Faceplate Loading Platform

Abstract

An exemplary semiconductor component assembly platform includes a base frame having a frame body extending from a first end to a second end. The component assembly platform includes a telescopic frame movably connected to the base frame and a component support movably connected to the telescopic frame. The semiconductor component assembly platform exhibits a compressed position and a fully extended position. In the compressed position, the first end of the telescopic frame is positioned substantially above the first end of the base frame. In the extended position, the first end of the telescopic frame is positioned between the first and second ends of the base frame, and the second end of the component support is positioned outside the second end of the telescopic frame. The component assembly platform may be characterized by having a fully extended length that is at least about 1.2 times longer than the compressed length.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] References to related applications

[0001] This application claims the benefits and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 185,900, filed March 17, 2023, entitled “FACEPLATE LOADING PLATFORM,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002]

[0002] This technology relates to components and equipment for semiconductor manufacturing. More specifically, this technology relates to the assembly of processing chamber components and other semiconductor processing equipment. [Background technology]

[0003]

[0003] Integrated circuits are made possible by a process of fabricating intricately patterned material layers on a substrate surface. Fabricating patterned material on a substrate requires a controlled method for forming and removing the material. Chamber components often deliver a processing gas to the substrate for film deposition or material removal. To promote symmetry and uniformity, chamber components have been introduced that may include regularly patterned features, such as openings, for supplying material in a way that can enhance uniformity. The chamber components need to be periodically removed from the chamber to clean deposits formed in the openings and on the component body. However, due to the complexity and size of the chambers, as well as the increased weight and complexity of the components, the removal of chamber components is becoming increasingly difficult.

[0004]

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for an improved platform and method that can be used to assemble chambers containing the above-mentioned components and that facilitates the removal of chamber components from them. These and other needs are addressed by the present technology. [Overview of the project]

[0005]

[0005] An exemplary semiconductor component assembly platform may include a base frame having a frame body extending from a first end to a second end. The component assembly platform may include a telescopic frame movably connected to the base frame. The component assembly platform may include a component support movably connected to the telescopic frame. The semiconductor component assembly platform may be characterized by having a compressed position and a fully extended position. The platform has a compressed position and a fully extended position, and the distance from the first end of the telescopic frame to the second end of the base frame is greater in the fully extended position than in the compressed position. The semiconductor component assembly platform may be characterized by having a compressed length and a fully extended length. The compressed length may extend from the first end of the base frame to the second end of the telescopic frame. The fully extended length may extend from the first end of the base frame to the second end of the component support. The component assembly platform may be characterized by having a fully extended length that is at least about 1.2 times longer than the compressed length.

[0006]

[0006] In some embodiments, the telescopic frame may have a width extending from a first side to a second side. The fully extended length of the semiconductor component assembly platform may be about 1.75 times or more the width of the telescopic frame. The component support may have a width extending from a first side to a second side. The width of the component support may be less than the width of the telescopic frame. The width of the component support may be about 50% to about 99% of the width of the telescopic frame. The component assembly platform may have a compressed position height extending from the bottom surface of the base to the top surface of the component support. The fully extended position height can be defined to extend from the bottom surface of the base to the top surface of the component support. In some embodiments, the compressed position height may be about 90% to about 100% of the fully extended position height. In the embodiment, in the compressed position, the first end of the telescopic frame may be positioned substantially above the first end of the base frame, and in the fully extended position, the first end of the telescopic frame is positioned between the first and second ends of the base frame. In the extended position, the second end of the component support is positioned outside the second end of the telescopic frame relative to the frame body.

[0007]

[0007] In one embodiment, the telescopic frame, the component support, or both the telescopic frame and the component support may be movable in a plane substantially parallel to the base frame body. The component assembly platform may define a line extending through the first and second ends of the base frame. The telescopic frame, the component support, or both the telescopic frame and the component support may be movable along or parallel to the defined line. The telescopic frame and the component support may also be movable in forward and reverse directions along or parallel to the line. The base frame may include a first guide rail assembly located on the upper surface of the base frame. The telescopic frame may include a second guide rail assembly located on the upper surface of the telescopic frame. The telescopic frame may be movable along the first guide rail assembly, and the component support may be movable along the second guide rail assembly. The component assembly platform may include linear actuators connected to the telescopic frame and the component support. The component assembly platform may also include cable carriers, drag chains, energy chains, cable chains, or a combination thereof connected to the linear actuators.

[0008]

[0008] In some embodiments, the component support may include a base and an alignment rim. The base may be substantially planar, and the alignment rim may extend from the top surface of the base. The alignment rim may have a shape different from that of the base. The alignment rim may be defined by an internal area smaller than that of the base. The base frame, extension frame, component support, or a combination thereof may be formed from a metal or an alloy thereof. The metal or alloy thereof may have a density of about 3000 kg / m 3 It exhibits a density and / or a tensile strength of approximately 250 MPa or higher.

[0009]

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technology may encompass a method for assembling a semiconductor processing chamber. The method may include positioning processing chamber components on component supports of a component assembly platform in a compressed position. The component assembly platform may include a base frame having a frame body extending from a first end to a second end. The component assembly platform may include an expandable frame movably connected to the base frame. The component assembly platform may include component supports movably connected to the expandable frame. The method may include moving the component assembly platform from a compressed position to a fully extended position. The method may include positioning the processing chamber components within the processing chamber. In the compressed position, the processing chamber components may be outside the processing chamber. In the extended position, the second end of the component support is positioned outside the second end of the expandable frame. In the fully extended position, the processing chamber components may be located inside the processing chamber.

[0010]

[0010] In some embodiments, the method includes positioning the processing chamber component at a distance of about 0.5 meters or more from the opening. The processing chamber component may weigh about 1 kilogram or more.

[0011]

[0011] The above technology may offer numerous advantages over conventional systems and techniques. For example, embodiments of this technology enable the loading of heavy parts into complex processing chambers with little to no operator involvement. Furthermore, the apparatus and techniques described herein can handle heavy parts while having widths and heights that correspond to existing processing chambers. These and other embodiments, as well as their many advantages and features, will be described in more detail in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings.

[0012]

[0012] Further understanding of the nature and advantages of the disclosed technology can be obtained by referring to the remainder of the specification and the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a top view showing an exemplary processing system according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an exemplary plasma system according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 3A] It is a perspective view showing an exemplary loading platform according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 3B] It is a perspective view showing an exemplary loading platform in the extended position according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 4A] It is a side view showing an exemplary loading platform according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 4B] It is a side view showing an exemplary loading platform in the extended position according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 5] It is a top view showing an exemplary loading platform in the extended position according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the steps of an exemplary semiconductor processing method according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 7] It is a block diagram showing a sample computer system that can operate the embodiments of the present technology.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014]

[0021] Some of the figures are included as schematic diagrams. It should be understood that the figures are for illustrative purposes and should not be regarded as to scale unless the scale is specified. Further, as schematic diagrams, the figures are provided to assist understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to a realistic representation, and may include exaggerated materials for illustrative purposes.

