Post exposure processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262662-B2
Application number	US-202017062326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

Implementations described herein relate to a platform apparatus for post exposure processing. In one implementation, a platform apparatus includes a plumbing module and a process module. The process module further includes a central region having a robot disposed therein, and a plurality of process stations disposed about the central region and sharing the plumbing module. Each process station includes a process chamber and a post process chamber in a stacked arrangement. The process chamber includes a chamber body defining a process volume, a door coupled to the chamber body, a first electrode coupled to the door, and a power source communicatively coupled to the first electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A platform apparatus, comprising:
a plumbing module; and
a process module comprising:
a central region having a robot disposed therein; and
a plurality of process stations disposed about the central region and sharing the plumbing module, wherein each process station includes a process chamber and a post process chamber in a stacked arrangement, the process chamber further comprising:
a chamber body defining a process volume;
a door coupled to the chamber body;
a first electrode coupled to the door; and
a power source communicatively coupled to the first electrode.

2. The platform apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a major axis of the process volume is oriented vertically and a minor axis of the process volume is oriented horizontally.

3. The platform apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power source is configured to provide power ranging between about 1 V and about 20 kV to the first electrode.

4. The platform apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the power source is configured to provide power with a frequency between about 0.1 Hz and about 1 MHz to the first electrode.

5. The platform apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the power source is configured to generate an electric field ranging between about 1 kV/m and about 2 MV/m within the process volume.

6. The platform apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the power source is configured to operate in a voltage-controlled mode.

7. The platform apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the power source is configured to operate in a current-controlled mode.

8. The platform apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the power source is configured to generate AC, DC, and pulsed DC waveforms.

9. The platform apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the power source is configured to generate AC and pulsed DC power having a duty cycle between about 5% and about 95%.

10. The platform apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the power source is configured to generate AC and pulsed DC power having a rise and fall time between about 1 ns and about 1000 ns.

11. The platform apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the process chamber further comprises:
a second electrode coupled to the chamber body, the second electrode disposed opposite the first electrode;
a first plurality of fluid ports formed in a sidewall of the chamber body adjacent the process volume; and
a second plurality of fluid ports formed in the sidewall of the chamber body adjacent the process volume opposite the first plurality of fluid ports.

12. A platform apparatus, comprising:
a factory interface;
a plumbing module; and
a process module coupled to the factory interface and the plumbing module, the process module comprising:
a central region having a robot disposed therein; and
a plurality of process stations disposed about the central region and sharing the plumbing module, wherein each process station includes a process chamber and a post process chamber in a stacked arrangement, the process chamber further comprising:
a chamber body defining a process volume, wherein a major axis of the process volume is oriented vertically and a minor axis of the process volume is oriented horizontally;
a door coupled to the chamber body;
a first electrode coupled to the door;
a plurality of fluid ports formed in a sidewall of the chamber body adjacent the process volume; and
a power source communicatively coupled to the first electrode.

13. The platform apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the power source is configured to provide a power ranging between about 1 V and about 20 kV to the first electrode.

14. The platform apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the power source is configured to provide a power with a frequency between about 0.1 Hz and about 1 MHz to the first electrode.

15. The platform apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the power source is configured to generate an electric field ranging between about 1 kV/m and about 2 MV/m within the process volume.

16. The platform apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the power source is configured to operate in a voltage-controlled mode.

17. The platform apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the power source is configured to operate in a current-controlled mode.

18. The platform apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the power source is configured to generate AC, DC, and pulsed DC waveforms to the first electrode.

19. The platform apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the power source is configured to generate AC and pulsed DC power having a duty cycle between about 20% and about 60%.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Babayan Viachslav
• Godet Ludovic
• Hanson Kyle M
• Moore Robert B

Classifications

• H10P72/0602

  Temperature monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/0462

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

• H10P72/0458

  vertical arrangement · CPC title

• H10P72/0454

  surrounding a central transfer chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0441

  Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like · CPC title