Substrate processing system

The substrate processing system enhances wafer transfer efficiency and reliability by using a transfer chamber with multiple processing stages and a robotic arm for group substrate handling, addressing the inefficiencies and complexity of existing multi-stage designs.

TWM685253UActive Publication Date: 2026-07-11ADVANCED MICRO FAB EQUIP INC CHINA
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Patent Information

Application Number
TW115202719
Authority / Receiving Office
TW · TW
Patent Type
Utility models
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2025-04-15
Filing Date
2026-03-27
Publication Date
2026-07-11
Estimated Expiration
2036-03-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing multi-stage semiconductor equipment designs face challenges in balancing wafer transfer efficiency, processing efficiency, and reliability, with dual-stage systems having low throughput and quad-stage systems experiencing complexity and maintenance issues.

Method used

A substrate processing system with a transfer chamber connected to multiple process chambers, each containing proximal and distal processing stage groups, and a robotic arm capable of rotating and telescoping to efficiently transfer substrates between these stages without a revolution mechanism, along with connecting chambers for temperature control and substrate rotation.

Benefits of technology

Improves multi-wafer process consistency and efficiency, particularly in multilayer thin film growth, while reducing the risk of contamination and maintaining reliability by enabling group substrate transfers and temperature regulation.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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    Figure IMG-2_DRAW_115202719-A0305-14-0002-2
  • Figure IMG-2_DRAW_115202719-A0305-14-0003-3
    Figure IMG-2_DRAW_115202719-A0305-14-0003-3
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

This invention discloses a substrate processing system, comprising: a transfer chamber, and several process chambers connected to the sidewalls of the transfer chamber; each process chamber includes a proximal processing stage group near the transfer chamber and a distal processing stage group away from the transfer chamber; each proximal or distal processing stage group includes at least two processing stages, and the processing stages within the same process chamber are arranged in an array. A robotic arm is disposed within the transfer chamber; the robotic arm can rotate to align and position itself with the wafer transfer port of the process chamber; the robotic arm can extend and retract to move between the distal and proximal processing stage groups to pick up and place groups of substrates onto the corresponding processing stages. This invention balances transfer efficiency, processing efficiency, and reliability.
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Description

Substrate processing system Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing equipment technology, and in particular to a substrate processing system. Prior Technology

[0002] In long-process semiconductor manufacturing, such as multilayer thin film growth, multi-station equipment design is crucial for improving production efficiency and process consistency. Currently, commonly used equipment includes dual-stage and quad-stage systems. Dual-stage systems use single / dual-arm robotic arms for wafer transfer. While this equipment has a compact structure and simple transfer path, its processing efficiency is low, with only 50% of the substrate / substrate parallel processing capacity compared to quad-stage systems, making it difficult to meet mass production demands. Quad-stage systems use a rotating chamber combined with a single-arm transfer platform. Although this increases throughput, the single-wafer transfer efficiency is low, single-channel wafer transfer is prone to blockage, and the internal revolution mechanism of the quad-stage system increases equipment complexity and maintenance difficulty, affecting reliability and stability.

[0003] Therefore, while existing single-cavity multi-station semiconductor equipment designs have achieved some success in improving production efficiency, they still cannot effectively balance the efficiency and reliability of multi-station equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a substrate processing system that can balance transmission efficiency, processing efficiency, and reliability.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this work utilizes the following technical solutions:

[0006] A substrate processing system includes: a transfer chamber and several process chambers connected to the sidewalls of the transfer chamber; each process chamber includes a proximal processing stage group near the transfer chamber and a distal processing stage group away from the transfer chamber; each proximal or distal processing stage group includes at least two processing stages, and the processing stages in the same process chamber are arranged in an array. A robotic arm is disposed in the transfer chamber; the robotic arm is rotatable to align and position itself with the wafer transfer port of the process chamber; the robotic arm is telescopic to move between the distal and proximal processing stage groups to pick up and place groups of substrates on the corresponding processing stages.

