Semiconductor wafer transfer in processing systems
US5100502A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 1990 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/141
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An improved semiconductor wafer transfer method and system incorporates a combination of wafer retractor (14) and wafer lifters (16) built into each processing chamber with a modified transport arm (12) to achieve large enhancements in wafer exchange speeds. The transport arm (12) brings a new wafer into a processing chamber (18) where an already processed wafer waits for retrieval, having been lifted into the central portion of the chamber by lifters (16). In a simultaneous action, lifters (16) lower the processed wafer onto a lower platform of the transport arm (12) while the wafer retractor (14) removes the new wafer from an upper platform of the transport arm (12). Once the transport arm (12) removes the processed wafer from the chamber (18), the retractor (14) lowers the new wafer onto the wafer lifters (16) and processing begins. The transport arm (12) delivers the processed wafer to a wafer buffer (58), which accompanies the transport arm (12), and retrieves a new wafer to start the wafer loading process again with the next processing chamber (18). The method and system of the present invention provides a flexible and rapid solution for loading and unloading wafer processing…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.