Chamber elements and a method for placing a chamber at a load position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9302358-B2
Application number	US-201313944815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2013
Priority date	Jan 18, 2011
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Chamber elements defining a chamber include a first element having a first surface, a second element, a first dynamic seal and load mechanism. The second element includes an outer floating element that includes a second surface about the periphery of the chamber, and an inner floating element. The second surface and the first surface are maintained proximate to each other when the chamber is in a load position and when the chamber is closed. The load mechanism may move the inner floating element from the outer floating element until a gap between the inner floating element and the second element to facilitate loading of the device to the chamber. A movement system may generate relative movement between the first element and the second element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Chamber elements defining a chamber to be utilized during a stage selected from a group consisting of a manufacturing stage of a device and an inspection stage of the device, the chamber elements comprising:
a first element having a first surface;
a second element having an outer floating element that comprises a second surface about a periphery of said chamber, and further having an inner floating element;
a first dynamic seal arranged to maintain predefined conditions in said chamber during relative movement between said first element and said second element when said chamber is closed; and
a load mechanism, arranged to position the chamber in a load position in which the inner floating element is moved from the outer floating element until a gap exists between an upper surface of the inner floating element and a bottom surface of the outer floating element, the gap allowing loading of the device to the chamber or unloading of the device from the chamber, and arranged to close the chamber, the second surface and the first surface being maintained proximate to each other when the chamber is in the load position and when the chamber is closed;
wherein the chamber elements are operable to partially surround a first portion of a movement system, said movement system arranged to generate said relative movement between said first element and said second element.

2. The chamber elements according to claim 1 wherein the second element comprises a device support element; and the movement system comprises a z-stage arranged to alter a height of the device support element within the chamber when the chamber is closed.

3. The chamber elements according to claim 2 wherein the movement system further comprises multiple actuators that are arranged to move the inner floating element, the multiple actuators surrounding the z-stage.

4. The chamber elements according to claim 1 wherein the load mechanism comprises supporting elements that place the outer floating element in proximity to the first element.

5. The chamber elements according to claim 1 wherein the movement system comprises the load mechanism.

6. The chamber elements according to claim 1 wherein the load mechanism is separate from the movement system.

7. The chamber elements according to claim 1 wherein the first dynamic seal is maintained by a flow of gas between a group of air bearings and multiple vacuum grooves; wherein the group of air bearings surround the multiple vacuum grooves.

8. The chamber elements according to claim 1 wherein the first dynamic seal is maintained by a flow of gas between a vacuum groove and multiple vacuum grooves, wherein the vacuum groove surrounds the multiple vacuum grooves.

9. Chamber elements defining a chamber to be utilized during a stage selected from a group consisting of a manufacturing stage of a device and an inspection stage of the device, the chamber elements comprising:
a first element having a first surface;
a second element having a second surface about a periphery of the chamber, wherein the second element comprises an inner floating element and an outer floating element that comprises the second surface;
a first dynamic seal; and
a load mechanism, arranged to position the chamber in a load position in which loading of the device to the chamber and unloading of the device from the chamber are facilitated, and arranged to close the chamber, the load mechanism comprising at least one of an adjustable height element and a closed loop height adjustment element,
wherein the chamber elements are operable to partially surround a first portion of a movement system arranged to generate a first relative movement between said first element and said second element, the first dynamic seal being arranged to maintain predefined conditions in the chamber during the first relative movement, and when the chamber is closed, the first and second surfaces are proximate to each other; and
wherein the load mechanism is arranged to move the inner floating element from the outer floating element until a gap exists between an upper surface of the inner floating element and a bottom surface of the outer floating element to facilitate loading of the device to the chamber.

10. The chamber elements according to claim 9 wherein the load mechanism is arranged to increase a distance between the first and second surfaces until the chamber is in the load position.

11. The chamber elements according to claim 9 further comprising a vacuum unit arranged to introduce a pressure difference between the chamber and an environment of the chamber.

12. The chamber elements according to claim 9 wherein:
the first dynamic seal is arranged to maintain the predefined conditions when a distance between the first and second surfaces is smaller than a first distance;
the load mechanism is arranged to place the first and second surfaces at the first distance from each other; and
a pressure difference between the chamber and an environment of the chamber causes the first surface to move closer than the first distance from the second surface.

13. The chamber elements according to claim 12 wherein:
the load mechanism comprises a cylinder and the adjustable height element;
a first end of the adjustable height element is connected to the cylinder and a second end of the adjustable height element is connected to the bottom surface; and
a distance between the first and second ends of the adjustable height element is adjustable.

14. The chamber elements according to claim 9 wherein:
the load mechanism comprises a cylinder and the adjustable height element;
a first end of the adjustable height element is connected to the cylinder and a second end of the adjustable height element is connected to the bottom surface; and
a distance between the first and second ends of the adjustable height element is adjustable.

15. The chamber elements according to claim 14 wherein the cylinder comprises a piston and an elastic stop that is positioned to prevent the piston from elevating the first element so as to cause the first surface to contact the second surface.

16. The chamber according to claim 9 wherein the load mechanism is responsive to distance measurements made by a sensor that is arranged to sense distances between the first and second surfaces.

17. The chamber according to claim 16 wherein the load mechanism comprises an electro-mechanical actuator that is responsive to distance measurements.

18. The chamber elements according to claim 9 wherein the first element comprises an upper plate, a base, and a vibration isolation system having a first end mounted to the base and a second end mounted to the upper plate, supporting the upper plate and isolating the upper plate from vibration.

19. The chamber elements according to claim 9 wherein the load mechanism comprises multiple distance changing elements that surround the chamber.

20. The chamber elements according to claim 9
wherein the second surface and the first surface are maintained proximate to each other when the chamber is in the load position.

21. A method for loading a device into a chamber during processing or inspecting of the device, said method comprising:
positioning a chamber in a load position, wherein the chamber is defined by a first element having a first surface and a second element including an inner floating element and an outer floating element that comprises a second surface about a periphery of the chamber, the second element operable t

Assignees

• Applied Materials Israel Ltd

Inventors

• Krayvitz Krivts Igor
• Avneri Israel
• Uziel Yoram
• Schlimoff Natan
• Schwartz Gilad
• Madmon Yochanan

Classifications

• H10P72/0448

  Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0466

  characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0462 Primary

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

• H01L21/67201

  Electricity · mapped topic

• B23Q3/00 Primary

  Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine (work-tables or other parts, e.g. faceplates, normally not incorporating means for securing work B23Q1/00; automatic position control B23Q15/00 {; food cutting boards A47J47/00; workpiece support for dies B21D37/02}; rotary tool heads for turning-machines B23B3/24, B23B3/26; non-driven tool holders B23B29/00; general features of turrets B23B29/24 {; drawbars in spindles B23B31/261; for electrical discharge machining B23H11/003; for welding B23K37/04; means for securing grinding wheels B24B45/00; mountings for abrasive wheels B24D5/16}; tools or bench devices for fastening, connecting, disengaging or holding B25B {; chucks for percussive tools B25D17/084; work benches for manual work B25H1/00; devices for securing circular saw blades B27B5/32; for assembling or manufacturing aircrafts B64F5/10; devices for holding circuit boards H05K13/0061; for holding semiconductors or wafers H10P72/00}) · CPC title