[0007] Optionally, each of the process chambers includes four processing tables, which are arranged in a 2-row, 2-column configuration.

[0008] Optionally, the robotic arm includes: a strip-shaped main robotic arm, one end of which is rotatably connected to a first rotating shaft located in the central region of the transfer chamber; a strip-shaped slave robotic arm, one end of which is rotatably connected to a second rotating shaft located at the other end of the main robotic arm; and a support arm having multiple interdigitated fingers, the multiple interdigitated fingers being connected through a U-shaped segment, the U-shaped segment being rotatably connected to a third rotating shaft at the other end of the slave robotic arm.

[0009] Optionally, it further includes: a controller, which operates the carrier arm, the slave robotic arm and the main robotic arm as a whole to rotate around a first rotation axis to align the insert finger with the transfer port of the process chamber; and operates the change of the included angle between the slave robotic arm and the main robotic arm to enable the carrier arm to enter and exit the process chamber.

[0010] Optionally, it further includes: a loading platform and a first connecting chamber, the first connecting chamber being located between the loading platform and the transfer chamber, and communicating with both the loading platform and the transfer chamber respectively.

[0011] Optionally, the first connecting chamber includes a support, which comprises several layers of substrate support structures stacked vertically and spaced at a certain distance. Each layer of substrate support structure has at least two substrate areas for supporting substrates.

[0012] Optionally, the substrate support structure includes a rotating base for supporting and rotating the substrate.

[0013] Optionally, the bracket includes at least three side plates arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals, and several pairs of support steps are arranged vertically on the opposite surfaces of two adjacent side plates. Several pairs of support steps located on the same layer constitute a substrate support structure. The edge of the substrate is mounted on the corresponding support step. Each substrate area in the bottom layer of the substrate support structure includes a support portion for supporting the substrate and a rotation shaft for driving the support portion to rotate.

[0014] Optionally, the first connecting chamber is equipped with a vacuum valve to expel air from the chamber.

[0015] Optionally, the first connecting chamber is provided with a heating or cooling device.

[0016] Optionally, it further includes: a second connecting chamber; the number of the transit chambers is two, the second connecting chamber is located between two adjacent transit chambers, and is connected to both transit chambers respectively.

[0017] Optionally, the structure of the second connecting chamber includes a support, which includes several layers of substrate support structures stacked vertically and spaced at a certain distance. Each layer of substrate support structure has at least two substrate areas for supporting substrates; at least the bottom layer of the substrate support structure has a rotating base for supporting and rotating the substrate.

[0018] Optionally, the second connecting chamber may further include a vacuum valve and / or a heating or cooling device.

[0019] Optionally, the controller operates the support arm, the slave arm, and the master arm as a whole to move up and down along the first rotation axis to align with the substrate support structure of the corresponding layer in the first or second connecting chamber.

[0020] Optionally, slit valves are provided at the connection points between the transfer chamber and the side wall of each process chamber, the connection points between the first connecting chamber and the side wall of the transfer chamber, the connection points between the second connecting chamber and the side wall of the transfer chamber, and the connection points between the first connecting chamber and the side wall of the loading platform.

[0021] Optionally, the transfer chamber, the first connecting chamber, the second connecting chamber, and the loading platform are arranged linearly.

[0022] This work has at least one of the following technical effects:

[0023] The substrate processing system provided by this invention, by setting up multiple processing stages in the process chamber, can improve the consistency of multi-wafer processes and increase substrate processing efficiency in long processing flows, especially in multilayer thin film growth processes. The robotic arm provided by this invention can efficiently pick up and place substrates in groups through simple rotation and extension movements, without the need for a revolution structure in the process chamber, reducing the risk factors that affect the process and improving the reliability of substrate transfer efficiency.

[0024] The first connecting chamber includes a bracket with a multi-layer substrate support structure, which is used to store the substrate in multiple partitions and has a redundant transmission function. That is, it can ensure that the normal transmission of the substrate can still be carried out when a part of the buffer is abnormal (the substrate support structure of the layer is abnormal, or the substrate placed in the layer is abnormal).

