Enclosure system shelf including alignment features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12027397-B2
Application number	US-202117206036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2020
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

A set of one or more shelves is configured to be disposed within an enclosure system of a substrate processing system. The set of one or more shelves includes first upper surfaces disposed substantially in a first plane, carrier alignment features configured to align a carrier on the first upper surfaces, second upper surfaces disposed substantially in a second plane that is above the first plane, and process kit ring alignment features configured to align a process kit ring on the carrier above the second upper surfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A set of one or more shelves configured to be disposed within an enclosure system of a substrate processing system, the set of one or more shelves comprising:
a first shelf comprising:
a plurality of first upper surfaces disposed substantially in a first plane;
a plurality of carrier alignment features configured to align a carrier on the plurality of first upper surfaces, the plurality of carrier alignment features being disposed above the plurality of first upper surfaces, wherein the plurality of carrier alignment features comprise one or more first carrier alignment features configured to be disposed proximate a first distal end of the carrier and one or more second carrier alignment features configured to be disposed proximate a second distal end of the carrier;
a plurality of second upper surfaces disposed substantially in a second plane that is above the first plane; and
a plurality of process kit ring alignment features configured to align a process kit ring on the carrier above the plurality of second upper surfaces, the plurality of process kit ring alignment features being disposed above the plurality of second upper surfaces.

2. The set of one or more shelves of claim 1 , wherein:
the first shelf comprises a first portion and a second portion that are coplanar;
the plurality of first upper surfaces comprise a first upper surface of the first portion and a third upper surface of the second portion;
the plurality of second upper surfaces comprise a second upper surface and a fourth upper surface of the second portion;
the first portion comprises the one or more first carrier alignment features and the second portion comprises the one or more second carrier alignment features; and
the plurality of process kit ring alignment features comprise one or more first process kit ring alignment features of the first portion and one or more second process kit ring alignment features of the second portion.

3. The set of one or more shelves of claim 2 , wherein:
the first portion further comprises one or more first attachment features configured to attach the first portion to one or more first components of the enclosure system; and
the second portion further comprises one or more second attachment features configured to attach the second portion to one or more second components of the enclosure system.

4. The set of one or more shelves of claim 3 , wherein:
the one or more first process kit ring alignment features comprise a fifth sidewall;
the one or more second process kit ring alignment features comprise a sixth sidewall; and
the fifth sidewall and the sixth sidewall are configured to align the process kit ring on the carrier.

5. The set of one or more shelves of claim 4 , wherein:
the fifth sidewall is at about a 100 to 110 degree angle from the first upper surface; and
the sixth sidewall is at about a 100 to 110 degree angle from the third upper surface.

6. The set of one or more shelves of claim 2 , wherein:
the one or more first carrier alignment features comprise a first sidewall;
the one or more second carrier alignment features comprise a second sidewall; and
the first sidewall and the second sidewall are configured to prevent x-direction movement and yaw movement of the carrier.

7. The set of one or more shelves of claim 6 , wherein:
the first sidewall is at about a 120 to 150 degree angle from the first upper surface; and
the second sidewall is at about a 120 to 150 degree angle from the third upper surface.

8. The set of one or more shelves of claim 6 , wherein:
the one or more first carrier alignment features comprise a third sidewall;
the one or more second carrier alignment features comprise a fourth sidewall; and
the third sidewall and the fourth sidewall are configured to prevent y-direction movement of the carrier.

9. The set of one or more shelves of claim 8 , wherein the first upper surface and the third upper surface are configured to prevent z-direction movement, pitch movement, and roll movement of the carrier.

10. The set of one or more shelves of claim 1 further comprising one or more carrier retaining devices configured to secure the carrier to the set of one or more shelves.

11. An enclosure system of a substrate processing system, the enclosure system comprising:
a plurality of surfaces that at least partially enclose an interior volume of the enclosure system; and
a set of one or more shelves at least partially disposed within the interior volume of the enclosure system, wherein the set of one or more shelves comprises:
a first shelf comprising:
a plurality of carrier alignment features configured to align a carrier on the first shelf in a first plane, wherein the plurality of carrier alignment features comprise one or more first carrier alignment features configured to be disposed proximate a first distal end of the carrier and one or more second carrier alignment features configured to be disposed proximate a second distal end of the carrier; and
a plurality of process kit ring alignment features configured to align a process kit ring on the carrier in a second plane above the first plane, the plurality of process kit ring alignment features being disposed above the plurality of carrier alignment features.

12. The enclosure system of claim 11 , wherein:
the first shelf comprises a first portion and a second portion that are coplanar;
the first portion comprises the one or more first carrier alignment features and the second portion comprises the one or more second carrier alignment features; and
the plurality of process kit ring alignment features comprise one or more first process kit ring alignment features of the first portion and one or more second process kit ring alignment features of the second portion.

13. The enclosure system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of carrier alignment features comprise a first sidewall and a second sidewall, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall are configured to prevent x-direction movement and yaw movement of the carrier.

14. The enclosure system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of carrier alignment features further comprise a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall, wherein the third sidewall and the fourth sidewall are configured to prevent y-direction movement of the carrier.

15. The enclosure system of claim 14 , wherein the first shelf further comprises a first upper surface and a third upper surface that are in the first plane and that are configured to prevent z-direction movement, pitch movement, and roll movement of the carrier.

16. The enclosure system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of process kit ring alignment features comprise a plurality of sidewalls that are configured to align the process kit ring on the carrier.

17. The enclosure system of claim 16 , wherein the carrier is configured to prevent x-direction movement, y-direction movement, z-direction movement, pitch movement, and roll movement of the process kit ring.

18. The enclosure system of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of sets of one or more shelves comprising the set of one or more shelves, wherein each set of the plurality of sets is configured to support one or more of a corresponding carrier, a corresponding process kit ring, a corresponding placement validation wafer, or a component of the substrate processing system.

19. A method comprising:
transporting a carrier supporting a process kit ring to a position above a first shelf of a set of one or more shelves disposed within an enclosure

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Green Aaron
• Bergantz Nicholas Michael
• Menk John C

Classifications

• H10P72/1921 Primary

  characterised by substrate supports · CPC title

• H10P72/7602

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

• H10P72/18

  characterised by being specially adapted for supporting a single substrate or by comprising a stack of such individual supports · CPC title

• H01L21/67383 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10P72/50

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title