Substrate inversion in vacuum for double-sided PVD sputtering

Abstract

To increase throughput, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for inverting a substrate in a vacuum between PVD sputtering operations on each side. [Solution] In some embodiments disclosed herein, a module of a processing system for inverting a substrate in a vacuum is provided. The module includes a clamp assembly for securing the substrate, a first motor assembly 132 coupled to the clamp assembly for rotating the clamp assembly, and a second motor assembly coupled to the first motor assembly 134 for raising and lowering the clamp assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to physical vapor deposition (PVD) sputtering on both sides of a substrate in an electronic device manufacturing process, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for inverting a substrate in a vacuum between PVD sputtering on each side.

Background Art

[0002] Substrate processing in electronic device manufacturing often involves performing deposition processes on both sides of the substrate. However, process chambers are typically designed to deposit material on only one surface at a time, such as on the upper or lower surface of the substrate. Therefore, it is often necessary to invert or change the orientation of the substrate with respect to the chamber between deposition processes.

[0003] This is particularly a problem when processing some large-area substrates, such as panels. As used herein, the term "panel" may refer to a large-area substrate containing a large surface area of polymeric material. For example, a typical panel size can be 600 mm × 600 mm. Typical panel materials can include monosodium glutamate build-up film (ABF), copper-clad laminate (CCL), panels with a polymer applied to the surface, glass, and the like. Due to the presence of a large surface area of polymeric material on the panel, the panel absorbs a lot of moisture. Therefore, very efficient degassing is required to remove all the outgassing and contamination from the panel in order to achieve good contact resistance.

[0004] To perform PVD sputtering on both sides of the substrate / panel, the substrate / panel is removed from the vacuum chamber of a cluster tool and inverted in the atmosphere. When this is done, an additional degassing process is required to remove the moisture absorbed on the substrate / panel. Since degassing can take several tens of minutes, and in some cases about 40 minutes, this additional degassing process has a very negative impact on throughput.

[0005] Attempts have been made to hold the substrate / panel vertically in the PVD chamber for simultaneous sputtering from both sides. However, this method does not provide active cooling to the substrate / panel, which can lead to undesirable arc discharges.

[0006] Therefore, in this field, there is a need for apparatus and methods for inverting the substrate in a vacuum between PVD sputtering on each side. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0007] The embodiments described herein generally relate to bilateral physical vapor deposition (PVD) sputtering of substrates in electronic device manufacturing processes. More specifically, the embodiments described herein provide apparatus and methods for inverting a substrate in a vacuum between PVD sputtering of each side.

[0008] In one embodiment, the processing system includes a deposition chamber, a transfer chamber coupled to the deposition chamber, and a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, the load lock chamber having a module for inverting the substrate in a vacuum.

[0009] In another embodiment, a module of a processing system for inverting a substrate in a vacuum includes a clamp assembly for securing the substrate, a first motor assembly coupled to the clamp assembly for rotating the clamp assembly, and a second motor assembly coupled to the first motor assembly for raising and lowering the first motor assembly and the clamp assembly.

[0010] In another embodiment, a method for inverting a substrate includes receiving the substrate in a load lock chamber, the load lock chamber having a module for inverting the substrate, and the method includes inverting the substrate in a vacuum.

[0011] To allow for a more detailed understanding of the features of this disclosure listed above, a more detailed description of this disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be given with reference to embodiments shown in part in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings only illustrate typical embodiments of this disclosure and should not be considered limiting to the scope of this disclosure, as other equally effective embodiments may be found within this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic top view of an exemplary substrate processing system according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows a method for inverting a substrate in a vacuum using a flipper module, according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic top isometric view of a portion of the substrate processing system shown in Figure 1, including a flipper module, according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic top isometric view of a portion of the substrate processing system shown in Figure 1, including a flipper module, according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 4B] This is a partial side cross-sectional view of the flipper module at the location shown in Figure 4A, according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 4C] This is a partial side cross-sectional view of the flipper module at the location shown in Figure 4A, according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 4D] This is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 4B according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 4E] This is an exploded view of a clamp assembly according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 4F] This is an isometric top view of a portion of the clamp assembly at the position shown in Figure 4B, according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 5A] This is a partial side cross-sectional view of the flipper module in a clamped position according to a particular embodiment. [Figure 5B]It is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 5A according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 5C] It is an isometric view of the upper surface of a separable part of a clamp assembly according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 5D] It is an isometric view of the upper surface of a part of the clamp assembly at the position shown in FIG. 5A according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a partial side cross-sectional view of a flipper module at the inverted position of the method of FIG. 2 according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 7] It is an isometric view of the upper surface of a flipper module at another stage of the method of FIG. 2 according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a partial side cross-sectional view of a flipper module at another stage of the method of FIG. 2 according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a partial side cross-sectional view of a flipper module at another stage of the method of FIG. 2 according to a specific embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a partial side cross-sectional view of a flipper module at another stage of the method of FIG. 2 according to a specific embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] For ease of understanding, the same reference numbers are used, where possible, to identify the same elements common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments without further elaboration.

