Substrate transfer system and method of use thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system and method for a transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system. The transfer chamber includes a magnetic levitation platform having a magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the magnetic levitation track configured to generate a magnetic field above the magnetic levitation track. The transfer chamber also includes a magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber, the plane of the lateral track intersecting the plane of the longitudinal track at a junction. The lateral track is configured to generate a magnetic field above or below the track. The platform further includes at least one substrate carrier configured to move along the longitudinal track and the lateral track. The substrate carrier is also configured to rotate at the junction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of robotics. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a substrate transfer system for transferring substrates between processing chambers in an isolated environment. The substrates may be transferred using a magnetic levitation platform within a transfer enclosure. A method for using such a magnetic levitation platform within a transfer chamber is also disclosed. [Background technology]

[0002] Semiconductor devices are formed on a substrate by many processing steps in one or more processing chambers of a semiconductor manufacturing system. Each processing chamber completes one or more of the various steps (e.g., etching, polishing, deposition, etc.) to form the semiconductor device. The processing chambers are maintained under vacuum. A substrate transfer system, also maintained under vacuum, may interconnect the processing chambers and can move substrates between the processing chambers without breaking the vacuum. Some substrate transfer systems have linear and rectangular mechanisms such that the processing chambers are located along either side of the transfer chamber.

[0003] Substrate transfer systems using linear mechanisms typically include a conveyor with a rectangular top surface, with processing chambers on one or both sides of the conveyor. The conveyor may be connected to one or more load locks to maintain a vacuum environment inside the transfer system. Substrates are placed into and removed from the load locks, which open only once to the transfer chamber under vacuum. One or more robots may be positioned near the processing chambers and load locks to transfer substrates between the conveyor and the processing chambers or load locks.

[0004] Conventional substrate carriers are generally limited to one-way substrate movement, limiting options for transferring substrates between processing chambers and load locks, and tend to have a large footprint and internal volume to accommodate the conveyor. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one or more embodiments, a transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system disclosed herein comprises a magnetic levitation platform, the magnetic levitation platform comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber, the planes of the two magnetic levitation tracks intersect with the plane of the first magnetic levitation track at a first junction, the second magnetic levitation track configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track; and at least one substrate carrier configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, the at least one substrate carrier configured to rotate at the first junction.

[0006] Further disclosed in one or more embodiments herein is a transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system comprising a magnetic levitation platform, the magnetic levitation platform comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber at a first height within the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber at a second height within the processing chamber, the second magnetic levitation track configured to generate a second magnetic field below the second magnetic levitation track; and at least one substrate carrier configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, the at least one substrate carrier configured to move from the first magnetic levitation track to the second magnetic levitation track at an intersection between a surface of the first magnetic levitation track and a surface of the second magnetic levitation track.

[0007] In a further embodiment herein, a method of moving one or more substrates in a transfer chamber is disclosed, the method including: retrieving a first substrate from a first processing chamber by a first substrate carrier engaged with a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; generating a first magnetic field by the first magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, in a first direction along the first magnetic levitation track; and rotating the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, at a first junction formed where a plane of a second magnetic levitation track intersects with a plane of the first magnetic levitation track, the second magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber and configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track. generating a second magnetic field by the second magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, in a second direction along the second magnetic levitation track; rotating the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, at a second junction formed where a plane of a third magnetic levitation track intersects a plane of the second magnetic levitation track, the third magnetic levitation track being spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and disposed along a length of the transfer chamber and configured to generate a third magnetic field on the second magnetic levitation track; generating a third magnetic field by the third magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track from the first processing chamber to a second processing chamber disposed on the opposite side of the transfer chamber; and rotating the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, to place the first substrate in the second processing chamber.

[0008] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1A] 1 illustrates a top view of a substrate transfer system according to various embodiments. [Figure 1B] 1 illustrates a longitudinal side view of a substrate transfer system according to various embodiments. [Figure 1C] 1A-1D are lateral side views of a substrate transfer system according to various embodiments. [Figure 1D] 1A-1D are diagrams of substrate carriers according to various embodiments. [Figure 2A] 1 illustrates a top view of a magnetic levitation platform in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 2B] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 3A] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 3B] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 3C] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a magnetic bearing suitable for use with a substrate carrier for a magnetic levitation track, according to various embodiments. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 5A] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 5B] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 6] 1A-1C are diagrams of a magnetic levitation platform having upper and lower magnetic levitation tracks, according to various embodiments. [Figure 7]1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates an embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 9A] 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a substrate carrier for use with a magnetic levitation platform, in accordance with various embodiments. [Figure 9B] 10A-10C are diagrams depicting centering force as a function of lateral position of a centering magnet of a substrate carrier, according to various embodiments. [Figure 10] 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic levitation platform according to various embodiments. [Figure 11] 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic levitation platform and a substrate carrier according to various embodiments. [Figure 12] 10A-10C illustrate a method of moving a wafer through a transfer chamber according to various embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] According to embodiments, disclosed herein is a transfer chamber having a magnetic levitation platform (also referred to herein as a magnetic levitation system) for use in a semiconductor manufacturing system. The transfer chamber having a magnetic levitation platform according to embodiments herein can have a smaller footprint than conventional conveyor systems, provide flow of flexible substrates, can have a smaller vacuum volume than conventional transfer systems, and is relatively easy to service.

[0011] In embodiments, the magnetic levitation platform includes a network of magnetic levitation tracks (also referred to herein as "lanes") that can move substrates from one location to another within a chamber without breaking vacuum. The magnetic levitation platform can provide random access to the processing chamber and, for example, a load lock connected to a transfer chamber in which the magnetic levitation platform is located. In some embodiments, the magnetic levitation platform can include one or more longitudinal magnetic levitation tracks that move along the length of the chamber and one or more lateral magnetic levitation tracks that move along the width of the chamber. In one or more embodiments, the magnetic levitation platform can include two to five longitudinal tracks in a spaced-apart configuration and two to five lateral tracks, also in a spaced-apart configuration. The lateral tracks can move at an angle (e.g., about 90°) relative to the longitudinal tracks so that the plane of each lateral track intersects the plane of each longitudinal track at one or more junctions. At least one substrate carrier can be configured to move linearly along the longitudinal or lateral tracks. At least one substrate carrier may be configured to change direction at a junction, switching from a vertical track to a horizontal track, or vice versa. At least one substrate carrier may be configured to rotate at a junction. For example, at least one substrate carrier may be configured to rotate by about ±90° to about ±180° at one or more junctions. The substrate and carrier may move from one vertical track, through a horizontal track, with, for example, a ±90° rotation, or without rotation, to a parallel vertical track. In some embodiments, the substrate and carrier may be rotated by ±180° at a junction. After such a rotation, the substrate carrier may move in the opposite direction along the same vertical track.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, one or more longitudinal tracks may be at a different height than one or more horizontal tracks. In at least one embodiment, one or more horizontal tracks may be configured to align with a processing chamber entrance, and the vertical tracks may be configured to span the length of the transfer chamber, for example, so that one or more of the vertical tracks align with one or more load locks located at the ends of the transfer chamber. The substrate carrier may be configured to move vertically from a vertical track to a horizontal track, or vice versa, at a junction where the plane of the vertical track intersects the plane of the horizontal track. Vertical movement may be performed in addition to or instead of rotation. In at least one embodiment, one or more vertical tracks are oriented upward relative to the bottom surface of the chamber, and one or more horizontal tracks are oriented downward relative to the top surface of the chamber. In at least one embodiment, one or more vertical tracks face downward at the top surface of the chamber, and one or more horizontal tracks face upward at the bottom surface of the chamber. At least one substrate carrier may include a magnet (e.g., a mover) on its top surface that engages with one or more top tracks, and another magnet (e.g., a mover) on its bottom surface that engages with one or more bottom tracks.

