Apparatus and methods to transfer substrates into and out of a spatial multi-substrate processing tool

Abstract

An apparatus and method for loading and unloading substrates from a spatial processing chamber are described. A support assembly has a rotatable central base and a support arm extending therefrom. A support shaft is located at the outer end of the support arm, and a substrate support is located on the support shaft. A primary lifting pin is positioned within an opening in the substrate support. A secondary lifting pin is positioned within an opening in the support arm and aligned with the primary lifting pin. As the support assembly moves, an actuator plate within the processing space causes the primary lifting pin to rise through contact with the secondary lifting pin.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The embodiments herein generally relate to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. In particular, the embodiments herein relate to apparatus and methods for loading and unloading substrates into multi-substrate processing tools. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Conventional time-domain atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes separately flow reactive gases into the processing chambers to avoid gas-phase reactions. Individual reactive gas exposures are separated by purge / pump cycles. Pump / purge cycles are typically much longer than the reactive gas exposure time and can become the rate limiter for the entire deposition process. Spatial ALD chambers can move one or more substrates from one environment to another much faster than time-domain ALD chamber pumping / cleaning, resulting in higher throughput.

[0003] Existing spatial ALD processing chambers rotate multiple substrates at a constant speed on a heated circular platform, moving the substrates from one processing environment to an adjacent environment. The different processing environments establish separation of incompatible gases. However, existing spatial ALD processing chambers cannot optimize the plasma environment for plasma exposure, resulting in problems with inhomogeneity, plasma damage, and / or processing flexibility.

[0004] For example, processing gas flows over the surface of a substrate. Due to the substrate's rotation about an offset axis, the leading and trailing edges of the substrate have different flow profiles. Furthermore, the slower velocity at the inner edge and the faster velocity at the outer edge also create flow differences between the inner and outer diameter edges of the substrate. These flow inhomogeneities can be optimized but not eliminated. Plasma damage occurs when the substrate is exposed to inhomogeneous plasma. The constant-speed rotation of the spatial processing chamber causes the substrate to move into and out of the plasma, resulting in some areas of the substrate being exposed to the plasma while other areas remain outside. Existing spatial ALD chambers can only slow down or speed up the rotation speed, but cannot adjust the time difference between steps without changing the chamber hardware in smaller or larger areas.

[0005] Furthermore, conventional multi-substrate space processing chambers require a large Z-axis travel to provide sufficient space for the lifting pin actuation mechanism to allow for the loading and unloading of substrates. In some processing chambers, due to physical space constraints, the Z-axis travel of the chamber spindle (base) is limited to a maximum of approximately 80 mm.

[0006] During normal operation, the lift pin actuation mechanism requires cleaning the moving parts of the processing chamber. Typically, the lift pin is subjected to multiple acceleration and deceleration forces in a short period of time. For example, the lift pins of some conventional space handling tools need to withstand a peak acceleration of 2.5g at 2Hz and up to 60 million cycles over three years. Premature failure of the lift pin results in lost production and expenses associated with the repair and replacement of damaged or worn parts.

[0007] Furthermore, the lifting pin mechanism must operate safely and reliably together with the electrostatic chuck. The lifting pin in the electrostatic chuck may withstand large voltage differences, but must not cause short circuits or arcing between the electrodes.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to improve the equipment and methods for loading and unloading substrates in substrate processing chambers. [Summary of the Invention]

[0009] One or more embodiments of this disclosure relate to a processing chamber including a support assembly and an actuation plate. The support assembly includes a rotatable central base defining a rotation axis. The rotatable central base is movable along the rotation axis. At least two support arms extend from the central base. Each of the support arms has an inner end in contact with the central base, and a top surface and a bottom surface defining the thickness of the support arm. A support axis is located at the outer end of each support arm. A substrate support is located on each support axis. The substrate support has a support surface and a bottom surface defining the thickness of the substrate support. The bottom surface is spaced apart from the top surface of the support arm by a distance.

[0010] At least three main lifting pins are positioned within openings in each substrate support. Each main lifting pin has a top end and a bottom end defining the length of the main lifting pin. The main lifting pins and the openings are configured to interact cooperatively to prevent the main lifting pins from passing completely through the bottom surface of the substrate support.

[0011] At least three secondary lifting pins are positioned within openings in the support arm. The secondary lifting pins are aligned with the primary lifting pins. Each secondary lifting pin has a top end and a bottom end defining a length. At least a portion of the bottom end extends from the bottom surface of the support arm. The secondary lifting pins and the openings in the support arm are configured to interact synergistically to prevent the secondary lifting pins from passing completely through the bottom surface of the support arm.

[0012] The actuating plate is positioned at a distance from the rotation axis to align with the outer end of the support arm. The actuating plate has an actuating surface spaced a distance from the bottom surface of the support arm.

[0013] Additional embodiments of this disclosure relate to a processing method. A support assembly within a processing chamber is rotated to align the outer end of a support arm of the support assembly with an actuation plate within the processing chamber. The support assembly rotates about a rotation axis. The support assembly moves along the rotation axis toward the actuation plate such that the bottom ends of a plurality of secondary lifting pins contact the actuation plate. Each secondary lifting pin has a length defined by a top end and a bottom end. Each secondary lifting pin extends through the thickness of the support arm. The support assembly continues to move along the rotation axis toward the actuation plate such that the top ends of the secondary lifting pins contact the bottom ends of a primary lifting pin and push the primary lifting pin such that the top ends of the primary lifting pins extend from the top surface of a substrate support to the top of a support shaft connected to the outer end of the support assembly.

[0014] Further embodiments of this disclosure relate to a non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a controller of a processing chamber, cause the processing chamber to perform the following operations: rotate a support assembly about a rotation axis to align the outer end of a substrate support arm of the support assembly with an actuation plate; move the support assembly toward the actuation plate along the rotation axis such that the bottom ends of a plurality of secondary lifting pins contact the actuation plate, the secondary lifting pins having a length defined by a top end and a bottom end, the secondary lifting pins passing through the thickness of the support arm, and causing the top ends of the secondary lifting pins to contact the bottom end of a main lifting pin and push the main lifting pin such that the top end of the main lifting pin extends from the top surface of the substrate support to the top of a support shaft connected to the outer end of the support assembly; open an access port in one side of the processing chamber; and load a substrate into the processing chamber onto the top end of the main lifting pin.

Implementation Method

[0035] Before describing some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the details of the construction or processing steps set forth in the following description. This disclosure can have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

[0036] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "substrate" refers to a surface or part thereof on which a treatment is performed. Those skilled in the art will also understand that, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, reference to a substrate may also refer only to a part of the substrate. Furthermore, reference to deposition on a substrate can mean a bare substrate and a substrate having one or more films or features deposited or formed thereon.

[0037] As used herein, “substrate” (also referred to as “wafer”) means any substrate or material surface formed on a substrate on which a film treatment is performed during manufacturing processes. For example, substrate surfaces on which treatments can be performed include materials such as silicon, silicon oxide, strained silicon, silicon-on-insulator (SOI), carbon-doped silicon oxide, amorphous silicon, doped silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, glass, sapphire, and any other materials such as metals, metal nitrides, metal alloys, and other conductive materials, depending on the application. Substrates include, but are not limited to, semiconductor substrates. Substrates may be exposed to pretreatment processes such as polishing, etching, reduction, oxidation, hydroxylation, annealing, UV curing, electron beam curing, and / or baking of the substrate surface. In addition to performing film treatments directly on the substrate's own surface, any of the film treatment steps disclosed herein may also be performed on an underlying layer formed on a substrate as disclosed in more detail below, and the term “substrate surface” is intended to include such an underlying layer as indicated by the context. Therefore, for example, when a film / layer or a portion of a film / layer is deposited on the surface of a substrate, the exposed surface of the newly deposited film / layer becomes the substrate surface.