[0014] The embodiments described herein generally relate to physical vapor deposition (PVD) sputtering on both sides of a substrate in an electronic device manufacturing process. More particularly, the embodiments described herein provide an apparatus and method for inverting a substrate in a vacuum between PVD sputterings on each side.

[0015] The embodiments described herein enable PVD sputtering on both sides of a substrate without removing the substrate from the vacuum, in contrast to conventional techniques where the substrate is removed from the vacuum and inverted in the atmosphere. Performing this process in a vacuum eliminates an additional outgassing process and improves throughput.

[0016] The embodiments described herein enable PVD sputtering on both sides of a substrate without vertically holding the substrate. By performing sputtering on a horizontally placed substrate, active cooling is enabled and undesirable arc discharges are prevented.

[0017] The embodiments described herein provide an apparatus for inverting a substrate in a load lock chamber in a vacuum without increasing the footprint of an existing or new processing system. The embodiments described herein enable inversion of large area substrates in a vacuum in addition to conventional substrates.

[0018] Exemplary Substrate Processing System Figure 1 is a schematic top view of an exemplary substrate processing system 100 (also referred to as the “processing platform”) according to a particular embodiment. In a particular embodiment, the substrate processing system 100 is configured, among other things, to process large-area substrates such as panels as described above. The substrate processing system 100 generally includes, as will be described in detail below, an equipment front-end module (EFEM) 102 for loading substrates into the processing system 100, a first load-lock chamber 104 coupled to the EFEM 102, a transfer chamber 106 coupled to the first load-lock chamber 104, and a plurality of other chambers coupled to the transfer chamber 106. Proceeding counterclockwise from the first load lock chamber 104 around the transfer chamber 106, the processing system 100 includes a first dedicated degassing chamber 108, a first pre-cleaning chamber 110, a first deposit chamber 112, a second pre-cleaning chamber 114, a second deposit chamber 116, a second dedicated degassing chamber 118, and a second load lock chamber 120. The second load lock chamber 120 includes a flipper module for inverting the substrate in a vacuum, as will be described in more detail below. In certain embodiments, a turbomolecular pump coupled to the second load lock chamber 120 is used to induce the vacuum state. However, other types of vacuum pumps are also possible. In certain embodiments, the transfer chamber 106 and each chamber coupled to the transfer chamber 106 are under vacuum. As used herein, the term “vacuum” means approximately 10 -2 It can sometimes refer to a pressure below Pa. However, some high vacuum systems use 10 -5 It can operate at a level below Pa.

[0019] In a particular embodiment, substrates are loaded into the processing system 100 through a door (also referred to as a "slit valve") in a first load-lock chamber 104 and unloaded from the processing system 100 through a door in a second load-lock chamber 120. In a particular embodiment, stacked substrates are supported in a cassette located within the first load-lock chamber 104. When the first load-lock chamber 104 is pumped down, a robot in the transfer chamber 106 is used to remove one substrate at a time from the cassette. In one embodiment, the second load-lock chamber 120 receives a single substrate after processing has been performed on each side and unloads the processed substrate to the EFEM 102. The second load-lock chamber 120 may be a dual chamber including an upper chamber portion 125 (Figure 3) for receiving substrates after both sides have been processed and unloading the substrate to the EFEM 102, and a lower portion including a flipper module 130 (Figure 3) for inverting a substrate that has been processed on one side to process the other side. However, other loading and unloading configurations are also possible.

