Applied Materials, Inc.

Benjamin M Johnston

Shinichi Kurita

Matthias Brunner

Hung T Nguyen

Ralf Schmid

John M White

Emanuel Beer

Fayez E Abboud

Sriram Krishnaswami

Thomas L Laidig

Cheuk Ming Lee

Jae Myung Yoo

James Craig Hunter

Paul Bocian

Jang Fung Chen

Antoine P Manens

Yong Liu

Preston Fung

Fayez (Frank) E Abboud

David Michael Corriveau

WeiMin Tao

Sean Screws

Jeffrey Kaskey

Ludwig Ledl

William Beaton

The present disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for loading, processing, and unloading substrates. A processing system comprises a load/unload system coupled to a photolithography system. The load/unload system comprises a first set of tracks having a first height and a first width, and a second set of tracks having a second height and a second width different than the first height and first width. An unprocessed substrate is transferred from a lift pin loader to a chuck along the first set of tracks on a first tray while a processed substrate is transferred from the chuck to the lift pin loader along the second set of tracks on a second tray. While a first tray remains with a substrate on the chuck during processing, the load/unload system is configured to unload a processed substrate and load an unprocessed substrate on a second tray.

Method for fast loading substrates in a flat panel tool

Embodiments described herein provide a system, a software application, and methods of a lithography process that provide at least one of the ability to decrease the stabilization time and write an exposure pattern into a photoresist on a substrate compensating for the change in the total pitch over a stabilization time. One embodiment of the system includes a slab, a stage disposed over the slab, a pair of supports disposed on the slab, a processing apparatus, and a chiller system. The pair of supports support a pair of tracks and the stage is configured to move along the pair of tracks. The processing apparatus has an apparatus support coupled to the slab and a processing unit supported by the apparatus support. The processing unit has a plurality of image projection systems. The chiller system has at least one fluid channel disposed in each track of the pair of tracks.

Dynamic cooling control for thermal stabilization for lithography system

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for performing photolithography processes. In one embodiment, a system including multiple interferometers for accurately measuring the location of a substrate during operation is provided. The system may include two chucks, and the two chucks are aligned in a first direction. The interferometers are placed along the first direction to measure the location of the substrate with respect to the first direction. The reduced distance between the interferometers and the chuck improves the accuracy of the measurement of the location of the substrate. In another embodiment, mask pattern data is provided to the system, and the mask pattern data is modified based on location and position information of the substrate. By controlling the mask pattern data with the location and position information of the substrate, less positional errors of the pattern formed on the substrate can be achieved.

Apparatus and methods for on-the-fly digital exposure image data modification

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for performing photolithography processes. In one embodiment, laminar gas flow is provided inside a photolithography system during operation. With laminar gas flow instead of turbulent gas flow inside the system, accuracy of the measurement of the location of a substrate disposed inside the system is improved due to the improved signal integrity of interferometers.

Environmental control of systems for photolithography process

Systems and apparatus for performing photolithography processes are described. The system and apparatus may comprise a slab, at least one stage disposed on the slab, and a vibration damping system disposed on the slab, the vibration damping system comprising a weight that is substantially equal to a weight of one of the at least one stage and a substrate that moves simultaneously with movement of the one of the at least one stage.

Methods and apparatus for vibration damping stage

A segmented antenna assembly for use in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus. One embodiment provides an apparatus comprising a chamber body having a top surface and a bottom surface, an antenna comprising a first segment, a second segment electrically coupled to the first segment and extending through an interior volume of the chamber, and a third segment electrically coupled to the second segment, and a dielectric layer disposed around an outer diameter of the second segment.

Segmented antenna assembly

A bellows which forms a flexible coupling between the lid of a processing chamber and an antenna feed through. One embodiment provides an apparatus comprising a chamber body having a chamber lid, a feed through extending through the chamber lid, an antenna coupled to and extending through the feed through to an internal volume of the chamber body, and a bellows comprising a first flange, the first flange coupled to the feed through, a second flange, the second flange coupled to the chamber lid, and a center portion extending between the first flange and the second flange.

Isolation of microwave sources through bellows

A method for testing a plurality of electronic devices formed on a large area substrate is described. In one embodiment, the method includes transferring a substrate on an end effector relative to a testing platform having a plurality of testing columns coupled thereto, the substrate having a plurality of electronic devices located thereon, and moving the substrate in a single directional axis relative to an optical axis of each of the plurality of testing columns, the single directional axis being substantially orthogonal to the optical axis to define a test area on the substrate, wherein the test area is configured to cover an entire length or an entire width of the substrate such that the testing columns are capable of testing the entire substrate as the substrate is moved through the test area.

In-line electron beam test system

A system and method for supporting and transferring a substrate relative to a plurality of testing columns are provided. The system includes a testing table adapted to support and move the substrate relative to the plurality of testing columns. The testing table may include an end effector disposed therein to transfer the substrate relative to an upper surface of the testing table. The method includes transferring the substrate to the testing table and moving the substrate relative to the plurality of testing columns. Signals indicative of electronic device performance are sensed to determine operability of the devices on the substrate.

Integrated substrate transfer module

A method of testing electronic devices on substrates is described. The method includes placing a configurable prober over a first substrate, testing the first substrate, re-configuring the configurable prober, placing the configurable prober over a second substrate, and testing the second substrate.

Configurable prober for TFT LCD array test

An apparatus and method for testing large area substrates is described. The large area substrates include patterns of displays and contact points electrically coupled to the displays on the large area substrate. The apparatus includes a prober assembly that is movable relative to the large area substrate and/or the contact points, and may be configured to test various patterns of displays and contact points on various large area substrates. The prober assembly is also configured to test fractional sections of the large area substrate positioned on a testing table, and the prober assembly may be configured for different display and contact point patterns without removing the prober assembly from the testing table.

Prober for electronic device testing on large area substrates

A method and apparatus for testing a plurality of electronic devices formed on a large area substrate is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus performs a test on the substrate in one linear axis in at least one chamber that is slightly wider than a dimension of the substrate to be tested. Clean room space and process time is minimized due to the smaller dimensions and volume of the system.

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Benjamin M Johnston