Automatically loadable multifaceted electrode with load lock mechanism

Claim 2

A gas plasma reaction system for processing semiconductor wafers comprising, a plasma reactor chamber having a centrally located electrode structure formed of a series of longitudinally extended faces, each of said faces being positioned so that in cross-section the electrode structure has a regular polygonal shape, the faces being extended in a horizontal direction, each of said faces having on its surface a plurality of planar disk shaped electrodes for carrying said semiconductor wafers to undergo the plasma reaction during operation, each of said faces being covered by a generally flat tray member having circular openings therein corresponding to the positions of said electrode disks, each of said trays being hinged for pivotal motion from a first position in close parallel juxtaposition with said electrode face to a second position angularly displaced therefrom, a loading mechanism disposed generally beneath said reaction chamber, said loading mechanism including a plurality of vertically extending support arms, each of said support arms being configured to carry a semiconductor wafer and formed such that the reactive surface of said semiconductor wafer is not touched by any portion of said vertically extending arm, the number of said vertically extending arms being at least equal to the number of said electrode disks on a single face of said reactor electrode structure, means for imparting motion to said arms for moving said arms from a position beneath said reactor chamber to a position within said reactor chamber such that each arm is in close juxtaposition to a corresponding one of said disk electrodes, and for thereafter withdrawing said arm from said position in close juxtaposition back to a position beneath said reactor chamber, and control means for controlling the timing of said load mechanism motion such that said arms are moved into and away from close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes only when said tray members are in said second angularly displaced position.

Claim 3

A system in accordance with claim 1 and further including a plurality of resilient members mounted around the periphery of each of the circular openings in said tray elements, said resilient members being formed such that when said tray element is in said first position said resilient members clamp a semiconductor wafer to said disk shaped electrode and when said tray member is in said second position said resilient members are not clamping said semiconductor wafers to said disk shaped electrodes.

Claim 4

A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tray member has a third position in which it is angularly displaced from said first position by an amount less than the angular displacement of said second position and wherein said tray member includes a plurality of resilient elements distributed around the periphery of each of said circular openings, said plurality of resilient elements being formed such that when said tray element is in said first position they can secure a semiconductor wafer to the corresponding disk shaped electrode and when said tray element is in said third position, said resilient elements are disengaged from said semiconductor wafer, said electrode faces including at least two additional resilient members mounted thereon such that when said tray element is in said third position, said additional resilent members can retain a semiconductor wafer in position on said disk shaped electrode and when said tray element is in said second position, said additional resilient elements release said semiconductor wafer from its position on said disk shaped electrode, said control means operating said vertical arm such that said tray element is moved to said second position and thereafter said arms are moved vertically into close juxtaposition with a corresponding one of said disk shaped electrodes such that each semiconductor wafer carried on each of said arms is positioned on and generally concentric with a corresponding one of said disk shaped electrodes, and thereafter said tray element is moved to said third position, such that said resilient members mounted on said electrode face retain the semiconductor wafer carried by the corresponding vertical arm onto said disk shaped electrode, said control means operating while said tray element is in said third position to cause said reciprocating means to withdraw said arms from within said reaction chamber to a position beneath said reaction chamber and to cause said tray element to move to said first position after said vertical arms have withdrawn to a position below said electrode face.

Claim 5

A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said control means operates said vertical arms and said tray elements during an unloading cycle in a sequence such that said tray element moves from said first position to said third position, thereafter said vertical arms are reciprocated into position to accept said semiconductor wafers from a corresponding one of said disk shaped electrodes, and then said tray element is moved to said second position to release said semiconductor wafers from said disk shaped electrodes, then said vertical arms are reciprocated to a position beneath and outside of said reaction chamber.

Claim 6

A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said load mechanism comprises a pair of blade elements mounted within said housing positioned beneath said reaction chamber, means for imparting reciprocating vertical movement to said blades, and wherein said vertical arms consist of a first group, equal in number to the number of disk shaped electrodes on each face of said electrode structure, and a second group equal in number to said first group, said first group being mounted on a first one of said blades, and said second group being mounted on the second one of said blades, and means for imparting pivotal movement to said blades such that in a first pivoted position the first group of vertical arms are positioned so that upon reciprocating movement they are carried into close juxtaposition with said disk shaped electrodes and in a second pivoted position, said second group of vertical arms are positioned such that upon reciprocating upward movement they are carried into close juxtaposition with said disk shaped electrodes, said control means being operated such that one group of vertical arms carries semiconductor wafers from said transport mechanism into position on said disk shaped electrode when said blades are in one pivoted position and the other group of vertical arms carries semiconductor wafers from said disk shaped electrodes, when said blades are in said second pivoted position.

