Applied Materials, Inc.

Applied Material, Inc.

Dinesh Kanawade

Jacob Newman

Jeffrey C Hudgens

Stephen Moffatt

William Tyler Weaver

Jason M Schaller

Nir Merry

Robert Brent Vopat

Norman L Tam

Leonid Mark Tertitski

Kim Ramkumar Vellore

Andrew J Constant

Aaron Jacob Miller

Marvin L Freeman

Malcolm N Daniel, Jr

Michael Liu

Stephen Hickerson

Colin Fox

Craig Metzner

Chandrasekhar Balasubramanyam

Miriam Schwartz

Michael Thomas Haag

Electronic device processing systems may include a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber, a first carousel assembly, a second carousel assembly, a first load lock, a second load lock, and a robot adapted to operate in the transfer chamber to exchange substrates between the first and second carousels and the first and second load locks. The robot may include first and second end effectors operable to extend and/or retract simultaneously or sequentially along substantially co-parallel lines of action. Methods and multi-axis robots for transporting substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

Substrate deposition systems, robot transfer apparatus, and methods for electronic device manufacturing

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for visual lamp failure detection in a processing chamber, such as an RTP chamber. Visual feedback is facilitated through the use of a wide-angle lens positioned to view lamps within the process chamber. The wide-angle lens is positioned within a probe and secured using a spring in order to withstand high temperature processing. A camera coupled to the lens is adapted to capture an image of the lamps within the process chamber. The captured image of the lamps is then compared to a reference image to determine if the lamps are functioning as desired.

Visual feedback for process control in RTP chambers

Embodiments of the present invention relate to improvements to single-substrate, multi-chamber processing platform architecture for minimizing fabrication facility floor space requirements. Prior art systems require significant floor space around all sides to allow for adequate installation and servicing. Embodiments of the present invention provide platforms that allow for servicing the chambers and supporting systems via a front and rear of the platform allowing multiple, side-by-side platform placement within a fabrication facility, while providing improved serviceability of the platform components.

Process equipment architecture

A wafer handling system may include upper and lower linked robot arms that may move a wafer along a nonlinear trajectory between chambers of a semiconductor processing system. These features may result in a smaller footprint in which the semiconductor processing system may operate, smaller transfer chambers, smaller openings in process chambers, and smaller slit valves, while maintaining high wafer throughput. In some embodiments, simultaneous fast wafer swaps between two separate chambers, such as load locks and ALD (atomic layer deposition) carousels, may be provided. Methods of wafer handling are also provided, as are other aspects.

Wafer handling systems and methods

An apparatus for transferring substrates in a processing system where the substrate is exposed to high temperatures is provided. In one embodiment a blade for transporting a substrate is provided. The blade comprises a base having an arcuate lateral shoulder, a first finger extending outward from and perpendicular to the base, a second finger extending outward from the base and parallel to and spaced-apart from the first finger, a first support tab configured to support the substrate and positioned along the arcuate lateral shoulder, a second support tab configured to support the substrate and coupled with the first finger, and a third support tab configured to support the substrate coupled with the second finger, wherein the arcuate lateral shoulder extends from an outer edge of the first finger to an outer edge of the second finger.

Advanced FI blade for high temperature extraction

Embodiments of multiple substrate transfer robots and substrate processing systems have been disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a multiple substrate transfer robot is provided and may include an arm capable of extending along a horizontal direction; and a wrist coupled to the arm and having a plurality of blades coupled thereto, each blade configured to horizontally support a substrate thereupon and vertically disposed with respect to each of the other blades. In some embodiments, a substrate processing system is provided and may include a substrate processing chamber having a plurality of susceptors, wherein each susceptor is vertically disposed and capable of holding a semiconductor substrate; and a substrate transfer robot having a plurality of blades for transferring a plurality of substrates to and from the processing chamber, each blade configured to horizontally support a substrate thereupon and vertically disposed with respect to each of the other blades.

Multiple substrate transfer robot

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Dinesh Kanawade