[0025] The first connecting chamber is equipped with a heating or cooling device to regulate the temperature of the substrate inside the first connecting chamber; for example, the substrate can be cooled before being transferred to the loading platform to reduce or avoid the risk of high-temperature oxidation on the surface of the substrate, or to prevent the substrate from warping and falling off due to uneven local temperature.

[0026] The substrate support structure at least at the bottom layer is provided with a rotating base for supporting and rotating the substrate, thereby enabling the substrate to be rotated. During the ultra-multilayer thin film growth process, the substrate can be transferred to the first or second connecting cavity for rotation and then transferred back to the process chamber, ensuring the uniformity of subsequent process results. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the equipment platform structure with four processing tables in the conventional technology; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the substrate processing system provided in an embodiment of this invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first connecting chamber provided in an embodiment of this invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the substrate processing system provided in another embodiment of this invention. Implementation

[0028] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, further illustrates the present invention. The advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, intended only to facilitate and clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention. Please refer to the drawings for a clearer understanding of the purpose, features, and advantages of the present invention. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and to aid those skilled in the art, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of the present invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0029] As described in the prior art, single-cavity multi-stage semiconductor equipment has the problem of not being able to effectively balance wafer transfer, processing efficiency and reliability of multi-stage equipment.

[0030] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the structure of a semiconductor equipment platform with four processing stages in the prior art is illustrated. It includes a loading platform 10, a single-zone load locking chamber 11, and a transfer chamber 12. The single-zone load locking chamber 11 is connected to both the loading platform 10 and the transfer chamber 12. The transfer chamber 12 contains a small single robotic arm. It also includes two process chambers 14, each connected to the transfer chamber 12. Each process chamber 14 includes four centrally symmetrically arranged processing stages 15, and an overall rotation mechanism 16 drives the four processing stages 15 to revolve.

[0031] The design of the four-processing-stage semiconductor equipment platform combines a small single-arm transfer platform with a process chamber featuring revolving processing stages. This design utilizes an integrated rotating mechanism 16 within the process chamber to connect the rotating processing stage 15 to the transfer chamber 12. Specifically, during wafer transfer, the robotic arm 13 transfers only one substrate at a time, requiring four transfers to the four processing stages 15 within the process chamber. After transferring one substrate, the integrated rotating mechanism 16 rotates the next processing stage to the transfer port before the next transfer operation, thus completing the substrate transfer process. This design presents several challenges: the miniaturized transfer chamber can only transfer one substrate at a time, resulting in low transfer efficiency; simultaneously, the single-channel design carries the risk of overall process bottlenecks, affecting the stable operation of the production line. Furthermore, due to the need to coordinate with the revolving processing platform within the process chamber, this design places higher demands on the operation and maintenance space of the process chamber, increasing the complexity and risk of operating the four-processing-stage semiconductor equipment platform, thereby affecting the overall stability and reliability of the platform.

[0032] Furthermore, for conventional semiconductor equipment platforms with dual processing stages, single-arm or dual-arm robotic arms are typically used for substrate transfer. The advantage of this approach is its relatively simple transfer method; the wafer transfer process from the transfer chamber to the process chamber is similar to that of a traditional single-stage processing chamber. Additionally, the dual-stage structure is relatively simple, requiring less space for operation and maintenance in both the process and transfer chambers. However, this approach also has significant drawbacks: because the number of processing stages is only half that of a four-stage semiconductor equipment platform design, the number of substrates processed simultaneously is reduced by half, resulting in low processing efficiency and difficulty in meeting the demands of large-scale production.

[0033] In summary, while existing multi-stage semiconductor equipment platform designs have achieved some success in improving production efficiency, many technical problems still need to be solved.

[0034] In view of this, this invention provides a substrate processing system that can balance transmission efficiency, processing efficiency and reliability.