Claim 7

A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said vertical support arms are each formed of a support strut and a spring clip positioned to hold a semiconductor wafer against said support strut, said spring clip having a cam tip shaped such that when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes, said cam tip is moved behind said disk electrode moving said spring clip away from said semiconductor wafer, freeing said wafer such that it is retained on said support strut only by gravity.

Claim 8

A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said load mechanism comprises a pair of blade elements mounted within said housing positioned beneath said reaction chamber, means for imparting reciprocating vertical movement to said blades, and wherein said vertical arms consist of a first group, equal in number to the number of disk shaped electrodes on each face of said electrode structure and a second group equal in number to said first group, said first group being mounted on a first one of said blades, and said second group being mounted on the second one of said blades, and means for imparting pivotal movement to said blades such that in a first pivoted position the first group of vertical arms are positioned so that upon reciprocating movement they are carried into close juxtaposition with disk shaped electrodes and, in a second pivoted position, said second group of vertical arms are positioned such that upon reciprocating upward movement they are carried into close juxtaposition with said disk shaped electrodes, said control means being operated such that one group of vertical arms carries semiconductor wafers from said transport mechanism into position on said disk shaped electrode when said blades are in one pivoted position and the other group of vertical arms carries semiconductor wafers from said disk shaped electrodes, when said blades said second pivoted position.

Claim 9

A gas plasma reaction system for processing semiconductor wafers comprising, a plasma reactor chamber having a centrally located electrode structure formed of a series of longitudinally extended faces, each of said faces being positioned so that in cross-section the electrode structure has a regular polygonal shape, the faces being extended in a horizontal direction, each of said faces having on its surface a plurality of planar disk shaped electrodes for carrying said semiconductor wafers to undergo the plasma reaction during operation, each of said faces being covered by a generally flat tray member having circular openings therein corresponding to the positions of said electrode disks, each of said trays being hinged for pivotal motion from a first position in close parallel juxtaposition with said electrode face to a second position angularly displaced therefrom, a loading mechanism disposed generally beneath and outside of said reaction chamber, said loading mechanism including a plurality of vertically extending support arms, each of said support arms being configured to carry a semiconductor wafer and formed such that the reactive surface of said semiconductor wafer is not touched by any portion of said vertically extending arm, the number of said vertically extending arms being at least equal to the number of said electrode disks on a single face of said reactor electrode structure, means for imparting motion to said arms for moving said arms from a position beneath said reactor chamber to a position within said reactor chamber such that each arm is in close juxtaposition to a corresponding one of said disk electrodes, and for thereafter withdrawing said arm from said position in close juxtaposition back to a position outside of and beneath said reactor chamber, a transport mechanism for providing semiconductor wafers to said loading mechanism when said arms are empty and are positioned beneath and outside of said reactor chamber and for carrying processed wafer disks away from said loading mechanism when said arms are positioned beneath and outside of said reaction chamber after processing, and control means for controlling the timing of said load mechanism motion such that said arms are moved into and away from close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes only when said tray members are in said second angularly displaced position.