[0038] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "precursor", "reactant", "reactive gas", etc., are used interchangeably to refer to any gaseous substance that can react with the surface of the substrate or with a film formed on the surface of the substrate.

[0039] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a processing chamber 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1 shows a processing chamber 100 as illustrated in a cross-sectional isometric view according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a processing chamber 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] The processing chamber 100 has a housing 102 with walls 104 and a bottom 106. The housing 102, together with the top plate 300, defines an internal space 109. The processing chamber 100 is incorporated with a substrate support assembly 200. When used in this manner, "assembly" refers to a combination of elements or components. The substrate support assembly 200 according to one or more embodiments includes at least a support shaft 234 and a substrate support member 230, as further described below.

[0041] The processing chamber 100 shown includes a plurality of processing stations 110. The processing stations 110 are located within the interior space 109 of the housing 102 and are positioned in a circular arrangement about a rotation axis 211 of the substrate support 200. Each processing station 110 includes a gas injector 112 (also referred to as a gas injector) having a front surface 114. The processing station 110 is defined as an area where processing can be performed. For example, in some embodiments, the processing station 110 is defined as an area or processing space 111 defined by the support surface 231 of the substrate support 200 and the front surface 114 of the gas injector 112, as described below. As discussed further below, the gas injector 112 is part of a gas distribution assembly 105.

[0042] Processing station 110 can be configured to perform any suitable process and provide any suitable processing conditions. The type of gas injector 112 used will depend, for example, the type of process being performed and / or the type of nozzle or gas distribution plate. For example, processing station 110 configured to operate as an atomic layer deposition apparatus may have a nozzle or vortex gas injector. However, processing station 110 configured to operate as a plasma station may have one or more electrode and / or ground plane configurations to generate plasma while allowing plasma gas to flow to the substrate. The embodiment shown in FIG2 has different types of processing stations 110 on the left side of the figure (processing station 110a) and on the right side of the figure (processing station 110b). Suitable processing stations 110 include, but are not limited to, thermal processing stations (e.g., chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD)), microwave plasma, three-electrode CCP, ICP, parallel plate CCP, physical vapor deposition (PVD), UV exposure, laser processing, pump chamber, annealing station, and metering station.

[0043] In some embodiments, the support assembly 200 includes a rotatable central base 210. The rotatable central base 210 defines a rotation axis 211 extending along a first direction. As a coordinate system, the rotation axis 211 extends along the Z direction, thereby causing rotation about the rotation axis 211 in the XY plane. The first direction may be referred to as the vertical direction or along the Z-axis; however, it should be understood that the term "vertical" used in this way is not limited to a direction perpendicular to gravity. As used herein, when the central base 210 "rotates" about the rotation axis 211, the central base 210 rotates in the XY plane. As used herein, movement "along" the rotation axis 211 or the first direction means movement of the central base 210 or the element along the Z-axis.

[0044] The support assembly 200 includes at least two support arms connected to and extending from the central base 210. Each support arm 220 has a top surface 223 and a bottom surface 224 defining the thickness of the support arm 220. The support arm 220 has an inner end 221 and an outer end 222. The inner end 221 contacts the central base 210 such that when the central base 210 rotates about the rotation axis 211, the support arm 220 also rotates. In some embodiments, the support arm 220 is connected to the central base 210 at its inner end 221 by a fastener (e.g., a bolt). In some embodiments, the support arm 220 is integrally formed with the central base 210.

[0045] In some embodiments, the support arm 220 extends perpendicular to the rotation axis 211, such that one of the inner end 221 or the outer end 222 is farther from the rotation axis 211 than the other of the inner end 221 and outer end 222 of the same support arm 220. In some embodiments, the inner end 221 of the support arm 220 is closer to the rotation axis 211 than the outer end 222 of the same support arm 220.

[0046] The number of support arms 220 in the support assembly 200 can vary. In some embodiments, there are at least two support arms 220, at least three support arms 220, at least four support arms 220, or at least five support arms 220. In some embodiments, there are three support arms 220. In some embodiments, there are four support arms 220. In some embodiments, there are five support arms 220. In some embodiments, there are six support arms 220.

[0047] The support arms 220 may be arranged symmetrically around the central base 210. For example, in a support assembly 200 with four support arms 220, each support arm 220 is positioned at 90° intervals around the central base 210. In a support assembly 200 with three support arms 220, the support arms 220 are positioned at 120° intervals around the central base 210. In other words, in the embodiment with four support arms 220, the support arms are arranged to provide fourfold symmetry about the rotation axis 211. In some embodiments, the support assembly 200 has n support arms 220 and the n support arms 220 are arranged to provide nfold symmetry about the rotation axis 211. In some embodiments, the same number of support arms 220 as the processing station 110 exists.

[0048] In some embodiments, the support shaft 234 is located at the outer end 222 of each support arm 220. The support shaft 234 serves as a support to space the substrate support 230 from the top surface 223 of the support arm 220 along a first direction.

[0049] The substrate support 230 is located at the outer end 222 of the support arm 220. In some embodiments, the substrate support 230 is located on the support shaft 234 at the outer end 222 of the support arm 220. The center of the substrate support 230 is located at a certain distance from the rotation axis 211, such that when the central base 210 rotates, the substrate support 230 moves in a circular path deviating from the rotation axis.

[0050] The substrate support 230 has a support surface 231 configured to support the substrate during processing. In some embodiments, the support surfaces 231 of all substrate supports 230 are substantially coplanar. As used in this way, "substantially coplanar" means that the plane formed by each support surface 231 is within ±5°, ±4°, ±3°, ±2° or ±1° of the plane formed by the other support surfaces 231.

[0051] In some embodiments, channels 236 are formed in one or more of the central base 210, support arm 220, support shaft 234, and / or substrate support 230. Channels 236 can be used to route electrical connections or provide airflow. In some embodiments, substrate support 230 includes one or more heating elements 235 (see Figures 5 and 6).

[0052] In some embodiments, the substrate support 230 is a heater. The heater can be any suitable type of heater known to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the heater is a resistance heater having one or more heating elements 235 within a heater body. In some embodiments, the electrical connection to the heater is routed through channel 236.

[0053] In some embodiments, the substrate support 230 includes an electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck may include various wires and electrodes, thereby holding the substrate positioned on the heater support surface 231 in place while the substrate support is moved. In some embodiments, the substrate support 230 includes a heater and an electrostatic chuck. This allows the wafer to be held on the heater at the start of processing and to remain in the same position on the same heater when moved to different processing stations.

[0054] FIG3 shows an exploded view of a gas distribution assembly 105 for a processing station 110 or a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments shown in FIG3 are general schematic diagrams and details (e.g., gas passages) are omitted. The gas distribution assembly 105 shown includes three main elements: a gas distribution plate 112, a cover 180, and a selective spacer 330. The spacer 330 is also referred to as a pump / purification spacer, insert, or pump / purification insert, liner, or pump / purification liner. In some embodiments, the spacer 330 is connected to or in fluid communication with a vacuum (exhaust). In some embodiments, the spacer 330 is connected to or in fluid communication with a purge gas source.

