Abstract: The present invention provides a load lock having a vertically movable lid, an internal robot, and a wafer lifting mechanism and further provides a method of transferring wafers through a load lock directly to a process chamber. An atmospheric transfer robot shuttles wafers to and from the lifting mechanism while the lid is raised and the lifting mechanism then transfers wafers to and from the internal robot. The load lock is directly attached to a process chamber and communicates therewith via a slit valve which is selectively opened and closed. The internal robot is extended and retracted through the slit valve aperture in order to transfer a wafer to and from the process chamber. In one embodiment the lifting mechanism is comprised of vertically movable lift pins disposed through the bottom of the load lock. In another embodiment the lifting mechanism includes two pairs of lift forks disposed through the cover of the load lock.

Abstract: A method for cell alignment, identification and calibration of part of a robot tool, preferably a part of the robot tool, is positioned close to a detector, whereupon it is moved repeatedly past the limit of the area of detection of the detector. During the movement, the pose of the robot is registered each time the surface of said robot tool comes into tangential contact with the area of detection, and an over determined system of equations is formed, consisting of a correlation between the registered poses and unknown parameters regarding the detection area of the detector and the location of the robot part in space. An error vector is introduced into the system of equations, which is then solved while minimizing the error vector, preferably in the least square sense, in order to thus identify said unknown parameters and the error vector.

Abstract: Disclosed in an original chuck effective to prevent deformation of an original as the same is attracted and held by the chuck, thereby to reduce distortion of a pattern of the original or distortion of a pattern transferred to a substrate, such as a wafer, due to the deformation of the original. The original chuck includes four attracting and holding portions disposed to attract four corners of the original, and each attracting and holding portion has a steel ball to be engaged with the original and an attracting pad surrounding the steel ball and being made of an elastic material. A negative pressure is produced inside the attraction pad, in response to an operation of a vacuum source and through an attracting bore, such that the attracting pads attract the original while the steel balls support the original through point contact. In one preferred from, at least one of the attracting and holding portions is made adjustable upwardly/downwardly.

Abstract: A wafer transfer method using a robot arm for sucking the front-side of the uppermost one of a plurality of wafers stored in a cassette, and for transferring the wafer having a tape adhered to the front-side thereof to a semiconductor tape-peeling device for tape-peeling. Although the wafer warps, the undesired effect that the robot arm crashes any of the wafers can be avoided by using this method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling deadlocks in a multichamber semiconductor wafer processing system known as a cluster tool. A plurality of software routines execute upon a sequencer of a cluster tool to perform deadlock avoidance, deadlock detection and deadlock resolution towards achieving optimal wafer throughput for a cluster tool.

Abstract: A wafer transfer apparatus loads and unloads wafers into and from a wafer cassette. The apparatus includes an arm for picking up a wafer, a motor-driven mechanism connected to the arm for moving the arm vertically and horizontally, and a sensor for sensing when the lower surface of the arm contacts an upper surface of a wafer already seated in the wafer cassette. The sensor is made up of a sensor body, a controller, and an amplifier. The arm can be made of metal, in which case the sensor body includes an elastic layer coated on the lower surface of the arm, and an electrically conductive metal layer formed on the elastic layer. When the lower surface of the arm presses against a wafer, the metal layer contacts the metal arm and electrical signals indicative of such contact can thus be produced. Alternatively, the arm may be made of a ceramic.

Abstract: A device that supports a substrate in a non-containing manner so as to controllably move the substrate within a substrate processing system. The device includes an end effector carrying support pads each having a vertical gas outlet and a horizontal outlet communicating with a gas supply to form a plurality of vertical gas jets and a plurality of horizontal gas jets. The vertical gas jets impinge on a lower surface of the substrate to urge the substrate into a fixed vertical position with respect to the support pads and the horizontal gas jets impinge on the substrate edge to urge the substrate into a fixed horizontal position with respect to the pads.

Abstract: The invention is a carrier comprising three support elements connected by an underlying frame. The periphery of a wafer rests upon the support elements. The invention also comprises a wafer handler with a plurality of arms. Spacers space the carrier above a base plate associated with a station in a wafer handling area. An arm slides beneath the frame and between the spacers, but the handler does not contact the wafer. A method of using the handler and carrier is provided where the handler lifts and rotates the carrier with the wafer through various stations in a wafer handling area. A control device reduces the handler speed only at critical points of the processing cycle. The handler is capable of moving a plurality of carriers and wafers simultaneously.