[0020] Pre-cleaning of the substrate is important to remove impurities such as oxides from the substrate surface, thereby preventing the metal film deposited in the deposition chamber from being electrically insulated from the substrate. By performing pre-cleaning in the first pre-cleaning chamber 110 and the second pre-cleaning chamber 114, which share the same vacuum environment as the first deposition chamber 112 and the second deposition chamber 116, the substrate can be transferred from the cleaning chamber to the deposition chamber without being exposed to the atmosphere. This prevents the formation of impurities on the deposition during transfer. Furthermore, since a vacuum is maintained in the substrate processing system 100 during the transfer of the cleaned substrate to the deposition chamber, the vacuum pump downcycle is reduced.

[0021] In certain embodiments, only one substrate is processed at a time in each of the pre-cleaning chamber and the deposition chamber. Alternatively, multiple substrates, e.g., 4 to 6 substrates, may be processed at once. In such embodiments, the substrates may be arranged on a rotatable pedestal within each chamber. In certain embodiments, the first pre-cleaning chamber 110 and the second pre-cleaning chamber 114 are pre-cleaning etching chambers for etching the substrate surface. However, other types of pre-cleaning chambers are also conceivable. In certain embodiments, one or both of the pre-cleaning chambers are replaced by a deposition chamber for a reactive sputtering process, such as for silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, or other materials, by reactive sputtering. In the ICP chamber, the coil at the top of the chamber is excited by an external RF source to generate an excitation field in the chamber. Argon gas flows from an external gas source through the chamber. Argon atoms in the chamber are ionized (charged) by the RF energy. The substrate is biased by a DC bias source coupled to an aluminum pedestal on which the substrate is placed. The charged atoms are attracted to the substrate, resulting in etching of the substrate surface. Depending on the desired etching rate and the material being etched, gases other than argon may be used. In contrast to processes that etch features on the substrate surface, the ionization energy level can be relatively low when etching as part of a cleaning process. The low energy avoids damage to circuit devices and features already formed on the substrate.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the first deposition chamber 112 and the second deposition chamber 116 are PVD chambers. In such embodiments, the PVD chambers may be configured to deposit copper, titanium, aluminum, gold, nickel, nickel vanadium, silver, and / or tantalum. However, other types of deposition processes and materials are also possible. In the PVD chamber, the entire rear surface of the substrate is in electrical and thermal contact with the pedestal. Controlling the substrate temperature during the sputtering process is important to obtain predictable and reliable thin films. The coolant system includes an external cooling source that supplies fluid to the cooling tubes in the pedestal. The cooling source may be replaced or augmented by a heating source to raise the workpiece temperature independently of the sputtering process.

[0023] In certain embodiments, an RF bias source is electrically coupled to a pedestal to excite the pedestal, thereby exciting the substrate and performing the sputtering process. Substrate bias (RF bias) may be used if the substrate / panel has features that require good step coverage, for example. Alternatively, the pedestal can be grounded, floating, or biased by a DC voltage source alone.

[0024] During operation, the chamber is evacuated and then refilled with argon gas. The gas is excited by a DC source and coupled with an electromagnetic field within the chamber to excite a sustained, high-density plasma near the target surface. The plasma confined near the target surface contains positive ions (such as Ar+) and free electrons. The ions in the plasma collide with the target surface, sputtering material from the target. The substrate receives the sputtered material, forming a deposited layer on its surface. In one example, a DC power supply of as much as 20 kilowatts is applied to the target, allowing the target to deposit approximately 1 micron of material per second onto the substrate.

[0025] The sputtering chamber uses a magnetron assembly outside of vacuum to further control the impact of the plasma on the target. In certain embodiments, a fixed permanent magnet is positioned behind the target (to act as a deposition source), thereby confining the plasma to the target region. In other cases, the magnet is scanned across the back of the target to help distribute the magnetic field uniformly across the target for further target erosion. As a result, the magnetic field forms a closed-loop annular path that acts as an electron trap, reforming the orbits of secondary electrons emitted from the target into cycloidal orbits and significantly increasing the probability of ionization of the sputtering gas within the confinement zone. Inert gases such as argon are typically used as sputtering gases because they do not react with the target material, do not combine with any process gases, and have high sputtering and deposition rates due to their large molecular weight. Positively charged argon ions from the plasma are accelerated toward the negatively biased target and influence the target, causing the material to sputter away from the target surface.