[0055] The openings 310 in the top plate 300 may be of the same or different sizes. Gas injectors 112 of different sizes / shapes may be used with a pump / purification spacer 330, which is suitably shaped to transition from the opening 310 to the gas distribution plate 112. For example, as shown, the pump / purification spacer 330 includes a top 331, a bottom 333, and sidewalls 335. When inserted into the opening 310 in the top plate 300, the protrusion 334 is configured to be positioned on the top surface 301 of the cover 300 around the periphery of the opening 310.

[0056] The pump / purification compartment 330 includes an opening 339 into which a gas distribution plate 112 can be inserted. The gas distribution plate 112 shown has a flange 341 with a contact surface 342. The contact surface 342 of the flange 341 is configured to contact the rear surface 332 at the top 331 of the pump / purification compartment 330. The diameter or width of the gas distribution plate 112 can be any suitable size, which can be fitted into the opening 339 of the pump / purification compartment 330. This allows for the use of various types of gas injectors 112 within the same opening 310 in the top plate 300.

[0057] In some embodiments, the pump / purification spacer 330 includes a gas chamber 336 having at least one opening 338 in the bottom 333 of the pump / purification spacer 330. The gas chamber 336 has an inlet (not shown), typically located near the top 331 or sidewall 335 of the pump / purification spacer 330. In some embodiments, the gas chamber 336 is connected to a vacuum pump or other vacuum source to guide gas through the opening 338 in the bottom 333 of the pump / purification spacer 330 out of the processing space 111 to create an air curtain-type barrier to prevent leakage of processing gas from inside the processing chamber.

[0058] FIG4 illustrates a processing platform 400 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments shown in FIG4 represent only one possible configuration and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this document. For example, in some embodiments, the processing platform 400 has a different number or type of one or more processing chambers 100, buffer stations 420 and / or robots 430 configuration than in the illustrated embodiments.

[0059] An exemplary processing platform 400 includes a central transfer station 410 having a plurality of sides 411, 412, 413, 414. The transfer station 410 shown has a first side 411, a second side 412, a third side 413, and a fourth side 414. Although four sides are shown, those skilled in the art will understand that, depending on, for example, the overall configuration of the processing platform 400, the transfer station 410 may have any suitable number of sides. In some embodiments, the transfer station 410 has three sides, four sides, five sides, six sides, seven sides, eight sides, or more sides.

[0060] The transfer station 410 has a robot 430 positioned therein. The robot 430 can be any suitable robot capable of moving the substrate during processing. In some embodiments, the robot 430 has a first arm 431 and a second arm 432. In some embodiments, the first arm 431 and the second arm 432 are configured to move independently of the other arm. In some embodiments, the first arm 431 and the second arm 432 are configured to move in the XY plane and / or along the Z-axis. In some embodiments, the robot 430 includes a third arm (not shown) or a fourth arm (not shown). Each arm can move independently of the other arms.

[0061] The illustrated embodiment includes six processing chambers 100, two of which are connected to each of the second side 412, third side 413, and fourth side 414 of the central transfer station 410. The processing performed in each processing chamber 100 is independent of the processing performed in any other processing chamber. In some embodiments, all processing chambers 100 are configured to perform the same processing to improve throughput by a multiple of the number of processing chambers 100.

[0062] The illustrated processing platform 400 also includes one or more buffer stations 420 connected to a first side 411 of the central transfer station 410. The buffer stations 420 may perform the same or different functions. For example, a buffer station may hold a box of processed substrates returned to their original box, or one of the buffer stations may hold unprocessed substrates that are moved to another buffer station after processing. In some embodiments, one or more buffer stations are configured to pre-process, preheat, or clean the substrates before and / or after processing. In some embodiments, one or more buffer stations are configured to anneal or post-process the substrates before and / or after processing.

[0063] The processing platform 400 may also include one or more access ports 418 between the central transfer station 410 and the processing chamber 100. The access ports 418 are configured to open and close to isolate the internal space 109 within the processing chamber 100 from the environment within the central transfer station 410. For example, if the processing chamber will generate plasma during processing, closing the access port of that processing chamber to prevent stray plasma from damaging the robot in the transfer station may be helpful. In some embodiments, all processing chambers 100 are configured to perform the same processing, and because each chamber has a processing station 110 that isolates the substrate to the processing area 111 during processing, the access ports are always open.

[0064] In some embodiments, the processing platform 400 is connected to a factory interface 450 to allow substrates or substrate cassettes to be loaded into the processing platform 400. A robot 455 within the factory interface 450 can be used to move substrates or cassettes into and out of buffer stations. The substrates or cassettes can be moved within the processing platform 400 via a robot 430 in a central transfer station 410. In some embodiments, the factory interface 450 is a transfer station for another cluster tool (i.e., another multi-chamber processing platform).

[0065] Some embodiments of the processing platform 400 include a controller 490 coupled to various elements of the processing platform 400 to control operation therein. In some embodiments, the controller 490 controls the entire processing platform 400. In some embodiments, the processing platform 400 includes a plurality of controllers 490; each is configured to control one or more separate portions of the processing platform 400. For example, some embodiments of the processing platform 400 include separate controllers for one or more of the individual processing chamber 100, central conveyor station 410, plant interface 450, and / or robot 430.

[0066] Although the controller 490 is shown in FIG4 as one or more elements connected to and controlling the processing platform 400, the controller 490 may also be connected to a single processing chamber 100. For example, although not included in the figures, in some embodiments the controller 490 is connected to the processing chamber 100 shown and described with respect to FIG1 and FIG2.

[0067] In some embodiments, at least one controller 490 is coupled to one or more of the following: processing chamber 100, substrate support assembly 200, flow controller, pressure gauge, pump, feedback circuit, reaction space pressure gauge, gas distribution assembly 105, robot 430, robot 455, or other elements for operating processing platform 400, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0068] The controller 490 can be any type of general-purpose computer processor, microcontroller, microprocessor, etc., and can be used in industrial settings to control various chambers and subprocessors. In some embodiments, at least one controller 490 has a processor 492, memory 494 coupled to the processor 492, input / output devices 496 coupled to the processor 492, and support circuitry 498 for communication between different electronic components. In some embodiments, the memory 494 includes one or more of transient memory (e.g., random access memory) and non-transitory memory (e.g., storage).

[0069] The processor's memory 494 or computer-readable medium may be one or more of readily available memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), floppy disk, hard disk, or any other form of local or remote digital storage. Memory 494 may hold an instruction set that can be operated by processor 492 to control system parameters and components. Support circuitry 498 is coupled to processor 492 for conventionally supporting the processor. The circuitry may include, for example, cache, power supply, clock circuitry, input / output circuitry, subsystems, etc.

[0070] The processing can typically be stored in memory as a software routine, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processing chamber to perform the processing of this disclosure. The software routine can also be stored and / or executed by a second processor (not shown), located at a remote end of hardware controlled by the processor. Some or all of the methods of this disclosure can also be implemented in hardware. Thus, the processing can be implemented in software and executed using a computer system, implemented in hardware as, for example, application-specific integrated circuits or other types of hardware implementation, or as a combination of software and hardware. When executed by a processor, the software routine transforms a general-purpose computer into a dedicated computer (controller) that controls the operation of the processing chamber to perform the processing.

