Tokyo Electron Limited

Masahiro Dogome

Masatomo Kita

Norihiko Amikura

Takehiro Shindo

Toshiaki Toyomaki

Daisuke Hayashi

Keisuke Kondoh

Genichi Nanasaki

Takami Fukasawa

Hiroshi Ikari

Tadashi Shioneri

A transfer apparatus includes a first vacuum transfer module; a first transfer robot disposed in the first vacuum transfer module and at least one ring. In addition, a second vacuum transfer module is provided; and a second transfer robot is disposed in the second vacuum transfer module. A tubular connecting module is disposed between the first vacuum transfer module and the second vacuum transfer module. Further, the first vacuum transfer module, the second vacuum transfer module and the tubular connecting module are arranged along a first direction, with the tubular connecting module having a first length in the first direction, and the first length is smaller than the diameter of the wafer. A wafer support is rotatably attached to the tubular connecting module and at least three ring supporting members outwardly extend from the wafer support to support the at least one ring.

Transfer apparatus

Embodiments of this application discloses a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a vacuum transfer module having a vacuum transfer space and an opening; a wall unit attached to the opening and including a first gate valve and a second gate valve; a substrate processing module attached to the wall unit and having a substrate processing space communicating with the vacuum transfer space via the first gate valve; and a ring stocker attached to the wall unit and having a storage space for storing at least one annular member used in a plasma processing module. Moreover, the apparatus further includes a transfer mechanism disposed in the vacuum transfer space and transfers a substrate between the vacuum transfer space and the substrate processing space through the first gate valve and also transfers at least one annular member between the vacuum transfer space and the storage space via the second gate valve.

Substrate processing apparatus

A transfer device for simultaneously or separately transferring a wafer and a consumable part having a circular shape is disclosed. The consumable part is disposed in a wafer processing module, and the outer diameter of the consumable part is larger than the outer diameter of the wafer. The transfer device comprises an end effector configured to place the wafer and the consumable part thereon simultaneously or separately, an arm configured to move the end effector, and a controller configured to control the arm, to place the consumable part on the end effector such that the center of gravity of the consumable part coincides with a first position when transferring the consumable part, and to place the wafer on the end effector such that the center of gravity of the wafer coincides with a second position between the first position and front ends of the end effector when transferring the wafer.

Transfer device, transfer system, and end effector

A substrate processing apparatus includes one or more substrate processing modules; a vacuum transfer module connected to the one or more substrate processing modules; and a load-lock module including at least three load-lock chambers arranged along a first horizontal direction. A tubular fitting module is disposed between the vacuum transfer module and the load-lock module, and the tubular fitting module has a first opening and a second opening. The first opening is connected to the load-lock module, and the second opening is connected to the vacuum transfer module. The first opening has a first length in the first horizontal direction, the second opening has a second length in the first horizontal direction, and the first length is larger than the second length. A transfer mechanism transfers a substrate between the one or more substrate processing modules and the load-lock module through the tubular fitting module.

There is provided a substrate support of a plasma processing apparatus. The substrate support includes a wafer placement surface and a ring placement surface on which a first ring and a second ring disposed at an outer peripheral side of the first ring without overlapping with the first ring in a vertical direction are placed, with a hole at a boundary between the first ring and the second ring. The substrate support further includes a lifter pin having a first holding portion and a second holding portion, the second holding portion being unitary with and extending axially from a base end of the first holding portion and having a protruding portion protruding from an outer circumference of the first holding portion, and a driving mechanism configured to raise and lower the lifter pin.

Plasma processing apparatus and substrate support of plasma processing apparatus

A substrate accommodating device accommodating a substrate transferred by a transfer device having an end effector configured to hold a substrate and a member including a consumable part disposed in a substrate processing apparatus for processing the substrate includes a container. A first opening through which the end effector holding the substrate passes is formed on a sidewall of the container. A recess into which front ends of the end effector are inserted is formed on an inner surface of the container facing the first opening.

Substrate accommodating device and processing system

A substrate transfer system includes an atmospheric substrate transfer module, a vacuum substrate transfer module, and a load lock module disposed on a side surface of the atmospheric substrate transfer module and disposed on an upper surface or a lower surface of the vacuum substrate transfer module. The load lock module includes a container having a first substrate transfer opening and a second substrate transfer opening, a first gate configured to open or close the first substrate transfer opening, a second gate configured to open or close the second substrate transfer opening, and a substrate actuator configured to vertically move a substrate through the second substrate transfer opening between a first position in the container and a second position in the vacuum substrate transfer module.

Substrate transfer system and load lock module

There is provided a device for transferring a substrate under air pressure. The device comprises a base part, a transfer arm part configured to transfer a substrate, a telescopic shaft part which is provided between the base part and the transfer arm part, and divided into a plurality of division shaft parts having a tubular shape, an annular channel which is provided in a circumference of a surface of a division shaft parts, and an exhaust channel which is connected to the annular channel so as to exhaust the gas flowing into the annular channel.

Device for transferring substrate, system for processing substrate, and method of processing substrate

A substrate gripping mechanism, for gripping a substrate between a fixed clamp portion to be engaged with an edge portion of a substrate and a movable clamp portion configured to reciprocate with respect to the fixed clamp portion by a reciprocating driving unit, includes an interlocking member configured to move together with the movable clamp portion, and a first sensor and a second sensor, each having a detection region and configured to detect whether or not the interlocking member exists in the detection region. The interlocking member has a first to a fourth portion connected in a reciprocating direction of the movable clamp portion. The first to the fourth portion have shapes to make detection results thereof by the first sensor and the second sensor different from each other.

Substrate gripping mechanism, substrate transfer device, and substrate processing system

Provided is a conveyance robot replacement apparatus used for replacing a conveyance robot installed in an atmosphere conveyance chamber of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in order to convey a substrate. The conveyance robot replacement apparatus includes a positioning unit configured to determine a position of the conveyance robot replacement apparatus with respect to the atmospheric conveyance chamber, a holding unit configured to suspend the conveyance robot to be supported, a guide portion configured to guide advancing and retreating into and from the atmospheric conveyance chamber of the holding unit by being engaged with the positioning unit, a position adjustment unit configured move the holding unit in each of the longitudinal direction, the horizontal direction, and the vertical direction to adjust a position of the holding unit, and a connecting component connectable to the holding unit as well as the conveyance robot.

Conveyance robot replacement apparatus and conveyance robot replacement method

When an edge of a wafer passes above a right sensor and a left sensor disposed in a conveyance route of the wafer to a substrate processing chamber, four edge intersecting points are acquired in a first wafer coordinate system, and a reference edge intersecting point set composed of two adjacent edge intersecting points is created from the four edge intersecting points. Between the two remaining edge intersecting points which do not constitute the reference edge intersecting point set, an edge intersecting point present within an area surrounded by two circles defined based on the two edge intersecting points constituting the reference edge intersecting point set is selected as an effective edge intersecting point, and a central position of a circle passing through the reference edge intersecting points and the effective edge intersecting point is acquired as a central position of the wafer.

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Miyagi, Japan

Masahiro Dogome