Load lock arrangements configured for performing parallel processes, and associated systems and methods

Abstract

To provide load lock arrangements configured for performing parallel processes, and associated systems and methods.SOLUTION: Load lock arrangements, semiconductor processing systems including such load lock arrangements, and associated methods for performing parallel processes within such load lock arrangement are disclosed. The load lock arrangements disclosed include an alignment assembly disposed within a load lock body and configured for aligning a substrate within the interior of the load lock body while in parallel reducing the pressure within the load lock body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the fields of semiconductor processing apparatus, systems and methods, and the fields of device and integrated circuit manufacturing. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a load lock apparatus configured to perform parallel processes, a semiconductor processing system including the load lock apparatus, and related methods.

Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor processing systems, such as those employing a cluster-type platform, generally include a front end that is connected to a back end by a load lock chamber, which is also referred to herein as a load lock apparatus. The front end generally interconnects the semiconductor processing system to an external environment and typically includes a front end substrate transfer robot for transferring substrates between the front end modules and the load lock chamber. The back end typically includes one or more process modules where substrate processing is performed and a back end substrate transfer chamber having a back end substrate transfer robot employed to transfer substrates between the load lock chamber and the process modules. The load lock chamber generally couples the back end of the semiconductor processing system to the front end of the semiconductor processing system and is typically configured to separate the environment maintained within the back end of the semiconductor processing system from the environment maintained within the front end of the semiconductor processing system.

[0003] Semiconductor processing systems generally utilize dedicated stand-alone substrate aligners to provide alignment and substrate identification functions in semiconductor processing. Such stand-alone substrate aligners are often attached to one end (e.g., the side) of the enclosure of an equipment front-end module (EFEM) or the enclosure of a substrate sorter. Since such a plurality of dedicated substrate aligners at one end of the EFEM are aligned, one or more dedicated substrate aligners may have a significant impact on the substrate transfer time and waiting time in order to enable the substrate alignment. In particular, substrate transfer within a cluster-type platform involving multiple transfers between various process modules and load lock devices further increases the risk of substrate misalignment that is not detected during substrate pick-up, transfer, and placement. If the substrate misalignment is not detected and corrective measures are not taken, the risk of substrate damage may increase. Therefore, an improved load lock device (including a load lock chamber, a substrate transfer chamber, a substrate handling chamber, etc.), as well as a semiconductor processing system including such an improved load lock device, and related methods are desired.

[0004] All considerations, including the discussion of the problems and solutions described in this section, are included in this disclosure only for the purpose of providing the context of this disclosure. Such considerations are not to be construed as an admission that any or all of the above information was known or constituted prior art at the time the invention was made.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The summary of this invention may introduce some concepts in a simplified form that may be described in more detail below. The summary of this invention is not necessarily intended to identify the main or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses, systems, and related methods for performing parallel processes in load lock apparatuses and related semiconductor processing systems. As will be described in more detail below, the apparatuses of the present disclosure are configured to perform parallel processes including, but not limited to, substrate alignment operations, substrate positioning operations, and evacuation / vent operations for controlling pressure within the load lock apparatus, and include a load lock apparatus.

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure enable the processes of substrate alignment, substrate positioning, and chamber pump down to be performed in parallel / concurrently (e.g., simultaneously or at least with some overlap in processing time). This ability to perform parallel processing can address many of the constraints within a semiconductor processing system. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure increase the throughput of substrates through a semiconductor processing system by integrating (a) the processing of substrate alignment in a load lock apparatus with (b) reducing the pressure within the load lock apparatus. By performing such processes in parallel, a significant improvement in substrate throughput can be achieved. Further, embodiments of the present disclosure enable alignment of a substrate under reduced pressure and / or while changing pressure in a load lock apparatus in a cluster type semiconductor processing system where substrates are typically transferred multiple times between various process modules and the load lock apparatus. Performing parallel processing using the load lock apparatus of the present disclosure in a cluster type platform significantly reduces the risk of substrate misalignment and potential substrate breakage by performing prior detection and correction. Additionally, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to control the raising and lowering (i.e., the upward and downward movement of the substrate position) of a substrate within the load lock apparatus in parallel with the alignment and chamber pump down / vent processes, further improving processing efficiency and substrate throughput.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a load lock device configured to execute parallel processes is provided. An exemplary load lock device includes a load lock body in fluid communication with a vacuum assembly, and the vacuum assembly is configured for an evacuation / vent operation to control the pressure within the load lock body. The load lock device further includes an alignment assembly configured to rotate a substrate about a first axis of the load lock body for a substrate alignment operation. The alignment assembly includes a rotation module including an alignment stage coupled to a first end of a drive shaft and a rotation drive unit disposed outside the load lock body and coupled to a second end of the drive shaft, and the first end and the second end of the drive shaft are coupled by a feed-through mechanism. The load lock device is configured to sense the rotational alignment of the substrate on the alignment stage via a viewport disposed on a wall of the load lock body, and further includes a rotation sensor disposed, and a controller operably connected to the vacuum assembly, the rotation module, and the rotation sensor to enable parallel implementation of the alignment operation and the evacuation / vent operation within the load lock body. In some embodiments, the feed-through mechanism is a magnetic coupling. In some embodiments, the feed-through mechanism is a magnetic fluid seal including a magnetic fluid disposed between the drive shaft and a drive shaft housing.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device further includes a lifting module configured to raise and lower a substrate along a second axis of the load lock body for a substrate positioning operation. In such embodiments, the lifting module is connected to the rotation module and includes a lifting drive unit and a lifting feed-through seal, and the lifting feed-through seal is configured to maintain the pressure within the load lock body when the lifting drive unit is engaged. In some embodiments, the lifting feed-through seal is a bellows.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device further includes a lifting sensor for determining the lifting position of the alignment stage, and the lifting sensor and the lifting module are operably connected to the controller, enabling the positioning operation of the substrate to be performed entirely within the load lock body in parallel with the alignment operation of the substrate and the evacuation / venting operation.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device further includes a temperature control plate disposed within the load lock body. In such an embodiment, the lifting sensor, the controller, and the lifting module cooperate to control the separation between the alignment stage and the temperature control plate, enabling the substrate temperature control operation to be performed entirely within the load lock body in parallel with the alignment operation of the substrate and the evacuation / venting operation.