[0015]

[0022] In the attached diagrams, similar components and / or features may be given the same reference label. Furthermore, various components of the same type may be distinguished by adding a letter after the reference label to distinguish similar components. If only the first reference label is used herein, its description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label, regardless of the letter.

[0016]

[0023] In plasma deposition processes, energy can be supplied to one or more constituent precursors to promote film formation on a substrate. Any number of material films, including conductive and dielectric films, as well as films that facilitate the transfer and removal of materials, can be fabricated to form semiconductor structures. For example, a hard mask film may be formed to protect underlying materials to be maintained while facilitating substrate patterning. In many processing chambers, multiple precursors can be mixed in a gas panel and delivered to the processing area of ​​the chamber where the substrate may be placed. Precursors can be distributed through one or more components within the chamber, thereby creating radial or lateral delivery distributions that increase formation or removal on the substrate surface.

[0017]

[0024] For example, one or more devices for delivering and distributing precursors within the processing chamber may be included. A blocker plate may be included in the chamber to provide a choke in the precursor flow, thereby extending the residence time on the blocker plate and improving the lateral or radial distribution of the precursor. Furthermore, a faceplate may be formed that further improves the uniformity of delivery within the processing area, for example by including multiple openings, thereby improving deposition or etching. However, even small amounts of residual precursor or film can adversely affect further process steps, requiring periodic removal of the faceplate for cleaning. In addition, various substrates using different film types and patterns may require faceplates with alternative delivery profiles. These factors necessitate periodic removal and replacement of faceplates and other components within the processing chamber.

[0018]

[0025] Processing chambers are also becoming more complex. As a result, accessing areas for positioning or removing parts within the chamber is becoming increasingly difficult. For example, current processing chambers include additional components that obstruct access to the position of faceplates. Furthermore, the size of processing chambers is also increasing. In many cases, with the increase in size, faceplates need to be installed in an area more than one meter from the access door of the processing chamber. Such complex installations are further complicated by the fact that components such as faceplates have relatively large weights that continue to increase as the complexity of the parts increases.

[0019]

[0026] In existing assembly processes, human operators must manually move parts such as faceplates to their designated positions within the processing chamber. Considering the weight of the parts, the limited workspace, and the long distance from the processing chamber's access door, relying solely on human operators is impractical. While attempts have been made to automate the parts assembly process, none have yet provided a solution capable of handling weights of over 1 kilogram while being sized appropriately for the process chamber's access door.

[0020]

[0027] This technology overcomes these challenges in loading and unloading large and / or heavy parts from processing chambers. By utilizing a loading platform that includes one or more telescopic segments with precise size ratios, parts of any shape and size can be uniformly positioned within the processing chamber. Therefore, this technology can enable consistent, high-speed assembly and disassembly of chamber components.

[0021]

[0028] While the remainder of this specification will always identify specific process chambers and their components using the disclosed technology, it will be readily apparent that the apparatus and method are equally applicable to other deposit and wash chambers, their components, and processes that may be carried out within the described chambers. Therefore, the technology should not be considered to be limited to use in these specific process chambers or their components only. Before describing additional modifications and adjustments of the apparatus according to embodiments of the technology, this disclosure describes one possible process chamber that may include one or more components arranged using a loading platform according to embodiments of the technology.

[0022]

[0030] Figure 1 is a top view showing one embodiment of a deposition, etching, firing, and curing chamber processing system 100 according to an embodiment. In the figure, a pair of forward-opening unified pods 102 supply substrates of various sizes, which are received by a robotic arm 104 and placed in a low-pressure holding area 106 before being placed inside one of the substrate processing chambers 108a-f positioned in tandem sections 109a-c. The substrate wafers can be transported from the holding area 106 to and from the substrate processing chambers 108a-f using a second robotic arm 110. Each substrate processing chamber 108a-f may be equipped to perform a plurality of substrate processing steps, including the formation of stacks of semiconductor materials as described herein, in addition to other substrate processes including plasma chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, physical vapor deposition, etching, pre-cleaning, degassing, orientation, and annealing, ashing, etc.

[0023]

[0031] The substrate processing chambers 108a-f may include one or more system components for depositing, annealing, curing, and / or etching dielectric films or other films on a substrate. In one configuration, two pairs of processing chambers, e.g., 108c-d and 108e-f, may be used to deposit dielectric material on a substrate, and a third pair of processing chambers, e.g., 108a-b, may be used to etch the deposited dielectric. In another configuration, all three pairs of chambers, e.g., 108a-f, may be configured to deposit alternating stacks of dielectric films on a substrate. One or more of the processes described may be carried out in chambers separate from the manufacturing system shown in different embodiments. It will be understood that additional configurations of deposition, etching, annealing, and curing chambers for dielectric films are assumed by system 100.

[0024]

[0032] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an exemplary plasma system 200 according to several embodiments of the present technology. The plasma system 200 may be mounted on one or more of the tandem sections 109 described above and may exemplify a pair of processing chambers 108 that may include faceplates or other components or assemblies according to embodiments of the present technology. The plasma system 200 may generally include a chamber body 202 having side walls 212, a bottom wall 216, and an inner wall 201 defining a pair of processing areas 220A and 220B. Each processing area 220A to 220B may be similarly configured and may include the same components.

[0025]

[0033] For example, a processing area 220B in which components may also be included in processing area 220A may include a pedestal 228 positioned within the processing area through a passage 222 formed in the bottom wall 216 of the plasma system 200. The pedestal 228 may provide a heater adapted to support a substrate 229 on an exposed surface of the pedestal, such as a main body. The pedestal 228 may include a heating element 232, such as a resistance heating element, capable of heating and controlling the substrate temperature to a desired process temperature. The pedestal 228 may also be heated by a remote heating element, such as a lamp assembly, or other heating device.

[0026]

[0034] The body of the pedestal 228 may be connected to the stem 226 by a flange 233. The stem 226 can electrically couple the pedestal 228 to a power outlet or power box 203. The power box 203 may include a drive system to control the raising and moving of the pedestal 228 within the processing area 220B. The stem 226 may also include a power interface for supplying power to the pedestal 228. The power box 203 may also include interfaces for power and temperature indicators, such as a thermocouple interface. The stem 226 may include a base assembly 238 adapted to be detachably coupled to the power box 203. A circumferential ring 235 is shown above the power box 203. In some embodiments, the circumferential ring 235 may be a shoulder adapted as a mechanical stop or land configured to provide a mechanical interface between the base assembly 238 and the top surface of the power box 203.

[0027]

[0035] The rod 230 may be included, passing through a passage 224 formed in the bottom wall 216 of the processing area 220B, and can be used to position a substrate lift pin 261, which is positioned through the body of the pedestal 228. The substrate lift pin 261 selectively separates the substrate 229 from the pedestal, facilitating the replacement of the substrate 229 by a robot used to transport the substrate 229 in and out of the processing area 220B through the substrate transfer port 260.