[0026] The chamber walls are typically electrically grounded during processing. A bias voltage to the substrate can move charged flux (Ar+ and / or atomic vapor sputtered from the target) onto the substrate. This flux can alter the properties of the sputtered material on the substrate, such as its density.

[0027] In certain embodiments, the chamber gas is supplied through a distribution channel at the bottom of the chamber rather than from the top, which reduces particle contamination during the sputtering process and allows for optimization of the magnetron assembly.

[0028] Exemplary flipper module and its usage Figure 2 shows a method 200 for inverting a substrate 122 in a vacuum using a flipper module 130 of a second load lock chamber 120, according to a particular embodiment. Figure 3 is a schematic top isometric view of the substrate processing system 100 of Figure 1, according to a particular embodiment. Note that in Figure 3, only the transfer chamber 106 and the second load lock chamber 120 are shown for clarity. As shown, the load lock chamber 120 includes an upper chamber portion 125 configured to receive and unload substrates after processing on both sides, and a lower chamber or flipper module 130 configured to receive substrates to be processed on the first side and to invert the substrates for processing on the second side. Also note that the upper portion of the transfer chamber 106 is further omitted to show the interior of the transfer chamber 106.

[0029] In the position shown in Figure 3, the substrate 122 is positioned in the transfer chamber 106. The edge of the substrate 122 is in contact with the end effector of the transfer robot 124. The substrate 122 and the end effector of the transfer robot 124 are aligned with the door of the flipper module 130 of the load lock chamber 120. In the orientation shown in Figure 3, the front side 122a of the substrate 122 faces upward, and the back side 122b is supported from below by the end effector. In this example, the substrate 122 is a panel. However, the apparatus and methods of this disclosure may be carried out with many different types of substrates.

[0030] Figure 4A is a schematic top isometric view of the substrate processing system 100 of Figure 1 according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figure 4A, in process 202, the substrate 122 is transferred to the flipper module 130. Note that in Figure 4A, for clarity, only the transfer chamber 106 and the flipper module 130 of the second load lock chamber 120 of Figure 3 are shown. Also note that the upper portions of each chamber have been further omitted to show the interior of the corresponding chamber. As shown in Figure 4A, the transfer robot 124 operates to move the substrate 122 from the transfer chamber 106 into the housing 131 of the flipper module 130.

[0031] Figures 4B to 4C are partial side cross-sectional views, respectively, of the upper and lower portions of the load lock chamber 120 at the position shown in Figure 4A, according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figures 4B to 4C, the flipper module 130 generally includes a clamp assembly 140 for securing the substrate 122, a first motor assembly 132 coupled to the clamp assembly 140 for rotating the clamp assembly 140, and a second motor assembly 134 coupled to the first motor assembly 132 for raising and lowering the first motor assembly 132 and the clamp assembly 140. A first guide block 156 is coupled between the clamp assembly 140 and the first motor assembly 132. A second guide block 158 is coupled to the clamp assembly 140 on the opposite side of the first motor assembly 132. An actuator 135 of the second motor assembly 134 is coupled to the body 133 of the first motor assembly 132 for raising and lowering the first motor assembly 132. As shown in Figures 4B to 4C, the actuator 135, or clamp assembly 140, is in the fully raised position (also referred to as the "loading position"). The actuator 135 and the main body 133 are each placed in a vacuum, while the second motor assembly 134 is placed in the atmosphere. To maintain the vacuum in the housing 131 of the flipper module 130, a bellows 137 surrounds the actuator 135 and forms a seal between the housing 131 and the second motor assembly 134.

[0032] The clamp assembly 140 includes a first plate 142 and a second plate parallel to the first plate 142. As shown in Figure 4B, the clamp assembly 140 is in an open position with the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 spaced apart from each other. A pair of lift pins 152 are configured to contact either the first plate 142 or the second plate 144 to move the clamp assembly 140 to the open position, as will be described in more detail below. The pair of lift pins 152 are coupled to the upper surface 168 of the housing 131. Although only one lift pin is shown in the cross section of Figure 4B, the second lift pin is located diagonally opposite the housing 131. The pair of lift pins 152 extend downward from the upper surface 168 to lower ends 170 that contact corresponding ears 154a-b (shown in Figure 4E) located at the opposing corners of each of the first plate 142 and the second plate 144. In the orientation shown in Figure 4B, the pair of lift pins 152 second contact the plate 144 to hold the second plate 144 in a fixed position relative to the upper surface 168 as the first plate 142 moves further upward by the second motor assembly 134, as shown in more detail in Figure 4D.