Claim 10

A gas plasma reaction system for processing semiconductor wafers comprising, a plasma reactor chamber having a centrally located electrode structure formed of a series of longitudinally extended faces, each of said faces being positioned so that in cross-section the electrode structure has a regular polygonal shape, the faces being extended in a horizontal direction, each of said faces having on its surface a plurality of planar disk shaped electrodes for carrying said semiconductor wafers to undergo the plasma reaction during operation, each of said faces being covered by a generally flat tray member having circular openings therein corresponding to the positions of said electrode disks, each of said trays being hinged for pivotal motion from a first position in close parallel juxtaposition with said electrode face to a second position angularly displaced therefrom, a loading mechanism disposed generally beneath and outside of said reaction chamber, said loading mechanism including a plurality of vertically extending support arms, each of said support arms being configured to carry a semiconductor wafer and formed such that the reactive surface of said semiconductor wafer is not touched by any portion of said vertically extending arm, the number of said vertically extending arms being at least equal to the number of said electrode disks on a single face of said reactor electrode structure, means for imparting motion to said arms for moving said arms from a position beneath said reactor chamber to a position within said reactor chamber such that each arm is in close juxtaposition to a corresponding one of said disk electrodes, and for thereafter withdrawing said arm from said position in close juxtaposition back to a position outside of and beneath said reactor chamber, a transport mechanism for providing semiconductor wafers to said loading mechanism when said arms are empty and are positioned beneath and outside of said reactor chamber and for carrying processed wafer disks away from said loading mechanism when said arms are positioned beneath and outside of said reaction chamber after processing, and control means for controlling the timing of said load mechanism motion such that said arms are moved into and away from close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes only when said tray members are in said second angularly displaced position.

Claim 11

A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said load mechanism includes a housing formed with a passage between it and said reaction chamber, and means for providing a vacuum tight seal between said housing and said reaction chamber when said arms are in position beneath and outside of said reaction chamber, said housing having a second opening for receiving semiconductor wafers from said transport mechanism only when said reaction chamber passage is closed, and means for providing a vacuum tight closing for said opening.

Claim 12

A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said tray members have a third position in which they are angularly displaced from said first position by an amount less than the angular displacement of said second position and, wherein each of said tray members includes a plurality of resilient elements distributed around the periphery of each of said circular openings, said plurality of resilient elements being formed such that when said tray element is in said first position they can secure a semiconductor wafer to the corresponding disk shaped electrode, and when said tray element is in said third position, said resilent elements are disengaged from said semiconductor wafer, said electrode faces including at least two additional resilient members mounted thereon such that when said tray element is in said third position, said additional resilient members can retain a semiconductor wafer in position on said disk shaped electrode and when said tray element is in said second position, said additional resilient elements release said semiconductor wafer from its position on said disk shaped electrode, said control means operating said vertical arms in a loading cycle by such that after said tray element is moved to said second position, said arms are moved vertically into close juxtaposition with a corresponding one of said disk shaped electrodes so that any semiconductor wafer carried on each of said arms is positioned on, and generally concentric with, a corresponding one of said disk shaped electrodes, and thereafter said tray element is moved to said third position, such that said resilient members mounted on said electrode face retain the semiconductor wafer carried by the corresponding vertical arm onto said disk shaped electrode, said control means operating while said tray element is in said third position to cause said reciprocating means to withdraw said arms from within said reaction chamber to a position beneath and outside of said reaction chamber and to cause said tray element to move to said first position after said vertical arms have withdrawn to a position below said electrode face.

Claim 13

A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said control means operates said vertical arms and said tray elements during an unloading cycle in a sequence such that said tray element moves from said first position to said third position, thereafter said vertical arms are reciprocated into position to accept said semiconductor wafers from a corresponding one of said disk shaped electrodes, then said tray element is moved to said second position to release said semiconductor wafers from said disk shaped electrodes, and said vertical arms are reciprocated to a position beneath and outside of said reaction chamber.

Claim 14

A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said load mechanism comprises a pair of blade elements mounted within said housing positioned beneath said reaction chamber, means for imparting reciprocating vertical movement to said blades, and wherein said vertical arms consist of a first group, equal in number to the number of disk shaped electrodes on each face of said electrode structure and a second group equal in number to said first group, said first group being mounted on a first one of said blades, and said second group being mounted on the second one of said blades, and means for imparting pivotal movement to said blade such that in a first pivoted position the first group of vertical arms are positioned so that upon reciprocating upward they are carried into close juxtaposition with disk shaped electrodes and in a second pivoted position, said second group of vertical arms are positioned such that upon reciprocating upward movement they are carried into close juxtaposition with said disk shaped electrodes, said control means being operated such that one group of vertical arms carries semiconductor wafers from said transport mechanism into position on said disk shaped electrode when said blades are in one pivoted position and the other group of vertical arms carries semiconductor wafers from said disk shaped electrodes, when said blades in said second pivoted position.

