Vacuum substrate processing system having multiple processing chambers and a central load/unload chamber
US6214119A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Apr 10, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/141
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention includes plural plasma processing vessels and a wafer queuing station arrayed with a wafer transfer arm in a controlled environment. Wafers are movable within the controlled environment one at a time selectably between the several plasma vessels and the wafer queuing station without atmospheric or other exposure so that possible contamination of the moved wafers is prevented. The system is selectively operative in either single-step or multiple-step processing modes, and in either of the modes, the several plasma etching vessels are operable to provide a desirably high system throughput. In the preferred embodiment, the several plasma vessels and the queuing station are arrayed about a closed pentagonal locus with the wafer transfer arm disposed within the closed locus. The wafer transfer arm is movable in R and .THETA. between the several plasma etching vessels and the wafer queuing station, and selectably actuatable vacuum locks are provided between each of the plasma etching vessels and the R and .THETA. movable wafer transfer arm to both maintain an intended atmospheric condition and to allow wafer transport therethrough. The plasma vessels each include fi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.