[0033] Figure 4D is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 4B according to a particular embodiment. As shown in more detail in Figure 4D, the flipper module 130 includes a sliding section 136 having a bearing support 138. The sliding section 136 is coupled to the clamp assembly 140 through the bearing support 138 and a second guide block 158, on the opposite side of the first motor assembly 132. The bearing support 138 supports the rotation of the clamp assembly 140 by the first motor assembly 132 through a rotatable bearing 164. The bearing support 138 is movable on the sliding section 136 to support the raising and lowering of the clamp assembly 140 by the second motor assembly 134. When the second load lock chamber 120 is under vacuum, the clamp assembly 140, the first motor assembly 132, and the sliding section 136 are each positioned under vacuum.

[0034] The second guide block 158 is coupled between the clamp assembly 140 and the bearing support 138. The second guide block 158 has a first groove 160a that fits into the corresponding pin 166a on the first plate 142, and a second groove 160b that is aligned with the first groove 160a and fits into the corresponding pin 166b on the second plate 144. The first groove 160a and the second groove 160b are separated by a wall 162. As shown in Figure 4D, the contact between the pin 166a of the first plate 142 and the wall 162 causes the first plate 142 to move further upward even after the second plate 144 has stopped after contacting the pair of lift pins 152. In certain embodiments, the first guide block 156 and the second guide block 158 are structurally and functionally equivalent.

[0035] Figure 4E is an exploded view of a clamp assembly 140 according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figure 4E, the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 each comprise a plurality of L-shaped components 148 (148a-b). The L-shaped components 148 of each corresponding plate form a ledge for supporting the edge of the substrate 122. Each of the plurality of L-shaped components 148 extends from the corresponding plate in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first plate 142. The edges of the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 that are closest to the transfer chamber 106 (for example, the rear left edge of each plate in the diagram shown in Figure 4E) do not have L-shaped components 148 in order to allow the substrate 122 to be loaded from the transfer chamber 106.

[0036] Figure 4F is an isometric top view of a portion of the clamp assembly 140 at the position shown in Figure 4B, according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figure 4F, the second plate 144 is movably coupled to the first plate 142 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first plate 142. In the orientation shown in Figure 4F, the first plate 142 is positioned above the second plate 144. Both the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 are coupled to a pair of spring-loaded connectors 146. The pair of spring-loaded connectors 146 move the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 from the open position (shown in Figure 4F) to the clamped position (shown in Figure 5D) by deflecting them toward each other. Each spring-loaded connecting portion 146 includes a pin 172 disposed through corresponding openings in the first plate 142 and the second plate 144, and a pair of springs 174 disposed at both ends of the pin 172.

[0037] In the open position (shown in Figure 4F), each of the L-shaped components 148 is positioned in the space between the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 so as to load the substrate 122 onto one of the ledges of the plates. In the orientation shown in Figure 4F, the back side 122b of the substrate 122 is in contact with the L-shaped component 148a of the first plate 142 and is supported from below by this L-shaped component 148a.

[0038] Figure 5A is a partial side cross-sectional view of the flipper module 130 of the second load lock chamber 120 in the clamped position according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figure 5A, in step 204, the substrate 122 is secured in the clamp assembly 140. The actuator 135 of the second motor assembly 134 is retracted to move the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 from the open position (shown in Figure 4B) to the clamped position (shown in Figure 5A), causing the first motor assembly 132 and the first plate 142 to descend relative to the second plate 144. A pair of spring-loaded couplings 146 deflect the first plate 142 toward the second plate 144. As shown in Figure 5A, the clamp assembly 140 is in a partially raised position. In the clamped position, the substrate 122 is in direct contact with the first plate 142 and the second plate 144, securing the substrate 122 between them. In the orientation shown in Figure 5A, the front side 122a is in contact with the first plate 142, and the back side 122b is in contact with the second plate 144. Furthermore, the front side 122a is facing upward, and the back side 122b is facing downward.