Abstract: In a substrate conveying system, the temperature adjustment for a substrate is performed by use of a temperature adjusting plate which is provided at a substrate transfer station where a substrate can be transferred from or to an outside structure, by which the substrate temperature adjustment can be accomplished without a decrease of a processing speed of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and without deposition of contaminations.

Abstract: A transfer system 7 for carrying a wafer W into/out of a process chamber 4 is provided in a box 10 defining a load-lock chamber 3. The box 10 is divided into a first chamber 11 and a second chamber 12. A transfer arm 21 for carrying the wafer W is provided in the first chamber 11. A linearly moving system 14 for linearly moving the transfer arm 21 is provided in the second chamber 12. The internal pressure in the first chamber is set to be higher than the internal pressure in the second chamber.

Abstract: A system for positioning an end effector of a wafer handling robot with respect to a wafer to be extracted from a cassette, and for thereafter reading an indicial mark on the wafer. The system includes a pair of sensor units fixedly mounted on the end effector, which sensor units are capable of detecting the wafer edge upon approach of the end effector toward the wafer. Based on the positions of the end effector when the first and then the second sensor units detect the edge of the wafer, a computer may determine the orientation of the end effector with respect to the wafer, and adjust a position of the end effector to a center of the wafer. Thereafter, the indicial mark on the wafer may be read by a camera by withdrawing the wafer from the cassette on the end effector, positioning the center of the wafer over the central axis of rotation of the wafer handling robot, and rotating the robot until the indicial mark is located under the camera.

Abstract: A system for facilitating wafer transfer comprises a susceptor unit consisting of an inner susceptor section which rests within an outer susceptor section. A vertically movable and rotatable support spider located beneath the susceptor unit can rotate into positions to engage either the inner or the outer susceptor sections. When the inner section is engaged, the support spider lifts the inner section vertically out of the outer section. When the outer section is engaged, the support spider raises and lowers the entire susceptor unit. A robotic arm end effector engaging only the lower surface of the outer edge of the wafer permits hot wafer pick-up and unloading by the inner susceptor section. Several end effectors are disclosed that minimize non-uniform thermal effect on the substrate.

Abstract: A transfer robot is provided which includes a stationary base, two coaxially rotatable shafts, two motors for driving these shafts, and an arm mechanism provided with at least one handling member for holding a workpiece. The arm mechanism includes a base link rotatable about a first axis, and a pantograph assembly carried by the base link. The pantograph assembly is made up of an outer link supported by the base link for rotation about a second axis, intermediate links supported by the outer link for rotation about third axes, an inner link supported by the intermediate links for rotation about fourth axes. The third axes are offset from the second axis toward the first axis. The distance between the first and the second axes is equal to the distance between the third and the fourth axes.

Abstract: A processing station for performing coating of a resist and heaping up a developing solution is connected to a cassette station into/out of which a wafer cassette is carried. In this processing station, when seen from the cassette station, a first processing unit in which antireflection film forming units and coating units are arranged with two tiers is disposed on the left side, and a second processing unit in which developing units and a peripheral edge aligner are arranged with two tiers is disposed on the right side so as to face the first processing unit. Two wafer transfer means are arranged in an area facing onto the row of each of the processing units. In such a layout, working spaces can be secured in an area between the first and second processing units.

