Dual plate gas assisted heater module

Details Dual plate gas assisted heater module Dual plate gas assisted heater module

2000-04-26

2001-05-15

Bueker, Richard (Department: 1763)

Material or article handling

Apparatus for moving material between zones having different...

C118S719000, C118S729000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06231289

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The apparatus of the present invention relates generally to material transfer devices and more particularly to an improved method and article of handling substrates within a substrate transport.
The material transferred might include, but not be limited to, semiconductor wafers, such as silicone and gallium arsenide, semiconductor packaging substrates, such as high density interconnects, semiconductor manufacturing processing imaging plates, such as masks or reticles, and large area displayed panels, such as active matrix LCD substrates.
The need for high throughput transport devices which can move a substrate or workpiece between remote locations within a highly confined footprint such as found in the manufacture of wafers or panels or the like used in the semiconductor industry is in high demand. This is because in the process of manufacturing such panels, wafers or the like, the need to move a workpiece from one position to the next not only requires that a high throughput rate be achieved, but also that maximum throughput between component elements of the tool be effected. In this way, processing time for a given number of substrates can be maximized for a given tool.
Copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/654,334 filed in the name of Hendrickson, filed on May 28, 1996 and entitled, A System for Heating or Cooling Wafers, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,827 entitled A Passive Gas Substrate Thermoconditioning Apparatus and Method, issued on Dec. 31, 1996 to Richard Muka, disclose a substrate transport having a main vacuum transport chamber to which a temperature transfer station is mounted. Thus, it is known in the art to connect an individual substrate thermoconditioning module to a side of the substrate transport outside of the main transport chamber. Also, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/891,532 filed under Express Mail No. EM029241165 U.S. and entitled A Substrate Processing Apparatus Having A Substrate Transport with a Front End Extension and an Internal Substrate Buffer, filed on Jul. 11, 1997 in the name of David Beaulie and Michael W. Pippins, discloses a method and apparatus for forming an integrated platform in which a wafer cooler is provided. However, the device disclosed in this patent application has an extended footprint as it uses separate elements, namely, a cooler
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, a buffer, and load locks to effect three different functions for the three separate elements. However, the fabrication and usage of the three elements occupies much needed additional footprint space which otherwise could be used for other process modules and/or cluster tools in the substrate fabrication process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a dual plate gas assisted heater module which is capable of transporting substrates in a vacuum environment for processing and then back to a factory interface in a manner such that no damage occurs due to thermal shock or nonuniformity in the substrate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type wherein the cost of fabrication is reduced by efficiency of the design and construction.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type which is reduced in complexity of drive mechanisms and controls.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide substrate heating module of the aforementioned type which reduces vacuum volume thereby reducing the amount of pumping capability required to maintain adequate vacuum in the system.
Yet still a further object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type wherein the manufacturing time, complexity of construction, alignment in time testing are reduced.
Further still an object of the invention is to provide a substrate heating module of the aforementioned type wherein service and reliability as well as reduced system time throughput are enhanced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention further resides in method and apparatus employing a dual plate gas assisted heater module wherein a lift mechanism including a poppet acts as an isolation valve between upper and lower subchambers. This lift mechanism allows one plate to be heated to temperature by radiant heat while the other plate which is disposed within one of the subchambers to be boosted to temperature by gas assisted heating means. The heating module is designed to interface with a substrate handling transport chamber through a vacuum isolation valve associated therebetween and a second vacuum isolation valve oriented oppositely thereto and associated with the external environment. The dual plate heater chamber provides for gas assisted or active heating in either chamber depending on the position of the poppet as moved by the lift mechanism. The poppet is capable of carrying a substrate on the upper and lower sides thereof such that by moving the poppet vertically, the top side substrate is moved into the uppermost subchamber where gas assisted heating can be effected and at the same time through radiant heat, the substrate disposed on the lower surface of the poppet becomes heated. Once the substrate on the topmost side of the poppet fully heated by gas assisted heating, the poppet is moved and the substrate exposed on the other side of the poppet is accordingly located in the lower subchamber where gas assisted heating is accomplished. In so doing, the first fully heated substrate is placed in alignment with the port or doorway of the main chamber of the transport apparatus and is capable of being reached or moved by the substrate holder contained therein. Since the poppet upper holding means and the poppet lower holding means are equally versatile at receiving and holding a substrate, it is irrelevant whether the poppet is in either an uppermost or lowermost position when loading or unloading of a substrate occurs. In either position, a substrate may still be loaded or off-loaded onto and off of the poppet.
The heating module, in summary, comprises a base on which is supported a main module chamber and includes a first and a second subchamber each selectively communicating with the module main module chamber and being disposed vertically spatially apart with respect to one another such that the main module chamber separates the first and second subchambers. A movable member disposed within the main chamber and communicating between each of the first and second subchambers to cause sealing of one of the first and second subchambers when the movable member is moved toward and into engagement with a selective one of the first and second subchambers.
Ideally, the main chamber includes at least one valve for providing selectively controllable access to the module main chamber and the movable member has two vertically spaced apart planar support surfaces disposed on vertically opposites sides thereof.
Desirably, each of the two vertically planar spaced apart support surfaces of the movable member is located on the movable member at a distance such that when the movable member is moved between the first and the second subchambers, one of the first and second planar support surfaces is disposed in alignment with the at least one gate valve.
Preferably, each of the first and second chambers is a cylindrically shaped member opening as a circle into the main chamber, the circle opening of the subchambers each having a diameter which is smaller than the surface area of the movable member which confronts it.
In the preferred embodiment, each of the first and second subchambers having a means for communicating an inert gas between the supply of inert gas and each of the chamber and for providing a vacuum source in selective communication with each of the first and second subchambers.
Ideally, the movable member is a substantially circular member having an outer diameter which is somewhat larger than the diameters of each of the circular opening defining each of the first and second subchambers; and the circular opening of the su

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