Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Robert J Mitchell

William Tyler Weaver

Jeffrey Charles Blahnik

Frank Sinclair

Joseph Yudovsky

Jason M Schaller

Robert Brent Vopat

Eric D Hermanson

Joseph Ferrara

Malcolm N Daniel, Jr

Benjamin B Riordon

Roger Bradford Fish

Steven M Anella

James Paul Buonodono

Shardul Patel

Jack J LoPiccolo

Joseph C Olson

Peter Lawrence Kellerman

Bo H Vanderberg

Russell J Low

Atul Gupta

Nicholas P T Bateman

Dale K Stone

Kevin M Daniels

Ashwin Madhukar Purohit

Frederick M Carlson

Steven Dana Weed

Tyler Burton Rockwell

Allan D Weed

Marvin Raymond LaFontaine

Nicholas Pt Bateman

Joseph P Dzengeleski

Ernest Everett Allen

Ari Eiriksson

Michel Pharand

Michael Rohrer

Bryan C Lagos

Richard Gueler

Kevin Thomas Ryan

Elaina Babayan

Guillermo Colom

David J Chipman

Donovan Beckel

Perry J I Justesen

Joseph Foley

Alexander F Pless

Shantanu Pathak

Gary Rosen

Nick Parisi

James W Wilkinson

Wayne Arseneault

Benjamin D Riordon

Kevin Ryan

A system comprising a spinning disk is disclosed. The system comprises a semiconductor processing system, such as a high energy implantation system. The semiconductor processing system produces a spot ion beam, which is directed to a plurality of workpieces, which are disposed on the spinning disk. The spinning disk comprises a rotating central hub with a plurality of platens. The plurality of platens may extend outward from the central hub and workpieces are electrostatically clamped to the platens. The plurality of platens may also be capable of rotation. The central hub also controls the rotation of each of the platens about an axis orthogonal to the rotation axis of the central hub. In this way, variable angle implants may be performed. Additionally, this allows the workpieces to be mounted while in a horizontal orientation.

Spinning disk with electrostatic clamped platens for ion implantation

Disclosed is a rotary union including an inner shaft, wherein the inner shaft is rotatable and includes an internal channel operable to deliver a cryogenic fluid to a platen. The rotary union may further include a rotary union shaft surrounding the inner shaft, and a seal assembly coupled to the rotary union shaft. The seal assembly may include a support, a metal bellows extending around an exterior of the support, and a seal support coupled to the metal bellows, wherein the seal support extends around the support. The seal assembly may further include a non-rotating seal component seated in the seal support, and a rotating seal component in abutment with the non-rotating seal component to create a mechanical seal therebetween.

Rotary union with mechanical seal assembly

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a rotatable electrostatic chuck. In some embodiments, a rotatable electrostatic chuck includes a dielectric disk having at least one chucking electrode and a plurality of coolant channels; a cryogenic manifold coupled to the dielectric disk and having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet both of which are fluidly coupled to the plurality of coolant channels; a shaft assembly coupled to the cryogenic manifold; a cryogenic supply chamber coupled to the shaft assembly; a supply tube coupled to the cryogenic supply chamber and to the coolant inlet to supply the cryogenic medium to the plurality of coolant channels, wherein the supply tube extends through the central opening of the shaft assembly; and a return tube coupled to the coolant outlet and to the cryogenic supply chamber, wherein the supply tube is disposed within the return tube.

Cryogenically cooled rotatable electrostatic chuck

A cryogenic heat transfer system including a platen supported by a rotatable shaft, a housing surrounding a portion of the rotatable shaft, the housing including an annular heat sink surrounding the rotatable shaft and defining a heat transfer gap between the heat sink and the rotatable shaft, the heat sink including a fluid conduit extending therethrough for circulating a first cooling fluid through the heat sink, a first dynamic seal arrangement extending from a first axial end of the heat sink and surrounding the rotatable shaft, and a second dynamic seal arrangement extending from a second axial end of the heat sink opposite the first axial end and radially surrounding the rotatable shaft, wherein the heat sink and the first and second dynamic seal arrangements define a fluidically sealed volume surrounding the rotatable shaft, the fluidically sealed volume containing a second cooling fluid.

Cryogenic heat transfer system

An ion implantation apparatus, system, and method are provided for transferring a plurality of workpieces between vacuum and atmospheric pressures, wherein an alignment mechanism is operable to align a plurality of workpieces for generally simultaneous transportation to a dual-workpiece load lock chamber. The alignment mechanism comprises a characterization device, an elevator, and two vertically-aligned workpiece supports for supporting two workpieces. First and second atmospheric robots are configured to generally simultaneously transfer two workpieces at a time between load lock modules, the alignment mechanism, and a FOUP. Third and fourth vacuum robots are configured to transfer one workpiece at a time between the load lock modules and a process module.

High throughput serial wafer handling end station

A rotary union that includes a heated ferrofluid seal is disclosed. The rotary union includes an inner rotating shaft, an intermediate rotating shaft and an outer rotating shaft. The inner rotating shaft is hollow to allow the flow of cryogenic fluid in one direction. The inner rotating shaft and the intermediate shaft are spaced apart to create a channel for the return of the cryogenic fluid. The intermediate rotating shaft is separated from the outer rotating shaft by a gap so as to reduce thermal conductivity. In this way, the temperature of the outer rotating shaft is greater than the temperature of the cryogenic fluid. A heated ferrofluid seal is disposed between the outer rotating shaft and the housing.