[0012] According to a further example of the present disclosure, a semiconductor processing system is provided. An exemplary semiconductor processing system includes a load lock apparatus including a load lock body in fluid communication with a vacuum assembly configured for an exhaust / vent operation to control the pressure within the load lock body, and an alignment assembly configured to rotate a substrate about a first axis of the load lock body for a substrate alignment operation. In such embodiments, the alignment assembly includes a rotation module including an alignment stage coupled to a first end of a drive shaft and a rotation drive unit disposed outside the load lock body and coupled to a second end of the drive shaft, wherein the first end and the second end of the drive shaft are coupled by a feed-through mechanism. In such embodiments, the semiconductor processing system further includes a rotation sensor configured and arranged to sense the rotational alignment of a substrate on the alignment stage via a viewport disposed in a wall of the load lock body, and a controller operably connected to the vacuum assembly, the rotation module, and the rotation sensor to enable parallel implementation of the alignment operation and the exhaust / vent operation within the load lock body. Also, an exemplary semiconductor processing system includes an equipment front end module (EFEM) connected to a front surface of the load lock body and accommodating a front end substrate transfer robot, and a back end transfer module (BETM) connected to a rear surface of the load lock body and coupling a process module to the load lock body.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor processing system includes a lift module configured to raise and lower a substrate along a second axis of the load lock body for a substrate positioning operation. In such embodiments, the lift module is connected to the rotation module and includes a lift drive unit and a lift feed-through seal. In such embodiments, the lift feed-through seal is configured to maintain the pressure within the load lock body when the lift drive unit is engaged.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor processing system includes a lift sensor for determining the lift position of an alignment stage. In such an embodiment, the lift sensor and the lift module are operably connected to a controller, enabling the positioning operation of the substrate to be performed entirely within the load lock body in parallel with the alignment operation of the substrate and the evacuation / venting operation.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor processing system includes a temperature control plate disposed within the load lock body. In such an embodiment, the lift sensor, the controller, and the lift module cooperate to control the separation between the alignment stage and the temperature control plate, enabling the substrate temperature control operation to be performed entirely within the load lock body in parallel with the alignment operation of the substrate and the evacuation / venting operation.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor processing system includes one or more additional process modules configured as a cluster type. In additional embodiments, the semiconductor processing system also includes one or more additional load lock devices, and the controller is configured to perform alignment operations, evacuation / venting operations, and substrate positioning operations in parallel in the one or more additional load lock devices. In additional embodiments, the controller is operably connected to a front-end substrate transfer robot, enabling the parallel performance of alignment operations, evacuation / venting operations, and front-end substrate transfer robot movement operations.

[0017] According to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for performing parallel operations in a load lock device including an alignment assembly is provided. An exemplary method includes: (a) moving a substrate to the load lock device and placing the substrate on an alignment stage disposed within the load lock body of the alignment assembly; (b) performing an evacuation / vent operation to control the pressure within the load lock body by engaging the load lock body and a vacuum assembly in fluid communication; (c) sensing the alignment of the substrate using a rotation sensor configured and disposed to observe the substrate on the alignment stage through a viewport disposed within the load lock body, and generating a misalignment signal; and (d) aligning the substrate by controlled rotation of the alignment stage in response to the misalignment signal, wherein the rotation of the alignment stage is achieved by engaging a rotation drive unit disposed outside the load lock body and coupled to a second end of a drive shaft, and a first end of the drive shaft is coupled to the alignment stage. In such embodiments, the first and second ends of the drive shaft are connected by a feed-through mechanism.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, steps (b) of performing the evacuation / vent operation, (c) of sensing the alignment of the substrate, and (d) of aligning the substrate are performed at least partially in parallel.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device includes a part of a semiconductor processing system configured as a cluster type, and steps (b) of performing the evacuation / vent operation, (c) of sensing the alignment of the substrate, and (d) of aligning the substrate are performed at least partially in parallel a plurality of times.

[0020] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an exemplary method further includes an additional step (e) of positioning the substrate by controlling the raising and lowering of the alignment stage. In such embodiments, the raising and lowering of the alignment stage is controlled by a lifting module connected to a rotation module, the lifting module including a lifting drive and a lift-through seal, the lift-through seal being configured to maintain the pressure within the load lock body when the lifting drive is engaged. In some embodiments, the additional step (e) of positioning the substrate further includes reducing the separation between the alignment stage and the temperature control plate to enable a substrate temperature control operation at least partially in parallel with (b) performing an evacuation / vent operation, (c) sensing alignment of the substrate, and (d) aligning the substrate. In some embodiments, the lift-through seal comprises a bellows. In some embodiments, the feed-through mechanism comprises a magnetic coupling or a magnetic fluid seal.