[0071] One or more embodiments of this disclosure advantageously provide a simple and reliable mechanism for moving wafers in and out of a spatial multi-substrate processing tool. Some embodiments incorporate a main lifting pin without counterweights. Some embodiments use a conductive material for the main lifting pin. In some embodiments, the main lifting pin may advantageously fall into an opening in a base heater.

[0072] The secondary lifting pin is positioned to rotate together with the support arm 220, so that the secondary lifting pin always remains associated with the same base plate support.

[0073] In some embodiments, both the primary and secondary lifting pins are electrically and / or thermally conductive. Using conductive materials for the lifting pins prevents the generation of charge during processing, which could lead to sticking. Some embodiments prevent non-uniform clamping of the substrate by grounding the substrate until it is fully seated on the substrate support surface 231. Furthermore, the conductive lifting pins are grounded and discharge charge from the substrate for use as an output substrate.

[0074] Some embodiments include a static lift pin actuation plate. The actuation plate can be located at any suitable location within the processing chamber. In some embodiments, the actuation plate is located near the chamber inlet port. Some embodiments of this disclosure advantageously eliminate the need for a separate active lift motor for actuating the lift pin during wafer transfer. In some embodiments, the combination of the lift pin and actuation plate causes less disruption to the processing space, reducing costs and / or substrate transfer time.

[0075] Referring to Figures 5 through 8, the support assembly 200 is movable along the rotation axis 211 between a processing position (as shown in Figure 5) and a transfer position (as shown in Figures 6 through 8). As used in this manner, the term "transfer position" refers to the physical position of the support assembly 200 where the substrate can be loaded onto and / or unloaded from the support surface 231. Unless otherwise stated, the use of "loading" also refers to unloading. Figure 5 shows a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a processing chamber having the support assembly 220 in the processing position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 6 shows a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a processing chamber having the support assembly 220 in the transfer position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 7 shows a partial cross-sectional front view of the processing chamber of Figure 6. Figure 8 shows a partial front view of a portion of the processing chamber of Figure 7 from different perspectives.

[0076] In some embodiments, the support assembly 200 uses a rotary motor 260 connected to a rotatable base 210 to rotate about a rotation axis 211. In some embodiments, the support assembly 200 can be moved along the length of the rotation axis 211 (in the Z-axis direction) using a lifting motor 265.

[0077] Some embodiments of this disclosure incorporate at least three main lifting pins 500 positioned within an opening 239 in each substrate support 230. The opening 239 extends through the entire thickness of the substrate support 230, thereby allowing the main lifting pins 500 to fall through the support surface 231 into the opening 239 and be easily removed. The number of main lifting pins 500 may vary and is not limited to three. In some embodiments, there may be more or fewer than three main lifting pins 500. In some embodiments, there may be at least four, five, or six main lifting pins 500.

[0078] Each main lifting pin 500 has a top end 501 and a bottom end 502 defining a length LP of the main lifting pin 500. FIG9A shows an enlarged view of the main lifting pin 500 in the opening 239 of the substrate support 230 in the processing position. In some embodiments, the main lifting pin 500 and the opening 239 are configured to interact cooperatively to prevent the main lifting pin 500 from passing completely through the bottom surface 232 of the substrate support 230. FIG9B shows an enlarged view of the main lifting pin 500 of FIG9A in the opening 239 of the substrate support 230 in the transfer position. The top portion 504 of the main lifting pin 500 shown has an outwardly flared shape that interacts with a complementary outwardly flared shape 237 along the length of the opening 239. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG9A, the complementary outwardly flared shape 237 in the opening 239 is positioned within the thickness of the substrate support 230 such that, when in the processing position, the tip 501 of the main lifting pin 500 is recessed below the support surface 231. In some embodiments, when the processing chamber is in the processing position, the tip 501 of the main lifting pin 500 is substantially coplanar with or below the support surface 231 of the substrate support 230.

[0079] In some embodiments, the top portion 504 of the main lifting pin 500 is flared, and the opening 239 in the substrate support 230 has a complementary flared surface 505 to prevent the length of the main lifting pin 500 from passing through the bottom surface 232 of the substrate support 230.

[0080] Although the top portion 504 of the main lifting pin 500 is illustrated as having a conical outward flare, those skilled in the art will recognize that this is merely one possible configuration and the top of the main lifting pin 500 can have any suitable shape. Complementary shapes formed in the opening 239 in some embodiments mimic the shape of the top portion 504. In some embodiments, the opening 239 has some irregularity that interacts cooperatively with the main lifting pin 500 to prevent the main lifting pin 500 from falling out of the substrate support 230.

[0081] In some embodiments, the bottom end 502 of the main lift pin 500 is rounded. As will be further described, the rounded bottom end 502 may help minimize or eliminate lateral directional loading during interaction with the secondary lift pin 510.

[0082] The length LP of the main lifting pin 500 can be varied. In some embodiments, the length LP of the main lifting pin 500 is greater than the thickness of the substrate support 230, such that at any given time a portion of the main lifting pin 500 is above the support surface 231 and a portion of the main lifting pin 500 is below the bottom surface 232 of the substrate support 230. This is shown in FIG. 9B. In some embodiments, the length LP of the main lifting pin 500 is minimized to prevent the main lifting pin 500 from wobbling within the opening 239.

[0083] In some embodiments, the main lifting pin 500 and the opening 239 are configured to prevent the main lifting pin 500 from tilting within the opening 239. The main lifting pin 500 and / or the opening 239 are sized differently, such that a gap is formed between the pin and the opening. The size of the gap (also referred to as the tolerance) is small enough to prevent tilting. In some embodiments, the main lifting pin 500 and the opening 239 in the base plate support 230 are configured to have a maximum tilt of 0.33° relative to a line perpendicular to the base surface.

[0084] The main lift pin 500 may be made of any suitable material. In some embodiments, the main lift pin 500 is made of a thermally and / or electrically conductive material. In some embodiments, the main lift pin 500 includes one or more of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, stainless steel, and stainless steel coated with aluminum oxide or silicon carbide. In some embodiments, the main lift pin 500 has no auxiliary weight to prevent the main lift pin 500 from wobbling.

[0085] Referring back to Figures 5 to 8, some embodiments include at least three secondary lifting pins 510. The secondary lifting pins 510 are located within openings 229 in the support arm 220. Each secondary lifting pin 510 has a top end 511 and a bottom end 512 defining a length LS. Figures 10A and 10B illustrate two possible secondary lifting pins 510. The secondary lifting pins 510 shown in Figures 10A and 10B represent only possible configurations and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this disclosure. The illustrated embodiments include a symbolic interruption 515 to indicate that the length LS of the secondary lifting pin 510 can vary.

[0086] At least some of the secondary lifting pins 510 are aligned with the primary lifting pins 500. In some embodiments, there are the same number of secondary lifting pins 510 as the primary lifting pins 500. In some embodiments, each secondary lifting pin 510 is aligned with a primary lifting pin 500. The number of primary lifting pins 500 and secondary lifting pins 510 can vary, as long as sufficient interaction can be generated between the lifting pins to allow loading and unloading of the substrate.