[0013] According to one or more embodiments, the substrate carrier may have a width of about 300-320 mm and a length of about 300-320 mm. The longitudinal and horizontal tracks may be spaced apart by at least an appropriate distance so that two substrate carriers with substrates thereon can move on adjacent longitudinal or horizontal tracks without collision. In some embodiments, the longitudinal tracks may be spaced apart by about 350 mm to about 450 mm, or any individual value or subrange within this range. In some embodiments, the horizontal tracks may be spaced apart by about 900 mm to about 1000 mm, or any individual value or subrange within this range, including about 914 mm.

[0014] In at least one embodiment, the bottom surface of the transfer chamber provides the propulsion force. The propulsion force may be generated by at least one stator of at least one linear motor. The substrate carrier used to transport the substrate within the transfer chamber may include magnets (e.g., a moving body) and thus may be moved along one or more longitudinal and / or lateral tracks by the at least one linear motor.

[0015] 1A-1C illustrate one embodiment of a substrate transfer system. FIG. 1A depicts a top view of a substrate transfer system according to various embodiments. FIG. 1B depicts a longitudinal side view of a substrate transfer system according to various embodiments. FIG. 1C depicts a lateral side view of a substrate transfer system according to various embodiments.

[0016] 1A-1C, a transfer chamber 102 for an electronic device processing system 100 may have at least one port 103 configured to provide access to at least one processing chamber 104A-104L. In an embodiment, the transfer chamber 102 may have multiple ports 103, each configured to provide access to one of the multiple processing chambers 104A-104L. Each port may include a slit valve sized to accommodate an end effector that holds a substrate (e.g., a wafer). In one embodiment, the ports 103 and / or slit valves are all coplanar and all share a common height. Alternatively, different ports and / or slit valves may be located at different heights and / or planes. Additionally, in one embodiment, all of the ports 103 and / or slit valves have a common opening pitch (the vertical dimension of the openings). The common aperture pitch can be a single height pitch that can accommodate end effectors and substrates positioned at a particular height, or a multiple height pitch that can accommodate end effectors and substrates positioned at multiple separate heights (e.g., end effectors and substrates of a substrate carrier mounted on a bottom track and end effectors and substrates of a substrate carrier mounted on a top track). Alternatively, different ports 103 can have different aperture pitches.

[0017] According to embodiments, the length and width of the transfer chamber can be such that the first dimension of length (referred to as the longitudinal direction) is several orders of magnitude larger than the second dimension of width (referred to as the transverse direction). Multiple ports 103 can be disposed along the length of the transfer chamber 102. In embodiments, the ports 103 can be oriented approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber 102. In embodiments, the length can be between about 5 feet and about 20 feet, such as about 6 feet, about 8 feet, about 10 feet, about 12 feet, about 14 feet, about 16 feet, about 18 feet, or about 20 feet. In embodiments, the transfer chamber 102 can further include an additional port 106 configured to provide access to a load lock 107 (or multiple additional ports, each configured to provide access to one or more load locks). The additional port 106 can be disposed along the width of the transfer chamber 102 at a first end of the transfer chamber 102. The load lock 107 may be connected to a factory interface 109 containing one or more front-opening unified pods (FOUPs) 111. In addition, one or more further ports (not shown) may be located at the opposite end of the transfer chamber from port 106, which may be configured to allow access to one or more load locks and / or processing chambers. A robot (not shown) contained in the factory interface picks wafers from the FOUP 111 and places them in the load lock 107, and substrate carriers 110, 110A-110C retrieve wafers from the load lock 107.

[0018] In some embodiments, port 106 may be approximately perpendicular to port 103. In embodiments, the width of transfer chamber 100 is approximately twice the width of load lock 107 or the width of substrates 108, 108A-108C. In embodiments, the width of transfer chamber 100 is approximately three times the width of load lock 107 or the width of substrates 108, 108A-108C.

[0019] The transfer chamber system 100 includes at least one substrate carrier 110A-110D configured to transfer substrates 108 between at least one processing chamber 104A-104L and the transfer chamber 102. According to an embodiment, the transfer chamber 102 can contain several substrate carriers 110A-110D, for example, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10, i.e., about 2 to about 10 substrate carriers.

[0020] Each substrate carrier 110A-110D is configured to move using a magnetic levitation conveyor system (e.g., one or more linear motors). For example, each substrate carrier 110A-110C can move along at least one magnetic levitation track 150A-150B, 152A-152F. According to an embodiment, the transfer chamber 102 can include two (or more) vertical magnetic levitation tracks 150A-150B and multiple horizontal magnetic levitation tracks 152A-152B, 152C, 152D, 152E, 152F. Each magnetic levitation track can include a stator of a respective linear motor. In one embodiment, the vertical magnetic levitation tracks are disposed on a bottom interior surface 116 of the transfer chamber 102, and the horizontal magnetic levitation tracks 152A-152F are disposed on an opposite top interior surface 118 of the transfer chamber 102. The vertical magnetic levitation tracks 150A-150B may be configured to move the substrate carriers 110A-110C in forward or backward directions (away from or towards the load lock), and the horizontal magnetic levitation tracks 152A-152F may be configured to move the substrate carriers away from or towards the processing chambers connected to the longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber 102 (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transfer chamber).

[0021] In embodiments, vertical magnetic levitation tracks 150A-150B are located at the top of the transfer chamber, and horizontal magnetic levitation tracks 152A-152F are located at the bottom of the transfer chamber. In embodiments, vertical magnetic levitation tracks 150A-150B may be located at the top and / or bottom of the transfer chamber, and horizontal magnetic levitation tracks may also be located at the top and / or bottom of the transfer chamber. The magnetic levitation tracks may be positioned opposite each other, as shown in FIG. 1B (e.g., any magnetic levitation track(s) at the bottom of the transfer chamber face up, and any magnetic levitation track(s) at the top of the transfer chamber face down). In embodiments, the spacing between the top and bottom tracks may be about 40 mm to about 300 mm, about 100 mm to about 250 mm, or about 150 mm to about 200 mm.