Claim 15

A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said vertical support arms are each formed of a support strut and a spring clip positioned to hold a semiconductor wafer against said support strut, said spring clip having a cam tip shaped such that when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes, said cam tip is moved behind said disk electrode moving said spring clip away from said semiconductor wafer, freeing said wafer such that it is retained on said support strut only by gravity.

Claim 16

A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said transport mechanism includes a conveyor system for moving said semiconductor wafer from a cassette into individual spaced positions adjacent to said second opening, means for opening said vacuum tight closing, and wafer carrier means for lifting said wafers from said conveyor, through said second opening into a position adjacent to said loading mechanism such that said loading mechanism in its upward reciprocating motion can transfer said wafers from said carrier to said vertical arms.

Claim 17

A system in accordance wih claim 14 wherein said arms are formed of a support strut and a spring clip positioned to hold a semiconductor wafer against said support strut, said spring clip having a cam tip shaped such that when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes, said cam tip is moved behind said disk electrode moving said spring clip away from said semiconductor wafer, freeing said wafer such that it is retained on said support strut only by gravity, and wherein said cam tips are forced behind said carriers when said support arms are adjacent to said carriers to allow said wafers to be transported to said support strut.

Claim 18

A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said carriers are generally rectangular shaped vacuum chucks mounted on swing arms, and means for providing a vacuum to said chucks to retain said wafers on said chucks when said carriers are moving said wafers from said transport mechanism to said loading mechanism vertical arms, and to remove said vacuum when said vertical arms have engaged said wafers.

Claim 19

A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vertical support arms are each formed of a support strut and a pawl means for holding a semiconductor wafer against said support strut, including vertically movable means on which said pawl means is mounted, whereby when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes, said pawl means is moved down from said semiconductor wafer, freeing said wafer such that it is retained on said support strut only by gravity.

Claim 20

A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said vertically movable means comprises a movable pawl support, resiliently mounted on said vertical support arm, and guide means for guiding said movable pawl support, said guide means being arranged to guide said movable pawl support so that said pawl means is moved transversely away from said semiconductor wafer as well as down from said wafer when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes.

Claim 21

A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said pawl means has an electrode contact surface for contacting said disk electrode to cause said pawl means to move down from said semiconductor wafer as said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrode.

Claim 22

A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said additional resilient members comprise a block means and a tab means mounted on said block means, said disk electrode face defining a recess for resiliently, closing seating said block means, and linking means connecting said block means to said tray element whereby said tray element moves said block means from a position in which said tab means engages said semiconductor wafer to a position in which said tab means does not engage said wafer when said tray element moves from the tray element third to the tray element second position.

Claim 23

A system in accordance with claim 20 further including biasing means for urging said tab means mounted on said block means toward engagement with said semiconductor wafer, said block means defining a bore through which said linking means extends to engage said block means, said tray element defining a portion closing off said bore when said tray element is in its first position.

Claim 24

A system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said vertical support arms are each formed of a support strut and a pawl means for holding a semiconductor wafer against said support strut, including vertically movable means on which said pawl means is mounted, whereby when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes, said pawl means is moved down from said semiconductor wafer, freeing said wafer such that it is retained on said support strut only by gravity.

Claim 25

A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said vertically movable means comprises a movable pawl support, resiliently mounted on said vertical support arm, and guide means for guiding said movable pawl support, said guide means being arranged to guide said movable pawl support so that said pawl means is moved tranversely away from said semiconductor wafer as well as down from said wafer when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes.

Claim 26

A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said pawl means has an electrode contact surface for contacting said disk electrode to cause said pawl means to move down from said semiconductor wafer as said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrode.

Claim 27

A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said vertical support arms are each formed of a support strut and a pawl means for holding a semiconductor wafer against said support strut, including vertically movable means on which said pawl means is mounted, whereby when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes, said pawl means is moved down from said semiconductor wafer, freeing said wafer such that it is retained on said support strut only by gravity.

Claim 28

A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said vertically movable means comprises a movable pawl support, resiliently mounted on said vertical support arm, and guide means for guiding said movable pawl support, said guide means being arranged to guide said movable pawl support so that said pawl means is moved transversely away from said semiconductor wafer as well as down from said wafer when said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrodes.

Claim 29

A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said pawl means has an electrode contact surface for contacting said disk electrode to cause said pawl means to move down from said semiconductor wafer as said arm moves into close juxtaposition to said disk electrode.