Novellus Systems Incorporated

Lam Research Corporation

Other

Siliconix Incorporated

Qume Corporation

Christopher William Burkhart

Barry Lee Chin

Eliot K Broadbent

Jeffrey C Benzing

Everhardus P Van De Ven

Bart Jan Van Schravendijk

Richard M Blank

Andrew C Lee

Charles E Pomeroy

Lawrence Allen Gochberg

Tito H Santiago

Jeffrey W Lind

Lawrence C Lane

Richard Howard Gould

David J Hemker

Edward J McInerney

Daniel Arthur Brown

Leonard John Sharpless

Allan Kent Ronne

Michael Nordin

Keith Freeman Wood

Candi Kristoffersen

Mark K Tan

Charles N Ditmore

Hironobu Yasuumi

A system comprises an equipment front end module (EFEM), a vacuum transfer module (VTM), a plurality off quad station process modules (QSMs). The EFEM is configured to receive a plurality of wafers. The EFEM comprises an EFEM transfer robot. The vacuum transfer module (VTM) is configured to receive the plurality of wafers from the EFEM. The VTM comprises a VTM transfer robot. The plurality of quad station process modules (QSMs) is coupled to the VTM. The VTM transfer robot is configured Oto transfer wafers between the VTM and the plurality of QSMs. The EFEM transfer robot is configured to transfer wafers between the EFEM and the VTM.

Reduced footprint wafer handling platform

In some examples, a dual-mode autonomous guided vehicle (AGV) is provided for docking a module in a fabrication bay. An example AGV may comprise a chassis for supporting the module on the AGV; drive means to transport the AGV under autonomous guidance, in a module transportation mode, to a specified location within the fabrication bay; a Cartesian x-y movement table to move the module under autonomous guidance, in a module docking mode, in an x- or y-docking direction, into a specific docking position; and a z-direction lift mechanism to move the module in a z-docking direction during the module docking mode.

Dual-mode autonomous guided vehicle

A substrate processing tool includes a plurality of process modules configured to process a semiconductor substrate. Each of the plurality of process modules is arranged at a different location within the substrate processing tool. A vacuum transfer module (VTM) includes a robot and is configured to move between a plurality of different positions corresponding to the different locations within the substrate processing tool to allow the robot to access respective ones of the plurality of process modules.

Moving substrate transfer chamber

Methods and apparatuses for additively manufactured tubular passages, additively manufactured manifolds, and additively manufactured heaters are provided.

Additively manufactured gas distribution manifold

A system for mounting vacuum robot arms in horizontally elongate vacuum transfer modules is provided. The system provides mechanical isolation to the vacuum robot arm against deflections in the housing of the vacuum transfer module due to depressurization of the interior of the vacuum transfer module while the exterior of the vacuum transfer module is subjected to atmospheric pressure. Such systems may prevent undesirable, larger displacements of the end effector of such vacuum robot arms due to the deflection.

Vacuum robot positioning system with reduced sensitivity to chamber pressure

A manifold constructed by additive manufacturing for use in semiconductor processing tools is provided. The manifold may include a mixing chamber and portions of a plurality of flow paths with each flow path including a first fluid flow component interface, a second fluid flow component interface, a first tubular passage fluidically connecting the first mixing chamber with a first fluid flow component interface outlet of that flow path, and a second tubular passage fluidically connecting a first fluid flow component interface inlet of that flow path with a second fluid flow component interface outlet of that flow path. Each fluid flow component interface is configured to interface with a corresponding fluid flow component such that the corresponding fluid flow component, when installed, is able to interact with fluid flow between the fluid flow component interface inlet and the fluid flow component interface outlet.

A vacuum valve assembly for use in a vacuum processing chamber includes a seat defining an opening in the vacuum valve, with the seat having a sealing face adjacent the opening and normal to the direction of the opening; and a gate having a sealing face adapted to mate with the seat sealing face, the gate being movable toward and away from the seat sealing face to seal and open the vacuum valve opening. A continuous elastomeric seal extends around the vacuum valve opening between the gate sealing face and the seat sealing face of sufficient size such that when the gate is positioned to seal the vacuum valve opening, there exists a gap between the gate sealing face and the seat sealing face. A purge gas port system, disposed in the seat or in the gate, has an inlet for a purge gas, an essentially continuous outlet extending around the vacuum valve opening and adjacent the elastomeric seal and gap, and a manifold system connecting the inlet and the outlet. When a purge gas is introduced through the inlet, the manifold distributes the gas to the outlet which evenly distributes the gas to the vicinity of the continuous elastomeric seal around the vacuum valve opening in the gap between the gate sealing face and the seat sealing face.