[0022] According to an embodiment, the longitudinal magnetic levitation tracks 150A-150B may be configured to move one or more of the plurality of substrate carriers 110A-110D along the length (e.g., along the vertical axis) of the transfer chamber 102. The horizontal magnetic levitation tracks 152A-152F may be configured to move one or more of the plurality of substrate carriers 110A-110D along a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transfer chamber 102. In one embodiment, the vertical magnetic levitation track 150A moves the substrate carriers 110A-110D in a first direction (e.g., away from the load lock), and the vertical magnetic levitation track 150B moves the substrate carriers 110A-110D in a second, opposite direction (e.g., toward the load lock). Substrate carriers may be transferred between the longitudinal magnetic levitation tracks 150A and 150B via the horizontal magnetic levitation tracks 152A-152F.

[0023] In some embodiments, as shown, the width of the transfer chamber 102 is too narrow for a substrate carrier positioned immediately adjacent to a processing chamber to rotate to point the substrate it holds toward the processing chamber. In such embodiments, a substrate carrier (e.g., substrate carrier 110B) is positioned at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical tracks on the opposite side of the transfer chamber from the processing chamber where the substrate will be placed (e.g., processing chamber 104D) to enter the processing chamber. The substrate carrier may then rotate toward the processing chamber until it is approximately aligned with the horizontal track (perpendicular to the vertical track). The substrate carrier may then move along the horizontal track toward the processing chamber to place the substrate in the processing chamber. After placing the substrate in the processing chamber, the substrate carrier may again move in the opposite direction to the intersection of the horizontal and vertical tracks on the opposite side of the processing chamber and then rotate to point vertically.

[0024] FIG. 1D illustrates one embodiment of a substrate carrier 110 suitable for use in the transfer chamber system 100, according to an embodiment. The substrate carrier 110 may include an end effector 120 for receiving, lifting, and holding a substrate 108, such as a wafer, and / or the substrate may be placed on the end effector 120. Any suitable end effector 120 for use in a semiconductor processing system may be used, as understood by those skilled in the art. According to an embodiment, one or more substrate carriers 110 may be a robot arm known to those skilled in the art. The substrate carrier 110 may include an upper magnetic portion 124 and a lower magnetic portion 126. The lower magnetic portion 126 may be, for example, a first moving body of a first linear motor. The upper magnetic portion 124 may be, for example, a second moving body of a second linear motor. Alternatively, the upper and lower magnetic portions may be upper and lower halves of a single moving body configured to engage with a first stator below the substrate carrier 110 and a second stator above the substrate carrier 110. The upper magnetic portion 124 may include one or more magnets (e.g., permanent magnets), and the lower magnetic portion 126 may include one or more additional magnets. The upper and lower magnetic portions may be configured so that their magnetic fields do not interfere with each other. The magnetic levitation conveyor system includes one or more electromagnets (not shown) for controlling the movement of the substrate carriers and linear motors (not shown) for moving the substrate carriers 110, 110A-110D.

[0025] 1A-1C, according to an embodiment, the plurality of ports 103 can be or include a plurality of slit valves. A first transfer surface of at least a first subset of the plurality of slit valves is accessible to substrate carriers engaged with magnetic levitation tracks disposed on a bottom surface of the transfer chamber. A second transfer surface of a second subset of the plurality of slit valves is accessible to substrate carriers engaged with magnetic levitation tracks disposed on a top surface of the transfer chamber. To further improve throughput and enable near-simultaneous exchange of substrates in the processing chambers 104A-104L or the load lock 107, at least some of the plurality of slit valves have a first wafer transfer surface and a second wafer transfer surface above the first wafer transfer surface. The first wafer transfer surface is accessible to substrate carriers engaged with magnetic levitation tracks on the bottom surface. The second wafer transfer surface is accessible to substrate carriers engaged with magnetic levitation tracks on the top surface. In further embodiments, multiple slit valves can have a common transfer surface accessible to substrate carriers engaged with the magnetic levitation track on the bottom surface as well as the magnetic levitation track on the top surface. The slit valve opening can be sized depending on the configuration of the transfer surface. The slit valve opening can be from about 1 inch to about 20 inches for a single transfer surface, and from about 2 inches to about 20 inches when there are two transfer surfaces. For example, the slit valve opening can be larger when there are two wafer transfer surfaces than when there is only one wafer transfer surface.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the system may include a first load lock and a second load lock (not shown). The first load lock is accessible to substrate carriers engaged with the magnetic levitation track on the bottom surface. The second load lock may be stacked on top of the first load lock at an end of the transfer chamber 102. The second load lock is accessible to substrate carriers engaged with the magnetic levitation track(s) on the top surface. In an embodiment, a first height of the transfer chamber 102 at the end near the first load lock may be greater than a second height of the remainder of the transfer chamber 102. In a further embodiment, the first load lock and the second load lock may be positioned side-by-side in an angled configuration (e.g., 30 degrees or 45 degrees) relative to the longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber.

[0027] According to an embodiment, the system includes at least one vertical motion assembly 128, 128A-128C configured to receive and raise and lower the substrate 108 between transfer surfaces and / or magnetic levitation tracks. The vertical motion assembly 128, 128A-128C may include one or more lift pins, such as a pair or triplet of lift pins 130, 130A-130C. Alternatively, the vertical motion assembly may move the substrate carrier using electromagnetic, lift plate (e.g., rotatable lift), and / or other lift mechanisms, some of which are described in more detail below. In an example of a lift pin assembly, the lift pins 130, 130A-130C may be configured to penetrate the bottom surface 116 of the transfer chamber 102 and may have an atmosphere-side surface and a vacuum-side surface. The atmosphere-side surface may be external to the bottom surface of the transfer chamber 102. The lift pins 130, 130A-130C may be sealed with bellows to maintain a vacuum environment in the transfer chamber. The lift pins 130, 130A-130C may be configured to extend into the transfer chamber 102 at a vacuum-side surface. In embodiments, at least one vertical motion assembly 128, 128A-128C may be configured to vertically move a substrate carrier 110 disposed in front of the first load lock to a transfer surface that is higher than the second height of the remainder of the transfer chamber 102 (discussed above). During operation, when the lift pins 130, 130A-130C or other lift mechanism raises the substrate carrier 110, 110A-110C to a certain proximity relative to the upper track 118, a magnetic field may be activated in the vicinity of the substrate carrier. When the lift pins 130, 130A-130C or other lift mechanism engage the substrate carrier 110, 110A-110C in the upper track 118, the magnetic field in the vicinity of the substrate carrier 110, 110A-110C can be deactivated to move the substrate to the lower track 112 by the lift pins 130, 130A-130C.

