Ambient controlled transfer module and process system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10361104-B2
Application number	US-201715660784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2017
Priority date	Mar 3, 2017
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In one implementation, the apparatus includes a load lock chamber coupled to a transfer chamber. The transfer chamber is coupled to a thermal process chamber and a substrate is transferred between each of the load lock chamber, the transfer chamber, and the thermal process chamber. In other implementations, a process platform having a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber, and a thermal process chamber is disclosed. Methods of measuring oxygen concentration in a load lock chamber via evacuation of a transfer chamber are also described herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a factory interface;
a substrate transfer module, comprising:
a load lock chamber coupled to the factory interface, wherein the load lock chamber comprises:
a chamber body defining a process volume;
an exhaust port and a purge gas port in fluid communication with the process volume; and
a pedestal disposed in the process volume, wherein the pedestal has a plurality of cooling fluid conduits formed therein;

a transfer chamber directly coupled to the load lock chamber, the transfer chamber having a chamber body defining a transfer volume and an oxygen sensor in fluid communication with the transfer volume, the transfer chamber and the load lock chamber configured to generate a substantially inert environment at about atmospheric pressure; and

a process module coupled to the substrate transfer module, wherein the process module comprises a plurality of process chambers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the factory interface further comprises:
a plurality of front opening unified pods coupled to the factory interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate transfer module further comprises a second load lock chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate transfer module further comprises a second transfer chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the load lock chamber has a first slit valve formed in the chamber body adjacent to the factory interface and a first slit valve door coupled to the chamber body adjacent to the first slit valve.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the load lock chamber has a second slit valve formed in the chamber body adjacent to the transfer chamber and a second slit valve door coupled to the chamber body adjacent to the second slit valve.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a second transfer chamber comprises:
a chamber body;
an exhaust port disposed in the chamber body; and
an exhaust conduit coupled to the chamber body and extending from the exhaust port.

8. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a factory interface;
a substrate transfer module, comprising:
a load lock chamber coupled to the factory interface, the load lock chamber having a chamber body defining a process volume and a purge gas port in fluid communication with the process volume; and
a transfer chamber directly coupled to the load lock chamber, the transfer chamber having a chamber body defining a transfer volume and an oxygen sensor in fluid communication with the transfer volume, the transfer chamber and the load lock chamber configured to generate a substantially inert environment at about atmospheric pressure; and

a process module coupled to the substrate transfer module, wherein the process module comprises a plurality of process chambers, wherein each of the process chambers is a rapid thermal process chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein each of the rapid thermal process chambers is a laser thermal process chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each of the laser thermal process chambers is operated at about atmospheric pressure.

11. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a factory interface, wherein the factory interface comprises:
a first transfer chamber having a first robot disposed therein;

a substrate transfer module comprising:
a load lock chamber coupled to the first transfer chamber; and
a second transfer chamber having a second robot disposed therein, the second transfer chamber directly coupled to the load lock chamber, the second transfer chamber having a chamber body defining a transfer volume and an oxygen sensor in fluid communication with the transfer volume, the second transfer chamber and the load lock chamber configured to generate a substantially inert environment at about atmospheric pressure; and

a process module coupled to the substrate transfer module, wherein the process module comprises a process chamber, wherein the process chamber is coupled to the second transfer chamber, and wherein the process chamber is selected from the group consisting of a laser thermal process chamber, a deposition chamber, and an etch chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the load lock chamber comprises:
a chamber body defining a process volume;
a purge gas port in fluid communication with the process volume; and
an exhaust port in fluid communication with the process volume.

13. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:
a factory interface, wherein the factory interface comprises:
a first transfer chamber having a first robot disposed therein;

a substrate transfer module comprising:
a load lock chamber coupled to the first transfer chamber, wherein the load lock chamber comprises:
a chamber body defining a process volume;
a purge gas port in fluid communication with the process volume;
an exhaust port in fluid communication with the process volume; and
a pedestal disposed in the process volume, wherein the pedestal has a plurality of cooling fluid conduits formed therein;

a second transfer chamber having a second robot disposed therein, the second transfer chamber directly coupled to the load lock chamber, the second transfer chamber having a chamber body defining a transfer volume and an oxygen sensor in fluid communication with the transfer volume, the second transfer chamber and the load lock chamber configured to generate a substantially inert environment at about atmospheric pressure; and

a process module coupled to the substrate transfer module, wherein the process module comprises a process chamber, wherein the process chamber is coupled to the second transfer chamber.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Assaf Shay
• Constant Andrew
• Newman Jacob
• Carlson Charles
• Weaver William Tyler
• Hickerson Stephen

Classifications

• H10P72/0468

  comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process · CPC title

• H10P72/0466 Primary

  characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0461

  characterised by the presence of two or more transfer chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0452

  characterised by the layout of the process chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title