Abstract: A resist coating block is composed of a resist coating unit, a cooling unit group, and a first sub-conveying unit that conveys a wafer W between the resist coating unit and the cooling unit group. A developing block is composed of a developing unit, a cooling unit group, and a second sub-conveying unit that conveys a wafer W between the developing unit and the cooling unit group. Heat insulating panels are disposed to the blocks opposite to heating units. A first main-conveying unit and a second main-conveying unit are disposed between the blocks. The first main conveying unit is disposed between a first heat treatment block and a third heat treatment block. The second main conveying unit is disposed between a second heat treatment block and a fourth heat treatment block. Thus, variation of the film thickness of a resist film coated on a wafer W can be prevented against heat radiated by the heating units.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a rotary wafer carousel and related wafer handler for moving wafers or other workpieces through a processing system, i.e., a semiconductor fabrication tool. Generally, the present invention includes a rotary wafer carousel having a plurality of wafer seats disposed thereon to support one or more wafers. The rotary carousel is preferably disposed through the lid in a transfer chamber opposite the robot which is preferably disposed through the bottom of the transfer chamber. The rotary carousel and the robot cooperate to locate wafers adjacent to process chambers and move wafers into and out of various chambers of the system. The invention improves the throughput of the system by positioning wafers adjacent to the appropriate chamber to reduce the amount of movement required of the robot for transporting wafers between chambers.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate processing chamber, a transfer chamber, a substrate mounting body having a through hole formed in a vertical direction and being provided in the substrate processing chamber, a substrate lifting member capable of vertically moving in the through hole, a first arm, capable of extending from the transfer chamber into the substrate processing chamber, for transferring the substrate in a horizontal direction, a second arm capable of extending from the transfer chamber into the substrate processing chamber, capable of moving in a vertical direction and separating the substrate upward from the substrate mounting body by moving the substrate lifting member upward, and a driving mechanism provided in the transfer chamber for extending the first and second arms from the transfer chamber into the substrate processing chamber and for moving the first arm in the horizontal direction and moving the second arm in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A method for detecting physical interference with desired transport of an article. The method includes the step of detecting an operative acoustic signal representing the structure-borne sound pattern of an article during said article transport, and detecting the presence of interference based on the acoustic signal. A system for performing the method includes a transport device adapted to transport the article through a predetermined path and an acoustic sensor in structure-borne acoustic contact with the transport device and capable of producing an acoustic signal indicative of physical interference.

Abstract: A vacuum-assisted chuck assembly for coupling to a warped semiconductor wafer is provided. In one embodiment, the assembly comprises a wafer chuck and a conforming perimeter seal. The seal permits effective vacuum coupling of the chuck to the warped wafer without operator intervention. As vacuum pressure is applied, the seal prevents leakage around the warped wafer, allowing the vacuum pressure to deflect the wafer until the wafer contacts and seals against an engaging surface located on the chuck. By utilizing the seal, the chuck assembly may operate at a reduced vacuum pressure as compared to conventional wafer chucks. Furthermore, by providing an effective vacuum seal to the warped wafer surface, manual operator intervention during vacuum coupling is reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A wafer carrying fork on which a wafer rests and carried and which comprises a wafer resting surface (2) provided on the top surface of a wafer carrying fork (1), and two steps (3, 4) provided on the outer sides of the wafer resting surface (2) in a stepwise manner and having a height to width ratio of 1:0.5 to 1:2. Accordingly, it is possible to have a wafer (6) surely rest on the wafer carrying fork (1), even when the wafer (6) gets out of position in a wafer cassette, to convey it without failing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wafer holding device comprising a rotatable base and a plurality of weighted-jaws pivotally coupled on the base. Each of the weighted-jaws is provided with a step portion, used to support and clamp the wafer, and a pendulum weight. The pendulum weight can be integrally formed or detachably hanged on the jaw, depending on the size of the wafer clamped. As the base is rotated at a predetermined velocity, the pendulum weights sway out of the axis of the base due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation, thereby clamping the wafer in the step portions. The preferred embodiment of the present invention can further provide a stopper formed on the base and a spring connected between the base and each of the jaws so as to keep limit the movement of the jaws within predetermined range.

Abstract: Robot arm (16) end effectors (10, 110, 210) of this invention rapidly and cleanly transfer semiconductor wafers (12) between a wafer cassette (14) and a processing station. The end effectors include proximal and distal rest pads (24, 26, 124,126) having pad and backstop portions (32, 34, 132, 134) that support and grip the wafer either by wafer peripheral edge contact or within an annular exclusion zone (30) that extends inward from a peripheral edge of the wafer. An active contact point (50, 150, 222) is movable by a vacuum actuated piston (52, 152) between a retracted wafer-loading position and an extended position that urges the wafer against the distal rest pads to grip the wafer at its edge or within the exclusion zone. The end effector further includes fiber optic light transmission sensors (90, 102, 202, 214) for determining various wafer surface, edge, thickness, tilt, and location parameters.