[0028]

[0036] A chamber lid 204 may be connected to the top of the chamber body 202. The lid 204 can house one or more precursor distribution systems 208 connected thereto. The precursor distribution system 208 may include a precursor inlet passage 240 that can deliver reaction and washing precursors into the processing area 220B through a gas delivery assembly 218. The gas delivery assembly 218 may include a gas box 248 having a blocker plate 244 positioned in the middle of a faceplate 246. A radio frequency ("RF") source 265 may be connected to the gas delivery assembly 218 to supply power to the gas delivery assembly 218 and facilitate the generation of a plasma region between the faceplate 246 of the gas delivery assembly 218 and a pedestal 228 which may be the processing area of ​​the chamber. In some embodiments, the RF source may be connected to other parts of the chamber body 202, such as the pedestal 228, to facilitate plasma generation. A dielectric isolator 258 may be positioned between the lid 204 and the gas delivery assembly 218 to prevent the conduction of RF power to the lid 204. A shadow ring 206 may be positioned around the pedestal 228 and engage with the pedestal 228.

[0029]

[0037] The faceplate 246 can be used to perform semiconductor processing steps, including the deposition of hard mask material as described above, as well as other deposition, removal, and cleaning steps. The faceplate 246 can be included in any number of processing chambers as described above. The faceplate 246 may be included as part of a gas inlet assembly, such as a gas box and a blocker plate. For example, the gas box may define or provide access to the processing chamber. A substrate support may be included in the chamber and may be configured to support a substrate for processing. A blocker plate may be included between the gas box and the substrate support in the chamber. The blocker plate may include or may have multiple openings that penetrate the plate. The component may include any of the features described above for similar components, as well as various other modifications similarly included in this technology.

[0030]

[0038] The faceplate 246 may be positioned between the blocker plate and the substrate support within the chamber, as illustrated previously. Nevertheless, the faceplate 246 may feature a first surface 243 and a second surface 245 opposite the first surface. In some embodiments, the first surface 243 may face the blocker plate, the gas box, or the gas inlet into the processing chamber. The second surface 245 may be positioned to face the substrate support or substrate within the processing area of ​​the processing chamber. The faceplate 246 may define a plurality of openings (not shown) that penetrate the faceplate and extend from the first surface to the second surface. Each opening provides a fluid path through the faceplate, and the openings may provide fluid access to the processing area of ​​the chamber. Depending on the size of the faceplate and the size of the openings, the faceplate 300 may define any number of openings penetrating the plate, for example, about 1000 or more openings, about 2000 or more openings, about 3000 or more openings, about 4000 or more openings, about 5000 or more openings, about 6000 or more openings, or more openings. The openings may be spaced at uniform intervals or in a staggered arrangement, and may be spaced about 10 mm or less from center to center. The openings may also be spaced about 9 mm or less, about 8 mm or less, about 7 mm or less, about 6 mm or less, about 5 mm or less, about 4 mm or less, about 3 mm or less, or less.

[0031]

[0039] Furthermore, an optional cooling channel 247 may be formed in the gas box 248 of the gas distribution system 208 to cool the gas box 248 during the process. A heat transfer fluid such as water, ethylene glycol, or gas can be circulated through the cooling channel 247 so that the gas box 248 can be maintained at a predetermined temperature. The liner assembly 227 can be positioned in close proximity to the side walls 201 and 212 of the chamber body 202 within the processing area 220B to prevent the side walls 201 and 212 from being exposed to the processing environment within the processing area 220B. The liner assembly 227 may include a circumferential pumping cavity 225, which may be connected to a pumping system 264 configured to exhaust gas and by-products from the processing area 220B and to control the pressure within the processing area 220B. Multiple exhaust ports 231 may be formed on the liner assembly 227. The exhaust port 231 may be configured to allow gas flow from the processing area 220B to the circumferential pumping cavity 225 in a manner that facilitates processing within the system 200.

[0032]

[0040] Figure 3A shows an exemplary semiconductor component assembly platform 300 according to several embodiments of the present technology. The component assembly platform 300 includes a base frame 302, a telescopic frame 304, and a component support 306. The telescopic frame 304 is movably connected to the base frame 302, and the component support 306 is movably connected to the telescopic frame 304. In the illustrated embodiment, the movable connections between the base frame 302, the telescopic frame 304, and the component support 306 are a first guide rail assembly 308 located on the upper surface 303 of the base frame 302 and a second guide rail assembly 310 located on the upper surface 305 of the telescopic frame 304. However, it should be noted that other linear guide assemblies, including ball screws, bearings, slides, supports, etc., can be used instead of or in addition to the illustrated guide rails. Nevertheless, as shown, the telescopic frame 304 includes a first linear guide coupling 312 and a second linear guide coupling 313, and the component support 306 includes a third linear guide coupling 314. In embodiments, the linear guide couplings 312, 313, and 314 may each be brackets for attaching the telescopic frame to the base frame, or brackets for attaching the component support to the telescopic frame. That is, in embodiments, one or more couplings 312, 313, and 314 may be part of their respective guide rail assemblies and serve to attach the telescopic frame and / or component support to the corresponding guide rails. However, it should be understood that in embodiments, the couplings 312, 313, and 314 may be alternative movable fasteners such as screws, slides, or rails. Furthermore, although not shown, the base frame 302 may be permanently or removablely fixed to a surface such as an optical table via the base frame support 311. For example, in embodiments, as will be described in more detail below, the assembly may be removablely attached to the surface with bolts, screws, etc., after alignment with the chamber to provide further support.

[0033]

