Asymmetric Heptagonal Wafer Transfer Chamber Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing the number of processing chambers in semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses to enhance throughput results in a larger footprint, reducing the number of apparatuses that can be installed in limited spaces and compromising maintainability when chambers are stacked vertically.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with a wafer transfer chamber having a regular heptagonal base is modified to increase the angle between adjacent processing chambers, allowing for more chambers to be added horizontally without significantly increasing the apparatus width, thereby improving maintainability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of processing chambers is increased to improve throughput, then productivity increases, but the footprint of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wafer transfer chamber uses an asymmetric irregular heptagonal configuration instead of a symmetric arrangement. Specifically, the angle between adjacent processing chambers is increased to 60-120 degrees (optimal 90 degrees) for some chambers, deviating from the uniform 360/n distribution. This asymmetric angular distribution allows more processing chambers to be arranged within a smaller radial footprint while maintaining adequate spacing, thereby increasing throughput without proportionally increasing the apparatus footprint.
2Area of stationary object
If processing chambers are stacked vertically to reduce footprint, then footprint decreases, but maintainability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of stacking chambers vertically (utilizing the vertical dimension), the invention arranges processing chambers horizontally around the periphery of an irregular heptagonal wafer transfer chamber. This horizontal peripheral arrangement in the radial dimension allows multiple chambers to be accessed from the sides rather than requiring vertical disassembly, thereby maintaining good maintainability while achieving compact footprint through optimized angular distribution of chambers.
3Ease of repair
If the angle between adjacent processing chambers is increased to improve maintainability, then maintainability improves, but the total width of the apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the angular parameter distribution around the wafer transfer chamber. By setting specific angle ranges (60-120 degrees, with 90 degrees being optimal) between adjacent processing chambers, the configuration achieves a balance where maintainability is improved through adequate spacing, while the overall radial footprint is controlled through the irregular heptagonal geometry that efficiently packs chambers within a limited angular span.
Data Source
AI summary
A cluster type semiconductor processing apparatus includes a wafer handling chamber having a polygonal base including multiple sides for wafer processing chambers and two adjacent sides for wafer loading/unloading chambers as viewed in a direction of an axis of the wafer handling chamber. An angle A between two adjacent sides of the multiple sides for wafer processing chambers is greater than an angle B which is calculated by dividing 360° by the number of the total sides consisting of the multiple sides for wafer processing chambers and the two adjacent sides for wafer loading/unloading chambers.