[0087] The secondary lifting pin 510 is located within an opening 229 at the outer end 222 of the support arm 220. At least a portion 514 of the bottom end 512 (or a region near the bottom end 512) extends from the bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220. Referring to FIG11A, the length LSB of the portion 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510 extending below the bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220 is at least equal to the distance DG between the top end 511 and the bottom end 502 of the secondary lifting pin 510 and the distance DP between the top end 501 of the main lifting pin 500 and the top surface 231 of the base plate support 230. In some embodiments, the distance DA from the bottom end 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510 to the actuation surface 531 of the actuation plate 530 is greater than or equal to the distance DG between the top end 511 and the bottom end 502 of the secondary lifting pin 510 and the distance DP between the top end 501 of the main lifting pin 500 and the top surface 231 of the substrate support 230.

[0088] The opening 229 in the secondary lifting pin 510 and the support arm 220 is configured to interact in a coordinated manner to prevent the secondary lifting pin 510 from passing completely through the bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220.

[0089] In some embodiments, the top end 511 of the secondary lifting pin 510 is flat. In some embodiments, the bottom end 502 of the primary lifting pin 500 is rounded and the top end 511 of the secondary lifting pin 510 is flat. The combination of the flat and rounded surfaces of the primary and secondary lifting pins helps to mitigate lateral directional loading due to slight misalignment. In some embodiments, the bottom end 502 of the primary lifting pin 500 is flat and the top end 511 of the secondary lifting pin 510 is rounded.

[0090] The opening 229 in the support arm 220 can be any suitable size to allow the secondary lifting pin 510 to move along the Z-axis. In some embodiments, the size of the opening 229 in the support arm 220 is within 0.01 inches, 0.0075 inches, or 0.005 inches of the diameter DSP of the lower end portion 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510.

[0091] In some embodiments, the opening 229 in the secondary lifting pin 510 and the support arm 220 is configured to prevent the secondary lifting pin 510 from tilting greater than 0.33° during movement of the support assembly. The tilt angle is measured relative to the top surface 223 of the support arm 220, where 0° is perpendicular to the top surface 223.

[0092] The secondary lift pin 510 may be made of any suitable material. In some embodiments, the secondary lift pin 510 comprises one or more of stainless steel or titanium.

[0093] Figure 10A illustrates an embodiment of the secondary lift pin 510. The secondary lift pin shown has a stepped diameter along the length LS, such that the upper portion 517 has a larger diameter DSU than the diameter DSP of the lower portion 514. The intersection of the upper portion 517 and the lower portion 514 results in a transition from a smaller diameter to a larger diameter. The transition can be abrupt, as shown in Figure 10A, or it can be gradual, like the outwardly flared top of the main lift pin. In some embodiments, the transition forms a contact surface 519. The contact surface 519 is configured to contact the top surface 223 of the support arm 220 when the processing chamber is in the processing position.

[0094] Figure 10B illustrates another embodiment of the secondary lifting pin 510. In this embodiment, the secondary lifting pin 510 has a bushing 518 positioned along the length LS of the lifting pin 510. The bushing 518 has a bottom surface that functions in the same manner as the contact surface 519 of Figure 10A. The bushing 518 is configured to contact the top surface 223 of the support arm 220 and prevent the secondary lifting pin 510 from moving toward the actuator plate 530 beyond the processing position. In some embodiments, the bushing 518 is movable along the length of the secondary lifting pin 510, thereby adjusting the length of the bottom portion 514.

[0095] Referring again to Figures 5 to 8, the processing chamber 100 includes an actuation plate 530. The actuation plate 530 has an actuation surface 531 configured to engage the bottom end 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510. The actuation plate 530 is spaced apart from the rotation shaft 211 to be aligned with the outer end 222 of the support arm 220. In some embodiments, there is one actuation plate 530.

[0096] The actuating plate 530 can be any suitable shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the actuating plate 530 forms part of a ring. The size of the actuating plate 530 is sufficient when all the secondary lifting pins 510 located at the end of one of the support arms 220 can simultaneously engage with the actuating surface 531.

[0097] When the processing chamber is in the processing position, the actuation surface 531 of the actuation plate 530 is a distance DAP from the bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220 along the Z-axis, as shown in Figures 5 and 11A. When the support assembly 200 is in the processing position, the bottom end 502 of the main lifting pin 500 extends a processing distance (length LPB) from the bottom surface 232 of the substrate support 230. The bottom end 502 of the main lifting pin 500 is spaced apart from the top end 511 of the secondary lifting pin 510 by a distance DG. The bottom end 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510 extends a processing distance (length LSP) from the bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220. When the support arm 220 is adjacent to the actuation plate 530, the bottom end 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510 is a processing distance DA from the actuation surface 531. When used in this manner, when the support arm 220 is aligned along the Z-axis, the support arm 220 is adjacent to the actuation plate 530, which is sufficient to allow the actuation surface 531 to engage the secondary lifting pin 510.

[0098] Referring to Figures 11A to 11D, a portion of a processing method according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is described. In Figure 11A, the support assembly 200 within the processing chamber 100 has been rotated to align the outer end 222 of the support arm 220 with the actuation plate 530.

[0099] Figure 11B shows the embodiment of Figure 11A after the support assembly 200 has moved along the rotation axis 211 toward the actuating plate 530. The bottom surface 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510, which passes through the thickness of the support arm 220, contacts the actuating surface 531 of the actuating plate 530. At this point in this process, the distance DA between the bottom end 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510 and the actuating surface 531 of the actuating plate 530 is zero. The length LSB of the lower portion 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510 remains the same until contact occurs between the secondary lifting pin 510 and the actuating plate 530.

[0100] Figure 11C shows the embodiment of Figure 11B after the support assembly 200 has moved further toward the actuating plate 530 along the rotation axis 211. The contact between the actuating surface 531 and the bottom end 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510 causes the secondary lifting pin 510 to remain in place relative to the actuating surface 531. The support arm 220 continues to move toward the actuating plate, and the lower portion 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510 slides through the opening 229 in the support arm 220, reducing the length LSB of the lower portion 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510 below the bottom surface 224 of the support arm.

[0101] The substrate support 230 and the main lifting pin 500 also continue to move along the Z-axis toward the actuation plate 530. The bottom end 502 of the main lifting pin 500 contacts the top end 511 of the secondary lifting pin 510. At this time, the distance DG has decreased to zero and the lower part 516 of the secondary lifting pin 510 above the top surface 223 of the support arm 220 increases to the distance DGL. The distance DGL, at the time point shown in FIG11C, is the same as the distance DG at the time point shown in FIG11B. The length LBP of the main lifting pin 500 extending below the bottom surface 232 of the substrate support 230 remains the same as in FIG11B.

[0102] FIG11D shows the embodiment of FIG11C after the support assembly 200 has moved to the transfer position, as shown in FIG6. When in the transfer position, the actuation surface 531 of the actuation plate 530 is separated from the bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220 by a loading distance DAL along the Z-axis. The bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220 is separated from the actuation surface 531 of the actuation plate 530 by a loading distance DAL. The bottom end 512 of the secondary lifting pin 510 contacts the actuation surface 531, and the lower part 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510 extends from the bottom surface 224 by a minimum length LSBL. The top end 511 of the secondary lifting pin 510 contacts the bottom end 502 of the main lifting pin 500, and the top end 501 of the main lifting pin 500 extends from the support surface 231 of the substrate support 230 by a loading distance DPL. The length LPB of the main lifting pin 500 extending from the bottom surface 232 of the substrate support 230 is at its minimum length. Figure 9B shows an enlarged view of the main lifting pin 500 in the transfer position and supporting the substrate 101. Some embodiments further include performing the reverse operation described with respect to Figures 11A to 11D.

