Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A multiple-processing and contamination-free plasma etching system (10), comprising: plural, single-wafer plasma etching vessels (12) each having an ingress and egress defining port that are arrayed about a predetermined spacial locus in such a way that the several ports thereof are accessible from a single location spaced from the several ports; a wafer queuing station (14) spaced with the plural vessels (12) along the same predetermined spacial locus defining a wafer access port accessible from said single location; plural valve means (20) individually coupled to corresponding ones of said plural, single-wafer plasma etching vessel ingress and egress ports and to said wafer queuing station wafer access port; and single-wafer transfer means (80) disposed at said single location and cooperative with corresponding ones of said plural valve means (20) for moving wafers from and to said wafer access port of said queuing station (14) from and to selected ones of said single-wafer plasma etching vessels (12) through the associated one of said ingress and egress ports thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
A multiple-processing and contamination-free plasma etching system (10), comprising: plural, single-wafer plasma etching vessels (12) each having an ingress and egress defining port that are arrayed about a predetermined spacial locus in such a way that the several ports thereof are accessible from a single location spaced from the several ports; a wafer queuing station (14) spaced with the plural vessels (12) along the same predetermined spacial locus defining a wafer access port accessible from said single location; plural valve means (20) individually coupled to corresponding ones of said plural, single-wafer plasma etching vessel ingress and egress ports and to said wafer queuing station wafer access port; and single-wafer transfer means (80) disposed at said single location and cooperative with corresponding ones of said plural valve means (20) for moving wafers from and to said wafer access port of said queuing station (14) from and to selected ones of said single-wafer plasma etching vessels (12) through the associated one of said ingress and egress ports thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said predetermined spacial locus is a closed locus, and wherein said single location coincides with the geometric center of said closed locus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said wafer queuing station (14) includes a cassette and an indexing elevator mechanism (34) for moving said cassette in the vertical direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plural plasma etching vessels (12) include walls (162, 164, 166) defining a plasma chamber (168).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
S. The system of claim 4, wherein each of said plural plasma etching vessels (12) further include first (170) and second (186) electrodes, and means (188, 190) for mounting said first and said second electrodes to said walls for relative electrode motion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 5, wherein each of said plural plasma etching vessels (12) further include a pedestal (172) inset into one of said electrodes, and means for mounting said pedestal for vertical motion relative to said one of said electrodes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 5, wherein each of said plural plasma etching vessels (12) further include means (180, 170) for cooling/heating said first and said second electrodes (170, 186) thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said wafer transfer means includes a wafer receiving arm (80), and means (132, 136) mounted to the arm for picking-up single wafers by contacting their periphery and in such a way that no contact is made of the front surface of the wafer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
the system of claim 2, wherein said wafer transfer means (80) includes an R, TT moveable wafer receiving arm having means (132, 136) for picking-up single wafers disposed on said arm by contacting their periphery and in such a way that no contact is made of the front surface of the wafers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said R, TT moveable wafer receiving arm assembly (80) includes a base member platform and means for rotating said base member platform (102) in TT about an axis; a paddle (160); and means for mounting said paddle for sliding motion in R relative to said base member platform (102).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said paddle (100) includes a wafer supporting first portion, a wafer edge engaging second portion, and means for mounting said second portion for sliding motion relative to said first portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
The system of claim 11, wherein said first portion of said paddle (100) has an upstanding abutment on an edge thereof and wherein said wafer edge engaging second portion (108) includes a slide having a bumper (112) that cooperates with said upstanding abutment of said first portion to engage the periphery of a single wafer disposed therebetween.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 12, wherein said paddle (100) further includes means for resiliently urging said bumper (112) towards said abutment (110).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 13, further including means for sensing whether or not the wafer is seated on the platform (102).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said sensing means includes contact-responsive switches (156) mounted to the platform (102).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plural single-wafer plasma etching vessels (12) includes a low-frequency plasma discharge producing source.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plural single-wafer plasma etching vessels (12) includes a high- frequency plasma discharge producing source.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plural single-wafer plasma etching vessels (12) includes a microwave-frequency plasma discharge producing source.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
the system of claim 16, wherein the low-frequency plasmas are produced at frequencies approximately of 5 to 450 khz.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the high-frequency plasmas are produced at frequencies approximately of 1 to 50 mhz.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 18, wherein the microwave-frequency plasmas are produced at frequencies approximately of 1 to 4 mhz.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said electrodes (17,0, 186) are in a diode configuration.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said electrodes (170, 186) are in a triode configuration.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 5, further including means for magnetically enhancing said electrodes.