Pin-less substrate transfer apparatus and method for a processing chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11948828-B2
Application number	US-202016744478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2020
Priority date	Jan 16, 2020
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a pin-less substrate transfer apparatus and method for a processing chamber. The processing chamber includes a pedestal. The pedestal includes a pedestal plate. The pedestal plate has a radius, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The pedestal plate further includes a plurality of cut outs on a perimeter of the pedestal plate. Flat edges are disposed on opposite sides of the pedestal plate. Recesses are disposed in the bottom surface below each of the flat edges.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A pedestal, comprising:
a pedestal plate having a radius, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the pedestal plate comprising:
a plurality of cut outs on a perimeter of the pedestal plate, wherein each cut out of the plurality of cut outs is between about 90 degrees and about 125 degrees along the perimeter away from each adjacent cut out of the plurality of cut outs on the perimeter of the pedestal plate;
flat edges disposed on opposite sides of the pedestal plate, wherein each one of the plurality of cut outs are disposed between the flat edges; and
recesses disposed in the bottom surface below each of the flat edges.

2. The pedestal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of through pins extending out of the top surface of the pedestal plate, each through pin of the plurality of through pins is positioned on a common radius.

3. The pedestal of claim 2 , wherein each through pin of the plurality of through pins has a coaxial through hole.

4. The pedestal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of notches disposed on the pedestal plate, wherein each notch of the plurality of notches is disposed on the perimeter of the pedestal plate.

5. The pedestal of claim 4 , wherein each notch extends inward of each through pin.

6. The pedestal of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of notches are configured to enable a blade to pass beneath a top surface of the pedestal plate, the blade having a first tab, second tabs, and flat edges, the second tabs having a symmetrical orientation relative to an imaginary line bifurcating the first tab and the pedestal plate.

7. The pedestal of claim 1 , wherein vertical surfaces of the recesses parallel to the flat edges.

8. The pedestal of claim 1 , wherein each through pin is disposed in a hole formed in a body of pedestal plate.

9. The pedestal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a header coupled to the pedestal plate.

10. A processing chamber, comprising:
a top wall, sidewalls, and a bottom wall, defining an internal volume;
a pedestal plate disposed within the internal volume, the pedestal plate having a radius, a top surface, and a bottom surface;
a plurality of cut outs on a perimeter of the pedestal plate, wherein each cut out of the plurality of cut outs is between about 90 degrees and about 125 degrees along the perimeter away from each adjacent cut out of the plurality of cut outs on the perimeter of the pedestal plate;
flat edges disposed on opposite sides of the pedestal plate, wherein each one of the plurality of cut outs are disposed between the flat edges; and
recesses in the bottom surface below each of the flat edges.

11. The processing chamber recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
a plurality of through pins extending out of the top surface of the pedestal plate, each through pin of the plurality of through pins positioned on a common radius.

12. The processing chamber recited in claim 11 , wherein each through pin of the plurality of through pins has a coaxial through hole.

13. The processing chamber recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
a plurality of notches disposed on the pedestal plate, wherein each notch is disposed on the perimeter of the pedestal plate.

14. The processing chamber recited in claim 13 , wherein each notch of a plurality of notches extend inward of each pin.

15. The processing chamber recited in claim 13 , wherein each notch of the plurality of notches is equidistant from each of the flat edges.

16. The processing chamber recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
a header coupled to the pedestal plate.

17. A method of processing a substrate, comprising:
positioning a substrate supported on a blade over a pedestal plate of a pedestal disposed within a processing chamber, the pedestal plate having substantially parallel flat edges disposed between adjacent cut outs of a plurality of cut outs disposed along a perimeter of the pedestal plate, wherein each cut out of the plurality of cut outs is between about 90 degrees and about 125 degrees along the perimeter away from each adjacent cut out of the plurality of cut outs on the perimeter of the pedestal plate, wherein the pedestal plate has recesses disposed in a bottom surface of the pedestal plate;
lifting the substrate from tabs positioned on the blade;
transferring the substrate from the blade to a top surface of the pedestal plate, wherein the tabs are lowered beneath the top surface of the pedestal plate upon transferring the substrate, and wherein blade has substantially parallel forks having a uniform thickness, the uniform thickness extending from the tabs to a base of the blade; and
retracting the blade from the pedestal by passing tabs extending from the blade beneath the recesses.

18. The processing chamber recited in claim 17 , further comprising:
removing the blade from the processing chamber, removing the blade further comprises: moving the tabs of the blade through recesses in the pedestal plate.

19. The processing chamber recited in claim 18 , further comprising:
removing an arm of the blade through a lower portion of an opening in the processing chamber; and
removing the blade through an upper portion of the opening.

20. The processing chamber recited in claim 17 , wherein the tabs pass through notches disposed in the pedestal plate when the tabs are lowered beneath the top surface of the pedestal plate.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Malik Sultan
• Nemani Srinivas D
• Khan Adib M
• Liang Qiwei

Classifications

• H10P72/7612

  characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins · CPC title

• H10P72/7602

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

• H10P72/3306 Primary

  Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece · CPC title

• H10P72/3202

  Mechanical details, e.g. rollers or belts · CPC title

• H10P72/7611 Primary

  characterised by edge profile or support profile · CPC title