Localized purge module for substrate handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11315816-B2
Application number	US-202017018912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2020
Priority date	Jun 10, 2020
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A substrate-handling robot includes an end-effector to support a substrate and an arm, coupled to the end-effector, to translate the end-effector between an extended position and a retracted position. The substrate-handling robot also includes an enclosure to at least partially enclose the substrate with the substrate on the end-effector in the retracted position. The enclosure includes a shower to provide a flow of purge gas to the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate-handling robot, comprising:
an end-effector to support a substrate;
an arm, coupled to the end-effector, to translate the end-effector between an extended position and a retracted position;
a rotatable platform on which the arm is mounted; and
an enclosure, mounted on the rotatable platform, to at least partially enclose the substrate with the substrate on the end-effector in the retracted position, the enclosure comprising a shower to provide a flow of purge gas to the substrate.

2. The robot of claim 1 , wherein:
the arm is translatable in a radial direction with respect to the rotatable platform, to translate the end-effector between the extended position and the retracted position; and
the enclosure has a fixed position on the rotatable platform.

3. The robot of claim 2 , wherein:
the enclosure is rigidly connected to the rotatable platform; and
the arm is extendable beyond an end of the rotatable platform to translate the end-effector to the extended position.

4. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the shower comprises a porous surface through which the purge gas is to flow.

5. The robot of claim 4 , wherein:
the enclosure comprises a top portion having an inner surface comprising the porous surface; and
the inner surface is positioned to face a surface of the substrate with the substrate on the end-effector in the retracted position.

6. The robot of claim 5 , wherein the shower further comprises a chamber in the top portion of the enclosure, the chamber being surrounded by surfaces including the inner surface.

7. The robot of claim 6 , further comprising one or more tubes to provide the purge gas to the chamber.

8. The robot of claim 7 , wherein:
the rotatable platform comprises a box on which the arm and the enclosure are mounted;
the robot further comprises an elbow coupled between the box and the enclosure; and
the one or more tubes extend through the box and the elbow.

9. The robot of claim 5 , wherein the enclosure further comprises:
side walls, connected to the top portion of the enclosure; and
brackets, connected to the side walls, to connect the enclosure to the rotatable platform.

10. The robot of claim 4 , wherein the enclosure comprises a first side wall having an inner surface comprising the porous surface.

11. The robot of claim 10 , wherein:
the porous surface is a first porous surface;
the shower further comprises a second porous surface through which the purge gas is to flow;
the enclosure comprises a second side wall having an inner surface; and
the inner surface of the second side wall comprises the second porous surface.

12. The robot of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate is a semiconductor wafer; and
the end-effector comprises a fork to hold the semiconductor wafer.

13. A method, comprising:
loading a substrate onto an end-effector coupled to an arm, with the arm in an extended position, wherein the arm is mounted on a rotatable platform;
with the substrate loaded onto the end-effector, retracting the arm to a retracted position, wherein retracting the arm comprises at least partially enclosing the substrate in an enclosure comprising a shower, the enclosure being mounted on the rotatable platform; and
with the substrate at least partially enclosed in the enclosure, rotating the rotatable platform and providing a flow of purge gas through the shower to the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the loading is performed with the rotatable platform at a first orientation;
the rotating comprises rotating the rotatable platform from the first orientation to a second orientation;
providing the flow of purge gas through the shower to the substrate comprises providing the flow of purge gas while rotating the rotatable platform; and
the method further comprises, with the rotatable platform in the second orientation, moving the substrate to a station, comprising extending the arm from the retracted position to the extended position, wherein extending the arm comprises removing the substrate from the enclosure.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the shower comprises a porous surface; and
providing the flow of purge gas through the shower comprises causing the purge gas to flow through the porous surface.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the enclosure comprises a top portion having an inner surface comprising the porous surface; and
enclosing the substrate in the enclosure comprises positioning a surface of the substrate to face the inner surface.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the shower further comprises a chamber in the top portion of the enclosure, the chamber being surrounded by surfaces including the inner surface; and
providing the flow of purge gas comprises providing the purge gas to the chamber through one or more tubes.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the rotatable platform comprises a box;
the one or more tubes extend through the box; and
the rotating comprises rotating the rotatable platform while providing the flow of purge gas through the shower to the substrate.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the enclosure comprises a first side wall having an inner surface comprising the porous surface; and
enclosing the substrate in the enclosure comprises positioning the substrate adjacent to the inner surface.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the substrate is a semiconductor wafer;
the end-effector comprises a fork; and
loading the substrate onto the end-effector comprises picking up the semiconductor wafer with the fork.

Assignees

• Kla Corp

Inventors

• Pressburger Tzachi
• Volkov Igor

Classifications

• H10P72/7602 Primary

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3402 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/1926 Primary

  characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• H10P72/7626 Primary

  characterised by the construction of the shaft · CPC title