[0021] For the purpose of summarizing the advantages presented against the present invention and the prior art, some of the problems and advantages of the present invention are described above herein. It will of course be understood that not necessarily all of these problems or advantages need be achieved by any particular embodiment of the present invention. Thus, for example, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be embodied or practiced in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught or suggested by the present disclosure without necessarily achieving other problems or advantages as may be taught or suggested by the present disclosure.

[0022] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention disclosed in the present disclosure. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, that these and other embodiments are not intended to limit the invention to any particular embodiment disclosed.

[0023] To easily identify the consideration of any particular element or action, the most significant digit of the reference number refers to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.

[0024] A more complete understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be obtained by referring to the detailed description and the claims with reference to the following exemplary drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] It should be understood that the elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to assist in the understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] The following description of exemplary embodiments of the apparatus, system, and method is merely an example and is intended for illustrative purposes only. The following description is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure or the claims. Further, while multiple embodiments having the described configurations or steps are described, this is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional configurations or steps, or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the described configurations or steps.

[0028] As used in the present disclosure, the term "load lock arrangement" can refer to any chamber configuration configured for handling, transporting, and / or storing substrates before and / or after processing within a process module (i.e., a reactor, reaction chamber, etc.).

[0029] As used in the present disclosure, the terms "process" and "operation" are used interchangeably.

[0030] As used in the present disclosure, the terms "parallel processing", "parallel operation", and operations / processes performed "in parallel" can refer to operations / processes performed with at least a temporal overlap. For example, a parallel process can refer to operations / processes that are executed simultaneously or operations / processes that involve an overlap of at least a portion of the operation / processing time.

[0031] As used herein, the term "substrate" can refer to any underlying material, or any underlying material that can be used to form, or on which a device, circuit, or film can be formed, by a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The substrate can include a bulk material such as silicon (e.g., single-crystalline silicon), other Group IV materials such as germanium, or other semiconductor materials such as Group II-VI or Group III-V semiconductor materials, and can include one or more layers on or under the bulk material. Further, the substrate can include various features such as recesses, protrusions, and the like formed in or on at least a portion of the layer of the substrate. By way of example, the substrate can include a bulk semiconductor material and a layer of insulating or dielectric material on at least a portion of the bulk semiconductor material. Further, the term "substrate" can refer to any underlying material that may be used, or on which a device, circuit, or film may be formed. The "substrate" may be continuous or discontinuous, rigid or flexible, solid or porous. The "substrate" may be in any form such as a powder, plate, or workpiece. Examples of substrates in the form of plates include wafers of various shapes and sizes. The substrate may be made of materials such as, for example, silicon, silicon germanium, silicon oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide. A continuous substrate may extend beyond the boundaries of the process chamber in which the deposition process occurs and may be moved through the process chamber so that the process continues until it reaches the end of the substrate. A continuous substrate may be supplied from a continuous substrate supply system that enables the manufacture and output of the continuous substrate in any suitable form. Non-limiting examples of continuous substrates may include sheets, non-woven membranes, rolls, foils, webs, flexible materials, bundles of continuous filaments or fibers (i.e., ceramic fibers or polymer fibers). Also, the continuous substrate may be configured to also have a carrier or sheet on which the discontinuous substrate is placed. By way of example, the substrate may include a semiconductor material.A semiconductor material may include or be used to form one or more of a source, drain, or channel region of a device. The substrate may further include an interlayer dielectric (e.g., silicon oxide) and / or a high-k material layer that overlays the semiconductor material. In this context, a high-k material (or high-k dielectric material) is a material having a dielectric constant greater than that of silicon dioxide.

[0032] As used herein, the terms “film” and / or “layer” are interchangeable with each other and can mean any continuous or discontinuous structure and material, such as a material deposited by the methods disclosed in the present disclosure. For example, a film and / or layer can include two-dimensional materials, three-dimensional materials, nanoparticles, partial or complete molecular layers, or partial or complete atomic layers, or clusters of atoms and / or molecules. A film or layer may be partially or completely composed of a plurality of atoms dispersed on the surface of a substrate, and / or may be embedded within the substrate, and / or may be embedded within a device fabricated on the substrate. A film or layer may include a material or layer having pinholes and / or separated islands. A film or layer may be at least partially continuous. A film or layer may be patterned (e.g., subdivided) and may consist of a plurality of semiconductor devices.

[0033] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a load lock apparatus configured to perform a parallel process, a semiconductor processing system including such a load lock apparatus, and related methods for performing parallel operations in a semiconductor processing system including the load lock apparatus and the load lock apparatus.

[0034] The throughput of a substrate by a general semiconductor processing system is often adversely affected by the need to return the substrate to the equipment front-end module when the substrate is determined to be misaligned. Since the front-end substrate transfer robot is often involved in returning and transferring the misaligned substrate to the equipment front-end module for realignment rather than performing other operations, this adverse effect on substrate throughput is even greater when a cluster-type platform is adopted to process the substrate.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the load lock device can perform misalignment detection and correction operations without the need to correspond to the front-end substrate transfer robot, it is possible to release the front-end substrate transfer robot to perform other operations. In addition, the load lock device of the present disclosure enables all of the processes of substrate alignment, load lock pump-down / venting, substrate positioning, and substrate cooling / heating to be executed in parallel or at least partially in parallel, thereby making it possible to significantly increase the substrate throughput while reducing the risk of substrate breakage.