[0041] The base frame 302 includes a frame body 316 (clearly shown in FIG. 3B) extending from a first end 318 of the frame body 316 to a second end 320 of the frame body 316. The base frame 302, like the telescopic frame 304 and / or the component support 306, can be formed from a material having sufficient strength and / or weight to provide support and / or counterbalance for heavy components. In one aspect, the base frame 302, the telescopic frame 304, and / or the component support 306 can be formed from metal or an alloy thereof. The metal or its alloy is about 3000 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 3500 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 4000 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 4500 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 5000 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 5500 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 6000 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 6500 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 7000 kg / m 3 or more, for example about 7500 kg / m 3 or more, or may have a density of any range or value therebetween. Further or alternatively, the metal or its alloy may have a tensile strength of about 250 MPa or more, for example about 300 MPa or more, for example about 350 MPa or more, for example about 400 MPa or more, for example about 450 MPa or more, for example about 500 MPa or more, for example about 550 MPa or more, for example about 575 MPa or more, for example about 600 MPa or more, or any range or value therebetween. The selected metal can be of any form, such as a plate, bar, rod, or other suitable form in the art. However, due to strength and / or weight characteristics, the selected metal may be in the form of a hollow tube. In some embodiments, the base frame 302, the telescopic frame 304, and / or the component support 306 can be formed from stainless steel such as a hollow stainless steel tube. [[ID=​Referring again to Figure 3A, the illustrated telescopic frame 304 is in the compressed position. In the compressed position, the first end 322 of the telescopic frame 304 is positioned substantially above the first end 318 of the base frame in the vertical direction. For example, as shown in Figure 3A (and more clearly in Figure 4A), the first end 322 of the telescopic frame 304 may actually protrude from the first end 318 of the base frame 302. In the embodiment, as can be more clearly shown in Figure 4A, the first end 318 of the base frame 302 and the first end 322 of the telescopic frame 304 are aligned along axis F shown in Figure 4A. y As illustrated by [image], the first end 318 may be substantially coplanar with the vertical axis extending perpendicularly along the first end 322 (for example, along the y-axis). Nevertheless, in the embodiment, the first end 318 is the first end 322 (F y The distance from the vertical axis formed by the components (etc.) may be approximately 5 inches or less, for example, approximately 4 inches or less, for example, approximately 3 inches or less, for example, approximately 2 inches or less, for example, approximately 1.5 inches or less, for example, approximately 1 inch or less, for example, approximately 0.5 inches or less, or within any range or value in between. However, the first linear guide coupling 312 may be located at the first end 318, or adjacent to the first end 318, for example, adjacent to the stop 319 (shown in Figure 3B) attached to the base frame 302. The second linear guide coupling 313 may instead be located approximately midway between the first end 318 and the second end 320 of the base frame 302. Furthermore, the second end 324 of the telescopic frame may be located above and horizontally outward of the frame body 316 and the second end 320 (clearly shown in Figure 4A). Naturally, it should be noted that the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304 may be positioned generally above the second end 320 of the base frame 302. However, in some embodiments, positioning the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304 in the compressed position outside the second end 320 of the base frame body 316 may extend the reach of the assembly without sacrificing strength and counterbalance.

[0035]

[0043] The component support 306 includes a first end 334 and a second end 336. In the compressed position, the first end 334 of the component support is positioned above and adjacent to the first end 322 of the telescopic frame 304. Furthermore, in the compressed position, the second end 336 of the component support 306 is positioned between the first end 322 and the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304. The component support includes a base 338 and an alignment rim 340.

[0036]

[0044] In the embodiment, the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304 can support one or more optical sensors and / or cameras 307 to assist in the alignment of the assembly platform and the processing chamber. However, in the embodiment, the optical sensors may be located on or adjacent to the second end 320 of the base frame or the second end 336 of the component support.

[0037]

[0045] In some embodiments, the base 338 is substantially planar and may be virtually constant throughout to provide a stable surface for supporting large and / or heavy components. As illustrated, the base 338 may include two plates securely fastened to each other using one or more fasteners, including bolts, screws, etc., to provide further support and stability. However, it should be understood that the base 338 may be formed from a single plate having a greater thickness than either of the illustrated plates, or from one or more plates having a smaller thickness, based on the weight and / or tensile strength of the selected material. Regardless of the selected material, the base 338 is illustrated having a square or rectangular shape. However, it should be understood that the base 338 may have any shape, including quadrilaterals, (including squares and / or rectangles), triangles, ellipses, star shapes, etc. In one or more embodiments, the base 338 may have a shape that does not correspond to the shape of the component to be assembled in the processing chamber. Instead, the shape of the base 338 may be chosen to provide support outside the selected component. The base 338 may also define a region (clearly shown in Figure 5) that includes the area below the alignment rim 340, from the first end 334 to the second end 336 and from the first side surface 342 to the second side surface 344.

[0038]

[0046] The alignment rim 340 may be formed as part of the base 338 extending from the upper surface 343 of the base. Alternatively, the alignment rim 340 may be a separate part securely fixed to the base 338 by one or more fasteners, welds, or other means. Nevertheless, it is clear that the alignment rim 340 may also be formed from one or more of the metals described above. An alignment rim 340 having a circular shape is shown. However, it should be understood that the alignment rim 340 may have any shape, such as quadrilateral, (including square and / or rectangle), triangular, elliptical, star-shaped, etc. In one or more embodiments, the alignment rim 340 may have a shape corresponding to the shape of a part to be assembled in the processing chamber. That is, the alignment rim 340 can provide a boundary region containing the part during the transition from the compressed position to the fully stretched position so that the part does not shift away from the part support while maintaining additional support by the base 338. For example, the alignment rim 340 may have an inner diameter that is less than about 5% larger than the diameter of the part, less than 3% larger than the diameter of the part, less than 1% larger than the diameter of the part, or less than that, so that the part can be received within the alignment rim 340 in such a state that the position of the part cannot substantially change while the part support 306 is moving. The alignment rim 340 may also define a region (clearly shown in Figure 5) that has a boundary defined by the alignment rim 340. In some embodiments, the region defined by the alignment rim is smaller than the region defined by the base.

[0039]

[0047] As shown in Figure 3A, the telescopic frame 304 may also include one or more linear actuators mounted on it to move the telescopic frame 304 and the component support 306 linearly and expandably relative to the base. For example, as shown in Figures 3A to 3B, the component support 306 and the telescopic frame 304 move linearly relative to the base 302 until one or more of the telescopic frame 304 and the component support protrude from the second end 320 of the base 302. That is, as illustrated, the telescopic frame 304 includes a linear actuator 326 mounted on it. Examples of suitable linear actuators 326 include stepper motors, pneumatic motors, servo motors, rack and pinion assemblies, and combinations thereof. Nevertheless, the linear actuator 326 is connected to the timing belt 328 via a driven pulley 330. For example, as illustrated, in the embodiment, the engagement of teeth on the driven pulley 330 can engage with the belt 328 to push and / or pull the belt 328. By pushing / pulling the belt 328, the telescopic frame 304 and / or component support 306 can be moved subsequently by the first and second motion transmission plates 346, 348. For example, in an embodiment, the motion transmission plates 346, 348 can be securely fixed not only to the respective telescopic frame 304 and component support 306 but also to the belt 328. Thus, the positions of the transfer plates 346, 348 can remain fixed with respect to both the belt 328 and the telescopic frame 304 / component support 306, facilitating the movement of the telescopic frame 304 and component support 306 when the belt 328 engages with the driven pulley 330. Furthermore, power, such as electricity, can be supplied to the linear actuator via the power supply 332. In one embodiment, electricity can be supplied using at least one of a cable carrier, drag chain, energy chain, cable chain, or a combination thereof connected to the linear actuator 326. The linear actuator 326 may be located at various positions on the telescopic frame 304, but in the illustrated embodiment, it should be understood that the linear actuator 326 may be located at the first end 322 of the telescopic frame 304.As clearly illustrated in Figure 3B, the linear actuator 326 can simultaneously or sequentially provide driving force to both the telescopic frame 304 via the first motion transmission plate 346 and the component support 306 via the second motion transmission plate 348. Such driving force can move both the telescopic frame 304 and the component support 306 to the extended position.

