Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A multiple-processing and contamination-free plasma etching system, characterized by plural, single-wafer plasma etching vessels 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 spaced with the plural vessels along the same predetermined spacial locus defining a wafer access port accessible from said single location, plural valve means 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, single-wafer transfer means disposed at said single location and cooperative with corresponding ones of said plural valve means for moving wafers from and to said wafer access port of said queuing station from and to selected ones of said single-wafer plasma etching vessels through the associated one of said ingress and egress ports thereof, and processor means for controlling said vessels, said transfer means and said valve means to provide selectable single or multistep processing of wafers in said queuing station in one or more of said etching vessels.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A multiple-processing and contamination-free plasma etching system, characterized by plural, single-wafer plasma etching vessels 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 spaced with the plural vessels along the same predetermined spacial locus defining a wafer access port accessible from said single location, plural valve means 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, single-wafer transfer means disposed at said single location and cooperative with corresponding ones of said plural valve means for moving wafers from and to said wafer access port of said queuing station from and to selected ones of said single-wafer plasma etching vessels through the associated one of said ingress and egress ports thereof, and processor means for controlling said vessels, said transfer means and said valve means to provide selectable single or multistep processing of wafers in said queuing station in one or more of said etching vessels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that 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
76 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said plural plasma etching vessels include walls defining a plasma chamber, in that each of said plural plasma etching vessels further include first and second electrodes, and means for mounting said first and said second electrodes to said walls for relative electrode motion, and in that each of said plural plasma etching vessels further include means for cooling/heating said first and said second electrodes thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said wafer transfer means includes a wafer receiving arm, and means 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 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 2, characterized in that said wafer transfer means includes an R, TT moveable wafer receiving arm having means 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 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system according to claim 5, characterized in that said R, TT moveable wafer receiving arm assembly includes a base member platform and means for rotating said base member platform in TT about an axis; a paddle; and means for mounting said paddle for sliding motion in R relative to said base member platform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 6, characterized in that said paddle 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 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
A system according to claim 7, characterized in that said first portion of said paddle has an upstanding abutment on an edge thereof and wherein said wafer edge engaging second portion includes a slide having a bumper that cooperates with said upstanding abutment of said first portion to engage the periphery of a single wafer disposed therebetween.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the plural single-wafer plasma etching vessels includes a low-frequency plasma discharge producing source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the plural single-wafer plasma etching vessels includes a high-frequency plasma discharge producing source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the plural single-wafer plasma etching vessels includes a microwave-frequency plasma discharge producing source.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
165 words
A system for providing semiconductor wafer etch processing of a plurality of semiconductor wafers contained in a cassette in conjunction with a plurality of wafer etch chambers, characterized by an array of wafer stations including at least one wafer cassette queuing station adapted for containing a plurality of wafers in individual slots of a wafer containment cassette, a plurality of wafer etch vessels, means for providing gated entrance to said wafer etch vessels to provide in a first state sealed containment of an environment within each of said vessels and in a second state access to the vessel interior, means for transporting wafers between selected slots in a cassette at said queuing station and the interior of selected plasma etched vessels via said gated entrance means in said second state, processor means for sequencing wafers between associated slot positions in a cassette of said queuing stations and one of more of said plasma etch vessels in accordance with plasma processing commands associated with each wafer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
165 words
A system for providing semiconductor wafer etch processing of a plurality of semiconductor wafers contained in a cassette in conjunction with a plurality of wafer etch chambers, characterized by an array of wafer stations including at least one wafer cassette queuing station adapted for containing a plurality of wafers in individual slots of a wafer containment cassette, a plurality of wafer etch vessels, means for providing gated entrance to said wafer etch vessels to provide in a first state sealed containment of an environment within each of said vessels and in a second state access to the vessel interior, means for transporting wafers between selected slots in a cassette at said queuing station and the interior of selected plasma etched vessels via said gated entrance means in said second state, processor means for sequencing wafers between associated slot positions in a cassette of said queuing stations and one of more of said plasma etch vessels in accordance with plasma processing commands associated with each wafer.