[0103] Figures 12 to 14 illustrate a support arm 220 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 12 shows a magnified view of the outer end 222 of the support arm 220, observing the top surface 223. Figure 13 shows an orthogonal view of the support arm 220 having the outer end 222 of Figure 12. Figure 14 shows an exploded view of the outer end 222 of a portion of the support arm 220 shown in Figures 12 and 13.

[0104] The outer end 222 of the support arm 220 shown has three secondary lifting pins 510 spaced apart around the outer periphery of the outer end 222. Two of the secondary lifting pins 510 are located in a protrusion 226 extending from the center portion of the outer end 222. In some embodiments, the protrusion 226 is integrally formed with the support arm 220.

[0105] Each protrusion 226 includes a pair of openings 229a, 229b extending through the thickness of the support arm 220. Only one of the openings 229a, 229b has a secondary lifting pin 510 therein. In the illustrated embodiment, each opening 229a has a secondary lifting pin 510 and each opening 229b is unoccupied. In some embodiments, each opening 229b has a secondary lifting pin 510 and each opening 229a is unoccupied. In some embodiments of a processing tool comprising multiple processing chambers 100, one of the processing chambers 100 has a secondary lifting pin 510 in one of the openings 229a, 229b, and the other processing chamber 100 is mirror-image of the other of the openings 229a, 229b.

[0106] In the embodiments shown in Figures 12 to 14, two protrusions 226 are present on the outer end 222 of each support arm 220, responsible for two of the secondary lifting pins 510. The third lifting pin 510 is located within a removable block 550 connected to the outer surface 551 of the support arm 220. For example, in an embodiment where the channel 236 passes through the body borehole of the support arm 220 from the outer surface 551 toward the central base 210, there are no protrusions on the outer surface 551. In some embodiments, the removable block 550 is attached to the outer surface 551 after drilling. In some embodiments, the removable block 550 seals the opening end of the channel 236 of the borehole. In some embodiments, the opening end of the channel of the borehole is covered by a separate cover (not shown), and the removable block 550 is attached to the outer surface 551 through, on, or around the separate cover.

[0107] The removable block 550 includes a body 552 having at least one connecting flange 553 and a protrusion 554. The illustrated removable block 550 has two connecting flanges 553 on either side of the protrusion 554. The removable block 550 includes two openings 559a, 559b for retaining the secondary lifting pin 510. In some embodiments, the spacing between the openings 559a, 559b is the same as the spacing between the openings 229a, 229b on the protrusion 226 at the outer end 222 of the support arm 220.

[0108] In the illustrated embodiment, the body 552 of the removable block 550 includes an indexing tab 555. The indexing tab 555 extends from the body 552 in a direction opposite to the protrusion 554. In some embodiments, the indexing tab 555 is sized to interact in cooperation with a stop 556 formed in the outer end 222 of the support arm 220. In the illustrated embodiment, the stop 556 is a notch removed from the intersection of the outer surface 551 and the top surface 223 of the support arm. In some embodiments, there is more than one indexing tab 555 on the removable block 550 and more than one stop 556 on the outer end 222 of the support arm 220. The indexing tab 555 and the stop 556 facilitate the alignment of the removable block 550 on the outer end 222 of the support arm 220, thereby maintaining the positional and angular relationship of the secondary lifting pin 510.

[0109] In some embodiments, the processing chamber 100 includes at least one removable secondary lifting pin 550 connected to the outer end 222 (or outer surface 551) of the support arm 220. In some embodiments, the removable secondary lifting pin 550 has at least one opening configured to support one of the secondary lifting pins 510. In some embodiments, the removable secondary lifting pin 550 includes two openings 559a, 559b configured to engage the secondary lifting pin 510, and one of the openings is unused or remains open.

[0110] In the embodiment of FIG8, the secondary lifting pins 510 are arranged in a triangular pattern, wherein one of the secondary lifting pins 550 is aligned along the central axis 560 of the support arm 220 (see FIG12). The double openings 229a, 229b, 559a, 559b of FIG12 to FIG14 are offset by the angle of the triangular pattern, such that the openings 559a, 559b at the outer ends 222 are no longer aligned with the central axis 560. Using each of the openings 229a, 559a at position "a" or the openings 229b, 559b at position "b" causes the triangular pattern to rotate by a certain amount around the center of the triangle.

[0111] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of a processing chamber 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The illustrated embodiment has four processing stations 110 arranged around an internal space 109. The support assembly 200 is rotated to a position such that each of the outer ends 22 of the support arms 220 is adjacent to a processing station 110. A secondary lifting pin 510 is illustrated on the upper left processing station 110; this is the station 110 closest to the entry port 118.

[0112] Figures 16A, 16B, and 17 illustrate one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein the secondary lifting pin 510 is positioned within a bushing 561a located in an opening 229a. The opening 229b has a bushing 561b, which has an opening 562 but without the secondary lifting pin 510. In some embodiments, the bushing 561b without the secondary lifting pin 510 is omitted.

[0113] Figure 16A shows a front view of a portion of the outer end 222 of the support arm 220. Figure 16B shows a cross-sectional view of the protrusion 226 shown in Figure 16A taken along line 16B-16B'. In some embodiments, the bushing 561, which may be a bushing 561a or 561b, is a cylindrical element within an inner surface 562 and an outer surface 563 defining the thickness of the wall 566 of the bushing 561. The bushing 561 has a top end 564 and a bottom end 565 defining the length of the bushing 561. In some embodiments, the top end 564 has a flange 567 with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the wall 566 to prevent the bushing 561 from falling through the opening 229b. The opening 569 extends from the top end 564 to the bottom end 565 of the bushing 561, and a secondary lifting pin 510 can be positioned within the bushing 561.

[0114] The bushing 561 may be made of any suitable material known to those skilled in the art. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylic acid, polycarbonate, acrylic polycarbonate, polystyrene, cross-linked polystyrene (e.g., Rexolite®), polyetherimide (PEI), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). In some embodiments, the bushing 561 is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

[0115] In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the opening 569 is configured to cooperate with the outer diameter of the lower portion 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510 to prevent or minimize tilting. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the bushing 561 is in the range of 3.0 mm to 9.0 mm, or in the range of 4.0 mm to 8.0 mm, or in the range of 5.0 mm to 7.0 mm, or in the range of 5.5 mm to 6.5 mm. In some embodiments, the outer diameter of a portion of the secondary lifting pin 510 is in the range of 2.5 mm to 8.5 mm, or in the range of 3.5 mm to 7.5 mm, or in the range of 4.5 mm to 6.5 mm, or in the range of 5.0 mm to 6.0 mm. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the bushing 561 is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the lower portion 514 of the secondary lifting pin 510 by 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, or 1.0 mm. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the bushing 561 is less than 1.2 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.9 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.4 mm, or 0.3 mm.