Gas-purged vacuum valve

A sealing assembly is provided for sealing retractable opposing planar surfaces of processing modules each having sealable cavities for the fabrication of semiconductor wafers. The sealing assembly may include an inner frame adapted to be concentrically positioned within a central opening of an outer frame. The outer frame may include lifting tabs attached to an upper portion such that the lifting tabs are graspable to removably position the sealing assembly between the opposing planar surfaces of the processing modules. An O-ring, which may include an elastomeric material, is adapted to fit about a circumference of the inner frame. The opposing surfaces of the processing modules define an opening therebetween which accepts the sealing assembly. The opposing surfaces of the modules are retractably movable towards one another thereby coupling the O-ring between the opposing planar surfaces to provide a seal.

MESC seal, O-ring carrier

A device for aligning a flatted object to a desired orientation. The flatted object has a substantially circular perimeter and a flatted chord portion and may be a silicon wafer or a cover for an electrostatic chuck. The device includes multiple conically shaped rollers that center and rotationally align the object, each roller having a bottom lip for supporting the object. Centering rollers are mounted so that they contact the circular perimeter of the object when it is in the desired orientation. Rotational alignment rollers are mounted so that they contact the flatted chord portion of the object when it is in the desired orientation. When placed on the alignment device, the flatted object passively moves to the desired orientation under the force of gravity.

Flatted object passive aligner

A platen supports a substrate on an interior platen region during the deposition of materials such as tungsten, metal nitrides, other metals, and silicides in a chemical vapor deposition ('CVD') reactor. A deposition control gas composed of a suitable inert gas such as argon or a mixture of inert and reactive gases such as argon and hydrogen is introduced into the CVD reactor. Deposition control gas is preferably introduced through a restrictive opening in a gas orifice surrounding the platen interior region and exits near an edge of the substrate. The restrictive opening accommodates a uniform deposition control gas flow proximate to an edge of the substrate at a pressure greater than reactor pressure near the substrate edge. The deposition control gas substantially prevents process gas access to the substrate edge and backside. In one embodiment, the restrictive opening is formed by placing a restrictive insert within a gas groove surrounding the platen interior region. In another embodiment, the restrictive opening is formed by an exclusion guard substantially uniformly spaced from the edge of the substrate.

Gas-based substrate deposition protection

A platen supports a wafer during the deposition of tungsten, metal nitrides, other metals, and silicides in a chemicalvapor deposition reactor. A deposition control gas that includes a suitable inert gas such as argon or a mixture of inert and reactant gases such as argon and hydrogen is introduced through a restrictive opening into an ambient in the reactor. An exclusion guard aligned with the platen has an extension extending over a frontside peripheral region of the wafer. Deposition control gas is introduced under the exclusion guard extension and exits through a restrictive opening between the exclusion guard extension and a wafer frontside peripheral region. The restrictive opening provides a uniform pressure of deposition control gas at the edge and frontside of the wafer to prevent deposition on the wafer edge and backside.

Apparatus for preventing deposition on frontside peripheral region and

A platen supports a wafer during the deposition of tungsten, metal nitrides, other metals, and silicides in a chemical vapor deposition reactor. A deposition control gas that includes a suitable inert gas such as argon or a mixture of inert and reactant gases such as argon and hydrogen is introduced through a restrictive opening into an ambient in the reactor. An exclusion guard aligned with the platen has an extension extending over a frontside peripheral region of the wafer. Deposition control gas is introduced under the exclusion guard extension and exits through a restrictive opening between the exclusion guard extension and a wafer frontside peripheral region. The restrictive opening provides a uniform pressure of deposition control gas at the edge and frontside of the wafer to prevent deposition on the wafer edge and backside.

Growing community of inventors

Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Christopher William Burkhart