[0028] FIG. 2A illustrates a magnetic levitation platform 200 according to one or more embodiments described herein. As shown, a first longitudinal magnetic levitation track 202 moves along the bottom surface of a transfer chamber 214. A second longitudinal magnetic levitation track 204 and a third longitudinal magnetic levitation track 206 also move parallel to the first longitudinal track 202, respectively, along the bottom surface of the transfer chamber 214. A linear motor (not shown) may be disposed below the bottom surface of the transfer chamber 214. The linear motor may generate a thrust force via a stator. The lateral tracks 208, 210, and 212 are disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal tracks 202, 204, and 206. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A, the longitudinal tracks 202, 204, and 206 face upward at a first height. The lateral tracks 208, 210, and 212 may face upward at the first height or downward at a second height higher than the first height. The vertical tracks 202 , 204 , 206 may be supported by the bottom surface of the chamber 214 , while the horizontal tracks 208 , 210 , 212 may be supported by the top and / or sides (not shown) of the chamber 214 .

[0029] One or more substrate carriers 216, 218, 220 are configured to move back and forth on the vertical tracks 202, 204, 206 and the horizontal tracks 208, 210, 212. The substrate carriers 216, 220 may be configured to move on the upper horizontal tracks 208, 210, while the substrate carrier 218 moves on the lower track 204. In one or more embodiments, the substrate carriers 216, 218, 220 may be configured to provide vertical lift and / or rotation at one or more joints 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234, 236, 238. 2A , where longitudinal tracks 202, 204, 206 intersect with horizontal tracks 208, 210, 212, junctions 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234, 236, 238 are formed. Substrate carriers 216, 218, 220 rotate, e.g., 90°, at junctions 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234, 236, 238 to move from longitudinal tracks 202, 204, 206 to horizontal tracks 208, 210, 212 and change direction accordingly. In at least one embodiment, magnetic levitation platform 200 is configured to lift and / or rotate substrate carriers 216, 218, 220 at the junctions.

[0030] In at least one embodiment, the substrate carriers 216, 218, 220 may include a pair of actuators, one for vertically lifting the substrate carrier and the other for rotating the substrate carrier or the rotary table thereon. Magnetic bearings may be located external to the rotary table and configured to engage with magnetic levitation tracks. For example, the substrate carrier may have an external lift driver and an internal rotation driver (e.g., within a central shaft).

[0031] In one or more embodiments described herein, one or more lift pin assemblies may be used to raise and lower a substrate carrier from the bottom track to the upper track, or vice versa. The lift pin assemblies may be isolated from the atmosphere using bellows. Each lift pin assembly may have a set of lift pins to raise the substrate carrier from the bottom track to the upper track and / or lower the substrate carrier from the upper track to the bottom track. When the substrate carrier with an attached substrate reaches a certain proximity (e.g., as sensed by a track sensing system) to the upper magnetic levitation track, the upper track may activate a magnetic field near the substrate carrier to secure the substrate carrier to the upper track.

[0032] In some embodiments, the substrate carrier is configured to move from the lower track to the upper track without a lift pin assembly. For example, a substrate carrier having magnets on its top and bottom surfaces uses magnetic forces between the magnets and the respective magnetic levitation tracks to switch tracks. In one embodiment, a substrate carrier operating on a lower vertical track may switch to an upper horizontal track at a junction so that magnets on the bottom surface of the substrate carrier engage with the vertical tracks. Magnets on the top surface of the substrate carrier engage with the horizontal tracks and simultaneously disengage from the lower vertical tracks, gently moving the substrate carrier upward and closer to the upper horizontal track. The same process may be followed to lower the substrate carrier from the upper horizontal track to the lower vertical track.

[0033] In one or more embodiments, the horizontal tracks 208, 210, 212 may be aligned with corresponding slit valves (not shown) and corresponding processing chambers (not shown), such that the tracks 208, 210, 212 may be used for loading and unloading substrates in the processing chambers, while the vertical tracks 202, 204, 206 are utilized to move substrates along the length of the transfer chamber 214 by the substrate carriers 216, 218, 220. For example, loading and unloading of substrates in the processing chambers may occur on the upper horizontal tracks, independent of the lower vertical lanes. In one embodiment, the substrate carriers 216, 218, 220, for example, traveling on track 202, may switch to track 210, for example, at junction 228, and travel along track 210 to junction 232, proximate to the slit valve and processing chamber. Similarly, processing chambers and / or load locks may be located at either end of the vertical tracks 202, 204, 206, and the substrate carriers 216, 218, 220 may move from one end of the transfer chamber 214 to the other to place a substrate at the opposite end of the processing chamber. In at least one embodiment, rotary tables (not shown) may be included above the substrate carriers 216, 218, 220, which may be integrated into the frame body of the transfer chamber or transfer tunnel (e.g., non-moving rotary tables).

[0034] One benefit of utilizing a magnetic levitation platform with at least three longitudinal tracks 202, 204, 206 and / or at least three lateral tracks 208, 210, 212 is that it prevents the longitudinal lanes from being blocked when the substrate carrier rotates 90°. As shown in FIG. 2A , the substrate carrier 216 overlaps and rotates over both longitudinal track 202 and longitudinal track 204 at joint 228. However, the longitudinal track 206 can continue to operate unimpeded while the substrate carrier 216 is moving vertically or horizontally.

[0035] 2B illustrates one embodiment of a substrate carrier 250 suitable for use with a modular linear magnetic levitation track 252. The modular linear magnetic levitation track 252 may be disposed within a linear transfer tunnel (not shown). For example, each end of the transfer tunnel may include one or more slit valves that provide access to one or more processing chambers, processing chamber clusters, load locks, etc. One or more substrate carriers 200 may be configured to move between each end of the linear transfer tunnel to pick up and place substrates to and from the processing chambers, clusters, load locks, etc.

[0036] The substrate carrier 250 may include a moving body 251, on which a rotating disk 254 may be disposed. A pair of stationary coils 256A, 256B may be located along at least two sides of the moving body 251. A stationary coil 258 may be located below the moving body 251, along the center of the moving body 251, between the magnetic levitation tracks 252. The substrate carrier 250 may be configured to move linearly along the magnetic levitation tracks 252 and to rotate the substrate arm 260, for example, by about ±90° to about ±180°, to change direction and / or position the substrate within a processing chamber (not shown). The stationary coil 258 is effective to provide linear motion of the substrate carrier 250 and the substrate arm 260.

[0037] The rotating disk 254 may include a non-moving active bearing (not shown) and a corresponding driver portion (not shown). The substrate carrier 250 may be considered a purely passive carrier. The rotating disk 254 may further include a passive rotary magnetic bearing 256 on its upper surface, which may be configured to provide a rotation angle of up to approximately ±180°.

