Serial wafer handling mechanism

US6429139B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Eaton Corporation · US

Inventors

• Kevin T. Ryan · Wilmington, US
• Peter L. Kellerman · Essex, US
• Frank Sinclair · Quincy, US
• Ernest E. Allen · Rockport, US
• Roger B. Fish · Bedford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 1999
• Grant date: Aug 6, 2002
• Expiry date: Dec 17, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S438/913
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A wafer handling system for a wafer processing apparatus includes a wafer load lock chamber, a wafer processing chamber and a transfer chamber operatively coupled to the wafer load lock chamber and the wafer processing chamber. The transfer chamber includes a wafer transfer mechanism comprising a transfer arm pivotably coupled to a portion of the transfer chamber which forms an axis. The transfer arm is operable to rotate about the axis to transfer a wafer between the wafer load lock chamber and the process chamber in a single axis wafer movement. The invention also includes a method of transferring a wafer to a wafer processing apparatus. The method includes loading a wafer into a wafer load lock chamber and rotating a transfer arm into the wafer load lock chamber to retrieve the wafer therein. The method further includes rotating the transfer arm out of the wafer load lock chamber and into a process chamber to deposit the wafer therein, wherein the rotating of the transfer arm occurs in a single axis wafer movement.