Abstract: An end effector for a transfer robot used in connection with the manufacture of semiconductor wafers is provided. The end effector is designed to handle very thin (0.005″-010″) semiconductor wafers which tend to bow during processing. The robot blade or end effector includes a deep pocket for receiving a bowed wafer. The depth of the pocket may be varied depending upon the degree of bowing in the wafers to be handled. Unlike ordinary wafer transfer devices, the present invention requires the wafer to be transferred with the surface bearing the devices facing down. The deep pocket allows the end effector to contact only the edges of the wafer, thus minimizing any defects across the wafer due to handling. The pocket opening is provided with arcuately shaped sloped wafer contact surfaces to prevent wafer sliding during robot movement.

Abstract: A blade assembly for a mechanical wafer handling system. The assembly includes an elongated planar member having a central region, wherein the central region has a first array of openings and a second array of openings, the openings of the first array being arranged substantially symmetrically to the openings of the second array on opposing sides of a central longitudinal axis extending along the length of the planar member and passing through a center point of the central region. The openings in the first array are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a perpendicular axis extending along the width of the elongated planar member and passing through a center point of the central region. The openings in the second array are also arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the perpendicular axis. The assembly also includes a wrist with a wrist upper cap and a wrist lower cap.

Abstract: Substrate handling apparatuses for selectively moving a microelectronic-device substrate assembly in a processing machine having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a processing path extending from the first side to the second side. The processing machine can also include a cassette proximate to a second side of the processing station that moves to position a substrate at the processing path. In one aspect of the invention, the substrate handling apparatus includes a guide member attached to the processing machine, an arm slidably attached to the guide member, and a clamp attached to the arm. The guide member is generally fixedly attached to the processing machine, and the guide member generally has a shape corresponding to the processing path.

Abstract: A wafer transfer arm made from a machineable material for picking up and delivering a semiconductor wafer from one location to another, includes a blade body with a longitudinal channel extending along one surface, and a coverplate adapted to matingly fit into the channel for defining a vacuum conduit therein. The vacuum conduit provides fluid communication between an inlet at one end of the blade body and an outlet at the other end, for suctionally retaining the semiconductor wafer by vacuum pressure or suction.

Abstract: This invention provides a wafer inspecting apparatus which enables macroscopic inspection of the entire surface of a wafer. According to the wafer inspecting apparatus of this invention, the edge portion of a wafer 8 is held by suction with the distal ends of wafer holding portions 702 of a wafer holding arm 7, and first-time observation of the lower surface of the wafer 8 is performed. Then, the wafer 8 is transported onto a center table 6. The center table 6 is rotated through a predetermined angle. The edge portion of the wafer 8 is held by suction again with the distal ends of the wafer holding portions 702 of the wafer holding arm 7. Then, second-time observation of the lower surface of the wafer 8 is performed.

Abstract: A wafer transfer apparatus for sticking a wafer, which is divided into a multiplicity of chips and which has its surface stuck with a protective tape, to a ring frame by a transfer tape, includes: a positioning unit capable of disposing the protective tape stuck wafer on a positioning table and capable of performing a position adjustment of the wafer in longitudinal, lateral and rotational directions, so that the wafer is located in a reference position; a transfer tape mount unit capable of disposing the protective tape stuck wafer, which has been located in the reference position by the positioning unit, on a transfer tape mount table, and capable of sticking a transfer tape to both a ring frame disposed round periphery of the wafer and back of the wafer, so that the wafer and the ring frame are stuck to each other and integrated; and a protective tape peeling unit capable of disposing the wafer, which has its back covered with the transfer tape and which has been integrated with the ring frame by the trans

Abstract: An electrically conductive workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer or the like is transported between a staging area and an electrostatic chuck within a processing chamber using an electrostatic arm. The arm is used to apply an electrical charge to the wafer and to hold the wafer during transport by means of an electrostatic force of attraction between the arm and the wafer. The arm also pre-charges the wafer in preparation to be electrostatically chucked within the processing chamber. Pre-charging the wafer eliminates the need for using a gas plasma within the chamber for chucking and dechucking the wafer.