[0038] 3A and 3B illustrate another embodiment of a substrate carrier 300. The substrate carrier 300 is suitable for use in a magnetic levitation platform according to various embodiments described herein, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1A-2A. The substrate carrier 300 may include only passive components among the moving parts. The substrate carrier 300 does not include a current source or battery. The substrate carrier 300 includes a rotary table 304 disposed on a moving body 301. The rotary table 304 may include a frictionless magnetic bearing 305 formed from a ring of permanent magnets 307 and a torsion spring (not shown). The substrate carrier 300 may further include a plurality of substrate pins 309 configured to support the substrate 311 as the substrate carrier 300 moves the substrate 311 from one position to another. The substrate pins 309 may be disposed on the bearings 305, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0039] In some embodiments, the substrate 311 may include a notch 313, which, together with the notch finder 317, may be used to align the substrate 311 with a slit valve, a processing chamber, and / or a robot arm after transfer with the substrate carrier 300 and prior to entry into the processing chamber. The notch finder 317 may employ an optical absolute encoder (not shown) to provide high precision alignment. The notch finder 317 may include a Hall sensor for alignment in addition to or instead of the optical absolute encoder.

[0040] In one or more embodiments, the transfer chamber or transfer tunnel (not shown) may further include an active driver portion 315 comprised of one or more coils. The active driver portion 315 may be attached to the chamber or tunnel as shown in FIG. 3B. Each end of the chamber or tunnel may include an active driver portion 315. The active driver portion 315 may be attached to a corner at the end of the chamber or tunnel as shown in FIG. 3B and may have a span of approximately 90°. The driver portion 315 may be completely encapsulated with a material (e.g., sheet metal) to cover any air gaps formed between the outer end of the active driver portion 315 and the inner surface of the chamber or tunnel.

[0041] FIG. 3C illustrates a passive rotational bearing assembly 303 suitable for use with one or more substrate carriers according to embodiments herein. A torsion spring 306 extends along the internal shaft 320 of the bearing assembly 303. A permanent magnet 322 may be disposed around the shaft 320 to provide axial deflection. An encoder 324 may be used to monitor the speed, distance, and / or direction of rotation of the shaft 320. A driver 326 is configured to rotate the shaft 320. Bearings with permanent magnets are unstable (i.e., obey Earnshaw's Law). At least one degree of freedom (or inertia) is used to actively stabilize such bearings. The bearing setup creates a force pushing the shaft to the right. The bearing uses a torsion spring to transmit the pushing force and maintain the rotational DOF without relative motion / slippage. The torsion spring is configured to return the magnetic bearing 305 to a default position when not in contact with an active coil. The ring of permanent magnets 307 can be configured for use as a rotary driver or a magnetoresistive / stepper type driver. The substrate carrier 300 is configured to rotate through approximately ±180°. A torsion spring can be placed along the central shaft of a passive bearing, with permanent magnets placed around the shaft. The bearing configuration creates a force pushing the shaft to the right, and the bearing transfers this pushing force using the torsion spring, maintaining the rotational DOF without relative movement / slippage. The bearing returns to a default position without contacting the active coil.

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a substrate carrier 400. The substrate carrier 400 is suitable for use with a magnetic levitation platform according to various embodiments described herein, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1A-2A. In at least one embodiment, the substrate carrier 400 is suitable for use with a magnetic levitation platform having stacked (or two-level) magnetic levitation tracks. The substrate carrier 400 may be considered a purely passive carrier, with moving parts including only passive components. The substrate carrier 400 includes a rotary table 404 disposed on a moving body 401. The rotary table 404 may include a frictionless magnetic bearing 405 formed from a ring of permanent magnets 407 and a torsion spring (not shown). The substrate carrier 400 further includes one or more coils 417 disposed on both sides of the moving body 401 / bearing 405, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The placement of the coils on both sides of the moving body 401 / bearing 405 may cancel radial forces and / or double torque forces. The torsion spring is configured to return the magnetic bearing 405 to a default position when not in contact with the active coil 417 .

[0043] The substrate carrier 400 is configured to rotate through approximately ±180°. The substrate carrier 400 may further include a plurality of substrate pins 409 configured to support the substrate 411 as the substrate carrier 400 moves the substrate 411 from one position to another. The substrate pins 409 may be disposed on bearings 405, as shown in FIG.

[0044] In some embodiments, the substrate 411 may include a notch 413, which, along with a notch finder (not shown), may be used to align the substrate 411 with a slit valve, processing chamber, and / or robot arm prior to entry into a processing chamber after transfer with the substrate carrier 400. The notch finder may employ an optical absolute encoder (not shown) to provide high precision alignment. The notch finder may include a Hall sensor for alignment in addition to or instead of the optical absolute encoder.

[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, a synchronous driver is shown on the mobile 401 along with a permanent magnet 407. However, in other embodiments, the mobile 401 may include a magnetoresistive driver.

[0046] 5A-5B show another embodiment of a substrate carrier 500. The substrate carrier 500 may be a stacked configuration with two vertical levels operable to support one or two substrates 511. A frame 524 includes a bottom, side, and top structure, and the substrates 511 may be supported on substrate pins 509 during transport. The substrate carrier 500 may be a passive mover having magnets on its top 520 and bottom 522. The magnets 520, 522 may be configured to engage one or more vertical magnetic levitation tracks and / or one or more horizontal magnetic levitation tracks.

[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a magnetic levitation platform 600. A plurality of processing chambers and / or load locks 626 are arranged around a transfer chamber 614. A longitudinal magnetic levitation track 602 moves along the length of the transfer chamber 614 at a first height within the transfer chamber 614. Processing chambers 626 are located at opposite ends of the longitudinal magnetic levitation track 602. A substrate carrier 616 is configured to move linearly along the longitudinal track 602 between the processing chambers 626 at each end. The substrate carrier 616 may be any suitable carrier described herein. Lateral magnetic levitation tracks 608, 610 extend perpendicular to the longitudinal track 602. A processing chamber 626 is located at each end of each of the lateral tracks 608, 610. The substrate carrier 616 is also configured to move linearly along the lateral tracks 608, 610. The lateral tracks 608, 610 may be at a second height within the transfer chamber 614 below the first height.

[0048] The plane of each horizontal track 608, 610 intersects the plane of the vertical track 602 at joints 622, 624. The substrate carrier 616 can move between the vertical track 602 and the horizontal tracks 608, 610 at the joints 622, 624. The rotary table 604 is configured to rotate the substrate carrier 616 through approximately ±180°. The substrate carrier 616 can include a mover 601 having an end effector 628 attached thereto that is configured to support a substrate 630. In this embodiment, the rotary table 604 can be driven by a direct driver 640 coupled to a lower bearing 642 and an upper bearing 644. Therefore, the rotary table 604 is supplied with power to operate the direct driver 640.

[0049] In an embodiment, the rotary table 604 is capable of vertical lift (e.g., vertical movement). In an embodiment, an actuator 660 is provided for vertically moving the rotary table 604. The rotary table may have a rotation axis, may be magnetically levitated, and may be moved vertically by the actuator 660. Thus, the mover may be switched between an upper track and a lower track. In one example, the mover may be similar to the mover shown in FIG. 5, but without the 90° track rotation between the top and bottom surfaces.

