Semiconductor Systems, Inc.

Michael R Biche

H Alexander Anderson

Michael L Parodi

Alexander Lurye

William T Batchelder

An apparatus and a method for baking and cooling silicon substrates are disclosed. Both baking and cooling of silicon substrates are done in a single integrated thermal process module. Each thermal process module includes two hot plate assemblies, a cool plate assembly, two local linear transfer arms and a micro-processor based module controller. Both transfer arms are capable of transferring substrates among the cool and hot plate assemblies. The module controller ensures that there are no conflicts in use of the transfer arms or in use of the hot and cool plate assemblies and so that a transfer arm is always available when a substrate is finished baking. A central substrate handling robot transports substrates only from and to the cool plate assembly of the thermal process module. Also, the vacuum tubing is routed via a unique pulley arrangement to achieve compact mounting and eliminate loose tubing.

Method of processing a substrate in a photolithography system utilizing

A substrate photolithography system includes a substrate handling robot that pivots about a fixed point and transfers substrates between photoresist coater, a developer, and a heating/cooling unit, all of which are clustered about the robot. The end effector of the robot is capable of both vertical and lateral movement so that individual modules of the heating/cooling unit may be stacked. For heating/cooling, the substrate is placed in the heating/cooling unit in close proximity to a hotplate/chillplate and a thermally conductive, non-reactive gas, such as helium, is introduced into the airspace between the substrate and the hotplate/chillplate. The thermally conductive, non-reactive gas, is preheated/precooled before introduction into the airspace between the substrate and the hotplate/chillplate when the gas passes through a bore in the hotplate/chillplate. Additionally, the substrate is automatically aligned in a milled recession in the hotplate surface for future handling.

Method and apparatus for curing photoresist

A substrate photolithography system includes a substrate handling robot which pivots about a fixed point and transfers substrates between photoresist coater, a developer, and a heating/cooling unit, all of which are clustered about the robot. The end effector of the robot is capable of both vertical and lateral movement so that individual modules of the heating/cooling unit may be stacked. An apparatus and a method for baking and cooling silicon substrates are disclosed. Both baking and cooling of silicon substrates are done in a single integrated thermal process module. Each thermal process module includes two hot plate assemblies, a cool plate assembly, two local linear transfer arms and a micro-processor based module controller. Both transfer arms are capable of transferring substrates among the cool and hot plate assemblies. A cassette input/output unit handles cassettes which contain semiconductor wafers or other substrates that are to be delivered to or withdrawn from a semiconductor processing system. The input/output unit includes a drawer front which rotates 90.degree. about a horizontal axis as it is opened.

Clustered photolithography system

In a photolithography system, baking and cooling of semiconductor substrates is done in a thermal process module that uses a unique mechanism including pulleys to route vacuum tubing to a transfer arm. Specifically, the mechanism includes a pair of pulleys and a vacuum tube wrapped around the pulleys. The vacuum tube has a movable portion connected to the transfer arm which is reciprocable between the pair of pulleys. The vacuum tube also has a stationary portion that is connected to the movable portion to form an endless loop. The stationary portion of the vacuum tube is rigidly connected to a vacuum supply line in the housing of the thermal process module.

Thermal process module for substrate coat/develop system

A cassette input/output unit handles cassettes which contain semiconductor wafers or other substrates that are to be delivered to or withdrawn from a semiconductor processing system. The input/output unit includes a drawer front which rotates 90.degree. about a horizontal axis as it is opened. Thus a cassette containing wafers can easily be placed on the drawer front with the wafers oriented vertically, as they are normally carried, and the cassette will be rotated 90.degree. as the drawer is closed, thereby orienting the wafers horizontally for access by a robot inside the photolithography system. The cassette may also be rotated about a vertical axis within the unit, so that several input/output units may be used with a robot which rotates about a fixed axis. A clamping mechanism grips the cassette firmly when it is placed in the unit.

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Union City, CA, United States of America

Michael R Biche