[0035] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, this embodiment provides a substrate processing system, including: a transfer chamber 300, which may be a three-dimensional cavity with multiple faces for substrate transfer; several process chambers 400 for performing specific process steps, such as deposition or etching; the multiple process chambers 400 are respectively connected to the sidewalls of the transfer chamber 300; each process chamber 400 includes a proximal processing stage group 401 close to the transfer chamber 300 and a distal processing stage group 402 away from the transfer chamber; each of the proximal processing stage group 401 or the distal processing stage group 402 includes at least two processing stages 410, on which the substrate is placed for processing; the processing stages 410 in the same process chamber 400 are arranged in an array to facilitate the unified entry and exit of the substrate. A robotic arm 500 is disposed in the transfer chamber 300; the robotic arm 500 can rotate to align and position itself with the transfer port of the process chamber 400; the robotic arm 500 can extend and retract to move between the remote processing table group 402 and the near processing table group 401 to pick up and place groups of substrates on the corresponding processing table 410.

[0036] The substrate processing system provided in this embodiment, by setting up multiple processing stages in the process chamber, can improve the consistency of multi-wafer processes and increase substrate processing efficiency during long processing flows, especially in multilayer thin film growth processes. The robotic arm provided in this embodiment can pick up and place substrates in groups without the need for a revolution structure in the process chamber, reducing the risk factors that may affect the process and improving the reliability and efficiency of substrate transfer.

[0037] It is understood that the multiple processing stages in each of the process chambers are arranged in an N×M array, where N≥2 and M≥2.

[0038] The proximal processing table group 401 includes a row of N processing tables close to the transfer chamber 300; the distal processing table group 402 includes the remaining M-1 rows of processing tables.

[0039] For example, each of the aforementioned process chambers includes four processing tables, arranged in a 2-row, 2-column configuration. The proximal processing table group 401 includes a row of two processing tables adjacent to the transfer chamber 300;

[0040] The remote processing unit 402 includes a row of two processing units located away from the transfer chamber 300.

[0041] When the multiple processing tables in each of the process chambers are arranged in a 2×3 array, the near-end processing table group 401 includes a row of two processing tables close to the transfer chamber 300, and the far-end processing table group includes the remaining two rows of processing tables.

[0042] When transferring wafers into the process chamber 400, the wafers are transferred in the order from farthest from the transfer chamber 300 to closest to it. That is, wafers are first transferred to the processing station furthest from the transfer chamber 300 in the remote processing station group, then to the next furthest in the remote processing station group, and so on, until the wafer transfer of the remote processing station group is completed. Then, wafers are transferred to the processing stations in the near processing station group. During the wafer transfer process, the robotic arm passes over the near processing station group to reach the remote processing station group. This wafer transfer sequence can prevent impurities or particles from falling onto the substrate located below the robotic arm and contaminating the substrate during the wafer transfer process.

[0043] Conversely, if the substrate is transferred out of the process chamber, the transfer order is the reverse of the order in which the substrate is transferred into the process chamber. This is also to prevent impurities or particles from falling onto the substrate located below the robotic arm during the transfer process and contaminating the substrate.

[0044] Referring to Figure 2, the robotic arm 500 includes: a strip-shaped main robotic arm 501, one end of which is rotatably connected to a first rotating shaft 504 located in the central region of the transfer chamber; a strip-shaped slave robotic arm 502, one end of which is rotatably connected to a second rotating shaft 505 located at the other end of the main robotic arm 501; and a carrier arm 503 with multiple inserts, the multiple inserts being connected through a U-shaped segment, the U-shaped segment being rotatably connected to a third rotating shaft 506 at the other end of the slave robotic arm 502. It is understood that the number of inserts is preferably consistent with the number of processing tables contained in a row within the process chamber, for example, N, thereby enabling the batch transfer of substrates into or out of the process chamber, further improving wafer transfer efficiency.