[0040]

[0048] For example, Figure 3B shows a semiconductor component assembly platform in a fully extended position according to an embodiment of the present technology. As illustrated, the base frame 302 and energy chain 332 are stationary. Conversely, the telescopic frame 304 and component support 306 move horizontally to the right (e.g., in the x-direction, as clearly shown in Figure 4B) with little movement in the y-direction, outside the second end 320 of the base frame 302 relative to the frame body 316. In the embodiment, the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304 and / or the second end 335 of the component support 306 may extend beyond the second end 320 of the base frame 302 by at least about 5 inches, e.g., about 7.5 inches or more, e.g., about 10 inches or more, e.g., about 12.5 inches or more, e.g., about 15 inches or more, e.g., about 17.5 inches or more, e.g., about 20 inches or more, e.g., about 22.5 inches or more, e.g., about 25 inches or more, or any range or value in between.

[0041]

[0049] For example, the first end 322 of the telescopic frame 304 is positioned vertically above the base frame 302, between the first end 318 and the second end 320 of the base frame. Similarly, in the fully extended position, the second linear guide coupling 313 of the telescopic frame 304 may be positioned adjacent to the second end 320 of the base frame 302. That is, in this embodiment, the distance from the first end of the base frame to the second end of the component support and / or the second end of the telescopic frame is greater in the fully extended position than in the compressed position. Thus, with this arrangement, the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304 can protrude above the second end 320 of the base frame or become cantilevered in a horizontally stable manner, by generally remaining at an angle of about 20 degrees or less from the original (compressed orientation) x-plane, e.g., about 15 degrees or less, e.g., about 10 degrees or less, e.g., about 5 degrees or less, or any range or value in between, even when supporting heavy and / or large components.

[0042]

[0050] Furthermore, in the fully extended position, the second end 336 of the component support 306 can protrude over or be cantilevered over the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304. That is, as shown, the second end 336 of the component support 306 is located horizontally outward from the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304 relative to the frame body 316. Similarly, the first end 334 of the component support is positioned between the first end 322 and the second end 324 of the telescopic frame 304. Thus, the assembly of the present disclosure provides a telescopic mechanism that can move over large distances without the need to enlarge the base footprint. Such an assembly is feasible even in small processing chamber openings and in restricted environments. Furthermore, the arrangement of the linear actuator 326, timing belt 328, timing pulley 330, and motion transmission plates 346, 348 enables rapid initiation of this motion over such large distances. For example, the timing belt 328 may act simultaneously on motion transmission plates 346 and 348 so that both the telescopic frame 304 and the component support 306 move together. Of course, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the telescopic frame 304 and the component support 306 may move sequentially instead.

[0043]

[0051] As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the processes of the assembly platform 300 may be controlled by a computer system 301. The computer system 301 may include any device or combination of devices configured to perform the processes described below. Accordingly, the computer system 301 may be a general-purpose computer comprising a controller or array of controllers and / or software stored on a non-transient computer-readable medium that, when executed, can perform the processes described with respect to the methods according to embodiments of this technology.

[0044]

[0052] While this disclosure has so far described the compression position and the fully stretched position, it is clear that in embodiments, a partial stretched position may also be used. For example, the assembly of this technology may be used in small chambers where the required stretching length is short, but still benefits in being useful for heavy chamber components. Thus, in embodiments, the partial stretched position may be a position between the compression position and the fully stretched position.

[0045]

[0053] Figure 4A is a side view showing an exemplary semiconductor component assembly platform 400 in a compressed position. For example, in a compressed position where the component assembly platform 400 extends from the first end 418 of the base frame 402 to the second end 424 of the telescopic frame 404, the compressed length L c In some embodiments, the compressed length may be from about 500 millimeters (mm) to about 1700 millimeters, for example from about 600 millimeters to about 1600 millimeters, for example from about 700 millimeters to about 1500 millimeters, for example from about 800 millimeters to about 1400 millimeters, for example from about 900 millimeters to about 1300 millimeters, for example from about 1000 millimeters to about 1200 millimeters, or any range or value in between.

[0046]

[0054] Furthermore, the component assembly platform 400 has a compression height h that extends from the bottom surface 450 of the base frame 402 to the top surface 452 of the telescopic frame 404. c In some embodiments, the compression height may be in the range or value between approximately 100 mm and approximately 600 mm, for example, approximately 150 mm and approximately 550 mm, for example, approximately 200 mm and approximately 500 mm, for example, approximately 250 mm and approximately 450 mm, for example, approximately 300 mm and approximately 400 mm.

[0047]

[0055] The component assembly platform 400 also illustrates a first linear guide coupling 412 and a second linear guide coupling 413, which are movably mounted to the base frame 402 via a first guide rail assembly 408. In the compressed position, the first linear guide coupling 412 is positioned in contact with or adjacent to the first end 418 of the base frame 402. In some embodiments, the first linear guide coupling 412 may contact a stop 419. Conversely, the second linear guide coupling 413 is positioned between the first end 418 and the second end 420 of the base frame 402.

[0048]

[0056] Figure 4B is a side view showing an exemplary semiconductor component assembly platform 400 in its fully stretched position. For example, in its fully stretched position, the component assembly platform 400 extends from the first end 418 of the base frame 402 to the second end 436 of the component support 406, with a fully stretched length L e In some embodiments, the full elongation length may be about 1100 mm to about 2400 mm, for example, about 1200 mm to about 2300 mm, for example, about 1300 mm to about 2200 mm, for example, about 1400 mm to about 2100 mm, for example, about 1500 mm to about 2000 mm, for example, about 1500 mm to about 1900 mm, for example, about 1600 mm to about 1800 mm, or any range or value in between.

[0049]

[0057] However, in some embodiments, the complete elongation length L e and / or compression length L cThe value of can instead be expressed as a relationship between the fully extended length and the compressed length. As described above, this technology can enable a large variation in length from the compressed length to the fully extended length. Such a relationship can enable longer loading distances while maintaining the required strength and support without increasing the overall footprint of the assembly. Therefore, in some embodiments, the fully extended length is about 1.2 times or more the compressed length, e.g., about 1.25 times or more, e.g., about 1.3 times or more, e.g., about 1.35 times or more, e.g., about 1.4 times or more, e.g., about 1.45 times or more, e.g., about 1.5 times or more, or any range or value in between. In other words, in the embodiment, the complete elongation length may be about 300 mm longer than the compressed length, for example, about 400 mm or more, for example, about 500 mm or more, for example, about 550 mm or more, for example, about 575 mm or more, for example, about 600 mm or more, for example, about 615 mm or more, or any range or value in between.