[0039] Figure 5B is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 5A according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figure 5B, in the clamped position, the pair of spring-loaded connectors 146 offset the first plate 142 and the second plate 144, respectively, to contact the wall 162 so that the clamp assembly 140 is centered relative to the second guide block 158.

[0040] Figure 5C is an isometric top view of the separation portion of the clamp assembly 140 according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figure 5C, the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 each have a "+" shaped backing 176 that contacts the substrate. However, other shapes are also possible. Therefore, contact between the substrate 122 and the respective corresponding plates is limited to a relatively small cross-sectional area of ​​the backing, rather than contacting the entire area of ​​the substrate 122.

[0041] Figure 5D is an isometric top view of a portion of the clamp assembly 140 at the position shown in Figure 5A, according to a particular embodiment. As shown in Figure 5D, at the clamp position, each of the L-shaped components 148 is positioned through corresponding openings in opposing plates, allowing the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 to be moved so close that they come into contact with the substrate 122.

[0042] In step 206, the clamp assembly 140 is lowered to the inverted position (shown in Figure 6). To move the clamp assembly 140 to the inverted position, the actuator 135 of the second motor assembly 134 is retracted further below the partially raised position, at which point contact between the second plate 144 and the pair of spring-loaded couplings 146 is released. As the actuator 135 continues to be retracted, the first motor assembly 132 and the clamp assembly 140 coupled thereto descend. In certain embodiments, the second motor assembly 134 includes an electric or pneumatic motor programmed to stop at the fully raised position (shown in Figure 4B) and the inverted position (shown in Figure 6). In certain embodiments, the motor includes a gear drive and a belt drive. In certain embodiments, the second motor assembly 134 includes an electric or pneumatic linear actuator. However, other types of actuators are also possible.

[0043] In step 208, the clamp assembly 140 rotates approximately 180 degrees. Figure 7 is an isometric top view of the flipper module 130 of the second load lock chamber 120 showing the orientation of the clamp assembly 140 rotated 90 degrees. Figure 8 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the flipper module 130 rotated 180 degrees. The clamp assembly 140 rotates by actinguating the first motor assembly 132. In certain embodiments, the first motor assembly 132 includes an electric or pneumatic motor programmed to stop every 180 degrees. In certain embodiments, the first motor assembly 132 includes a 180-degree electric or pneumatic actuator. However, other types of actuators are also possible. The orientation of the clamp assembly 140 and the substrate 122 fixed thereto is reversed after the clamp assembly 140 rotates approximately 180 degrees (as shown in Figure 8). In the orientation shown in Figure 8, the front side 122a faces downward and the back side 122b faces upward. The front side 122a remains in contact with the first plate 142, and the back side 122b remains in contact with the second plate 144.

[0044] In step 210, the clamp assembly 140 is raised to a partially elevated position (as shown in Figure 9). To move the clamp assembly 140 to the partially elevated position, the actuator 135 of the second motor assembly 134 is extended, thereby raising the first motor assembly 132 and the clamp assembly 140 coupled thereto. In the orientation shown in Figure 9, a pair of lift pins 152 are in contact with the first plate 142 to hold the first plate 142 in a fixed position relative to the upper surface 168 while the second plate 144 is subsequently raised.

[0045] In step 212, the substrate 122 is released from the clamp assembly 140 (shown in Figure 10). The actuator 135 of the second motor assembly 134 is further extended to move the first plate 142 and the second plate 144 from the clamped position (shown in Figure 9) to the open position (shown in Figure 10), thereby causing the first motor assembly 132 and the second plate 144 to rise relative to the first plate 142. The second plate 144 overcomes the bias force applied by the pair of spring-loaded couplings 146. In the orientation shown in Figure 10, the front side 122a of the substrate 122 is in contact with the L-shaped component 148b of the second plate 144 and is supported from below by this L-shaped component 148b.

[0046] In step 214, the substrate 122 is transferred out of the flipper module 130. When the substrate 122 is transferred again to the transfer chamber 106 after being inverted in the flipper module 130, the back side 122b is facing upward, thereby allowing the pre-cleaning and deposition processes to be carried out on the back side 122b. As described above, the substrate 122 is maintained in vacuum during each step of method 200. Therefore, when the substrate 122 is transferred again into the transfer chamber 106, it is not necessary to degas the substrate 122 before the subsequent pre-cleaning and deposition processes on the back side 122b. This significantly reduces the time required for bi-sided processing and increases throughput.