[0050] Another embodiment of a substrate carrier 700 is shown in FIG. 7. The substrate carrier 700 may include a rotation driver with passive magnetic bearings 710. Active rotation components 704 (e.g., magnets and bearings) may be integrated into and / or attached to the transfer chamber body (not shown). A horizontal stroke bearing 748 may also be integrated into or attached to the transfer chamber along with the active components for rotation. The horizontal stroke bearing 748 is configured to control the amount of rotation of the rotary table 604, for example, up to about 200 mm, or from about 50 mm to about 200 mm. The substrate carrier 700 may be configured to engage a magnetic levitation driver so that it can be positioned at the bottom and top in a horizontal direction 750.

[0051] 8 illustrates another embodiment of a substrate carrier 800. The substrate carrier 800 may include a rotation driver with passive magnetic bearings 810. Active rotation components 804 (e.g., magnets and bearings) may be integrated within and / or attached to a transfer chamber body (not shown). The substrate carrier 800 may be configured to engage with a magnetic levitation driver such that it may be positioned at the bottom and top in a horizontal direction 850. The substrate carrier 800 further includes lateral self-centering magnets 854 for centering the rotary table 806 during operation.

[0052] FIG. 9A illustrates another embodiment of a substrate carrier 900. The substrate carrier 900 includes a fully passive rotary bearing 904. In some embodiments, the substrate carrier 900 can be operable by a reluctance driver. A reluctance motor is a type of electric motor that induces non-permanent magnetic poles on a ferromagnetic rotor. The rotor has no windings and generates torque through reluctance. Reluctance motors can be synchronous, variable, switched, or variable step.

[0053] In an embodiment, the substrate carrier 900 is effectively a magnetoresistive driver. In other embodiments, other types of drivers besides magnetoresistive drivers may be used. For example, in one embodiment, a synchronous driver may be used in conjunction with a permanent magnet. As shown, the substrate carrier 900 includes a gear with multiple teeth. The substrate carrier 900 may further include X and Y drivers. Thus, the substrate carrier 900 includes a magnetoresistive driver, but is set up to levitate simultaneously with two degrees of freedom.

[0054] One or more self-centering magnets 954 are attached to the rotation bearing 904. In at least one embodiment, the torque requirement of the rotation bearing 904 includes a centering force of the self-centering magnet 854 having a radius greater than the torque of the torsion spring (not shown) inside the bearing 906, as shown in FIG. 9B. The torque requirement may further include a torque of the driver portion greater than the torque of the torsion spring applying the maximum centering force. For example, when the lateral position of the magnet 954 is 0 mm, the centering force is also 0. When the lateral position of the magnet 954 increases beyond 0 mm or decreases below 0 mm, the centering force increases. Another self-centering magnet or magnets (not shown) may be positioned above the ones on the bearing 906 attached to the upper support 915. As the vertical gap between the two sets of magnets increases, the attractive force decreases.

[0055] 10 illustrates another embodiment of a magnetic levitation platform 1000. The platform 1000 includes three longitudinal magnetic levitation tracks 1002, 1004, 1006 and one transverse magnetic levitation track 1008. The longitudinal tracks 1002, 1004, 1006 are at a first elevation, and the transverse track 1008 is at a second elevation higher than the first elevation. Multiple substrate carriers 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019 are configured to move along the longitudinal and transverse tracks 1002, 1004, 1006, 1008 as shown. The longitudinal tracks 1002, 1004, 1006 face upward (e.g., are located on the bottom of a transfer chamber or transfer tunnel), and the transverse track 1008 faces downward and may be attached to or integrated into the transfer chamber or transfer tunnel. Each substrate carrier 1016, 1017, 1018 has a corresponding substrate support 1020, 1021, 1022; supports for substrate carrier 1019 are not shown. Each substrate carrier 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019 includes at least one magnet on its top surface and at least one magnet on its bottom surface, and is configured to engage with and move along one of the longitudinal tracks 1002, 1004, 1006 and the lateral track 1008. The substrate carriers 1002, 1004, 1006, 1008 may further include bearing and driver assemblies configured to rotate the substrate carrier up to approximately ±180° according to various embodiments herein.

[0056] 11 illustrates another embodiment of a magnetic levitation platform 1100 and corresponding substrate carriers 1116, 1118. The system 1100 includes multiple magnetic levitation tracks 1102, 1104, 1106 along which the substrate carriers 1116, 1118 can move in a linear direction. The substrate carrier 1116 includes a moving body 1103 and a rotational bearing 1105 to which an end effector 1107 is attached, and the substrate carrier 1118 includes a moving body 1104 and a rotational bearing 1106 to which an end effector 1108 is attached. The moving bodies 1103, 1104 are operable by standard energy coupling (e.g., electrical wires) and moving magnets (not shown). In this embodiment, a transfer chamber or transfer tunnel containing the platform 1100 may include passive platforms 1109, 1110 for rotational and linear movement on the upper surface of the chamber or tunnel. The platform 1100 may further include a lift assembly (e.g., a lift pin assembly) for lifting the bellows-sealed passive platforms 1109, 1110 from the interior of the carriers 1116, 1118. Although not shown, an additional set of magnetic levitation tracks may be disposed above the substrate carriers 1116, 1118, and these may be vertical or horizontal magnetic levitation tracks. The substrate carriers 1116, 1118 may be moved between the upper and lower magnetic levitation tracks.

[0057] Further described herein is a method 1200 of moving one or more substrates in a transfer chamber 1202, as shown in Figure 12. The method 1200 includes, at block 1204, retrieving a first substrate from a first processing chamber (or a first load lock) by a first substrate carrier engaged with a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber. The first magnetic levitation track may be configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track.

[0058] At block 1206, the method 1200 includes generating a first magnetic field with a first magnetic levitation track to move a first substrate carrier, together with a first substrate, along the first magnetic levitation track in a first direction.

[0059] The method 1200 may include, at block 1208, rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate at a first junction formed where a plane of the second magnetic levitation track intersects a plane of the first magnetic levitation track. The second magnetic levitation track is disposed along a width of the transfer chamber and configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track.

[0060] At block 1210, the method 1200 includes generating a second magnetic field with a second magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, in a second direction along the second magnetic levitation track.

[0061] The method 1200 further includes, at block 1212, rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate at a second junction formed where a plane of the third magnetic levitation track intersects a plane of the second magnetic levitation track. The third magnetic levitation track can be spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and disposed along a length of the transfer chamber. The third magnetic levitation track is configured to generate a third magnetic field above the second magnetic levitation track.

[0062] At block 1214, the method 1200 includes generating a third magnetic field with a third magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track from the first processing chamber to a second processing chamber disposed on the opposite side of the transfer chamber, e.g., the first substrate is moved from one side of the transfer chamber to the other side.

[0063] The method 1200 may further include rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate to place the first substrate in the second processing chamber at block 1216. Enabling random movement of the substrate within the processing chamber may increase substrate throughput through the processing system, ultimately improving yield.