[0116] In some embodiments, the length of the bushing 561 from the top end 564 to the bottom end 565 is greater than the thickness of the protrusion 226 or the support arm 220. This type of embodiment is shown in FIG16B. In some embodiments, the portion of the bushing bottom extending from the bottom surface 224 of the support arm 220 has a locking pin 570 to prevent accidental lifting of the bushing 561.

[0117] In some embodiments, the secondary lift pin 510 includes one or more weight-reducing cutouts to lower the center of gravity. In some embodiments, lowering the center of gravity while maintaining the overall stiffness of the secondary lift pin 510. In some embodiments, the secondary lift pin 510 with a lower center of gravity reduces vibration and friction between the secondary lift pin 510 and the bushings 561a, 561b located within the openings 229a, 229b, respectively.

[0118] Some embodiments of this disclosure provide devices for increasing the lifespan of bushing 561. Not limited to theory, it is believed that a lower center of gravity and / or a lower total mass prevents the secondary lifting pin 510 from wobbling or tilting as much as it would in the case of no cut, thus reducing friction on the bushing. This extends the lifespan of the PEEK bushing, a consumable component, and extends the time between routine maintenance. In some embodiments, the reduced mass of the lifting pin generates less friction between the lifting pin and the bushing. In some embodiments, lowering the center of gravity of the secondary lifting pin allows for increased travel distance along the Z-axis without the pin tilting to one side or the other during movement.

[0119] In some embodiments, the secondary lifting pin 510 has a lowered center of gravity while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to prevent the pin from bending. Attempts to lower the center of gravity have proven challenging because the resulting pin becomes brittle and easily bent.

[0120] Referring to FIG17, some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a secondary lift pin 510 having one or more cuts 521 along the length of the secondary lift pin 510. In some embodiments, the cuts 521 are located within the upper portion 517 of the secondary lift pin 510 rather than within the lower portion 514. In some embodiments, the cuts are elongated slots along the length of the secondary lift pin 510, which reduce the overall weight of the secondary lift pin 510.

[0121] The embodiment shown in Figure 17 includes three cuts 521. Those skilled in the art will recognize that this represents only one possible configuration and other configurations are within the scope of this disclosure. The number of cuts 521 can be determined based on, for example, the total length of the lifting pin, the total weight of the lifting pin, the amount of weight to be removed from the lifting pin, and / or the amount by which the center of gravity is to be lowered. In some embodiments, there are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more cuts 521.

[0122] In some embodiments, the cut reduces the weight of the secondary lifting pin by an amount greater than or equal to 0.01 lbs, 0.02 lbs, 0.03 lbs, 0.04 lbs, 0.05 lbs, 0.06 lbs, 0.07 lbs, or 0.08 lbs.

[0123] In some embodiments, the cut is configured to lower the center of gravity of the secondary lifting pin 510 by more than or equal to 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, or 12 mm. In some embodiments, the cut is configured to lower the center of gravity of the secondary lifting pin 510 by less than or equal to 20 mm, 18 mm, 16 mm, 14 mm, or 12 mm.

[0124] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the station closest to the entry port 118 is the only station adjacent to the actuation plate 530. The orientation shown is the orientation of the transfer position. In some embodiments, when the support assembly 200 is in the transfer position, only one of the support arms 220 is positioned above the actuation plate 530, and the movement of the support assembly 200 along the rotation axis 211 actuates the secondary lifting pin 510 only in the support arm 220 positioned above the actuation plate 530. In some embodiments, the actuation plate 530 is aligned with one of the processing stations 110, such that the substrate is directly loaded and / or unloaded onto the substrate support 230 aligned with the processing station 110.

[0125] During the transfer of the substrate into and / or out of the processing chamber 100, the access port 118 opens and the robotic arm enters the internal space 109. In some embodiments, the substrate is moved 556 through the access port 118 and moved at an angle 560 relative to the central axis 560 of the support arm 220 onto the main lifting pin 500. In some embodiments, the angle 565 is in the range of 50° to 60°.

[0126] Referring again to FIG4, some embodiments of this disclosure relate to a processing platform 400 incorporating processing chambers 100 as described herein. In some embodiments, the processing platform 400 includes at least two processing chambers 100 as described herein, arranged on opposite sides of a central transfer station 410. In some embodiments, the processing chambers 100 are arranged opposite each other such that one processing chamber 100 uses openings 229a, 559a in the support arm 220, while the other processing chamber 100 uses openings 229b, 559b in the support arm 220.

[0127] Some embodiments of this disclosure relate to a controller 490 having one or more configurations to perform individual processes or subprocesses to implement the methods described herein. The controller 490 may be connected to and configured to operate intermediate elements to implement the functionality of the methods. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 490 is connected (directly or indirectly) to and configured to control one or more of a valve, actuator, motor, inlet port, vacuum control, etc. Some embodiments relate to a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to perform the methods.

[0128] In some embodiments, the controller 490 or non-transitory computer-readable medium has one or more configurations or instructions selected from: a configuration for moving a base plate on the robot to the main lifting pin; a configuration for loading and / or unloading a base plate from the system; a configuration for rotating a support assembly about a rotation axis to align the outer end of the support arm with the actuation plate; a configuration for moving the support assembly along the rotation axis toward the actuation plate; a configuration for moving the support assembly along the rotation axis away from the actuation plate; a configuration for controlling an electrostatic chuck and / or electrodes within the support body; and / or a configuration for controlling a thermal element to control the temperature of the base plate support.

[0129] In some embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by a controller of the processing chamber, cause the processing chamber to perform the following operations: rotate a support assembly about a rotation axis to align the outer end of the substrate support arm of the support assembly with an actuation plate; move the support assembly toward the actuation plate along the rotation axis such that the bottom ends of a plurality of secondary lifting pins contact the actuation plate, each secondary lifting pin having a length defined by a top end and a bottom end, the secondary lifting pins passing through the thickness of the support arm, and causing the top ends of the secondary lifting pins to contact the bottom end of a main lifting pin and push the main lifting pin such that the top end of the main lifting pin extends from the top surface of the substrate support to the top of a support shaft connected to the outer end of the support assembly; open an access port in one side of the processing chamber; and load a substrate into the processing chamber onto the top end of the main lifting pin.

[0130] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "one or more embodiments," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, the appearance of terms such as "in one or more embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in one embodiment," or "in one embodiment" throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner.

[0131] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that the described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of this disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the methods and apparatus of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure may include modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0015] Therefore, the methods with the above-described features of this disclosure can be understood in detail. A more specific description of this disclosure, briefly summarized above, can be referred to in the embodiments, some of which are depicted in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings only show typical embodiments of this disclosure and should therefore not be considered as limiting its scope, as this disclosure may acknowledge other equivalent embodiments.

[0016] FIG1 shows a cross-sectional isometric view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG2 shows a cross-sectional view of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a processing station according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a processing platform according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a support component in a processing position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 6 is a partial schematic diagram of a support component in an interchanged position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG7 is a partial cross-sectional isometric view of a support assembly in an interchanged position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG8 is a partial isometric view of the outer end of a support arm according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG9A is a partial schematic diagram of the main lifting pin and the secondary lifting pin in the processing position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG9B is a partial schematic diagram of the main lifting pin and the secondary lifting pin in the exchange position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figures 10A and 10B illustrate a secondary lifting pin according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figures 11A to 11D illustrate partial schematic diagrams of a method for loading and / or unloading a substrate onto a support assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG12 is a top view of the outer end of a support arm according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG13 is an isometric view of a support component according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG14 is a partial exploded isometric view of the outer end of a support arm having a removable block according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of a processing chamber according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG16A is a partial isometric view of the outer end of a support arm having a lifting pin according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 16B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16B-16B' of the embodiment of Figure 16A; and

[0034] FIG17 is a front view of a lifting pin according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Biomaterial Storage]

[0133] Domestic storage information (please note in order of storage institution, date, and number): None. International storage information (please note in order of storage country, institution, date, and number): None.

