Cluster tool architecture for processing a substrate

US8146530B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Tetsuya Ishikawa · Fuji, JP
• Rick J. Roberts · San Jose, US
• Helen R. Armer · Cupertino, US
• Leon Volfovski · Mountain View, US
• Jay D. Pinson, II · San Jose, US
• Michael R. Rice · Pleasanton, US
• David H. Quach · San Jose, US
• Mohsen Salek · Cupertino, US
• Robert B. Lowrance · Los Gatos, US
• John A. Backer · San Jose, US
• William T. Weaver · Austin, US
• Charles T. Carlson · Cedar Park, US
• Chongyang Wang · Hejian, CN
• Jeffrey C. Hudgens · San Francisco, US
• Harald Herchen · Los Altos, US
• Brian Lu · Fremont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 20, 2008
• Grant date: Apr 3, 2012
• Expiry date: May 17, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T29/5323
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments generally provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system (e.g., a cluster tool) that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, substrates processed in the cluster tool have a more repeatable wafer history, and also the cluster tool has a smaller system footprint. Embodiments also provide for a method and apparatus that are used to improve the coater chamber, the developer chamber, the post exposure bake chamber, the chill chamber, and the bake chamber process results. Embodiments also provide for a method and apparatus that are used to increase the reliability of the substrate transfer process to reduce system down time.