[0064] In some embodiments, the method 1200 may include rotating a first substrate carrier at a second junction formed at the intersection of a third magnetic levitation track and a second magnetic levitation track proximate a bottom surface of the transfer chamber, the third magnetic levitation track having an upward orientation configured to generate a third magnetic field on the third magnetic levitation track, and generating a third magnetic field by the third magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier, together with the first substrate, in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track. For example, the substrate may move along a vertical track, then transition to a horizontal track at the junction, and then transition again to another vertical track, changing direction by, for example, 90° at each junction. Thus, the substrate may be rapidly moved from one processing chamber to another using open magnetic levitation lanes.

[0065] In some embodiments, the method 1200 includes using a first lift pin assembly to lift the first substrate carrier to a third magnetic levitation track disposed proximate an upper surface of the transfer chamber. The third magnetic levitation track may have a downward orientation and may be configured to generate a third magnetic field below the third magnetic levitation track. The magnetic levitation platform system may be configured to detect that the first substrate carrier is proximate to the third magnetic levitation track. The third magnetic field may be generated to levitate the first substrate carrier below the third magnetic levitation track and move, together with the first substrate, along the third magnetic levitation track in a third direction.

[0066] In at least one embodiment of method 1200, at least one substrate carrier is configured to move along a first magnetic levitation track and a second magnetic levitation track. The substrate carrier may be any suitable carrier according to embodiments described herein. In one embodiment, the at least one substrate carrier may include a passive rotary magnetic bearing configured to rotate the substrate carrier. Additionally, or alternatively, the substrate carrier may include a mirror driver portion configured to rotate the substrate carrier. In some embodiments, the substrate carrier may include a non-moving active bearing and driver assembly configured to rotate a rotary table on an upper surface of the substrate carrier. In further embodiments, the substrate carrier may include a rotation driver configured to rotate the passive magnetic bearing. In at least one embodiment, the substrate carrier may include a first magnet on a bottom surface of the substrate carrier and a second magnet on a top surface of the substrate carrier, the first magnet configured to interact with the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, and the second magnet configured to interact with a third magnetic levitation track and a fourth magnetic levitation track disposed on an upper surface of the transfer chamber.

[0067] References throughout this specification to, for example, "one embodiment," "a particular embodiment," "one or more embodiments," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Thus, the appearances of phrases such as "in one or more embodiments," "in a particular embodiment," "in one embodiment," or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0068] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "a track" includes a single track as well as multiple tracks.

[0069] The term "about," as used herein in connection with a measurand, refers to the normal variation in that measurand that one of ordinary skill in the art would expect when making the measurement and exercising a level of care commensurate with the purpose of the measurement and the precision of the measuring device. In certain embodiments, the term "about" includes ±10% of the stated number, and "about 10" includes 9 to 11.

[0070] The term "at least about," in reference to a measurand, refers to a quantity greater than or equal to the normal variation in that measurand that one of ordinary skill in the art would expect when making the measurement and using a level of care commensurate with the purpose of the measurement and the precision of the measurement device. In certain embodiments, the term "at least about" includes any quantity greater than or equal to the stated number minus 10%, so that "at least about 10" would include anything greater than or equal to 9. The term can also be expressed as "about 10 or greater." Similarly, the term "less than about" typically includes a quantity less than or equal to the stated number plus 10%, so that "less than about 10" would include anything less than or equal to 11. The term can also be expressed as "less than or equal to about 10."

[0071] Unless otherwise indicated, all parts and percentages are by weight. Weight percent (wt %) is based on the total composition, i.e., dry solids, without volatiles, unless otherwise indicated.

[0072] The previous description sets forth numerous specific details, such as examples of specific systems, components, methods, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known components or methods have not been described in detail or have been presented in simple block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Thus, the specific details described are merely exemplary. Particular implementations may vary from these illustrative details and still be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0073] Although the operations of the methods herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method may be changed, such that certain operations may be performed in reverse order, or certain operations may be performed, at least in part, concurrently with other operations. In alternative embodiments, instructions or sub-operations of separate operations may be performed intermittently and / or alternately.

[0074] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not limiting. Many other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, including the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

1. 1. A transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system comprising a magnetic levitation platform, the magnetic levitation platform comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber, the plane of the second magnetic levitation track intersecting the plane of the first magnetic levitation track at a first junction, the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track being stationary at the first junction, and the second magnetic levitation track being configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track; at least one substrate carrier configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, the at least one substrate carrier configured to rotate at the first interface; Equipped with Transfer chamber.

2. (i) a third magnetic levitation track spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and disposed along the length of the transfer chamber, the second magnetic levitation track being disposed across the third magnetic levitation track at a second junction; or (ii) a fourth magnetic levitation track spaced from the second magnetic levitation track and disposed along the width of the transfer chamber, the fourth magnetic levitation track being disposed across the first magnetic levitation track at a third junction; The transfer chamber of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:

3. (iii) a fifth magnetic levitation track spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and the third magnetic levitation track and disposed along the length of the transfer chamber, the second magnetic levitation track and the fourth magnetic levitation track being disposed across the fifth magnetic levitation track; or (iv) a sixth magnetic levitation track spaced apart from the second magnetic levitation track and the fourth magnetic levitation track and disposed along the width of the transfer chamber, the sixth magnetic levitation track being disposed across the first magnetic levitation track, the third magnetic levitation track, and the fifth magnetic levitation track; The transfer chamber of claim 2 , further comprising at least one of:

4. 4. The transfer chamber of claim 3, wherein a distance between the first magnetic levitation track and the third magnetic levitation track, and a distance between the third magnetic levitation track and the fifth magnetic levitation track, is between 350 mm and 450 mm.

5. A transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system comprising a magnetic levitation platform, the magnetic levitation platform comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber, the plane of the second magnetic levitation track intersecting the plane of the first magnetic levitation track at a first junction, the second magnetic levitation track configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track; at least one substrate carrier configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, the at least one substrate carrier configured to rotate at the first interface; Equipped with the at least one substrate carrier: a passive rotary magnetic bearing configured to rotate the substrate carrier; a non-moving active bearing and driver assembly configured to rotate a rotary table on top of the substrate carrier; or A rotary driver configured to rotate a passive magnetic bearing a transfer chamber comprising at least one of:

6. the at least one substrate carrier comprises an end effector for holding a substrate; 2. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first magnetic levitation track or the second magnetic levitation track is configured to rotate the substrate carrier to place the substrate into a processing chamber connected to the transfer chamber.

7. 2. The transfer chamber of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ports on a side wall of the transfer chamber, the plurality of ports being a plurality of slit valves accessible to the at least one substrate carrier, and the second magnetic levitation track being proximate to a subset of the plurality of ports on a first side of the transfer chamber and operable to transfer a substrate into a processing chamber through one of the plurality of ports.