Claims

1. A processing chamber, comprising: A support assembly includes: a rotatable central base defining a rotation axis along which the rotatable central base is movable; at least two support arms extending from the central base, each of the support arms having an inner end contacting the central base, a top surface defining a thickness of the support arm, and a bottom surface; a support shaft located at an outer end of each of the support arms; and a substrate support member located on each of the support shafts, the substrate support member having a support surface defining a thickness of the substrate support member and a bottom surface, the bottom surface being spaced apart from the top surface of the support arm by a distance. At least three main lifting pins are positioned within an opening in each of the substrate supports, each of the main lifting pins having a top end and a bottom end defining a length of the main lifting pin, at least a portion of the bottom end extending from the bottom surface of the substrate support, the main lifting pins and the openings being configured to cooperate in interacting to prevent the main lifting pins from passing completely through the bottom surface of the substrate support; At least three secondary lifting pins are positioned within openings in the support arms, the secondary lifting pins being aligned with the primary lifting pins. Each of the secondary lifting pins has a top end and a bottom end defining a length, at least a portion of the bottom end extending from the bottom surface of the support arm. The secondary lifting pins and the openings in the support arms are configured to interact cooperatively to prevent the secondary lifting pins from completely passing through the bottom surface of the support arms. An actuating plate is positioned at a distance from the rotation axis to align with the outer ends of the support arms. The actuating plate has a co-actuating surface spaced a distance from the bottom surface of the support arms and the bottom surfaces of the secondary lifting pins. The support assembly is movable between a processing position and a transfer position. In the processing position, there is a space between the bottom ends of the main lifting pins and the top ends of the secondary lifting pins. In the transfer position, one of the support arms is aligned with the actuation plate and the bottom ends of the main lifting pins directly contact the top ends of the secondary lifting pins. In the transfer position, the main lifting pins extend above a top surface of the base plate support by the movement of the support assembly along the rotation axis toward the actuation plate to lift the secondary lifting pins and the main lifting pins.

2. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support assembly is movable along the rotation axis between the processing position and the transfer position.

3. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the support assembly is in the processing position, the bottom end of the primary lifting pins extends a processing distance from the bottom surface of the substrate support and is spaced a distance from the top end of the secondary lifting pins, the bottom end of the secondary lifting pins extends a processing distance from the bottom surface of the support arms, and when adjacent to the actuation plate, the bottom end of the secondary lifting pins is a processing distance from the actuation surface.

4. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the support assembly is in the transfer position, the bottom surface of the support arm is spaced apart from the actuation plate by a loading distance, such that the bottom ends of the secondary lifting pins contact the actuation plate, and the top ends of the secondary lifting pins contact the bottom ends of the main lifting pins, and the top ends of the main lifting pins extend from the support surface by a loading distance.

5. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein, when in the processing position, the top end of the main lifting pins is coplanar with or below the support surface.

6. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the substrate supports includes one or more heating elements, and the main lifting pins include a thermally conductive material.

7. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bottom end of each of the main lifting pins is rounded and the top end of each of the secondary lifting pins is flat.

8. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 5, wherein the top ends of the main lifting pins are flared, and the openings in the substrate supports have a complementary flared surface to prevent the length of the main lifting pins from passing through the bottom surface of the substrate support.

9. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 8, wherein the openings in the main lifting pins and the base plate support are configured to prevent the main lifting pins from tilting more than 0.33°.

10. The processing chamber as described in claim 9, wherein the main lifting pins have no auxiliary weight to prevent the main lifting pins from wobbling.

11. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein the size of the opening in the support arms is within 0.005 inches of a diameter of the portion at the bottom end of the secondary lifting pin.

12. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein the openings in the secondary lifting pin and the support arms are configured to prevent the secondary lifting pin from tilting more than 0.33° during movement of the support assembly.

13. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein the secondary lifting pin has a bushing positioned along the length of the pin, the bushing having a bottom surface configured to prevent the secondary lifting pin from moving beyond the processing position.

14. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein the secondary lifting pin has a stepped diameter along the length such that an upper portion of the secondary lifting pin has a larger diameter than a lower portion of the secondary lifting pin, and the upper portion and the lower portion form a contact surface.

15. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the support assembly is in the transfer position, only one of the support arms is positioned above the actuation plate and the movement of the support assembly along the rotation axis actuates the secondary lifting pin only in the support arm positioned above the actuation plate.

16. The processing chamber as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one removable secondary lifting pin block connected to the outer end of the support arm, the removable secondary lifting pin block having at least one opening configured to support one of the secondary lifting pins.

17. The processing chamber as described in claim 16, wherein the removable secondary lifting pin block includes two openings configured to engage the primary lifting pin, and one of the openings is unused.

18. The processing chamber as described in claim 1, further comprising: A chamber body surrounds a processing space, and the support assembly and actuator plate are positioned within the processing space; A plurality of processing stations, within the processing space, the plurality of processing stations having a number equal to the number of the substrate supports; and an inlet port, which is located on one side of the chamber body, wherein the actuation plate is aligned with one of the processing stations, such that a substrate is directly loaded and / or unloaded onto a substrate support aligned with a processing station.

19. A processing method comprising the steps of: rotating a support assembly within a processing chamber as described in any one of claims 1 to 18 to align an outer end of a support arm of the support assembly with an actuating plate within the processing chamber, the support assembly rotating about a rotation axis; moving the support assembly along the rotation axis toward the actuating plate such that a bottom end of a plurality of secondary lifting pins contacts the actuating plate, the secondary lifting pin having a length defined by a top end and a bottom end, the secondary lifting pin passing through a thickness of the support arm; and continuing the movement of the support assembly along the rotation axis toward the actuating plate such that the top ends of the secondary lifting pins contact the bottom ends of primary lifting pins and push the primary lifting pins such that a top end of the primary lifting pins extends from a top surface of a substrate support to a top of a support shaft connected to the outer end of the support assembly.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions, when executed by a controller, to cause a processing chamber as described in any one of claims 1 to 18 to perform the following operations: rotating a support assembly about a rotation axis to align an outer end of a substrate support arm of the support assembly with an actuating plate; moving the support assembly along the rotation axis toward the actuating plate such that a bottom end of a plurality of secondary lifting pins contacts the actuating plate, each secondary lifting pin having a length defined by a top end and the bottom end, the secondary lifting pin passing through a thickness of the support arm, and causing the top ends of the secondary lifting pins to contact the bottom ends of primary lifting pins and push the primary lifting pins such that a top end of the primary lifting pins extends from a top surface of a substrate support to a top of a support shaft connected to the outer end of the support assembly; opening an access port in one side of the processing chamber; and loading a substrate into the processing chamber onto the top end of the primary lifting pins.

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