Gas systems and methods for chamber ports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358792-A1
Application number	US-201615238604-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2013
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device manufacturing system may include a chamber port assembly that provides an interface between a transfer chamber and a process chamber. In some embodiments, the chamber port assembly may be configured to direct a flow of purge gas into a substrate transfer area of the chamber port assembly. In other embodiments, a process chamber and/or the transfer chamber may be configured to direct a flow of purge gas into the substrate transfer area. The flow of purge gas into a substrate transfer area may prevent and/or reduce migration of particulate matter from chamber hardware onto a substrate being transferred between the transfer chamber and a process chamber. Methods of assembling a chamber port assembly are also provided, as are other aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device manufacturing system, comprising:
a first chamber configured to receive a substrate therein; a second chamber configured to receive a substrate therein; a chamber port assembly interfacing the first chamber with the second chamber, the chamber port assembly having a substrate transfer area between the first chamber and the second chamber, the substrate transfer area configured to receive a substrate as the substrate is transferred through the chamber port assembly between the first chamber and the second chamber; a gas inlet; a gas conduit member having a gas passageway there through in fluid communication with the gas inlet; and one or more gas nozzles configured to direct a flow of gas received at the gas inlet into the substrate transfer area.

2 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber port assembly comprises the gas inlet, the gas conduit member, and the one or more gas nozzles.

3 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 2 , wherein the chamber port assembly comprises a lid that has the gas inlet formed therein.

4 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 2 , wherein the chamber port assembly comprises a frame insert that comprises the one or more gas nozzles.

5 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber comprises the gas inlet, the gas conduit member, and the one or more gas nozzles, the one or more gas nozzles disposed proximate a chamber port of the first chamber, the chamber port configured to interface the chamber port assembly.

6 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 5 , wherein the gas inlet is formed in a lid or side wall of the first chamber.

7 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 5 , wherein the first chamber is a transfer chamber or a process chamber configured to process a substrate therein.

8 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber port assembly comprises a lid that has the gas inlet formed therein and a first gas passageway in fluid communication with the gas inlet.

9 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , comprising a frame insert including another gas passage in fluid communication with the gas passageway of the gas conduit member.

10 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more gas nozzles are coupled to a frame insert and are in fluid communication with another gas passageway.

11 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , comprising a slit valve mechanism that includes a door, the door including a closed position that abuts a frame insert and seals an opening to the substrate transfer area.

12 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber port assembly comprises a lid that has the gas inlet formed therein, and wherein the gas conduit member is disposed between a lid and a frame insert.

13 . The electronic device manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber port assembly comprises a lid, and a frame insert coupled to the lid.

14 . A method of assembling a chamber port assembly for an electronic device manufacturing system, comprising:
providing a lid having a gas inlet formed therein and a first gas passageway extending there through, the first gas passageway in fluid communication with the gas inlet; providing a gas conduit member having a second gas passageway extending there through; providing a frame insert having a third gas passageway extending there through, the frame insert configured to receive one or more gas nozzles such that the third gas passageway is in fluid communication with the one or more gas nozzles; coupling the lid, gas conduit member, and frame insert such that the first, second, and third gas passageways are in fluid communication with each other; and attaching the one or more gas nozzles to the frame insert such that the one or more gas nozzles are configured to direct a flow of gas received at the gas inlet into a substrate transfer area of the chamber port assembly.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
providing a second gas conduit member having a fourth gas passageway there through; and coupling the second gas conduit to the lid and the frame insert such that the gas nozzles and the first and fourth gas passageways are in fluid communication with each other.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the coupling comprises:
attaching the lid to a frame of the chamber port assembly; attaching the gas conduit member to the frame insert; and abutting the gas conduit member to the lid and attaching the frame insert to the frame.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the coupling comprises:
attaching the gas conduit member to the frame insert; and seating the lid on the gas conduit member.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising attaching the lid to a frame of the chamber port assembly.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising attaching the frame insert to a frame of the chamber port assembly.

20 . An electronic device manufacturing system, comprising:
a process chamber configured to receive a substrate therein; a transfer chamber configured to receive a substrate therein; a chamber port assembly interfacing the process chamber with the transfer chamber, the chamber port assembly including a frame with a frame insert, and a substrate transfer area between the process chamber and the transfer chamber, the substrate transfer area including an opening in the frame insert configured to receive a substrate as the substrate is transferred through the chamber port assembly between the process chamber and the transfer chamber; a slit valve mechanism including a slit valve door configured to be sealed against the opening in the frame insert; a gas inlet; a gas conduit member having a gas passageway there through in fluid communication with the gas inlet; and one or more gas nozzles in the frame insert configured to direct a flow of gas received at the gas inlet into the substrate transfer area.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Madiwal Nagendra V
• Decottignies Robert Irwin
• Nguyen Andrew
• Reuter Paul B
• Sico Angela R
• Kuchar Michael
• Morey Travis
• Disanto Mitchell

Classifications

• H10P72/0441

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

• H10P72/0462 Primary

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

• C23C16/4401

  Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber · CPC title

• C23C14/566

  using a load-lock chamber · CPC title

• C23C14/564

  Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases · CPC title