8. A transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system comprising a magnetic levitation platform, the magnetic levitation platform comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber, the plane of the second magnetic levitation track intersecting the plane of the first magnetic levitation track at a first junction, the second magnetic levitation track configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track; at least one substrate carrier configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, the at least one substrate carrier configured to rotate at the first interface; Equipped with A transfer chamber, wherein the surface of the first magnetic levitation track is at a different height than the surface of the second magnetic levitation track.

9. the transfer chamber is an assembly for transferring the at least one substrate carrier from the first magnetic levitation track to the second magnetic levitation track, The magnetic bearing further comprises an assembly comprising: a shaft and a torsion spring disposed within the shaft; a plurality of permanent magnets concentric with the shaft; an encoder configured to monitor at least one of the speed, distance, or direction of rotation of the shaft; a driver configured to rotate the shaft; The transfer chamber of claim 8 comprising:

10. 1. A transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system comprising a magnetic levitation platform, the magnetic levitation platform comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber at a first height within the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber at a second height within the transfer chamber, the second magnetic levitation track configured to generate a second magnetic field below the second magnetic levitation track; at least one substrate carrier configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, the at least one substrate carrier configured to move from the first magnetic levitation track to the second magnetic levitation track at an intersection between a surface of the first magnetic levitation track and a surface of the second magnetic levitation track; A transfer chamber comprising:

11. (i) a third magnetic levitation track disposed along the length of the transfer chamber at the first height spaced from the first magnetic levitation track, the third magnetic levitation track configured to generate a third magnetic field above the third magnetic levitation track, the plane of the second magnetic levitation track intersecting the plane of the third magnetic levitation track; or (ii) a fourth magnetic levitation track disposed along the width of the transfer chamber at the second height spaced from the second magnetic levitation track, the fourth magnetic levitation track configured to generate a fourth magnetic field below the fourth magnetic levitation track, the plane of the first magnetic levitation track and the plane of the third magnetic levitation track intersecting the plane of the fourth magnetic levitation track; The transfer chamber of claim 10 further comprising at least one of:

12. 12. The transfer chamber of claim 11, wherein the spacing between the first magnetic levitation track and the third magnetic levitation track is between 40 mm and 300 mm, and the spacing between the second magnetic levitation track and the fourth magnetic levitation track is between 40 mm and 300 mm.

13. the at least one substrate carrier is configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track, the second magnetic levitation track, the third magnetic levitation track, and the fourth magnetic levitation track, and the at least one substrate carrier is a first magnet on a bottom surface of the substrate carrier and a second magnet on a top surface of the substrate carrier, the first magnet configured to interact with the first magnetic levitation track and the third magnetic levitation track, and the second magnet configured to interact with the second magnetic levitation track and the fourth magnetic levitation track; The transfer chamber of claim 11 .

14. 11. The transfer chamber of claim 10, further comprising at least one lift pin assembly configured to move the at least one substrate carrier vertically between the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track.

15. The transfer chamber of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of processing chambers connected to the transfer chamber via a plurality of respective slit valves.

16. the transfer chamber is connected to a first load lock, the first load lock being accessible to the at least one substrate carrier when engaged with the first magnetic levitation track, the transfer chamber comprising: a second load lock stacked above the first load lock, the second load lock having access to the at least one substrate carrier when engaged with the second magnetic levitation track; The transfer chamber of claim 10 further comprising:

17. 15. The transfer chamber of claim 14, wherein the first magnetic levitation track is configured to move the at least one substrate carrier in a first direction along the length of the transfer chamber, and the third magnetic levitation track is configured to move the at least one substrate carrier in a second direction opposite the first direction along the length of the transfer chamber.

18. 1. A method of moving one or more substrates in a transfer chamber, comprising: removing a first substrate from a first processing chamber by a first substrate carrier engaged with a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; generating the first magnetic field by the first magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate in a first direction along the first magnetic levitation track; rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate at a first junction formed where a plane of a second magnetic levitation track intersects a plane of the first magnetic levitation track, the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track being stationary at the first junction, the second magnetic levitation track being disposed along a width of the transfer chamber and configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track; generating the second magnetic field by the second magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate in a second direction along the second magnetic levitation track; rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate at a second juncture formed where a plane of a third magnetic levitation track intersects the plane of the second magnetic levitation track, the third magnetic levitation track being spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and disposed along the length of the transfer chamber, the third magnetic levitation track being configured to generate a third magnetic field above the third magnetic levitation track; generating the third magnetic field by the third magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track from the first processing chamber to a second processing chamber disposed on the opposite side of the transfer chamber; rotating the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate to place the first substrate into the second processing chamber; A method comprising:

19. rotating the first substrate carrier at a second junction formed at an intersection of a third magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track proximate a bottom surface of the transfer chamber, the third magnetic levitation track having an upward orientation configured to generate a third magnetic field above the third magnetic levitation track; generating the third magnetic field by the third magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate along the third magnetic levitation track in a third direction; 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

20. A method of moving one or more substrates in a transfer chamber, comprising: removing a first substrate from a first processing chamber by a first substrate carrier engaged with a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a length of the transfer chamber, the first magnetic levitation track configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; generating the first magnetic field by the first magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate in a first direction along the first magnetic levitation track; rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate at a first juncture formed where a plane of a second magnetic levitation track intersects a plane of the first magnetic levitation track, the second magnetic levitation track being disposed along a width of the transfer chamber and configured to generate a second magnetic field above or below the second magnetic levitation track; generating the second magnetic field by the second magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate in a second direction along the second magnetic levitation track; rotating the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate at a second juncture formed where a plane of a third magnetic levitation track intersects the plane of the second magnetic levitation track, the third magnetic levitation track being spaced from the first magnetic levitation track and disposed along the length of the transfer chamber; and generating the third magnetic field by the third magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier together with the first substrate in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track from the first processing chamber to a second processing chamber disposed on the opposite side of the transfer chamber; rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate to place the first substrate in the second processing chamber; lifting the first substrate carrier with a first lift pin assembly to a third magnetic levitation track disposed proximate an upper surface of the transfer chamber, the third magnetic levitation track having a downward orientation and configured to generate a third magnetic field below the third magnetic levitation track; Detecting the first substrate carrier being proximate to the third magnetic levitation track; generating the third magnetic field to levitate the first substrate carrier under the third magnetic levitation track and move the first substrate carrier along the third magnetic levitation track in a third direction; A method comprising:

21. At least one substrate carrier is configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, and the at least one substrate carrier comprises: a passive rotary magnetic bearing configured to rotate the substrate carrier; a non-moving active bearing and driver assembly configured to rotate a rotary table on top of the substrate carrier; a rotation driver configured to rotate the passive magnetic bearing; or 20. The method of claim 18, comprising a first magnet on a bottom surface of the substrate carrier and a second magnet on a top surface of the substrate carrier, the first magnet configured to interact with the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, and the second magnet configured to interact with the third magnetic levitation track disposed on the top surface of the transfer chamber.

Images