Semitool, Inc.

Coby S Grove

Kyle Moran Hanson

Paul Zachary Wirth

Steven L Peace

Robert Allen Weaver

Eric Lund

Scott A Bruner

Victor J Williams

Jonathan Kuntz

A system and method for processing a workpiece, includes workpiece processors. A robot is moveable within an enclosure to load and unload workpieces into and out of the processors. A processor includes an upper rotor having a central air flow opening. The upper rotor is magnetically driven into engagement with a lower rotor to form a workpiece processing chamber. A moveable drain mechanism aligns different drain paths with the processing chamber so that different processing fluids may be removed from the processing chamber via different drain paths. A moveable nozzle positioned in the air flow opening distributes processing fluid to the workpiece. The processing fluid is distributed across the workpiece surface, via centrifugal force generated by spinning the processing chamber, and removed from the processing chamber via the moveable drain mechanism.

Single workpiece processing system

A thermal processor for treating a plurality of semiconductor articles introduced into the processor and pods includes a work-in-process stocker and furnace combination. The stocker includes a loading port, shelves for storing pods and a loadport. The loadport includes a pod opener and is positioned at a port through to the furnace housing. The pod opener may be an indexer for an SMIF pod or a FOUP loadport for handling a 300 mm. wafer pod. A manipulator within the stocker operates to receive and output pods from the processor, present pods to the loadport for loading and unloading and warehousing pods between such operations. In one embodiment, the manipulator operates in an X-axis, Y-axis horizontal plane as well as in a Z-axis direction and rotation about the Z-axis. In the other, the Y-axis degree of freedom is eliminated. The cooperating furnace includes a preload wafer station and a cooling wafer station in combination with a double lift furnace having a process container and a furnace heating element assembly which can be lowered independently for processing. An end effector within the furnace housing cooperates with the stocker as well as with the furnace for most efficient operation.

Thermal processor

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Columbia Falls, MT, United States of America

Coby S Grove