Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Thermoelectric – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-26
2001-08-07
Gorgos, Kathryn (Department: 1741)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Thermoelectric
Processes
C136S203000, C136S205000, C136S242000, C062S003300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06271459
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor manufacturing equipment and more particularly to the application of a thermoelectric device to a semiconductor processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment is used to process semiconductor wafers into electronic devices. Typically, to conduct a thermal process, the wafers are loaded into the processing system using a wafer carrier. Generally, a transfer mechanism individually removes the wafers from the carrier and transfers the individual wafers through valves, and into various processing chambers. The transfer mechanism may also move individual wafers between processing chambers to effect different processing steps. During many processing steps the wafers are heated. Thus, one final processing step may include a wafer-cooling step. To effect the wafer-cooling step, the wafers are placed into a cooling chamber until the temperature of the wafers is low enough so that the wafer can be replaced into the carrier.
In most processing systems the process steps and thus, the processing chambers have different requirements for heating and/or cooling of various components or structures, including the wafers. Because of the variable requirements, process chambers are continuously heated up and/or cooled down during a processing cycle, which can result in a substantial amount of energy being wasted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention applies the well-known principles of operation of thermoelectric devices to a semiconductor processing system to provide a convenient power supply, to reduce the need for cooling water, and to lower energy consumption. The present invention provides a semiconductor processing system and method, which uses heat energy typically lost or wasted in most common semiconductor processing systems.
As described in greater detail below, the present invention includes a heat management system, which uses heat, waste heat, and/or excess heat generated by a thermal processing chamber or other heat source, to produce power from a first thermoelectric device (power generator). The power is produced by maintaining a temperature difference across a hot side and the cool side of an assembly of semiconductor thermoelectric elements.
In accordance with the present invention, power from the first thermoelectric device can be delivered to a second thermoelectric device (cooler). The second thermoelectric device, driven by the power from the first thermoelectric device, can be used to remove heat from a cooling chamber. At the cold side, energy is absorbed by electrons as they pass from a low energy level element to a higher energy level element. The power supplied by the first thermoelectric device supplies the energy to move the electrons through the system. At the hot side, energy is expelled to a heat sink as electrons move from a high energy level element to a low energy level element.
In one aspect, a semiconductor wafer processing system is provided. The system includes a first processing chamber and a second processing chamber. The first processing chamber includes a first thermoelectric module operative for generating a current. The second processing chamber includes a second thermoelectric module, which receives the current and is operative for reducing the temperature of the second processing chamber.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor wafer processing system is provided which includes a first chamber providing a first source of thermal energy and a second chamber having a first temperature. Also included in the system is a first thermoelectric module being operative for generating a first current in response to receiving the thermal energy, and a second thermoelectric module being configured to receive the first current and being operative for changing the first temperature to a second temperature.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for processing a semiconductor wafer, which includes generating a current with a first thermoelectric module using a heat source; and removing heat from a processing chamber using a second thermoelectric module which is made operative by the current generated by the first thermoelectric module.
By using heat already created by the thermal-processing chamber to produce power, the energy required to cool the cooling chamber can be substantially reduced. Moreover, no plumbing is required in the system of the present invention, since the system of the present invention does not require moving fluids or gases. Other advantages afforded through the use of thermoelectric devices in the heat management system of the present invention are the absence of moving parts, silent operation, and lack of pressure vessels. Since the present invention uses fewer components then conventional heat management systems, the system of the present invention may be made more reliable and more compact, reducing the cost per unit and requiring less floor space.
Other uses, advantages, and variations of the present invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure and accompanying drawings.
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patent: 6019098 (2000-02-01), Bass et al.
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Gorgos Kathryn
Lopez Theodore P.
Parsons Thomas H
Skjerven Morrill & MacPherson LLP
WaferMasters Inc.
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