[0050]

[0058] Furthermore, the parts assembly platform 400 extends to its full extended position height h, from the bottom surface 450 of the base frame 402 to the top surface 452 of the telescopic frame 404. e In some embodiments, the full extended height may be about 100 mm to about 600 mm, for example about 150 mm to about 550 mm, for example about 200 mm to about 500 mm, for example about 250 mm to about 450 mm, for example about 300 mm to about 400 mm, or any range or value in between.

[0051]

[0059] In other words, in some embodiments, the compression height h c The complete extension height h e Approximately 90% to approximately 100%, for example, over 92%, over 94%, over 96%, over 98%, for example, up to approximately 100% of the full extension height. In one embodiment, since the telescopic frame 404 and / or component support 406 are movable in a plane generally parallel to the base frame body 416, the compression height h c and the complete extension height he They are roughly equal. In other words, the base frame 402 defines a line A extending through the first end 418 and the second end 420. As shown by Figures 4A and 4B, the telescopic frame 404 and / or component support 406 are movable along or parallel to line A. Thus, the telescopic frame 404 and / or component support 406 are movable in a generally linear direction with little variation in height or movement out of horizontal x.

[0052]

[0060] Furthermore, it is clear that the telescopic frame 404 and / or component support 406 are movable in forward and reverse directions. For example, the pulley 330 can be rotated in a first direction to move the telescopic frame 404 and / or component support 406 in the forward direction, and can be rotated in a second opposite direction to move the telescopic frame 404 and / or component support 406 in the reverse direction. Up to this point, only the transition from the compressed position to the fully extended position has been described, but it is clear that the telescopic frame 404 and / or component support 406 can also be moved in the reverse direction of any one or more of the embodiments described herein.

[0053]

[0061] Figure 5 is a top view of the parts assembly platform 500 in its fully extended position. For example, the parts assembly platform 500 has a width W that extends from the first side 556 of the telescopic frame 504 to the second side 562 of the parts support 506. In some embodiments, the width of the assembly may be from about 200 mm to about 1200 mm, for example from about 300 mm to about 1100 mm, for example from about 400 mm to about 1000 mm, for example from about 500 mm to about 900 mm, for example from about 600 mm to about 800 mm, or any range or value in between.

[0054]

[0062] Nevertheless, in one embodiment, the width W is instead the full elongated length L eThis can be expressed in terms of the following relationship. The above relationship maintains a length-to-width ratio suitable for supporting heavy or large components while maintaining a suitable footprint for use with a semiconductor processing chamber. In some embodiments, the fully extended length is about 1.75 times or more the width of the telescopic frame, for example, about 1.8 times or more, for example, about 1.9 times or more, for example, about 2 times or more, for example, about 2.1 times or more, for example, about 2.25 times or more, or any range or value in between.

[0055]

[0063] Furthermore, the component support 406 has a width W that extends from the first side surface 560 of the component support 506 to the second side surface 562 of the component support 506. c It has. In some embodiments, the width of the component support may be about 50 mm to about 1000 mm, for example about 150 mm to about 900 mm, for example about 250 mm to about 800 mm, for example about 350 mm to about 700 mm, for example about 450 mm to about 600 mm, or any range or value in between. That is, in one embodiment, the width W of the component support c The width of the component support is smaller than the width W of the telescopic frame. For example, in some embodiments, the width of the component support may be about 50% to about 99% of the width W of the assembly platform 500, for example, about 55% or more, for example, about 60% or more, for example, about 65% or more, for example, about 70% or more, for example, about 75% or more, for example, about 97.5% or less, for example, about 95% or less, for example, about 92.5% or less, for example, about 90% or less, for example, about 87.5% or less, for example, about 85% or less, for example, about 82.5% or less, for example, about 80% or less, or any range or value in between. If the width of the component support 506 is smaller than the width of the assembly platform, the component support 506 can provide further access to the inside of the processing chamber while maintaining sufficient support by the base frame 502 and the telescopic frame 504.

[0056]

[0064] Figure 6 shows the steps of a method for assembling a semiconductor processing chamber, such as one or more of the processing chambers 108 (208) described above. For example, method 600 may include arranging the components of the processing chamber on a component support 605, the component support may relate to one or more of the embodiments described herein. In addition, the components of the processing chamber may be one or more of the following: a gas delivery assembly, a lid assembly, etc. For example, in one embodiment, the component may be a gas delivery component such as a faceplate. In some embodiments, the component may have a weight of about 1 kilogram (kg) or more, for example about 1.1 kg or more, for example about 1.2 kg or more, for example about 1.3 kg or more, for example about 1.4 kg or more, for example about 1.5 kg or more, or any range or value in between. Regardless of the selected component, it is clear that step 605 is performed when the component assembly platform is in a compressed position.

[0057]

[0065] After the component is placed on the component support, such as within an area defined by the rim of the component support, the assembly platform transitions from a compressed position to a fully extended position 610. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the transition may be automatic. In particular, the fully extended position may be selected based on the respective processing chamber to automatically provide the component to the desired position.

[0058]

[0066] In addition, or alternatively, in the embodiment, one or more sensors, such as optical sensors, can be used to signal the platform that it has reached a fully extended position, such as when the part platform is aligned to its installation location, and to stop the assembly movement. That is, in the embodiment, in an optional step 601 which may be performed before or after step 605, one or more cameras and one or more optical sensors can be used to align the assembly platform to an opening in the process chamber. In the embodiment, optical sensors can be used to align the assembly platform to the side wall of the opening in a horizontal plane (e.g., the x-axis as shown in Figures 4A and 4B), to the bottom and top walls of the opening in a vertical plane (e.g., the y-axis as shown in Figures 4A and 4B), and / or to a depth distance in a horizontal plane. For example, optical sensors can be used to determine how close the assembly platform should be positioned in the horizontal plane to place the part support in the appropriate position within the processing chamber. In addition, or alternatively, if a fully extended position is not required in the embodiment, optical sensors can be used to set the servo motor to a specific extended distance. In embodiments, one or more cameras can be used alone or in addition to one or more optical sensors to assist in the alignment of the assembly platform in any of the methods described with respect to optical sensors. In embodiments, alignment, distance selection, and transitions such as steps 601, 605, and 610 can be performed automatically using one or more processors configured to perform the steps.

[0059]

[0067] When the assembly platform is in its fully extended position, the parts can be assembled or positioned at the desired location within the processing chamber. As described herein, by moving to the fully extended position, the parts are transported to a location directly above or below the desired assembly position. Thus, the user or automated assembly mechanism only needs to position the parts at a short distance from the part support, which can reduce or even eliminate the difficulties in assembling large and / or heavy parts within the processing chamber.

