Apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates
View Patent ↗There is described apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates including wafers as to efficiently produce at reasonable costs improved throughput as compared to systems in use today. A key element is the use of a transport chamber along the sides of processing chambers for feeding substrates into a controlled atmosphere through a load lock and then along a transport chamber as a way of reaching processing chambers and then out of the controlled atmosphere following processing in the processing chambers.
1. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a substrate transfer chamber supporting vacuum condition;
a linear drive track inside the substrate transfer chamber within the vacuum condition;
a support mechanism riding on the linear drive track;
a magnetic head attached to the support mechanism within the vacuum condition;
a support arm connected to the support mechanism and coupled to the magnetic head;
a driving mechanism comprising a driver positioned outside the vacuum and acting on the magnetic head from outside the vacuum through wall of the chamber to provide the support arm both linear and rotary movements through the magnetic head; and wherein the driving mechanism further comprises outer rails located outside the vacuum and wherein the driver rides on the outer rails.
2. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second support mechanism riding on the linear drive track;
a second support arm connected to the second support mechanism; and,
a second driving mechanism acting from outside the vacuum through wall of the chamber to provide the second support arm linear and rotary movements.
3. The substrate processing system of claim 2 , wherein the support arms are positioned to pass above and below each other and without contact.
4. The substrate processing system of claim 2 , wherein the support arms can pass by each other.
5. The substrate processing system of claim 2 , wherein the support mechanisms independently ride on the linear drive track, whereby each arm moves and acts independently of the other.
6. A substrate processing system, comprising:
a loadlock;
a substrate transfer chamber connected to the loadlock and supporting vacuum condition;
a linear drive track inside the substrate transfer chamber within the vacuum condition;
a first and second support mechanisms riding on the linear drive track;
a first and second support arms connected respectively to the first and second support mechanisms; and,
a magnetic coupler arrangement acting from outside the vacuum through vacuum wall of the chamber to provide each of the support arms both linear and rotary movements;
wherein the first support arm is a straight arm while the second support arm is a selective compliant articulated assembly robotic arm (SCARA), and wherein the SCARA is positioned to pass above the straight arm;
wherein the magnetic coupler arrangement comprises magnetic heads positioned on the support mechanisms and drivers positioned outside the vacuum wall; and,
outer rails located outside the vacuum and wherein the drivers ride on the outer rails.
7. The substrate processing system of claim 6 , further comprising rotary motors and wherein the rotary movement is driven by the rotary motors.
8. The substrate processing system of claim 7 , wherein the support arms are positioned to pass above and below each other and without contact.
9. The substrate processing system of claim 6 , wherein the support arms can pass by each other.
10. The substrate processing system of claim 6 , wherein the support mechanisms independently ride on the linear drive track, whereby each arm moves and acts independently of the other.
11. The substrate processing system of claim 6 , wherein the linear drive track comprises linear rails and the support arms move along the linear rails.