Abstract: In a thin substrate transferring apparatus of this invention, the transfer stroke of a hand of a robot is lengthened and the swivel radius is made small resulting in a more compact apparatus. The apparatus has cassettes, housing a substrate, a robot transferring the substrate, and at least one processing unit. The robot has a vertical swivel arm body swiveling in the vertical direction on a machine bed, and a horizontal swivel arm body having two arm sets swiveling in the horizontal direction on a movable machine bed. The vertical swivel arm body has a first arm and a second arm respectively joined rotatable in the vertical direction and a hand is moved substantially in parallel in the vicinity of the cassettes, or the processing unit, and the horizontal swivel arm body has a first link and a second link and the hand is moved into the cassettes, or the processing unit.

Abstract: A dual-arm wafer hand-off assembly includes a pair of pickup arms for transferring wafers within a wafer processing system. The two pickup arms are adapted to move such that the wafer on one of the arms can be positioned over the other arm and handed off. In one version, a Bernoulli-style wand translates along a linear guideway and may be positioned over a paddle-style pickup arm. The wafer carried by the Bernoulli wand can be handed off to the paddle by shutting off the flow of gas from the Bernoulli wand jets. The two pickup arms may be mounted on linear slides and adapted to translate between a load/unload chamber and a processing chamber, or the guideway may be adapted to rotate to allow transfer of wafers to multiple processing chambers in a cluster system. One of the pickup arms is preferably an all-quartz Bernoulli-style pickup arm having a proximal arm portion and a distal wand.

Abstract: The continues oven for baking planar works according to the present invention comprises an oven main body, a work lifting unit for conveying works upward inside the oven main body in a sequential manner; a work lowering unit for conveying works downward inside the oven main body in a sequential manner; whereby the works are baked while being conveyed by the work lifting and lowering units in a substantially vertical direction. Thus, the works are conveyed vertically most of the time during the stay in the oven, and the floor space area necessary for the installation of the continuous oven can be therefore minimized. In particular, by arranging the works one over the other, typically in a mutually spaced relationship, in the work lifting and lowering units, it is possible to minimize the dead space inside the oven.

Abstract: Substrate handling apparatus and methods are described. In one aspect, the substrate handling apparatus includes a clamping member having an extended condition wherein substrate movement relative to the transfer arm is substantially restricted and a retracted condition wherein substrate movement relative to the transfer arm is substantially free. The substrate handling apparatus further includes a sense mechanism (e.g., a vacuum sensor) constructed to determine whether a substrate is properly positioned on the support arm and to trigger the mode of operation of the clamping member between extended and retracted conditions. The sense mechanism also provides information relating to the operating condition of the clamping member.

Abstract: A dual-arm wafer hand-off assembly includes a pair of pickup arms for transferring wafers within a wafer processing system. The two pickup arms are adapted to move such that the wafer on one of the arms can be positioned over the other arm and handed off. In one version, a Bernoulli-style wand translates along a linear guideway and may be positioned over a paddle-style pickup arm. The wafer carried by the Bernoulli wand can be handed off to the paddle by shutting off the flow of gas from the Bernoulli wand jets. The two pickup arms may be mounted on linear slides and adapted to translate between a load/unload chamber and a processing chamber, or the guideway may be adapted to rotate to allow transfer of wafers to multiple processing chambers in a cluster system. One of the pickup arms is preferably an all-quartz Bernoulli-style pickup arm having a proximal arm portion and a distal wand.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously transporting and processing substrates is described. The apparatus includes a load lock that stores at least one substrate prior to processing and that stores at least one substrate after processing. A first transport mechanism transports at least one substrate into and out of the load lock. A multi-stage elevator is adapted to receive the first transport mechanism. A first process chamber is vertically disposed from the multi-stage elevator. The multi-stage elevator vertically transports at least one substrate into and out of the first process chamber. A second process chamber may be coupled to the multi-stage elevator. A second transport mechanism transports at least one substrate between the multi-stage elevator and the second process chamber.

Abstract: A wafer holding hand of the present invention is constituted so that two fixed clamps (2) and one movable clamp (6) are provided on a finger (1). The movable clamp (6) is supported by a plate spring (8) via a clamp holder (7), and the plate spring (8) is fixed to the slider (9). The slider (9) is driven by an air cylinder (10). The fixed clamp (2) is hook shaped, and the movable clamp (6) is drum shaped. A wafer W is held at three points by the movable clamp (6) and the two fixed clamps (2), and a force is applied to the movable clamp (6) by the plate spring (8) so as to hold the wafer W.