[0060]

[0068] Nevertheless, as can be understood from the above disclosure, the placement step 605 is performed at a location outside the processing chamber. Thus, the part is placed on the part support outside the processing chamber. Conversely, step 610 moves the part from outside the processing chamber, through the opening of the processing chamber, and places the part at an internal position inside the processing chamber in a fully stretched position. In one embodiment, the internal position may be at a location about 0.5 meters or more, e.g., about 0.6 meters or more, e.g., about 0.7 meters or more, e.g., about 0.8 meters or more, e.g., about 0.9 meters or more, e.g., about 1 meter or more, or any range or value in between thereof from the opening of the processing chamber.

[0061]

[0069] Finally, as may be apparent from the above description, in some embodiments, the width W of the component support c The width of the assembly platform is smaller than the width of the opening of the processing chamber (not shown). Furthermore, the width W of the assembly platform may also be smaller than the width of the opening of the processing chamber. In addition, since the assembly platform may be located on or near one or more processing chambers, such as an optical table, in some embodiments the assembly platform is a cleanroom-compatible mechanism utilizing cleanroom-compatible parts and materials.

[0062]

[0070] Nevertheless, as shown in Figure 7, in the embodiments, the system and method may be fully or partially performed by a processor which may be incorporated as part of the aforementioned computer system 301. For example, computer system 700 may represent a controller or a part of the components of the computer system described herein. Figure 7 provides a schematic diagram of one embodiment of computer system 700 which may perform the method provided by various other embodiments as described herein. Figure 7 is intended only to provide a generalized diagram of various components, any or all of which may be used as appropriate. Thus, Figure 7 roughly shows how individual system elements may be implemented in a relatively isolated or relatively integrated manner.

[0063]

[0071] The illustrated computer system 700 includes hardware elements that may be electrically coupled via a bus 705 (or can communicate in other ways as needed), which may also be connected to a controller 301. The hardware elements may include a processing unit 710 which includes, but is not limited to, one or more processors such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphical processing unit (GPU), a special-purpose processor (such as a digital signal processing chip, a graphics accelerator, and / or the like); one or more input devices 715 which may include, but is not limited to, a keyboard, a touchscreen, a receiver, a motion sensor, a camera, a smart card reader, a contactless media reader, and / or the like; and one or more output devices 720 which may include, but is not limited to, a display device, a speaker, a printer, a writing module, and / or the like.

[0064]

[0072] The computer system 700 may further include (and / communicate with) one or more non-transient storage devices 725, which may include, but are not limited to, local and / or network-accessible storage devices and / or solid-state storage devices such as disk drives, drive arrays, optical storage devices, random access memory ("RAM") and / or read-only memory ("ROM"), and which may be programmable, flash-updatable, and / or of the same kind. Such storage devices may be configured to implement any suitable data store, including, but not limited to, various file systems, database structures, and / or of the same kind.

[0065]

[0073] The computer system 700 may also include a communication interface 730, which may include, but is not limited to, a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device and / or a chipset (such as a Bluetooth device, a 502.11 device, a Wi-Fi device, a WiMAX device, an NFC device, or cellular communication equipment), and / or a similar communication interface. The communication interface 730 may enable the exchange of data with a network (for example, the network described below), another processor, and / or any other device described herein. In many embodiments, the computer system 700 further includes a non-transient working memory 735, which may include a RAM or ROM device, as described above.

[0066]

[0074] The computer system 700 may also include software elements shown as currently located in working memory 735, including other code such as an operating system 740, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or one or more application programs 745, which may include processor programs provided by various embodiments as described herein, and / or may be designed to implement a method and / or constitute a system provided by other embodiments. As mere examples, one or more steps described with respect to the above-described method(s) or system may be implemented as code and / or instructions executable by a computer (and / or a processor within the computer). In one embodiment, such special / particular purpose code and / or instructions may be used to configure and / or adapt a computing device into a special-purpose computer configured to perform one or more steps according to the described method.

[0067]

[0075] These instructions and / or codes may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as the storage device 725(one or more) described above. In some cases, the storage medium may be incorporated into a computer system such as computer system 700. In other embodiments, the storage medium may be separate from the computer system (e.g., a removable medium such as a compact disk) and / or provided in an installation package, so that the storage medium can be used to program, configure, and / or adapt a special-purpose computer with the instructions / code stored therein. These instructions may take the form of executable code that can be executed by computer system 700 and / or in the form of source code and / or installable code, which, when compiled and / or installed in computer system 700 (e.g., using any of the various available compilers, installation programs, compression / decompression utilities, etc.), take the form of executable code.

[0068]

[0076] Significant modifications can be made to suit specific requirements. For example, customized hardware may be used, and / or certain elements may be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software such as applets), or both. Furthermore, hardware and / or software components that provide specific functions may comprise a dedicated system (with specialized components) or be part of a more general-purpose system. For example, a risk management engine configured to provide some or all of the features described herein relating to risk profiling and / or risk diversification may comprise dedicated hardware and / or software (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), software schemes, etc.) or general-purpose hardware and / or software (e.g., processing unit 710, application 745, etc.). Furthermore, connections to other computing devices such as network input / output devices may be employed.

[0069]

[0077] In some embodiments, a computer system (such as computer system 700) may be employed to carry out the methods described herein. For example, some or all of the steps of the described method may be executed by computer system 700 in response to the execution of one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in working memory 735 (which may be incorporated into other code such as the operating system 740 and / or application program 745) by a processing unit 710. The instructions may be read into working memory 735 from another computer-readable medium, such as one or more storage devices 725. As just one example, the processing unit 710 may be made to carry out one or more steps of the methods described herein by executing a sequence of instructions contained in working memory 735.

[0070]

[0078] As used herein, the terms “machine-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” refer to any medium involved in providing data that enables a machine to operate in a particular manner. In embodiments implemented using the computer system 700, various computer-readable media may be involved in providing instructions / code to the processing unit 710 for execution and / or may be used to store and / or carry such instructions / code (e.g., as signals). In many implementations, the computer-readable medium is a physical and / or tangible storage medium. Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical disks and / or magnetic disks such as one or more storage devices 725. Volatile media include, but are not limited to, dynamic memory such as working memory 735. Transmission media include, but are not limited to, coaxial cables, copper wires, and optical fibers, including wires with a bus 705, and various components of the communication interface 730 (and / or media through which the communication interface 730 provides communication with other devices). Therefore, the transmission medium can also take the form of waves (including, but not limited to, radio waves, acoustic waves, and / or light waves generated during radio wave and infrared data communications, etc.).

[0071]

[0079] Common forms of physical and / or tangible computer-readable media include, for example, magnetic media, optical media, or any other physical media having a pattern of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carriers as described below, or any other media from which a computer can read instructions and / or code.

[0072]

[0080] The communication interface 730 (and / or its components) generally receives a signal, and the bus 705 then transports the signal (and / or the data, instructions, etc., carried by the signal) to the working memory 735, from which the processor 710(one or more) can read and execute the instructions. Instructions received by the working memory 735 may optionally be stored in the non-transient storage device 725 either before or after execution by the processing unit 710 and the controller 301.