[0045] In this embodiment, it also includes: a controller (not shown in Figure 2), which operates the carrier arm 503, the slave robot arm 502 and the main robot arm 501 as a whole to rotate around the first rotation axis 504 to align the insertion finger with the transfer port of the process chamber 400 (refer to the position shown by reference 600 in Figure 1). The rotation as a whole can greatly reduce the volume of the transfer chamber 300, as long as the cross-section of the transfer chamber is slightly larger than the circle swept by the above-mentioned overall rotation; the controller operates the change of the included angle α between the slave robot arm 502 and the main robot arm 501 to realize the entry and exit of the carrier arm 503 into the process chamber 400. It is understood that during the process of the bearing arm 503 entering and exiting the process chamber 400, the controller also operates the U-shaped segment of the bearing arm 503 to rotate around the third rotation axis 506, so as to realize the bearing arm 503 to reciprocate linear motion along the horizontal direction, and prevent the bearing arm 503 from deviating from the transmission path direction or even colliding with the side wall of the process chamber during the process of entering or leaving the process chamber, resulting in slippage or dropping of the piece.

[0046] In this embodiment, the controller operates the bearing arm 503, the slave arm 502 and the main arm 501 as a whole to move up and down along the axial direction of the first rotation axis 504 to align with the substrate support structure 212 of the corresponding layer in the first connecting chamber 200 or the second connecting chamber 201.

[0047] Please continue to refer to Figure 2. In this embodiment, it also includes: a loading platform 100 and a first connecting chamber 200. The first connecting chamber 200 is located between the loading platform 100 and the transfer chamber 300, and is connected to both the loading platform 100 and the transfer chamber 300. The loading platform 100 also has a robotic arm for transferring substrates between a wafer cassette in an atmospheric environment and a transfer chamber 300 in a vacuum environment. The pressure in the first connecting chamber 200 can be switched between vacuum and atmospheric conditions, serving as a temporary storage for the substrates.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3, the first connecting chamber 200 includes a support 210, which includes several layers of substrate support structures 212 stacked vertically and spaced at a certain distance. Each layer of substrate support structure 212 has at least two substrate areas Q for supporting substrate W.

[0049] In this embodiment, the substrate support structure 212 includes a rotating base 211 for supporting and rotating the substrate. Preferably, considering the space and maintenance complexity of the first connecting chamber 200, only the substrate support structure 212 located at the bottom layer is configured as a rotating base 211.

[0050] Please continue to refer to Figure 3. The bracket 210 includes at least three side plates 2104 arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals. Several pairs of support steps 2105 are arranged vertically on the opposite surfaces of two adjacent side plates 2104. Several pairs of support steps 2105 located on the same layer constitute a substrate support structure 212. The edge of the substrate W is mounted on the corresponding support step 2105. Each substrate area in the bottom layer of the substrate support structure 212 is provided with a rotating base 211. The rotating base 211 includes a support part 2102 for supporting the substrate W and a rotating shaft 2103 for driving the support part 2102 to rotate.

[0051] To prevent uneven processing of substrate W during the process, the position of substrate W needs to be changed to compensate for the unevenness. That is, when it is necessary to rotate substrate W in process chamber 400, substrate W needs to be transferred to the rotating base 211 of the first connecting chamber 200. After rotating substrate W through rotating base 211, substrate W is then transferred to the corresponding process chamber 400 for the next step of processing.

[0052] For example, during the growth of ultra-multilayer thin films, the substrate W can be transferred to the first connecting chamber 200 for rotation and then transferred back to the process chamber 400 to ensure the uniformity of subsequent process results.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first connecting chamber 200 is equipped with a vacuum valve (not shown in Figure 2) to expel air from the chamber. This facilitates substrate storage and ensures that the pressure difference with the transfer chamber 300 is the same or similar, thus facilitating substrate transfer.

[0054] In this embodiment or some other embodiments, the first connecting chamber 200 is provided with a heating or cooling device (not shown in FIG. 2) to achieve temperature control of the substrate W. For example, it can ensure cooling before the substrate W is transferred to the loading platform 100 to avoid high-temperature oxidation of the surface of the substrate W and warping and delamination caused by uneven local temperature of the substrate W.