[0036] Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor processing system 100 of the present disclosure that includes a load lock apparatus 106 configured to perform parallel processes. The semiconductor processing system 100 includes a process module 102, a back-end transfer module 104, and a load lock apparatus 106 that includes a load lock body 108. Further, the semiconductor processing system 100 includes an equipment front-end module (EFEM) 110, a controller 112, and a vacuum assembly 114 that includes an exhaust pump and a ventilation source. In the illustrated embodiment, the semiconductor processing system 100 uses, for example, deposition processes such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), atomic layer etching (ALEt) process, chemical vapor etching (CVE) process, plasma dry etching, and / or etching processes to deposit / etch a material layer onto / into a substrate 118 and includes a cluster-type platform 116 having four process modules configured to do so. This is for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and is non-limiting. As will be understood by those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure, the present disclosure may also be beneficial to semiconductor processing systems configured for other material layer deposition / etching processes and semiconductor processing systems configured for other processing operations.

[0037] Process module 102 is connected to backend transfer module 104 by process module gate valve 120. Process module 102 includes process chamber 122, heater 124, and reactant source 126. Process chamber 122 is disposed within process module 102, houses heater 124, and is configured to flow a precursor or reactant over substrate 118 placed on heater 124 during deposition / etching of a material layer onto substrate 118. Precursor / reactant source 126 is fluidly connected to process chamber 122 and is configured to supply a precursor / reactant to process chamber 122 for depositing / etching one or more material layers onto substrate 118. Process module gate valve 120 connects process module 102 to backend transfer module 104 and is configured to provide selective communication between process chamber 122 and backend transfer module 104. In this regard, it is contemplated that process module gate valve 120 can be configured to permit transfer of substrate 118 between backend transfer module 104 and process module 102 before and after deposition of a material layer onto substrate 118.

[0038] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the process chamber 122 may be a first process chamber, and the process module 102 may also include one or more second process chambers. For example, the process module 102 may be a dual-chamber module having two process chambers, or a quad-chamber module having four process chambers. According to certain embodiments, the process module gate valve 120 may be a first process module gate valve, and the process module 102 may also include a second process module gate valve that also couples the process module 102 to the back-end transfer module 104. In certain embodiments, it is contemplated that the reactant may be configured to include a reactant or precursor suitable for deposition / etching of a material layer. Also, according to certain embodiments, the process module 102 may be configured to include a plasma unit configured to provide the reactant as a suitable plasma to the substrate 118. In this regard, the process module 102 may be configured to deposit / etch a material layer on the substrate 118 using, for example, plasma-enhanced deposition / etching.

[0039] The back-end transfer module 104 is connected to the rear surface 138 of the load lock body 108 and includes a back-end chamber body 128 and a back-end substrate transfer robot 130. The back-end chamber body 128 is arranged along the transfer axis 132. The back-end substrate transfer robot 130 is arranged inside the back-end chamber body 128 and is supported within the back-end chamber body 128 so as to move with respect to the back-end chamber body 128 for the transfer of a substrate, for example, the substrate 118, between the load lock device 106 and the process module 102. In certain embodiments, the back-end chamber body 128 may have a polygonal shape. In this regard, the back-end chamber body 128 may have five sides, fewer than five sides (e.g., rectangular or square shape), or more than five sides (e.g., hexagonal shape), and may have a regular or irregular polygon shape.

[0040] Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) 110 is coupled to the front face 140 of the load lock body 108 and includes an enclosure 144, a front end susceptor transfer robot 146, and one or more load ports 148. The enclosure 144 houses the front end susceptor transfer robot 146. The front end susceptor transfer robot 146 is housed within the enclosure 144 such that it can move relative to the enclosure 144 or transfer a susceptor, such as susceptor 118, between the one or more load ports 148 and the load lock device 106. The one or more load ports 148 are connected to the enclosure 144 and are configured to receive pods 150 that house one or more susceptors before and after deposition / etching of a material layer onto the susceptor. In certain embodiments, the pod 150 may include a standard mechanical interface pod. According to certain embodiments, the pod 150 may include a front opening unified pod. Although the present specification and drawings are illustrated and described as having three load ports, it will be understood and recognized that the equipment front end module 110 may have fewer or more load ports. Such configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0041] The controller 112 is operably connected to the semiconductor processing system 100 and includes a device interface 152, a processor 154, a user interface 156, and a memory 158. The device interface 152 couples the processor 154 to the semiconductor processing system 100, for example, via (or over) a wired or wireless link 160. The processor 154 is operably connected to the user interface 156 and is disposed in communication with the memory 158. The memory 158 includes a machine-readable non-transitory medium having a plurality of program modules 162 that contain instructions that, when recorded on the memory 158 and read by the processor 154, cause the processor 154 to perform certain operations.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary load lock device 106 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary configuration of a load lock element of the load lock device 106.

[0043] More specifically, the load lock device 106 includes a load lock body 108 having a load lock body interior 202. The load lock device 106 includes a front face configured to couple with an equipment front end module and a rear face configured to couple with a back end transfer module, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0044] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device 106 (FIG. 2) includes a vacuum assembly 114 that is in fluid communication with the load lock body 108 by a vacuum line 204 and a vacuum valve 206. The vacuum assembly 114, the vacuum line 204, and the vacuum valve 206 operate to control the pressure within the load lock body interior 202 by reducing the pressure within the load lock body interior 202 and, if necessary, venting the load lock body interior 202 to the atmosphere.