[0073]

[0081] In the embodiments described above, processes may be described in a specific order for illustrative purposes. It should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the method may be executed in an order different from the order described. It should also be understood that the method and / or system components described above may be executed by hardware and / or software components (including integrated circuits, processing units, etc.), or may be embodied in a sequence of machine-readable instructions or computer-readable instructions that can be used to cause a machine, such as a general-purpose processor or special-purpose processor, or an instruction-programmed logic circuit, to execute the method. These machine-readable instructions may be stored in one or more machine-readable media, such as a CD-ROM or other type of optical disk, floppy disk, ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic card or optical card, flash memory, or other type of machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. Alternatively, the method may be executed by a combination of hardware and software.

[0074]

[0082] The methods, systems, apparatus, graphs, and tables described herein are illustrative. Various procedures or components may be omitted, substituted, or added as appropriate in different configurations. For example, in alternative configurations, the methods may be performed in a different order than described, and / or various steps may be added, omitted, and / or combined. Furthermore, features described for a particular configuration may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of configurations may be combined in the same manner. Also, as technology evolves, many elements are illustrative and do not limit the scope of this disclosure or claims. Furthermore, the techniques described herein may yield different results depending on the type of context-awareness classifier used.

[0075]

[0083] While exemplary and currently preferred embodiments of the disclosure system, method, and machine-readable medium have been described in detail herein, it should be understood that the concepts of the present invention can be embodied and adopted in a variety of other forms, except as limited by the prior art, and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such modifications.

[0076]

[0084] In the above description, numerous details have been included to facilitate understanding of various embodiments of this technology. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain embodiments may be implemented without some of these details, or with additional details.

[0077]

[0085] While several embodiments have been disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative structures, and equivalents can be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the Art, some well-known processes and elements have not been described. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the Art.

[0078]

[0086] Where a range of values ​​is provided, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, each intervening value between the upper and lower limits of that range, down to the smallest unit of the lower limit, is also specifically disclosed. This includes any narrower range between any unlisted intervening value of any listed value or range and any other listed value or intervening value of that range. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may be independently included in or excluded from the range, and each range that includes one or both limits, or neither, is also included in this technique, according to any specifically excluded limits in the listed range. Where a listed range includes one or both limits, ranges that exclude one or both of those included limits are also included.

[0079]

[0087] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "a heater" includes multiple such heaters, and a reference to "the protrusion" includes one or more protrusions and equivalents well known to those skilled in the art, and so on.

[0080]

[0088] Furthermore, as used herein and in the following claims, the terms “comprise,” “comprising,” “contain,” “containing,” “include,” and “including” specify the presence of the described feature, integer, component, or process, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, processes, operations, or groups.

Claims

1. A semiconductor component assembly platform, A base frame having a frame body extending from a first end to a second end, A telescopic frame movably connected to the aforementioned base frame, A component support movably connected to the aforementioned telescopic frame, In the compressed position and the fully extended position, the distance from the second end of the expansion frame to the first end of the base frame is greater in the fully extended position than in the compressed position. Equipped with, A semiconductor component assembly platform having, in a compressed position, a compressed length from the first end of the base frame to the second end of the expandable frame, and in a fully extended position, a fully extended length from the first end of the base frame to the second end of the component support, wherein the fully extended length is at least about 1.2 times longer than the compressed length.

2. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 1, wherein the component assembly platform has a width extending from a first side of the telescopic frame to a second side of the component support, and the fully extended length of the semiconductor component assembly platform is at least about 1.75 times longer than the width of the component assembly platform.

3. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 1, wherein the expandable frame, the component support, or both the expandable frame and the component support are movable in a horizontal plane substantially parallel to the frame body.

4. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 3, wherein the semiconductor component assembly platform has a compressed position height extending from the bottom surface of the base to the top surface of the telescopic frame and a fully extended position height extending from the bottom surface of the base to the top surface of the telescopic frame, the compressed position height being about 90% to about 100% of the fully extended position height.

5. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 3, wherein the telescopic frame, the component support, or both the telescopic frame and the component support are movable along or parallel to a line extending substantially through the first end of the base frame and the second end of the base frame.

6. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 5, wherein the telescopic frame and the component support are movable in forward and reverse directions along or parallel to the line.

7. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 6, wherein the base frame includes a first guide rail assembly disposed on the upper surface of the base frame, and the telescopic frame includes a second guide rail assembly disposed on the upper surface of the telescopic frame.

8. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 7, wherein the telescopic frame is movable along the first guide rail assembly, and the component support is movable along the second guide rail assembly.

9. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 8, further comprising the telescopic frame and a linear actuator connected to the component support.

10. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 9, further comprising at least one of a cable carrier, a drag chain, an energy chain, a cable chain, or a combination thereof connected to the linear actuator.

11. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 1, wherein the component support includes a base and an alignment rim, the base being substantially planar and the alignment rim extending from the upper surface of the base.

12. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 1, wherein in the compressed position, the first end of the expandable frame is positioned substantially above the first end of the base frame; in the fully extended position, the first end of the expandable frame is positioned between the first end of the base frame and the second end of the base frame; and in the fully extended position, the second end of the component support is positioned horizontally outward of the second end of the expandable frame relative to the frame body.

13. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 12, wherein the alignment rim has a shape different from the shape of the base.

14. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 12, wherein the alignment rim defines an internal area smaller than the area of ​​the base.

15. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 2, wherein the component support has a width extending from a first side surface of the component support to a second side surface of the component support, and the width of the component support is smaller than the width of the component assembly platform.

16. The semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 15, wherein the width of the component support is approximately 50% to approximately 99% of the width of the component assembly platform.

17. The base frame, the telescopic frame, the component support, or any combination thereof has a load capacity of approximately 3000 kg / m². ３ A semiconductor component assembly platform according to claim 1, formed from a metal or alloy thereof having a density and / or a tensile strength of approximately 250 MPa or more.

18. A method for assembling a semiconductor processing chamber, The process chamber component is placed on the component support of the component assembly platform in the compression position, wherein the component assembly platform is A base frame having a frame body extending from a first end to a second end, A telescopic frame movably connected to the aforementioned base frame, The component support, which is movably connected to the telescopic frame, This includes arranging processing chamber components on component supports of a component assembly platform in a compressed position, The process involves moving the aforementioned parts assembly platform from the compressed position to the fully extended position, Positioning the aforementioned processing chamber component within the processing chamber Includes, A method wherein, in the compressed position, the processing chamber component is located outside the processing chamber, and in the fully extended position, the second end of the component support is positioned horizontally outside the second end of the telescopic frame relative to the frame body, and the processing chamber component is located inside the processing chamber.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the processing chamber includes an opening, and the processing chamber components are positioned at a distance of about 0.5 meters or more from the opening.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the processing chamber component has a weight of about 1 kilogram or more.

Images