Stacked wafer cassette loading system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9698036-B2
Application number	US-201514933987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 5, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A substrate cassette loading system for docking substrate cassettes to a substrate processing system is provided. A plurality of ports passes substrates into the substrate processing system, wherein a first port of the plurality of ports is vertically above a second port of the plurality of ports. A plurality of cassette loaders provides substrate cassettes to the plurality of ports.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate cassette loading system for docking substrate cassettes to a substrate processing system, comprising
a plurality of ports for passing substrates into the substrate processing system, wherein a first port of the plurality of ports is vertically above a second port of the plurality of ports and wherein the first port is in a row of upper ports and the second port is in a row of lower ports; and
a plurality of cassette loaders for providing substrate cassettes to the plurality of ports, comprising a first cassette loader for providing substrate cassettes to the first port and a second cassette loader for providing substrate cassettes to the second port, wherein at least one of the first cassette loader or second cassette loader is movable, wherein if the first cassette loader is movable the first cassette loader is movable horizontally along the row of upper ports and wherein if the second cassette loader is movable the second cassette loader is movable horizontally along the row of lower ports.

2. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one cassette loader actuator for moving at least one cassette loader of the plurality of cassette loaders from a port of the plurality of ports.

3. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 2 , wherein the substrate processing system comprises an overhead hoist transport, which vertically moves the substrate cassettes onto each of the plurality of cassette loaders, wherein in the first position, the overhead hoist transport loads a substrate cassette into the first cassette loader and in the second position, the overhead hoist transport loads a substrate cassette into the second cassette loader.

4. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 3 , wherein the overhead hoist transport is in a first position for loading the first cassette loader and wherein the overhead hoist transport is in a second position for loading the second cassette loader.

5. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 4 , wherein the at least one cassette loader actuator moves the second cassette loader.

6. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 3 , wherein the overhead hoist transport is in a set position for loading the first cassette loader and the second cassette loader.

7. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 6 , wherein the at least one cassette loader actuator moves the first cassette loader.

8. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of substrate cassettes is a front opening unified pod.

9. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one substrate cassette actuator, which is able to load a first substrate cassette into a first cassette loader adjacent to the first port and is able to load a second substrate cassette into a second cassette loader adjacent to the second port.

10. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 9 , further comprising at least one pickup/drop off shelf, wherein the at least one substrate cassette actuator is able to transport substrate cassettes to and from the at least one pickup/drop off shelf and a the first and second cassette loaders.

11. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a robot arm which is able to access substrates in a substrate cassette at the first port and is able to access substrates in a substrate cassette at the second port.

12. A substrate cassette loading system for docking substrate cassettes to a substrate processing system, comprising
a plurality of ports for passing substrates into the substrate processing system, wherein a first port of the plurality of ports is vertically above a second port of the plurality of ports and wherein the first port is in a row of upper ports and the second port is in a row of lower ports;
a plurality of cassette loaders for docking substrate cassettes to the plurality of ports with a first cassette loader of the plurality of cassette loaders, which docks substrate cassettes to the first port and a second cassette loader of the plurality of cassette loaders, which docks substrate cassettes to the second port, wherein at least one of the first cassette loader or second cassette loader is movable, wherein if the first cassette loader is movable the first cassette loader is movable horizontally along the row of upper ports and wherein if the second cassette loader is movable the second cassette loader is movable horizontally along the row of lower ports; and
at least one cassette loader actuator, wherein the at least one cassette loader actuator moves either the first cassette loader or the second cassette loader, from a first position, where the first cassette loader is vertically aligned with the second cassette loader, to a second position where the first cassette loader is not vertically aligned with the second cassette loader.

13. The substrate cassette loading system, as recited in claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of substrate cassettes is a front opening unified pod.

14. A method for loading substrate cassettes to a substrate processing system, comprising:
providing a plurality of ports for passing substrates into the substrate processing system, wherein a first port of the plurality of ports is vertically above a second port of the plurality of ports' wherein the first port is in a row of upper ports and the second port is in a row of lower ports and a plurality of cassette loaders for docking substrate cassettes to the plurality of ports with a first cassette loader of the plurality of cassette loaders, which docks substrate cassettes to the first port and a second cassette loader of the plurality of cassette loaders, which docks substrate cassettes to the second port, wherein at least one of the first cassette loader or second cassette loader is movable, wherein if the first cassette loader is movable the first cassette loader is movable horizontally along the row of upper ports and wherein if the second cassette loader is movable the second cassette loader is movable horizontally along the row of lower ports;
loading substrate cassettes on the first cassette loader and the second cassette loader; and
removing substrate cassettes from the first cassette loader and the second cassette loader.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising moving either the first cassette loader or the second cassette loader, from a first position, where the first cassette loader is vertically aligned with the second cassette loader, to a second position where the first cassette loader is not vertically aligned with the second cassette loader.

16. The method, as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:
vertically loading a substrate cassette into the first cassette loader in the first position; and
vertically loading a substrate cassette into the second cassette loader in the second position.

17. The method, as recited in claim 14 , wherein the loading substrate cassettes, comprises:
placing a substrate cassette on a pickup/drop off shelf; and
transporting the substrate cassette from the pickup/drop off shelf to either the first cassette loader or the second cassette loader.

18. The method, as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
removing by a robot a substrate from a cassette at the first port and transporting the wafer into the processing system; and
removing by the robot a substrate from a cassette at the second port and

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Aguilar Silvia R
• Wong Scott
• Witkowicki Derek J
• Gould Richard H
• Kristoffersen Candi
• Senn Brandon

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/3222

  Loading to or unloading from a conveyor · CPC title

• H10P72/3221

  Overhead conveying · CPC title

• H10P72/3218 Primary

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/3404 Primary

  Storage means · CPC title