Abstract: A wafer sorting system is provided. The wafer sorter system is used to simultaneously sort multiple semiconductor wafers of a cassette. The wafer sorter system includes multiple arms which extend from a tower. These arms are at different vertical locations along the tower. The wafer sorter system also comprises a robotic arm which may move the tower to a position where the arms contact wafers. These wafers are in different vertical slots of a cassette. Further included in the wafer sorter system is a belt which may rotate to move arms vertically through slots of the tower. Wafers may become attached to arms by applying a vacuum suction to each arm. The arms having wafers may be rotated to the belt in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction about a portion of the tower via a slot in the tower. The arms may then be attached to the belt. After the belt moves the arms to new levels of the tower, the arms may then be rotated back to their original positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring wafers by a robot blade and a method for using the apparatus are disclosed. In the apparatus, a robot blade that is equipped with distance sensors mounted in a bottom surface of the blade is provided which senses the distance between the bottom surface of the robot blade and an adjacent surface below the robot blade such that any possible scratching of the adjacent surface is eliminated. The adjacent surface below the robot blade may be a wafer surface in a wafer cassette, or a wafer pedestal surface in a process machine. The distance sensors are mounted in recesses in the bottom surface of the blade which may be suitably capacitance sensors, ultrasonic sensors or optical sensors. The distance sensed by the distance sensors is analyzed by a controller and compared to a predetermined value of a minimum allowable distance such that any danger of scratching the adjacent surface is eliminated.

Abstract: An interface apparatus places, in a boat, plural wafers transported thereto one by one from an application apparatus for performing single wafer processing, then transports the boat having the wafers placed therein to a heating apparatus for subjecting plural wafers to a heat treatment process, and after completion of the heat treatment process, receives the boat. The interface apparatus includes a stage, a rotary table rotatably arranged on the stage for placing the boat thereon, and a positioning mechanism for turning the rotary table in a direction of displacement of the boat to permit the boat to be placed on the rotary table when the boat is being placed on the rotary table with the position thereof displaced from a reference position in a rotatable direction of the rotary table, and after completion of the placement, turning the rotary table in a direction opposite to the displacement direction to thereby position the boat at the reference position.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a semiconductor workpiece processing tool. The semiconductor workpiece processing tool includes an interface section comprising at least one interface module and a processing section comprising a plurality of processing modules for processing the semiconductor workpieces. The semiconductor workpiece processing tool has a conveyor for transferring the semiconductor workpieces between the interface modules and the processing modules.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided with a plurality of stages of mounting bases on each of which is disposed upwardly orientated, narrow tapered pins around the periphery of a semiconductor wafer, and a plurality of stages of turntables, one for each of the mounting bases, with the mounting bases being capable of moving independently of the turntables. When a wafer is transferred from a transporter arm to the tapered pins, the peripheral edge of the wafer comes into contact with the inner peripheral surfaces of the tapered pins and the wafer is centered thereby. The turntable then picks up the wafer and aligns the orientation thereof. This makes it possible to position the centers of a plurality of wafers and position the orientations thereof in a simple manner.

Abstract: The amount of particulate contamination produced due to rubbing between a semiconductor substrate and the robotic substrate handling blade has been greatly reduced by the use of specialized materials either as the principal material of construction for the semiconductor substrate handling blade, or as a coating upon the surface of the substrate handling blade. In particular, the specialized material must exhibit the desired stiffness at temperatures in excess of about 450° C.; the specialized material must also have an abrasion resistant surface which does not produce particulates when rubbed against the semiconductor substrate. The abrasion resistant surface needs to be very smooth, having a surface finish of less than 1.0 micro inch, and preferably less than 0.2 micro inch. In addition, the surface must be essentially void-free. In the most preferred embodiments, the upper, top surface of the substrate handling blade is constructed from a dielectric material being smooth, non-porous, and wear-resistant.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and medium is provided for increasing the efficiency with which wafers are transferred among different processing chambers in a wafer processing facility. A multi-slot cooling chamber allows multiple wafers to be cooled while other wafers are subjected to processing steps in other chambers. Each wafer in the processing sequence is assigned a priority level depending on its processing stage, and this priority level is used to sequence the movement of wafers between chambers. A look-ahead feature prevents low-priority wafer transfers from occurring if such transfers would occur just prior to the scheduling of a high-priority wafer transfer.

