Systems for removing and replacing consumable parts from a semiconductor process module in situ

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11112773-B2
Application number	US-201715666866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2017
Priority date	Oct 22, 2015
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A cluster tool assembly includes a vacuum transfer module, a process module having a first side connected to the vacuum transfer module. An isolation valve having a first side and a second side, the first side of the isolation valve coupled to a second side of the process module. A replacement station is coupled to the second side of the isolation valve. The replacement station includes an exchange handler and a part buffer. The part buffer includes a plurality of compartments to hold new or used consumable parts. The process module includes a lift mechanism to enable placement of a consumable part installed in the process module to a raised position. The raised position provides access to the exchange handler to enable removal of the consumable part from the process module and store in a compartment of the part buffer. The exchange handler of the replacement station is configured to provide a replacement for the consumable part from the part buffer back to the process module. The lift mechanism is configured to receive the consumable part provided for replacement by the exchange handler and lower the consumable part to an installed position. The replacement by the exchange handler and the process module is conducted while the process module and the replacement station are maintained in a vacuum state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cluster tool, comprising,
a vacuum transfer module including a first robot;
a plurality of process modules coupled to the vacuum transfer module;
an atmospheric transfer module including a second robot, the atmospheric transfer module coupled to the vacuum transfer module via a load lock;
a replacement station coupled to the atmospheric transfer module, the replacement station having a part buffer with a plurality of compartments for storing a plurality of consumable parts used in one or more of the plurality of process modules; and
an isolation valve coupled between the replacement station and the atmospheric transfer module, the second robot is configured with access to the replacement station via the isolation valve to retrieve consumable parts for installation in one or more of the plurality of process modules and store consumable parts removed from one or more of the plurality of process modules,
wherein the first robot of the vacuum transfer module is configured to handle the consumable parts for installation or removal from the one or more of the plurality of process modules and the second robot of the atmospheric transfer module is configured to handle the consumable parts retrieved from the replacement station or stored when removed from the one or more of the plurality of process modules, wherein end effectors of the first robot and the second robot configured to move a wafer are also configured to move the consumable part to achieve alignment of the consumable part delivered to the one or more of the plurality of process modules, and
wherein the consumable part is geometrically different from the wafer and the replacement station storing the plurality of consumable parts is different from a wafer loader storing the wafer used in the plurality of process modules.

2. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of process modules includes lift pins for removing and installing one of said consumable parts.

3. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein the replacement station is coupled to a side of the atmospheric transfer module.

4. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein the load lock provides an exchange location for ones of the consumable parts handled between the first robot and the second robot.

5. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein the consumable part is a replacement part of at least one of the plurality of process modules, and removal of the consumable part is performed without shutting down the process module having the consumable part replaced.

6. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein the consumable part is an edge ring that surrounds a wafer received in the one or more of the plurality of process modules.

7. The cluster tool of claim 1 , further includes a controller coupled to the atmospheric transfer module, the vacuum transfer module and the replacement station, the controller is configured to coordinate movement of the first robot and the second robot during replacement of the consumable part.

8. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein the replacement station is an attachable unit.

9. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein the replacement station is disposed on a front side or on a second side that is different from a side where the load lock is disposed.

10. The cluster tool of claim 1 , wherein the second robot is configured with access to the wafer exchange module via the isolation valve to retrieve a wafer for processing in the plurality of process modules and to store the wafer after completion of the processing, and
wherein the first robot of the vacuum transfer module is configured to handle delivery or removal of the wafer from the plurality of process modules.

11. A cluster tool , comprising,
a vacuum transfer module including a first robot;
a plurality of process modules coupled to the vacuum transfer module;
a replacement station coupled to the vacuum transfer module, the replacement station having a part buffer with a plurality of compartments for storing a plurality of consumable parts used in one or more of the plurality of process modules; and
an isolation valve coupled between the replacement station and the vacuum transfer module, the first robot is configured with access to the replacement station via the isolation valve to retrieve a consumable part for installation in one or more of the plurality of process modules and store consumable parts removed from the one or more of the plurality of process modules;
wherein an end effector provided in the first robot of the vacuum transfer module configured to move a wafer is also configured to move the consumable part for installation in the one or more of the plurality of process modules, to achieve alignment of the consumable part delivered to the one or more of the plurality of process modules, and
wherein the consumable part is geometrically different from the wafer and the replacement station storing the plurality of consumable parts is different from a wafer loader storing the wafer used in the plurality of process modules.

12. The cluster tool of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of process modules includes lift pins for removing and installing one of said consumable parts.

13. The cluster tool of claim 11 , wherein the consumable part is a replacement part of at least one of the plurality of process modules, and removal of the consumable part is performed without shutting down the process module having the consumable part that is being replaced.

14. The cluster tool of claim 11 , further includes a controller coupled to the vacuum transfer module, the replacement station and the one or more of the plurality of process modules, the controller configured to coordinate movement of the first robot during replacement of the consumable part.

15. The cluster tool of claim 14 , further includes an atmospheric transfer module including a second robot, a first side of the atmospheric transfer module coupled to the vacuum transfer module via a load lock, a second side of the atmospheric transfer module coupled to a wafer exchange module via a load port, the second robot of the atmospheric transfer module configured with access to the wafer exchange module to retrieve wafers for processing in the plurality of process modules and store the wafers processed by the plurality of process modules.

16. The cluster tool of claim 15 , wherein the load lock provides an exchange location for the wafers handled between the atmospheric transfer module and the vacuum transfer module.

17. The cluster tool of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further coupled to the atmospheric transfer module, the controller is configured to coordinate movement of the first robot and the second robot during movement of wafers for processing.

18. The cluster tool of claim 11 , wherein the consumable part is an edge ring that surrounds a wafer in the one or more of the plurality of process modules.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Trussell David D
• Miller Alan J
• Daugherty John
• Paterson Alex

Classifications

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0454 Primary

  surrounding a central transfer chamber · CPC title

• G05B2219/32212

  If parameter out of tolerance reject product · CPC title

• G05B19/41875 Primary

  characterised by quality surveillance of production · CPC title

• G05B2219/45031

  Manufacturing semiconductor wafers · CPC title