[0045] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device 106 includes a controller 112. In some embodiments, the controller 112 is the same as the controller described with reference to FIG. 1, or in alternative embodiments, a separate controller may be employed. In some embodiments, the controller 112 includes the internal controller elements (e.g., device interface 152, processor 154, user interface 156, and program module 162) described with reference to FIG. 1 and is operably connected to the load lock device 106. The device interface couples the processor to the load lock device 106, for example, via (or on) a wired or wireless link 208. The processor is operably connected to the user interface and is disposed in communication with the memory. The memory includes a machine-readable non-transitory medium having a plurality of program modules containing instructions that, when recorded on the memory and read by the processor, cause the processor to perform certain operations. Operations include, as described below, correcting substrate misalignment within the load lock device 106, substrate positioning, substrate heating / cooling, and evacuation / venting operations.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock body 108 is connected to a vacuum assembly 114 (including an exhaust pump and a vent source, as shown in FIG. 1) and enables the load lock device 106 to transition from atmospheric pressure to vacuum (i.e., when being pumped down to a reduced pressure) and back to atmospheric pressure again (i.e., when being vented). In this way, the load lock device 106 can be controllably held at a high vacuum (i.e., under reduced pressure) while other modules / regions of the semiconductor processing system (e.g., those shown in FIG. 1) can be kept at atmospheric pressure.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device 106 includes an alignment assembly 210. In some embodiments, the alignment assembly 210 is configured to rotate the substrate 212 around a first axis 214 of the load lock body 108 for a substrate alignment operation and raise the substrate 212 along a second axis 216 of the load lock body 108 for a substrate positioning operation.

[0048] More specifically, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotation of the substrate 212 around the first axis 214 of the load lock body 108 (i.e., for aligning the substrate) is performed by a rotation module 218 of the alignment assembly 210. In some embodiments, the rotation module 218 includes an alignment stage 220 on which the substrate 212 is placed and supported. The alignment stage 220 may include a substrate chuck for holding the substrate at a predetermined position within the load lock body 108. In such embodiments, the alignment stage 220 may be configured with an electrostatic chuck capable of maintaining a charge sufficient to hold the substrate in a fixed position for a longer period of time. In additional embodiments, the alignment stage 220 may be configured with a vacuum chuck.

[0049] In some embodiments, the alignment stage 220 is coupled to a first end 222 of a drive shaft 224. In some embodiments, a rotation drive unit 226 is coupled to a second end 228 of the drive shaft 224. In such embodiments, the rotation drive unit 226 is disposed outside the load lock body 108. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first end 222 of the drive shaft 224 and the second end 228 of the drive shaft 224 are connected by a feed-through mechanism 230. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotation drive unit 226 includes a rotation motor 232 that controllably rotates the alignment stage 220 around the central axis of the load lock body 108 via the drive shaft 224 and the feed-through mechanism 230. In such embodiments, the drive shaft 224 is disposed within a drive shaft housing 234.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotation module 218 further includes a feed-through mechanism 230. The feed-through mechanism 230 enables the rotation of the alignment stage 220 within the load lock body 108 while maintaining a vacuum inside the load lock body. In other words, the feed-through mechanism 230 can maintain the reduced pressure within the load lock body while the process of aligning the substrate 212 is carried out in parallel with other operations. In such embodiments, examples of the feed-through mechanism 230 may include, but are not limited to, a magnetic coupling, an elastomeric seal, or a magnetic fluid seal. In some embodiments, the feed-through mechanism 230 includes a magnetic coupling. In such embodiments, the first end 222 of the drive shaft 224 and the second end 228 of the drive shaft 224 are not physically connected and are coupled to each other by the magnetic field of the magnetic coupling. In an additional embodiment of the present disclosure, the feed-through mechanism 230 includes a magnetic fluid seal that includes a magnetic fluid. In such embodiments, the magnetic fluid may be disposed between the drive shaft 224 and the drive shaft housing 234.

[0051] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the load lock device 106 further comprises a rotation sensor 248 disposed to sense the alignment of the substrate 212 placed on the alignment stage 220. In some embodiments, the rotation sensor 248 is disposed outside the load lock body 108 and configured and arranged to sense the rotational alignment of the substrate 212 on the alignment stage 220 through a viewport 246 disposed within the wall 250 of the load lock body 108. In such embodiments, the rotation sensor 248 may be configured with one or more optical sensors, such as a beam break sensor or a line scan sensor / camera, configured to measure / detect a substrate reference. Further, in such embodiments, the viewport 246 comprises an optically transparent material having optical transparency to at least a portion of the wavelength emitted / received by the rotation sensor 248. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the rotation sensor 248 may be configured and arranged to measure / detect the edge of the substrate and / or to measure one or more predetermined characteristics of the substrate, such as, for example, diameter, radial runout, position of the substrate centerline, position of the substrate center. In certain embodiments, the rotation sensor 248 is configured and arranged to measure / detect the position of an alignment reference (e.g., notch / flat, mark, or other mark) on the substrate 212 and to determine any misalignment.