Cryogenic ferrofluid sealed rotary union

Various embodiments of wafer processing systems including batch load lock apparatus with temperature control capability are disclosed. The batch load lock apparatus includes a load lock body including first and second load lock openings, a lift assembly within the load lock body, the lift assembly including multiple wafer stations, each of the multiple wafer stations adapted to provide access to wafers through the first and second load lock openings, wherein the batch load lock apparatus includes temperature control capability (e.g., heating or cooling). Batch load lock apparatus is capable of transferring batches of wafers into and out of various processing chambers. Methods of operating the batch load lock apparatus are also provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Wafer processing systems including multi-position batch load lock apparatus with temperature control capability

Systems and methods for facilitating expeditious handling and processing of semiconductor substrates with a minimal number of handling devices. Such a system may include an entry load-lock configured to transfer substrates from an atmospheric environment to a vacuum chamber, an alignment station disposed in the vacuum chamber and configured to adjust orientations of substrates, a first vacuum robot configured to move substrates from the entry load-lock to the alignment station, a process station disposed in the vacuum chamber and configured to perform a designated process on substrates, first and second exit load-locks configured to transfer substrates from the vacuum chamber to the atmospheric environment, and a second vacuum robot configured to move substrates from the alignment station to the process station and further configured to move substrates from the process station to the first exit load-lock and to the second exit load-lock in an alternating fashion.

High throughput substrate handling endstation and sequence

Embodiments of the disclosure provide proportional integral derivative control (PID) using multiple actuators. In one embodiment, a process includes providing a PID controller in communication with a primary actuator and a secondary actuator, the primary actuator and the secondary actuator coupled to a handler. The process further includes receiving position feedback and a specified trajectory for the handler, and generating a dynamic feedforward force command and a position correction command for the handler based on the position feedback and the specified trajectory. The process further includes providing, from the PID controller, the dynamic feedforward force command to the secondary actuator and the position correction command to the primary actuator.

Proportional integral derivative control incorporating multiple actuators

Embodiments of the disclosure provide proportional integral derivative control (PID) using multiple actuators. In one embodiment, a process includes providing a PID controller in communication with a primary actuator and a secondary actuator, the primary actuator and the secondary actuator coupled to a handler, such as a robotic arm for manipulating an object. The process further includes receiving position feedback and a specified trajectory for the handler, and generating a dynamic feedforward force command and a position correction command for the handler based on the position feedback and the specified trajectory. The process further includes providing, from the PID controller, the dynamic feedforward force command to the secondary actuator and the position correction command to the primary actuator.

An ion implantation apparatus including an enclosure defining a process chamber, a carriage slidably mounted on a shaft within the process chamber and coupled to a drive mechanism adapted to selectively move the carriage along the shaft. A platen assembly can be coupled to the carriage, and a linkage conduit can extend between a side wall of the enclosure and the carriage. The linkage conduit can include a plurality of pivotably interconnected linkage members that define a contiguous internal volume that is sealed from the process chamber. The contiguous volume can be held at a desired vacuum pressure separate from the vacuum environment of the process chamber.

Linkage conduit for vacuum chamber applications

A substrate scanning device includes first, second and third linkages, and a direct drive motor coupled between a process chamber and a first end of the first linkage. A first gear motor coupled between a second end of the first linkage and a first end of the second linkage and a second gear motor coupled between a second end of the second linkage and a first end of the third linkage. A substrate support surface coupled to a second end of the third linkage. The direct drive motor for moving the substrate support surface parallel to a scan axis as the direct drive motor moves the substrate support surface along the scan axis. The first and second gear motors can be configured to maintain the substrate support surface in a plane approximately parallel with the scan axis.

Multi-link substrate scanning device

Various embodiments of batch load lock apparatus are disclosed. The batch load lock apparatus includes a load lock body including first and second load lock openings, a lift assembly within the load lock body, the lift assembly including multiple wafer stations, each of the multiple wafer stations adapted to provide access to wafers through the first and second load lock openings, wherein the batch load lock apparatus includes temperature control capability (e.g., heating or cooling). Batch load lock apparatus is capable of transferring batches of wafers into and out of various processing chambers. Systems including the batch load lock apparatus and methods of operating the batch load lock apparatus are also provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Multi-position batch load lock apparatus and systems and methods including same

An apparatus that uses a combination of mechanical contact bearings and air bearings is disclosed. The apparatus includes a fixed seal housing, attached to a process chamber and a floating seal cartridge, which is disposed in proximity to the fixed seal housing. A shaft is disposed with an aperture in the process chamber, the central opening in the fixed seal housing and the second central opening in the floating seal cartridge. A first air bearing is created between the shaft and the floating seal cartridge in the second central opening. A second air bearing is created between the floating seal cartridge and the fixed seal housing. In this way, the floating seal cartridge is free to move with the shaft radially, while still maintaining a seal between the process chamber and the external environment.

Floating high vacuum seal cartridge

Growing community of inventors

Winchester, MA, United States of America

Robert J Mitchell