Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Toby J Winters

Stephanie Annette Grahn

Michael J McCarthy

Donald L Friede

Jose Carlos Reyes

Michael Patrick McFee

Bill Brown

Terrance P Melvin

Moutasim O Khogly

A reduction in wafer processing cycle time is achieved by conducting wafer verification and slot randomization of a set of wafers as the wafers are moved through a singular processing location. In an example embodiment, a method of processing a set of wafers in a wafer processing system includes providing each of the wafers with a scribe code thereon. Each of the wafers is presented to a first processing location with the processing location having at least one processing chamber. The scribe code on each wafer is then read as the wafer is being placed into the processing chamber. Each wafer is processed and the set of wafers is slot randomized as they are removed from the first processing location and placed into a wafer cassette. An important advantage of the present invention is the reduced cycle times and reduced capital investment that this method and system bring to wafer processing.

Wafer randomization and alignment system integrated into a multiple chamber wafer processing system

A processing tool is provided that has a reaction chamber, a base, a flange, and an adjuster. The flange is coupled between the reaction chamber and the base and may be used to quickly connect/disconnect the reaction chamber for maintenance. The flange has a first, second and third bore extending therein. The first bore opens onto a first surface thereof, and the second and third bores open onto a second surface thereof. The reaction chamber is mounted to the flange via a first connector extending into the first opening, and the base is mounted to the flange via a second connector extending into the second opening. At least the second surface of said flange is accessible with the reaction chamber, base and flange in an assembled configuration. The adjuster extends through the base and into the third bore in the flange. The adjuster is adapted to cause movement of the flange in first and second opposite directions in response to movement thereof.

Quick-change flange

A downstream plasma reactor system incorporating a plasma-resistant blocking member is presented. In an embodiment, the system preferably includes a sealing member and a plasma-resistant blocking member. The sealing member may be arranged between a plasma tube and an inlet conduit configured to be in gaseous communication with a reaction chamber. The blocking member preferably extends from a discharge opening of the plasma tube into the inlet conduit to inhibit plasma exiting the discharge opening from passing the blocking member to contact the sealing member. Being so configured, the downstream plasma reactor system may have an improved mean time between failure of the seal between the plasma tube and the inlet chamber without compromising seal effectiveness.

Downstream plasma reactor system incorporating a plasma-resistant blocking member

An etch apparatus is presented including a grounding mechanism which maintains a low resistance electrical ground path between a plate electrode and a chamber despite temperature variations. The etch apparatus includes a chamber having a removable upper housing, a plate electrode positioned within the upper housing, and a grounding mechanism positioned between the plate electrode and the upper housing such that it contacts both the plate electrode and the upper housing. The grounding mechanism electrically couples the plate electrode to the upper housing. Several embodiments of the grounding mechanism include at least one sheet of metal folded to form two sections extending in an acute angle relative to one another. In two embodiments, the folded sheet of metal forms two sections meeting at a crease. Each of the two sections has an outer edge opposite the crease. At least one of the two sections is segmented by cutting in a direction perpendicular to the outer edge and the crease to form multiple strips or &ldquo;fingers&rdquo; extending outwardly from the crease. In one embodiment, a first of the two sections is substantially flat, and the second section is bowed such that the distance between the two sections is greatest midway between the crease and the outer edge of the second section. A second embodiment includes a cylindrical resilient member positioned between the two sections and parallel to the crease. A third embodiment includes two curved sheets of metal and multiple clamps distributed over the length of the grounding mechanism.

Grounding mechanism which maintains a low resistance electrical ground path between a plate electrode and an etch chamber

A downstream plasma reactor system is presented. The reactor system includes a reaction chamber. An inlet conduit is connected to the reaction chamber. A plasma tube is coupled to the inlet conduit. A sealing member is interposed between the plasma tube and the inlet conduit. A blocking member, preferably containing a fluorocarbon polymer, is also interposed between the plasma tube and the inlet conduit. The blocking member is positioned closer to the discharge opening of the plasma tube than the sealing member and is preferably capable of preventing a substantial quantity of plasma-generated reactive species from reaching the sealing member during operation of the reactor system.

Downstream plasma reactor system with an improved plasma tube sealing

A fabrication clean room work station is portable and has a funnel-shaped cleaning area which is connected to a vacuum source through a bottom opening. The work station also has a perforated cover positioned across a top opening of the cleaning area to provide a work surface, a catch screen positioned across the bottom opening of the cleaning area to catch dropped parts, a funnel cover which slides over the cleaning area to enclose it, and a flexible tubing in communication with a port formed in the cleaning area. The port is positioned above the catch screen so that any parts vacuumed through the flexible tubing would be stopped by the catch screen. The vacuum source supplies vacuum at the work surface and at the flexible tubing. The vacuum at the flexible tubing is increased when the funnel cover is positioned above the cleaning area.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Toby J Winters