[0052] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotation sensor 248 senses misalignment of the substrate 212 by observing the substrate 212 disposed on the alignment stage 220 through a viewport 246 disposed within the wall 250 of the load lock body 108. The rotation sensor 248 then generates a misalignment signal that is transmitted to the controller 112 and from the controller to the rotation module 218. Next, the substrate alignment operation can be performed by the controlled rotation (based on the misalignment signal) of the alignment stage 220 by engaging the rotation drive unit 226. The controller 112, the rotation drive unit 226 (including the rotation motor 232), and the rotation sensor 248 can operate in a feedback configuration to enable proper realignment of the substrate 212.

[0053] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the positioning operation for controlling the raising and lowering of the substrate 212 along the second axis 216 of the load lock body 108 is performed by the raising and lowering module 236 of the alignment assembly 210. In such embodiments, the raising and lowering module can function as an indexer mechanism for controlling the vertical position of the alignment stage 220 and the substrate 212 located thereon. For example, the raising and lowering module 236 can modify the position within the load lock body (i.e., the vertical position of the substrate 212) for several operations such as, but not limited to, loading / unloading of the substrate and temperature control of the substrate.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lifting module 236 is connected to the rotation module 218 by a support element 238. In some embodiments, the lifting module 236 includes a lifting drive unit 240 that provides vertical displacement to the rotation module 218 via a bearing 242 to the support element 238. In some embodiments, the lifting module 236 includes a lifting feed-through seal 244 configured to maintain pressure (e.g., vacuum) within the load lock body 108 when the lifting drive unit 240 is engaged. In some embodiments, the lifting drive unit 240 is configured with any of a variety of drive mechanisms known to those skilled in the art, such as, but not limited to, a stepper motor, a servo motor, a linear motor, or other conventional mechanical linear actuators, to provide linear motion along a second axis 216. In some embodiments, the lifting drive unit 240 includes a linear motor drive unit.

[0055] In some embodiments, the lifting feed-through seal 244 includes a bellows. In such embodiments, the bellows may include an edge-welded metal bellows having a plurality of diaphragm plates connected on both sides by welded end connectors to form a bellows core that completes the bellows assembly. In such embodiments, the bellows core is sealed at both ends by end fittings sealed to the load lock body 108 and the alignment stage 220, and as the bellows moves, for example, as the bellows compresses and expands during the lifting operation of the lifting drive unit 240, the pressure within the load lock body 108 is maintained.

[0056] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the load lock device 106 further includes a lift sensor 254 disposed to sense the lifting (i.e., vertical position) of the substrate 212 placed on the alignment stage 220. In some embodiments, the lift sensor 254 is configured to sense the lifting of the alignment stage 220 in an area not hidden by the substrate. In some embodiments, the lift sensor 254 and the rotation sensor 248 comprise a single sensor having the ability to sense both the rotation and lifting of the substrate 212 / alignment stage 220. In some embodiments, the lift sensor 254 comprises a position sensor including one or more of an optical sensor (e.g., a laser interferometer / laser triangulation sensor, a Michelson interferometer, etc.), a magnetic sensor (e.g., a Hall effect / magnetostriction sensor), an electrical sensor (e.g., a resistance / capacitance / inductance-based sensor), or other known precision position sensors. In embodiments where the lift sensor 254 comprises an optical sensor, an additional viewport 256 may be configured to be disposed in the wall 250 of the load lock body 108.

[0057] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the lift sensor 254 senses the lifting of the substrate within the load lock body 108 (e.g., lifting along the second axis 216). The lift sensor 254 then generates a position signal that is transmitted to the controller 112 and from the controller to the lift module 236. The substrate positioning operation can then be performed (based on the position signal) by controlled lifting (i.e., raising or lowering) of the alignment stage 220 by engaging the lift drive 240. The controller 112, the lift module 236 (including the lift drive 240), and the lift sensor 254 can operate in a feedback configuration to enable proper positioning of the substrate 212.

[0058] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the load lock device 106 further includes a temperature control plate 252 disposed within the load lock body interior 202. In such embodiments, the temperature control plate 252 may be disposed proximate to the alignment stage 220. In some embodiments, the temperature control plate 252 can provide substrate heating and / or substrate cooling within the load lock device 106.

[0059] As a non-limiting example, in a semiconductor processing system (such as shown in FIG. 1), providing substrate heating in the load lock device 106 can shorten the time required to raise the substrate temperature to a desired processing temperature and reduce the processing time within the process module 102. As an alternative or additional configuration, providing substrate cooling within the load lock device 106 can reduce the processing time within the process module 102 and / or the time prior to transfer to the EFEM. In some embodiments, the temperature control plate 252 is fixed at a predetermined position within the load lock body interior 202, or alternatively, the temperature control plate 252 may be connected to a mechanism for changing the position of the temperature control plate 252 along one or more of the first axis 214 and / or the second axis 216.

[0060] In some embodiments, the temperature control plate 252 includes heating means and / or cooling means (e.g., via heating elements, cooling channels, etc.) to control the temperature of the substrate 212 within the load lock body 108. In some embodiments, the raising and lowering (i.e., raising and lowering along the second axis 216) of the substrate 212 within the load lock body 108 may be controlled to reduce the separation between the substrate and the temperature control plate 252 to improve the thermal communication between the substrate 212 and the temperature control plate 252. In such embodiments, the controller 112, the lifting module 236 (including the lifting drive 240), and the lifting sensor 254 operate in a feedback configuration to reduce the separation between the alignment stage 220 (on which the substrate is placed) and the temperature control plate 252, enabling efficient temperature control of the substrate 212.