Abstract: A substrate handling apparatus includes a transfer elevator and a process station disposed inside a load lock chamber. The process station includes a top module, a bottom module, and a seal ring which is disposed between the top module and the bottom module and is movable to open and close the process station. The transfer elevator has an upper station spaced above a lower station. A transfer device having a pair of transfer arms is used to transfer substrates between the transfer elevator and the process station. The transfer arms are movable toward one another to support a substrate and apart from one another to release the substrate. The transfer arms are mounted to rotate between the transfer elevator and the process station. When a substrate is being processed inside the process station, the transfer arms are disposed on opposite sides of the process station.

Abstract: A fixture and method for providing accurate and repeatable alignment and attachment of a semiconductor wafer to a corner cube exposure fixture includes a vacuum-assisted wafer holder of rectangular shape. The wafer holder is first placed upon an L-shaped loading fixture so that a wafer may be positioned against the front surface of the holder and manipulated until the pair of wafer flats abut each leg of the L-shaped fixture. When so aligned, a vacuum is applied to secure the attachment and alignment of the wafer vis-à-vis the wafer holder. The wafer holder is thereafter inserted in a corner cube exposure fixture, where the fixture is formed to include a right-angle bracket with alignment features formed in one leg of the angle. The wafer holder also includes alignment features in its bottom surface, where these features are formed to mate with the bracket upon attachment.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for transporting wafers into a process chamber are disclosed. The wafer-transporting blade for transporting wafers consists of a generally elongated blade member that has a top surface for engaging and holding a wafer positioned thereon, wherein at least a portion of the top surface is provided with a surface roughness sufficiently great to frictionally engaging a wafer positioned thereon without slippage. The surface roughness may be provided by either a mechanical or a chemical method.

Abstract: A dual-arm wafer hand-off assembly includes a pair of pickup arms for transferring wafers within a wafer processing system. The two pickup arms are adapted to move such that the wafer on one of the arms can be positioned over the other arm and handed off. In one version, a Bernoulli-style wand translates along a linear guideway and may be positioned over a paddle-style pickup arm. The wafer carried by the Bernoulli wand can be handed off to the paddle by shutting off the flow of gas from the Bernoulli wand jets. The two pickup arms may be mounted on linear slides and adapted to translate between a load/unload chamber and a processing chamber, or the guideway may be adapted to rotate to allow transfer of wafers to multiple processing chambers in a cluster system. One of the pickup arms is preferably an all-quartz Bernoulli-style pickup arm having a proximal arm portion and a distal wand.

Abstract: A multideck wafer processing system is described for the treatment of semiconductor wafers. The system includes at least two process chambers stacked one above the other to provide for higher wafer throughput per unit area of cleanroom space. The stacked process chambers enable sharing of pressurization, gas, electrical, and control support services for the processing chambers.

Abstract: A novel technique and apparatus for receiving, holding and/or transporting thin planar workpieces and the like that involves radially supporting circumferentially spaced thin and flexible annular ring sectors about a fixed planar central circular disc upon which the workpiece is to be received, and by limitedly rotationally bending the ring sectors about the disc, causing circumferential leaf springs bridging the successive ring sectors and carrying workpiece holding fingers to deform and thereby expand (or retract) the radial position of the fingers to accommodate the edges of the workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers during heat treatment of the wafers in a furnace comprises a plurality of rails extending essentially vertically between a top and bottom plate. Each rail contains a plurality of teeth arranged such that the space between adjacent teeth can receive a portion of a single semiconductor wafer. Each tooth contains a raised support structure, typically a ledge, located on the top surface of each tooth for supporting the wafer, usually from the edge of the wafer inward to a point located from the center of the wafer a distance equal to between about 25% and about 75% of the wafer's radius. Such an apparatus with its relatively long teeth is especially designed to uniformly support larger wafers, i.e., wafers having a nominal diameter greater than about 200 millimeters, such that their own weight does not cause the wafers to sag and thereby produce crystal dislocations or slip when the wafers are heated to high temperatures.