Material or article handling – Apparatus for moving material between zones having different...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-24
2001-02-13
Werner, Frank E. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Apparatus for moving material between zones having different...
C414S939000, C414S935000, C118S719000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186722
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to appratuses that are suitable for processing semiconductor devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus having a semiconductor processing chamber, which is used to process workpieces, and a preparatory chamber, which is used for transferring workpieces without drawing atmospheric air into the processing chamber.
There is a type of semiconductor producing apparatus provided with a processing chamber for processing workpieces in a vacuum environment. Workpieces must be transferred in the vacuum environment. There is a need to shorten the time required for transferring workpieces in both vacuum and atmospheric environments. There is also a need to reduce space occupied by the apparatus. The transferring time is the time from when the transferring of one workpiece is started to when the transferring of the next workpiece is started.
FIG. 1
is a schematic plan view showing a prior art semiconductor producing apparatus
61
. The apparatus
61
is provided with a processing chamber
62
, a vacuum chamber
63
, and two preparatory chambers
64
,
65
. The processing chamber
62
is under vacuum and is used to process wafers W in a vacuum environment. The vacuum chamber
63
, which is also under a vacuum, accommodates a first robot
66
to transfer the wafers W.
Each preparatory chamber
64
,
65
has a port. A carrier
67
is arranged in correspondence with the port of the preparatory chamber
64
, while a carrier
68
is arranged in correspondence with the port of the preparatory chamber
65
. A second robot
69
is arranged between the preparatory chambers
64
,
65
and the carriers
67
,
68
. The second robot
69
transfers unprocessed and processed wafers W between the carriers
67
,
68
and the associated preparatory chambers
64
,
65
in an atmospheric environment.
The first robot
66
has two hands
66
a
,
66
b
. The hands
66
a
,
66
b
exchange unprocessed wafers W with processed wafers W. More specifically, one of the hands
66
a
(
66
b
) exchanges unprocessed wafers W with processed wafers W in one of the preparatory chambers
64
,
65
. The other hand
66
a
(
66
b
) exchanges unprocessed wafers W with processed wafers W in the processing chamber
62
. Two wafers W are held by each hand
66
a
,
66
b
when the robot
66
transfers the wafers W between the preparatory chambers
64
,
65
and the vacuum chamber
63
and between the vacuum chamber
63
and the processing chamber
62
. Since two wafers W are held by each hand
66
a
,
66
b
, the transfer of the wafers W is more efficient in comparison to when only one wafer W is held by each hand
66
a
,
66
b
. Thus, the number of transferred wafers W per unit time is increased. Consequently, the length of time required for the producing apparatus
61
to transfer wafers W is shortened.
If the semiconductor producing apparatus
61
is used in a clean room, the wafers W exposed to atmospheric air must be transferred in clean environments. Thus, devices that are used to transfer wafers W in atmospheric air, such as the carriers
67
,
68
and the preparatory chambers
64
,
65
, are installed at locations that are relatively cleaner than other locations. Devices that transfer wafers W in a vacuum state, such as the processing chamber
62
and the vacuum chamber
63
, are installed at less clean locations.
In the prior art apparatus
61
, the preparatory chambers
64
,
65
, which require a clean environment, are arranged next to each other. Therefore, the part of the apparatus
61
that is exposed to the atmosphere occupies a large amount of floor area, or horizontal area. The devices that transfer wafers W in the atmospheric air (located at the front section of the apparatus
61
) occupy a large portion of the apparatus
61
. Thus, the floor space requiring a cleaner environment is relatively large, which increases costs.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing semiconductor devices that occupies less floor area without decreasing throughput.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an apparatus for handling wafer-like workpieces, wherein the apparatus comprises: a processing chamber to which a workpiece is transferred and for performing a predetermined process on the workpiece; and a first preparatory chamber and a second preparatory chamber for transferring the workpiece between the processing chamber and an exterior, wherein the first and second preparatory chambers are aligned vertically.
The present invention further provides an apparatus for handling semiconductors wafers, wherein the apparatus comprises: a processing chamber to which a wafer is transferred for performing a predetermined process on the wafer in a vacuum; a vacuum chamber, which is maintained at a controlled level of vacuum, laterally connected to the processing chamber; a transfer chamber, which is maintained at a controlled level of vacuum, laterally connected to the vacuum chamber, the transfer chamber having an upper side and a lower side; a first preparatory chamber connected to the upper side of the transfer chamber; a second preparatory chamber aligned vertically with the first preparatory chamber and connected to the lower side of the transfer chamber, wherein the first and second preparatory chambers are constructed to permit transfer of a wafer between the processing chamber and an exterior exposed to atmospheric pressure without exposing the transfer chamber to the atmospheric pressure.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5909994 (1999-06-01), Blum et al.
patent: 5934856 (1999-08-01), Asakawa et al.
patent: 62-252128 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 3-14253 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 3-57150 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 6-53304 (1994-02-01), None
patent: 07029963 (1995-01-01), None
Armstrong, Westerman Hattori, McLeland & Naughton
Fujitsu Limited
Werner Frank E.
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