[0061] Further, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a semiconductor processing system including a load lock device as described above. In such embodiments, the load lock device 106 (FIG. 2) can be utilized as part of a semiconductor processing system such as the exemplary semiconductor processing system 100 of FIG. 1. Since the load lock device 106 has been described in detail above, details related to the load lock device will not be repeated hereinafter for the sake of brevity.

[0062] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, and with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the semiconductor processing system 100 includes a load lock device 106 including a load lock body 108, and the load lock body 108 is in fluid communication with a vacuum assembly 114 configured for an exhaust / vent operation to control the pressure within the load lock body 108. In such embodiments, the equipment front end module (EFEM) 110 is connected to the front face 140 of the load lock device 106, the equipment front end module 110 houses a front end substrate transfer robot 146, and the back end transfer module (BETM) 104 is connected to the rear face 138 of the load lock device 106, and the back end transfer module 104 couples the process module 102 to the load lock device 106.

[0063] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing system 100 further includes one or more additional process modules 102 configured as a cluster type. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the semiconductor processing system 100 further includes one or more additional load lock devices 106. In such embodiments, the controller 112 is configured to perform parallel alignment operations, exhaust / vent operations, and substrate positioning operations in the one or more additional load locks. For example, the parallel operations can be performed simultaneously, or with at least some overlap in process time, in all of the process modules of the semiconductor processing system 100.

[0064] According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 112 is operably connected to the front-end substrate transfer robot 146, enabling the parallel execution of alignment operations, evacuation / vent operations, substrate positioning operations, and front-end substrate transfer robot movement operations.

[0065] Also, embodiments of the present disclosure include a load lock device and a method for performing parallel operations within related semiconductor processing. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 shows an exemplary method 300 for performing parallel operations within a load lock device and a semiconductor processing system including one or more load lock devices.

[0066] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, method 300 includes step (a) 302 of moving a substrate to the load lock device and placing the substrate on an alignment stage of an alignment assembly, the alignment stage being disposed within the load lock body as described in detail hereinabove.

[0067] According to further embodiments of the present disclosure, method 300 further includes step (b) 304 of performing an evacuation / vent operation to control the pressure within the load lock body by engaging the load lock body and the vacuum assembly in fluid communication as described in detail hereinabove.

[0068] According to further embodiments of the present disclosure, method 300 further includes step (c) 306 of sensing substrate alignment and generating a misalignment signal by using a rotation sensor configured and arranged to observe the substrate on the alignment stage through a viewport disposed on the wall of the load lock body as described in detail hereinabove.

[0069] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, method 300 includes aligning the substrate by a controlled rotation of the alignment stage performed in response to the misalignment signal, as described in detail above herein, wherein the rotation of the alignment stage is performed by engaging a rotation drive unit disposed outside the load lock body and coupled to a second end of a drive shaft, a first end of the drive shaft being coupled to the alignment stage, and the first and second ends of the drive shaft being coupled by a feed-through mechanism, further including step (d) 308.

[0070] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, steps 304 of performing an evacuation / vent operation, 306 of sensing substrate alignment, and 308 of aligning the substrate are performed at least partially in parallel. In some embodiments, the load lock device includes a part of a semiconductor processing system configured as a cluster type, and steps 304 of performing an evacuation / vent operation, 306 of sensing substrate alignment, and 308 of aligning the substrate are performed at least partially in parallel a plurality of times.

[0071] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as described in detail above herein, the method 300 includes positioning a substrate by controlling the raising and lowering of the alignment stage, the raising and lowering of the alignment stage being controlled by a raising and lowering module connected to the rotation module, the raising and lowering module including a raising and lowering drive unit and a raising and lowering feed-through seal, the raising and lowering feed-through seal being configured to maintain the pressure within the load lock body when the raising and lowering drive unit is engaged, and further including any additional step (e) 310. In such an embodiment, any additional step (e) 310 of positioning the substrate further includes reducing the separation between the alignment stage and the temperature control plate in order to enable the substrate temperature control operation to be performed at least partially in parallel with (b) the evacuation / venting operation of step 304, (c) the step of sensing substrate alignment of step 306, and (d) the step of aligning the substrate, as described in detail above herein.

[0072] For the purpose of summarizing the invention and advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the present invention have been described above in this disclosure. It should be understood, of course, that not necessarily all such objects or advantages will be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the present invention. Thus, for example, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be embodied or practiced in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages that may be taught or suggested in this disclosure without necessarily achieving any other object or advantage that may be taught or suggested in this disclosure.

[0073] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention disclosed in this disclosure. These and other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed.

Claims

1. 1. A load lock apparatus configured to perform a parallel process, comprising: a loadlock body in fluid communication with a vacuum assembly, the vacuum assembly being configured for exhaust venting to control pressure within the loadlock body; an alignment assembly configured to rotate a substrate about a first axis of the load lock body for a substrate alignment operation, the alignment assembly comprising a rotation module including an alignment stage coupled to a first end of a drive shaft and a rotation drive disposed outside the load lock body and coupled to a second end of the drive shaft, the first end and the second end of the drive shaft being coupled by a feed-through mechanism; a rotational sensor configured to sense a rotational alignment of the substrate on the alignment stage through a viewport disposed in a wall of the load lock body; a controller connected to the vacuum assembly, the rotation module, and the rotation sensor for performing parallel substrate alignment and exhaust venting operations within the loadlock body.