[0055] In this embodiment, the transfer chamber 300 has a rectangular cross-section, with one side connected to the side wall of the first connecting chamber 200, and the other three side walls can be connected to a process chamber 400.

[0056] As shown in Figure 4, in another embodiment, the substrate processing system further includes: a second connecting chamber 201; the number of transit chambers 300 is two, the second connecting chamber 201 is located between two adjacent transit chambers 300, and is connected to the two transit chambers 300 respectively.

[0057] Since there are two transfer chambers 300, the number of process chambers 400 connected to the two transfer chambers 300 is greater than the number of process chambers 400 in the above embodiment, thereby further improving processing efficiency.

[0058] In this embodiment, it is understood that the structure of the second connecting chamber 201 is the same as that of the first connecting chamber 200 described above. Specifically, the structure of the second connecting chamber 201 includes a support frame, which comprises several layers of substrate support structures stacked vertically and spaced at certain intervals. Each layer of substrate support structure has at least two substrate areas for supporting the substrate; at least the bottom layer of the substrate support structure has a rotating base for supporting and rotating the substrate. The second connecting chamber 201 also includes a vacuum valve and / or a heating or cooling device.

[0059] When it is necessary to rotate the substrate W in the process chamber 400, the substrate W needs to be transferred to the rotating base of the second connecting chamber 201. After the substrate W is rotated through the rotating base, it is then transferred to the corresponding process chamber 400 for the next step of processing.

[0060] For example, during the growth of ultra-multilayer thin films, the substrate W can be transferred to the second connecting chamber 201 for rotation and then transferred back to the process chamber 400 to ensure the uniformity of subsequent process results.

[0061] The first connecting chamber 200 can only be used to transfer wafers from the loading platform 100 to the process chamber 400, or to transfer the substrate W from the process chamber 400 to the loading platform 100.

[0062] Please continue to refer to Figure 4. Slit valves 600 are provided at the connection points of the transfer chamber 300 and the side wall of each process chamber 400, the connection points of the first connecting chamber 200 and the side wall of the transfer chamber 300, the connection points of the second connecting chamber 201 and the side wall of the transfer chamber 300, and the connection points of the first connecting chamber 200 and the side wall of the loading platform 100.

[0063] In this embodiment, the transfer chamber 300, the first connecting chamber 200, the second connecting chamber 201 and the loading platform 100 are arranged linearly. This arrangement is simple and reasonable, and facilitates operation and maintenance.

[0064] It is understood that multiple transfer chambers 300 and second connecting chambers 201 can be provided to further improve processing efficiency.

[0065] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0066] In the description of this work, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0067] In the description of this work, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixation" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this work based on the specific circumstances.

[0068] Although the present invention has been described in detail through the foregoing preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the foregoing description should not be considered as a limitation thereof. Various modifications and substitutions to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.

[0069] 10: Loading Platform 100: Loading Platform 11: Load Locking Chamber 12: Transfer Chamber 13: Robotic Arm 14: Process Chamber 15: Processing table 16: Rotating mechanism 200: First connecting chamber 201: Second connecting chamber 210: Bracket 2102: Support section 2103: Rotation axis 2104: Side panel 2105: Supporting steps 211: Rotating base 212: Substrate support structure 300: Transfer Chamber 400: Process Chamber 401: Near-end machining station 402: Remote processing unit 410: Processing table 500: Robotic Arm 501: Main robotic arm 502: From the robotic arm 503: Load-bearing arm 504: First rotating shaft 505: Second rotating shaft 506: Third Rotating Shaft 600: Slit valve a: included angle Q: Base plate area W: substrate

Claims

1. A substrate processing system, characterized in that it comprises: A transfer chamber and several process chambers are connected to the side walls of the transfer chamber. Each process chamber contains a proximal processing stage group close to the transfer chamber and a distal processing stage group away from the transfer chamber. Each proximal or distal processing stage group contains at least two processing stages, and the processing stages in the same process chamber are arranged in an array. A robotic arm is disposed in the transfer chamber. The robotic arm can rotate to align and position itself with the wafer transfer port of the process chamber. The robotic arm can extend and retract to move between the distal and proximal processing stage groups to pick up and place groups of substrates on the corresponding processing stages.

