US6017820A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated vacuum and plating cluster system
Assignee: Mattson Thermal Products Inc
•
Filing: 1998-07-17
•
Granted: 2000-01-25
•
Expires: 2018-07-17
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for providing an integrated processing system allowing for the isolation of non-compatible processes used to deposit a material onto a semiconductor wafer and/or remove material from a wafer is described. The integrated processing system of the present invention is comprised of a first processing chamber for processing a substrate in a first environment coupled to a second processing chamber for processing a substrate in a second environment. A connecting interface coupled to the first and second processing chambers allows the first and second processing chambers to be isolated from each other as needed. Further, the connecting interface allows a wafer to be transferred from the first processing chamber to the second processing chamber within a controlled environment. The first and second processing chambers may be or may include cluster tools.
Inventors
- 👤 Chiu H. Ting
- 👤 William H. Holtkamp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:02
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0451; H10P72/0461; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/56; C23C14/568; C25; C25D; C25D17/00; C25D17/001; C25D7/00; C25D7/12; C25D7/123; H10P72/0462; H10P72/0468; H10P72/0476
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing chamber for processing the substrate in a low pressure first environment; a second processing chamber for electroplating the substrate in a second environment different than the first environment; and a connecting interface coupled to said first and second processing chambers for transporting the substrate between said first processing chamber and said second processing chamber in a controlled environment, wherein said first processing chamber and said second processing chamber may be isolated by said connecting interface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing chamber for processing the substrate in a low pressure first environment; a second processing chamber for electroplating the substrate in a second environment different than the first environment; and a connecting interface coupled to said first and second processing chambers for transporting the substrate between said first processing chamber and said second processing chamber in a controlled environment, wherein said first processing chamber and said second processing chamber may be isolated by said connecting interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first environment is a low pressure environment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said second environment is at ambient pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first processing chamber applies a barrier layer and a seed layer to the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first processing chamber is a cluster tool for processing the substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second processing chamber is a cluster tool for processing the substrate.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
95 words
An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a first cluster tool including a first processing chamber for processing the substrate in a low pressure first environment; a second cluster tool including a second processing chamber for electroplating the substrate in a second environment different than the first environment; and, a connecting interface coupled to said first and second cluster tools for transporting the substrate between said first cluster tool and said second cluster tool in a controlled environment, wherein said first cluster tool and said second cluster tool may be isolated by said connecting interface.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
95 words
An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a first cluster tool including a first processing chamber for processing the substrate in a low pressure first environment; a second cluster tool including a second processing chamber for electroplating the substrate in a second environment different than the first environment; and, a connecting interface coupled to said first and second cluster tools for transporting the substrate between said first cluster tool and said second cluster tool in a controlled environment, wherein said first cluster tool and said second cluster tool may be isolated by said connecting interface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first cluster tool has a first wafer handling mechanism with at least one first processing chamber coupled thereto, and said second cluster tool has a second wafer handling mechanism with at least one second processing chamber coupled thereto.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first wafer handling mechanism transfers the substrate from said at least one first processing chamber to said connecting interface, and said second wafer handling mechanism transfers the substrate from said connecting interface to said at least one second processing chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first environment is a low pressure environment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said second environment is at ambient pressure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first processing chamber applies a barrier layer and a seed layer to the substrate.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of processing a substrate, comprising the steps of: providing a first processing chamber for processing the substrate in a first environment; placing the substrate in said first processing chamber; processing the substrate in said first processing chamber; providing a connecting interface coupled to said first processing chamber; providing a second processing chamber for processing the substrate in a second environment different than the first environment, said second processing chamber coupled to said connecting interface; transferring the substrate from said first processing chamber through said connecting interface into said second processing chamber, such that said first processing chamber is environmentally isolated from said second processing chamber; and electroplating the substrate in said second processing chamber.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of processing a substrate, comprising the steps of: providing a first processing chamber for processing the substrate in a first environment; placing the substrate in said first processing chamber; processing the substrate in said first processing chamber; providing a connecting interface coupled to said first processing chamber; providing a second processing chamber for processing the substrate in a second environment different than the first environment, said second processing chamber coupled to said connecting interface; transferring the substrate from said first processing chamber through said connecting interface into said second processing chamber, such that said first processing chamber is environmentally isolated from said second processing chamber; and electroplating the substrate in said second processing chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said step of providing a first processing chamber further includes providing a cluster tool for processing said substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said step of providing a second processing chamber further includes providing a cluster tool for processing said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said step of processing the substrate in said first processing chamber further includes processing said substrate in a low pressure environment.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said step of processing the substrate in said second processing chamber further includes processing the substrate at ambient pressure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said step of processing the substrate in said first processing chamber further includes providing a barrier layer and a seed layer on the substrate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5024746A
Cited
US5076205A
Cited
US5135608A
Cited
US5000827A
Cited
US5256274A
Cited
US5368711A
Cited
US5437777A
Cited
US5429733A
Cited
US5516414A
Cited
US5441629A
Cited
US5447615A
Cited
US5830805A
Cited
US5853559A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-24 | 2003-07-26 | 2004-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-24 | 2007-07-26 | 2008-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-24 | 2011-07-26 | 2012-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |