EP0219826A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum processing system
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1986-10-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-10-17
Abstract
Abstract A complete integrated circuit processing module, wherein multiple processing stations 104, each with its own vacuum isolation, are located inside a single module 102 which is held at hard vacuum. A wafer transport arm mechanism 106 permits interchange of wafers among the processing stations 104 and a load lock 12. The load lock 12 is equipped to remove and replace wafers from a vacuum-sealed wafer carrier 10. The wafers remain face-down and under hard vacuum during all the wafer handling steps.
Inventors
- 👤 Cecil Davis
- 👤 Timothy A. Wooldridge
- 👤 Duane E. Carter
- 👤 John E. Spencer
- 👤 Robert Matthews
- 👤 Randall C. Hildenbrand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:35
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/30; H10P72/33; H10P72/3306; H10P72/04; H10P72/0451; H10P72/0466; H10P72/34; H10P72/3406; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7602; H10P72/7604; H10P72/7624
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A load lock comprising: . a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid; . space within said chamber where a wafer carrier containing wafers of a predetermined diameter can be placed: and . an elevatable and extensible transfer arm, said transfer arm containing support elements such as that one of said wafers of said predetermined diameter can be supported by said transfer arm with edge contact only.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A load lock comprising: . a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid; . space within said chamber where a wafer carrier containing wafers of a predetermined diameter can be placed: and . an elevatable and extensible transfer arm, said transfer arm containing support elements such as that one of said wafers of said predetermined diameter can be supported by said transfer arm with edge contact only.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The load lock of Claim 1, wherein said transfer arm comprises along the periphery thereof a plurality of pins having conically tapered upper portions and spaced to support said wafers of said predetermined diameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The load lock of Claim 1, further comprising an openable vacuum-tight port in the side of said load lock, positioned so that said transfer arm can be extended through said openable port while carrying a wafer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The load lock station of Claim 1, wherein said transfer arm in said load lock has only two degrees of freedom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The load lock of Claim 1, wherein said load lock is connected near the bottom surface thereof to a vacuum exhaust manifold which is connected to a vacuum pump.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The load lock of Claim 5, wherein said transfer arm is powered by motors located inside said exhaust manifold.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The load lock of Claim 5, wherein said transfer arm is connected to an elevator stage inside said exhaust manifold, and extension of said transfer arm is controlled by a motor which is also mounted on said elevator stage inside said exhaust manifold.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
The load lock of Claim 1. - wherein said transfer arm is pivotably mounted to a transfer arm support. -and said transfer arm support is pivotably mounted to a tubular support. -said transfer arm and said arm support having approximately equal center-to-center distances. -and wherein said pivotal joint between said transfer arm and said transfer arm support is mechanically connected to provide differential rotation at twice the rate of differential rotation of said transfer arm support with respect to said tubular support.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The load lock of Claim 1, further comprising pressure sensors connected to the interior of said load lock.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The load lock of Claim 1, further comprising particulate sensors connected to the interior of said load lock.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The load lock of Claim 1, wherein said transfer arm is elevatable to below the height of said door of one of said wafer carriers, whereby said wafer carrier door can be opened with clearance above said transfer arm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The load lock of Claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wafer carriers shaped to fit into said space inside said chamber, wherein each said wafer carrier is adapted to support wafers face down therein using line contact and not using substantial area contact.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
133 words
An integrated circuit processing station comprising: . a load lock comprising: -a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid and also an openable vacuum-tight port: -space within said chamber where a wafer carrier containing wafers of a predetermined diameter can be placed: and -an elevatable and extensible transfer arm, said transfer arm containing support elements such that one of said wafers of said predetermined diameter can be supported by said transfer arm with edge contact and not with substantial area contact: and . a wafer stage in proximity to said port on the outside of said load lock chamber, said wafer stage comprising wafer support positioned so that said transfer arm from said load lock can place a wafer on said wafer support and lower and retract to leave said wafer on said wafer support.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
133 words
