprises an inner fluid injection device disposed about said at least one inner guide rail, wherein said inner fluid injection device is configured to inject pressurized air toward opposite to said opening.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport mechanism further comprises an outer fluid injection device disposed about said at least one outer guide rail, wherein said outer fluid injection device is configured to inject pressurized air toward opposite to said opening.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport mechanism further comprises an inner fluid injection device disposed about said at least one inner guide rail, wherein said inner fluid injection device is configured to inject pressurized air toward said opening.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport mechanism further comprises an outer fluid injection device disposed about said at least one outer guide rail, wherein said outer fluid injection device is configured to inject pressurized air toward said opening.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 26, 2010
Publication Date: May 5, 2011
Inventor: In-Kwon Jeong (Cupertino, CA)
Application Number: 12/912,738
