Method of processing a substrate in a photolithography system utilizing a thermal process module
US5935768A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 10, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 10, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 10, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/136
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for baking and cooling silicon substrates are disclosed. Both baking and cooling of silicon substrates are done in a single integrated thermal process module. Each thermal process module includes two hot plate assemblies, a cool plate assembly, two local linear transfer arms and a micro-processor based module controller. Both transfer arms are capable of transferring substrates among the cool and hot plate assemblies. The module controller ensures that there are no conflicts in use of the transfer arms or in use of the hot and cool plate assemblies and so that a transfer arm is always available when a substrate is finished baking. A central substrate handling robot transports substrates only from and to the cool plate assembly of the thermal process module. Also, the vacuum tubing is routed via a unique pulley arrangement to achieve compact mounting and eliminate loose tubing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.