Applied Materials, Inc.

Victor Belitsky

Ilya Perlov

Daniel F Kennedy

Boris Fishkin

Kyle A Brown

Ginetto Addiego

Boris Fuksshimov

Tom Osterheld

Evgueni Gantvarg

Jeff Beeler

Michael Robert Rice

Jeffrey C Hudgens

Eric Andrew Englhardt

Jeffrey S Marks

Robert D Tolles

Martin R Elliott

Eugene Gantvarg

Eric Anton Nering

William R Bartlett

James C Nystrom

Arul Shanmugasundram

A cassette stocker includes a plurality of cassette storage shelves positioned adjacent a cleanroom wall above a cassette docking station, and a cassette mover to carry a cassette between the shelves and the docking station. An interstation transfer apparatus includes an overhead support beam and a transfer arm adapted to carry a cassette between processing stations.

Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette

In a first aspect, an apparatus is provided for opening a substrate carrier door of a substrate carrier. The apparatus includes a supporting member adapted to (1) support the substrate carrier door at a load port; (2) allow removal of the door from the substrate carrier; and (3) pivot the removed door below a bottom surface of the substrate carrier. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Load port configurations for small lot size substrate carriers

A method and an apparatus for automatically replacing a used polishing pad in a chemical mechanical polishing system are described. A controller places a mechanical device against the used polishing pad while the pad is on the polishing platen and activates a pad chucking mechanism that affixes the used pad to the mechanical device. The controller then moves the mechanical device and the pad toward a used pad receptacle, where the pad chucking mechanism is deactivated to release the used pad into the receptacle. The controller then places the mechanical device against a clean polishing pad in a clean pad dispenser and reactivates the pad chucking mechanism to affix the clean pad to the mechanical device. The mechanical device and the clean pad are moved toward the platen, where the pad chucking mechanism is deactivated to release the clean polishing pad onto the platen.

Method and apparatus for automatically changing a polishing pad in a chemical mechanical polishing system

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for delivering one or more rinse agents to a surface, such as a polishing pad surface and preferably one or more polishing fluids. The invention also provides a method of cleaning one or more surfaces, such as a polishing pad surface and a substrate surface, by delivering a spray of one or more rinse agents to the surface and, preferably, causing the rinse agent to flow across the surface from a central region to an outer region where unwanted debris and material is collected.

Combined slurry dispenser and rinse arm

Combined slurry dispenser and rinse arm and method of operation

A pod loading station and method of operation are provided for enabling the transfer and introduction of wafers into a processing system from a wafer pod. The pod loading station generally includes a movable receiving platform for supporting a wafer pod and a movable pod door receiver having a pod door latch actuating mechanism disposed thereon. The movable platform supports a wafer pod, moves the wafer pod into engagement with the pod door receiver, and then retracts to enable the door supported by the door receiver to be removed from the opening of the pod. The pod door receiver then lowers the pod door below the pod to enable access to the pod opening.

Wafer cassette load station

A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus has a platen with a cavity with an opening to the top surface of the platen. A polishing pad is located at an upper surface of the platen. A flexible membrane is positioned in the cavity to define a first and a second volume. A pressure source is connected to the second volume to flex the membrane, and a lifting member is positioned in the first volume so that flexing of the membrane extends the lifting member through the opening to lift the substrate off the polishing pad. Alternately, de-ionized water may be forced through a passage in the platen and an aperture in the polishing pad to lift the substrate.

Method and apparatus for removing a substrate from a polishing pad in a

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Victor Belitsky