[0047] While the foregoing applies to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A module for a processing system for inverting a substrate in a vacuum, A clamp assembly for securing the circuit board, A first motor assembly coupled to the clamp assembly for rotating the clamp assembly, A module comprising: a first motor assembly and a second motor assembly coupled to the first motor assembly for raising and lowering the clamp assembly.

2. A sliding part having a bearing support, further comprising a sliding part coupled to the clamp assembly on the opposite side of the first motor assembly, wherein the sliding part is The rotation of the clamp assembly by the first motor assembly, and The module according to claim 1, which supports the raising and lowering of the clamp assembly by the second motor assembly.

3. The module according to claim 1, wherein the clamp assembly, the first motor assembly, and the sliding part are each disposed in a vacuum.

4. The clamp assembly is The first plate and A second plate parallel to the first plate, which is movably coupled to the first plate in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first plate, The module according to claim 1, comprising: a pair of spring-loaded connectors coupled to the first plate and the second plate respectively, which cause the first plate and the second plate to be displaced toward each other towards a clamping position.

5. The first plate and the second plate each comprise a plurality of L-shaped components that form an overall ledge for supporting the edge of the substrate, Each of the L-shaped components extends from the corresponding plate in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first plate, At the clamping position, each of the plurality of L-shaped components is positioned through the corresponding opening in the opposing plate. The module according to claim 4, wherein, in the open position, each of the plurality of L-shaped components is positioned in the space between the first plate and the second plate in order to load the substrate onto the ledge of one of the plates.

6. The module according to claim 5, wherein the first plate and the second plate each include an edge without an L-shaped component to allow the substrate to be loaded.

7. The module according to claim 4, further comprising a pair of lift pins configured to contact one of the first plate or the second plate in order to move the clamp assembly to the open position.

8. The actuator of the second motor assembly is coupled to the body of the first motor assembly, A bellows surrounding the actuator, The actuator and the main body are placed in a vacuum. The module according to claim 1, further comprising a bellows, wherein the second motor assembly is disposed in the atmosphere.

9. Deposition chamber and A transfer chamber coupled to the aforementioned deposition chamber, A processing system comprising: a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, the load lock chamber including a module for inverting a substrate in a vacuum; and a load lock chamber.

10. The aforementioned module is A clamp assembly for fixing the aforementioned substrate, A first motor assembly for rotating the clamp assembly, The processing system according to claim 9, further comprising a second motor assembly for raising and lowering the clamp assembly.

11. The processing system according to claim 9, wherein the deposition chamber, the transfer chamber, and the load lock chamber are in a vacuum state.

12. The processing system according to claim 9, wherein the deposition chamber comprises a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber.

13. The processing system according to claim 9, further comprising a pre-washing chamber coupled to the transfer chamber.

14. The processing system according to claim 9, wherein the load lock chamber comprises a door for unloading the substrate from the system, and the system further comprises another load lock chamber for loading another substrate into the system.

15. A method for inverting the circuit board, The load lock chamber provides a module for inverting the substrate, and the load lock chamber provides a module for inverting the substrate. A method comprising inverting the substrate in a vacuum.

16. Positioning the clamp assembly to a first elevated position, wherein the clamp assembly has a first plate positioned above the second plate. With the clamp assembly open, the substrate, with its front facing upward, is supported on the first plate. The first motor assembly is used to lower the clamp assembly to the reversed position, The clamp is rotated 180 degrees using a second motor assembly, The method according to claim 15, further comprising raising the clamp assembly to a second raised position, wherein at the second raised position, the substrate is positioned on the second plate with its front side facing downward.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein lowering the clamp assembly to the inverted position includes lowering the first plate relative to the second plate to clamp the substrate between the first plate and the second plate.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein lowering the first plate relative to the second plate includes a pair of spring-loaded connectors causing the first plate and the second plate to be deflected toward each other.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein raising the clamp assembly to the second raised position includes raising the second plate relative to the first plate in order to release the clamp assembly.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein raising the second plate relative to the first plate includes bringing the first plate into contact with a pair of lift pins so as to maintain the position of the first plate when the second plate is raised.

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