Texas Instruments Corporation

Stanford P Kohan

Cecil J Davis

John E Spencer

Frederick W Brown

Rhett B Jucha

Randall C Hildenbrand

Randall E Johnson

Dan T Hockersmith

A plasma etch system that processes one slice at a time is disclosed. The system is comprised of an entry loadlock, an exit loadlock, a main chamber, vacuum pumps, RF power supply, RF matching network, a heat exchanger, throttle valve and pressure control gas flow distribution and a microprocessor controller. A multiple slice cassette full of slices is housed in the entry load lock and after pumping to process pressure, a single slice at a time is moved by an articulated arm from the cassette through an isolation gate to the main process chamber. The slice is etched and removed from the main process chamber through a second isolation gate by a second articulated arm to a cassette in the exit loadlock. The process is repeated until all semiconductor wafers have been etched. The cassette loadlock system is able to evacuate a whole cassette of semiconductor wafers for processing which lowers the particulate environment for the slices and, provides a more stable environment for the slices by removal of moisture and preventing static discharges and additionally provides a safety feature that protects the operators from harsh or toxic gases that are traditionally used in semiconductor type plasma reactor.

Automated single slice cassette load lock plasma reactor

A plasma reactor for the manufacturing of semiconductor devices has powered loadlocks and a main process chamber where slices can be processed one slice at a time with pre-etch plasma treatments before the main etching processing and afterwards receive a post etch treatment. The system comprises powered loadlocks, a main chamber, vacuum pumps radio frequency power supplier, radio frequency matching networks, heat exchangers and throttle valve and pressure controllers, gas flow distribution and microprocessor controllers. The semiconductor wafers are automatically fed one at a time from storage cassettes through isolation gates with articulated mechanical arms to a powered entry loadlock for pre-etching processes. At the completion of the pre-etching processing, the semiconductor wafer is transferred to the main chamber automatically for the main etch process and then to the powered exit loadlock for post etch treatment and finally to an output cassette.

Automated single slice powered load lock plasma reactor

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Garland, TX, United States of America

Stanford P Kohan