An integrated circuit processing station comprising: . a load lock comprising: -a chamber having a vacuum-sealable lid and also an openable vacuum-tight port: -space within said chamber where a wafer carrier containing wafers of a predetermined diameter can be placed: and -an elevatable and extensible transfer arm, said transfer arm containing support elements such that one of said wafers of said predetermined diameter can be supported by said transfer arm with edge contact and not with substantial area contact: and . a wafer stage in proximity to said port on the outside of said load lock chamber, said wafer stage comprising wafer support positioned so that said transfer arm from said load lock can place a wafer on said wafer support and lower and retract to leave said wafer on said wafer support.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The integrated circuit processing station of Claim 13, wherein said wafer stage provides line contact and not substantial area contact to the lower surface of a wafer placed thereon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The processing station of Claim 13, wherein said transfer arm in said load lock has only two degrees of freedom.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for fabricating integrated circuits, comprising the steps of: . a) providing a plurality of wafers in a wafer carrier box, said wafer carrier box having a vacuum sealable door: . b) placing said wafer carrier box into a load lock attached to a process station, said load lock having a vacuum sealable lid: c) closing said lid and pumping down said load lock to a pressure less than 0.1 milliTorr: . d) opening said door of said wafer carrier and extending a transfer arm into said wafer carrier, to remove a selected one of said wafers therefrom: . e) transferring wafers in a desired sequence from said wafer carrier to said process station and back by extending said transfer arm through a port between said load lock and said process station, and . f) closing said door of said wafer carrier, closing said port in said adjacent processing chamber, and raising the pressure of said load lock to approximately atmospheric, so that said wafers remain in vacuum inside said wafer carrier and said door of said wafer carrier is held closed by differential pressure: and . g) removing said wafer carrier from said load lock.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for fabricating integrated circuits, comprising the steps of: . a) providing a plurality of wafers in a wafer carrier box, said wafer carrier box having a vacuum sealable door: . b) placing said wafer carrier box into a load lock attached to a process station, said load lock having a vacuum sealable lid: c) closing said lid and pumping down said load lock to a pressure less than 0.1 milliTorr: . d) opening said door of said wafer carrier and extending a transfer arm into said wafer carrier, to remove a selected one of said wafers therefrom: . e) transferring wafers in a desired sequence from said wafer carrier to said process station and back by extending said transfer arm through a port between said load lock and said process station, and . f) closing said door of said wafer carrier, closing said port in said adjacent processing chamber, and raising the pressure of said load lock to approximately atmospheric, so that said wafers remain in vacuum inside said wafer carrier and said door of said wafer carrier is held closed by differential pressure: and . g) removing said wafer carrier from said load lock.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of Claim 16, wherein said wafer carrier supports said wafers with line contact and not by contact with any substantial area of the lower surface of said wafers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of Claim 16, wherein the lid of said load lock further comprises a gas manifold therein, and wherein filtered gas is supplied to said manifold to blow off particulates from the exterior of said wafer carrier after said carrier has been placed in said load lock.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
166 words
A wafer processing module comprising: . a vacuum-tight processing module chamber: . a plurality of process stations inside said module chamber: . at least one wafer stage inside said module chamber: . a module transfer arm inside said module chamber, said module transfer arm being controllable to transfer wafers to and from said wafer stage and to and from a plurality of said process stations: and * at least one load lock abutting said module chamber. -said load lock having space therein to hold a wafer carrier -said load lock having a door opener therein, said door opener being controllable to open the door of one of said wafer carriers inside said load lock while said load lock is under vacuum. -said load lock being connected to a vacuum pump capable of pulling a vacuum higher than one mil-IiTorr. -said load lock also including a transfer arm controllable to remove a desired wafer from the wafer carrier and place the desired wafer on said wafer stage.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
166 words
A wafer processing module comprising: . a vacuum-tight processing module chamber: . a plurality of process stations inside said module chamber: . at least one wafer stage inside said module chamber: . a module transfer arm inside said module chamber, said module transfer arm being controllable to transfer wafers to and from said wafer stage and to and from a plurality of said process stations: and * at least one load lock abutting said module chamber. -said load lock having space therein to hold a wafer carrier -said load lock having a door opener therein, said door opener being controllable to open the door of one of said wafer carriers inside said load lock while said load lock is under vacuum. -said load lock being connected to a vacuum pump capable of pulling a vacuum higher than one mil-IiTorr. -said load lock also including a transfer arm controllable to remove a desired wafer from the wafer carrier and place the desired wafer on said wafer stage.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process module of Claim 19, wherein at least one of said process stations comprises an interior space which is connected near the bottom surface thereto to a vacuum exhaust manifold which is connected to a vacuum pump.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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