2. The substrate processing system as described in claim 1, wherein, Each of the process chambers includes four processing tables, which are arranged in a 2-row, 2-column configuration.

3. The substrate processing system as described in claim 1, wherein, The robotic arm includes: a strip-shaped main robotic arm, one end of which is rotatably connected to a first rotating shaft located in the central region of the transfer chamber; a strip-shaped slave robotic arm, one end of which is rotatably connected to a second rotating shaft located at the other end of the main robotic arm; and a support arm having multiple interdigitated fingers, the multiple interdigitated fingers being connected through a U-shaped segment, the U-shaped segment being rotatably connected to a third rotating shaft at the other end of the slave robotic arm.

4. The substrate processing system as described in claim 3, further comprising: The controller operates the carrier arm, the slave robotic arm, and the main robotic arm as a whole to rotate around a first rotation axis to align the insert finger with the transfer port of the process chamber; and operates the change of the included angle between the slave robotic arm and the main robotic arm to enable the carrier arm to enter and exit the process chamber.

5. The substrate processing system as described in claim 4, further comprising: The loading platform and the first connecting chamber are located between the loading platform and the transfer chamber, and are respectively connected to the loading platform and the transfer chamber.

6. The substrate processing system as described in claim 5, wherein, The first connecting chamber includes a support frame, which comprises several layers of substrate support structures stacked vertically and spaced at a certain distance. Each layer of substrate support structure has at least two substrate areas for supporting substrates.

7. The substrate processing system as described in claim 6, wherein, The substrate support structure includes a rotating base for supporting and rotating the substrate.

8. The substrate processing system as described in claim 6, wherein, The bracket includes at least three side plates arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals. Several pairs of support steps are arranged vertically on the opposite surfaces of two adjacent side plates. Several pairs of support steps located on the same layer constitute a substrate support structure. The edge of the substrate is mounted on the corresponding support step. Each substrate area in the bottom layer of the substrate support structure includes a support portion for supporting the substrate and a rotation shaft for driving the support portion to rotate.

9. The substrate processing system as described in claim 6, wherein, The first connecting chamber is equipped with a vacuum valve to expel air from the chamber.

10. The substrate processing system as described in claim 9, wherein, The first connecting chamber is equipped with a heating or cooling device.

11. The substrate processing system as described in claim 5, further comprising: Second connecting chamber; The number of transit chambers is two, and the second connecting chamber is located between the two adjacent transit chambers and is connected to both transit chambers respectively.

12. The substrate processing system as described in claim 11, wherein, The structure of the second connecting chamber includes a support, which includes several layers of substrate support structures stacked vertically and spaced at a certain distance. Each layer of substrate support structure has at least two substrate areas for supporting substrates. At least the bottom layer of the substrate support structure has a rotating base for supporting and rotating the substrate.

13. The substrate processing system as described in claim 12, wherein, The second connecting chamber also includes a vacuum valve and / or a heating or cooling device.

14. The substrate processing system as described in claim 12, wherein, The controller operates the support arm, the slave arm, and the main arm as a whole to move up and down along the first rotation axis to align with the substrate support structure of the corresponding layer in the first or second connecting chamber.

15. The substrate processing system as described in claim 11, wherein, A slit valve is provided at the connection points between the transfer chamber and the side wall of each process chamber, the connection points between the first connecting chamber and the side wall of the transfer chamber, the connection points between the second connecting chamber and the side wall of the transfer chamber, and the connection points between the first connecting chamber and the side wall of the loading platform.

16. The substrate processing system as described in claim 11, wherein, The transfer chamber, the first connecting chamber, the second connecting chamber, and the loading platform are arranged linearly.