2. a lift module configured to lift and lower the substrate along a second axis of the load lock body for a substrate positioning operation; 2. The load lock apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lift module is connected to the rotation module and includes a lift drive and a lift feedthrough seal, the lift feedthrough seal configured to maintain the pressure within the load lock body when the lift drive is engaged.

3. The load lock apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the lift feedthrough seal comprises a bellows.

4. 4. The load lock apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a lift sensor for determining a lift position of the alignment stage, the lift sensor and the lift module being connected to the controller for performing substrate positioning operations in parallel with substrate alignment and exhaust venting operations, all within the load lock body.

5. a temperature control plate disposed within the load lock body; 5. The load lock apparatus of claim 4, wherein the lift sensor, the controller, and the lift module cooperate to control a separation between the alignment stage and the temperature control plate to perform substrate temperature control operations in parallel with substrate alignment and exhaust venting operations, all within the load lock body.

6. The load lock apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feedthrough mechanism comprises a magnetic coupling.

7. The load lock apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feedthrough mechanism comprises a magnetic fluid seal including a magnetic fluid disposed between the drive shaft and a drive shaft housing.

8. A semiconductor processing system comprising a load lock apparatus, an equipment front end module (EFEM), and a back end transport module (BETM), The load lock device comprises: a loadlock body in fluid communication with a vacuum assembly configured for exhaust venting to control pressure within the loadlock body; an alignment assembly configured to rotate a substrate about a first axis of the load lock body for a substrate alignment operation, the alignment assembly comprising a rotation module including an alignment stage coupled to a first end of a drive shaft and a rotation drive disposed outside the load lock body and coupled to a second end of the drive shaft, the first end and the second end of the drive shaft being coupled by a feed-through mechanism; a rotational sensor configured to sense a rotational alignment of the substrate on the alignment stage through a viewport disposed in a wall of the load lock body; a controller connected to the vacuum assembly, the rotation module, and the rotation sensor for performing parallel substrate alignment and exhaust venting operations within the load lock body; the Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) is connected to a front side of the load lock body and houses a front end substrate transport robot; The back end transport module (BETM) is connected to a rear side of the loadlock body and couples process modules to the loadlock body.

9. a lift module configured to lift and lower the substrate along a second axis of the load lock body for a substrate positioning operation; 10. The semiconductor processing system of claim 8, wherein the lift module is connected to the rotation module and includes a lift drive and a lift feedthrough seal, the lift feedthrough seal configured to maintain the pressure in the loadlock body when the lift drive is engaged.

10. a lift sensor for determining a lift position of the alignment stage; 10. The semiconductor processing system of claim 9, wherein said lift sensor and said lift module are connected to said controller to perform substrate positioning operations in parallel with substrate alignment and exhaust venting operations, all within said load lock body.

11. a temperature control plate disposed within the load lock body; 11. The semiconductor processing system of claim 10, wherein the lift sensor, the controller, and the lift module cooperate to control a separation between the alignment stage and the temperature control plate to perform substrate temperature control operations in parallel with substrate alignment and exhaust venting operations, all within the load lock body.

12. The semiconductor processing system of claim 8 , further comprising one or more additional process modules configured as a cluster type.

13. one or more additional load lock devices; 13. The semiconductor processing system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to perform substrate alignment, exhaust venting, and substrate positioning operations in parallel in the one or more additional load lock apparatus.

14. 13. The semiconductor processing system of claim 12, wherein the controller is coupled to a front end substrate transport robot for performing substrate alignment operations, exhaust venting operations, and front end substrate transport robot movement operations in parallel.

15. 1. A method of performing parallel operations in a load lock apparatus including an alignment assembly, comprising: (a) moving a substrate to the load lock apparatus and placing the substrate on an alignment stage of the alignment assembly, the alignment stage being disposed within a load lock body; (b) performing an exhaust venting operation to control pressure within the loadlock body by fluidly engaging the loadlock body with a vacuum assembly; (c) sensing alignment of the substrate using a rotational sensor constructed and arranged to view the substrate on the alignment stage through a viewport disposed within the load lock body and generating a misalignment signal; and (d) aligning the substrate by controlled rotation of the alignment stage in response to the misalignment signal, the rotation of the alignment stage being effected by engaging a rotation drive disposed outside the load lock body and coupled to a second end of a drive shaft, a first end of the drive shaft being coupled to the alignment stage, the first end and the second end of the drive shaft being coupled by a feed-through mechanism; The method, wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are performed at least partially in parallel.

16. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the load lock apparatus comprises part of a semiconductor processing system configured as a cluster type, and wherein steps (b), (c) and (d) are performed multiple times at least partially in parallel.

17. and (e) positioning the substrate by controlling the elevation of the alignment stage; 16. The method of claim 15, wherein lifting of the alignment stage is controlled by a lift module connected to a rotation module, the lift module including a lift drive and a lift feedthrough seal, the lift feedthrough seal configured to maintain the pressure in the load lock body when the lift drive is engaged.

18. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the additional step (e) further comprises reducing a separation between the alignment stage and a temperature control plate to perform substrate temperature control operations at least partially in parallel with steps (b), (c), and (d).

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the lift feedthrough seal comprises a bellows.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the feedthrough mechanism comprises a magnetic coupling or a magnetic fluid seal.

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