Apparatus and methods for wafer rotation to improve spatial ALD process uniformity

{
  "publication_number": "US10186449B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Apparatus and methods for wafer rotation to improve spatial ALD process uniformity",
  "abstract": "Apparatus and methods for rotating wafers during processing include a wafer rotation assembly with a support fixture connected to a shaft and a wafer transfer assembly with a robot blade with an opening therethrough, the opening sized to allow the support surface of the support fixture to pass through the opening. A first actuator is connected to the wafer rotation assembly to rotate the support fixture assembly about an axis of the shaft. A second actuator is connected to the wafer rotation assembly to move the support fixture assembly a stroke distance along the axis of the shaft. Process kits including the wafer rotation assemblies and robot blades with openings can used to retrofit existing mainframe processing chambers.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus comprising: a housing having a bottom and sidewall, the sidewall including at least one opening extending through the sidewall, the bottom including a robot adapter plate to connect a wafer transport assembly; a wafer transport assembly including a robot hub, a main robot linkage coupled to the robot hub and a robot blade coupled to the main robot linkage, the robot blade having a length with a distal end and an opening through the robot blade, the opening centered a distance from the distal end of the robot blade by an amount equal to about a radius of a wafer to be transferred by the robot blade, the distance being within about 120 mm to about 180 mm from the distal end of the robot blade; and a wafer rotation assembly comprising a support fixture assembly comprising a support fixture connected to a shaft, the support fixture having a support surface and sized to pass through the opening in the robot blade, a first actuator to rotate the support fixture assembly about an axis of the shaft, and a second actuator to move the support fixture assembly along the axis of the shaft.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wafer rotation assembly further comprises a support housing with a flange to connect the support housing to an underside of the robot adapter plate, the support housing sealing the opening in the robot adapter plate so that a vacuum can be maintained within the housing.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller connected to the wafer transport assembly and the wafer rotation assembly, the controller having one or more configurations selected from: a first configuration to move the robot blade into and/or out of a processing chamber connected to a side of the housing; a second configuration to align the opening in the robot blade with the support fixture of the wafer rotation assembly; a third configuration to operate the second actuator to raise the shaft and support fixture of the wafer rotation assembly so that the support fixture passes through the opening in the robot blade; a fourth configuration to operate the first actuator to rotate the shaft and support fixture of the wafer rotation assembly by a fixed amount; and a fifth configuration to operate the second actuator to lower the shaft and support fixture of the wafer rotation assembly so that the support fixture is lowered through the opening in the robot blade.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robot blade is coupled to the main robot linkage through an extension arm, the robot blade connected to the extension arm at a robot blade hub and the extension arm connected to the main robot linkage at an extension hub.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the wafer transport assembly further comprises a second robot blade coupled to the main robot linkage, the second robot blade having a second length and a distal end with an opening therethrough.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the housing has at least one wafer rotation opening to allow the wafer rotation assembly to be positioned on a side of the bottom opposite the wafer transport assembly and allow the shaft and support fixture of the wafer rotation assembly to move through the opening.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the housing has a wafer rotation opening adjacent each opening in the sidewall.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support fixture comprises a material that can handle a wafer at a temperature up to 600° C.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the support fixture has a support surface comprising a dielectric material that can rotate the wafer without causing damage or slippage of the wafer on the support fixture.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support fixture has a support surface that provides one contact point over a fixed area of a wafer.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support fixture comprises multiple support posts configured to contact a wafer substantially simultaneously.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second actuator is configured to move the shaft and support fixture by a stroke distance in the range of about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches.",
    "13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support fixture is smaller than the opening in the robot blade.",
    "14. A method comprising: moving a robot blade through a slit valve in a sidewall of a transfer station and into a processing chamber connected to the transfer station, the transfer station having a bottom and sidewall, the bottom including a robot adapter plate to connect a wafer transport assembly, the transfer station comprising a wafer transport assembly including a robot hub, a main robot linkage coupled to the robot hub and a robot blade coupled to the main robot linkage, the robot blade having a length with a distal end and an opening through the robot blade, the opening centered a distance from the distal end of the robot blade by an amount equal to about a radius of a wafer to be transferred by the robot blade, the distance being within about 120 mm to about 180 mm from the distal end of the robot blade; and moving the robot blade through the slit valve in the sidewall from the processing chamber into the transfer station, the robot blade supporting a wafer removed from the processing chamber; moving a support fixture of a wafer rotation assembly through an opening in the robot blade to move the wafer a distance from the robot blade, the wafer rotation assembly comprising a support fixture assembly comprising a support fixture connected to a shaft, the support fixture having a support surface and sized to pass through the opening in the robot blade, a first actuator to rotate the support fixture assembly about an axis of the shaft, and a second actuator to move the support fixture assembly along the axis of the shaft; rotating the support fixture and the wafer on the support fixture by a predetermined amount; and moving the support fixture of the wafer rotation assembly through the opening in the robot blade to move the wafer back onto the robot blade so that an orientation of the wafer on the robot blade has been changed."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatus to improve process uniformity. In particular, the disclosure relates to methods and apparatus to rotate wafers to improve spatial atomic layer deposition process uniformity.\n\nProcess uniformity in mainframe processing chambers can be poor due to a variety of factors. Rotating wafers throughout the process can help improve the within wafer uniformity. The amount of rotation small and/or a few rotations can improve the uniformity. Rotating a wafer during processing can be time consuming and uses additional process hardware or space. For example, the wafers can be moved to a dedicated region of a processing tool where the wafer can be rotated. This is inefficient from a throughput perspective and uses additional floor space for a batch processing tool or cluster tool. Therefore, there is a need in the art for methods and apparatus to rotate wafers during processing in mainframe process chambers to increase within wafer uniformity.\n\nOne or more embodiments of the disclosure are directed to apparatus comprising a housing, a wafer transport assembly and a wafer rotation assembly. The housing has a bottom and sidewall. The sidewall includes at least one opening extending through the sidewall. The bottom includes a robot adapter plate to connect a wafer transport assembly. The wafer transport assembly includes a robot hub, a main robot linkage coupled to the robot hub and a robot blade coupled to the main robot linkage. The robot blade has a length with a distal end and an opening through the robot blade.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10P 72/7618",
    "B25J 9/042",
    "B25J 9/043",
    "G06F 9/30032",
    "H01L 21/67196",
    "H01L 21/67739",
    "H01L 21/67742",
    "H01L 21/67748",
    "H01L 21/67763",
    "H01L 21/68707",
    "H01L 21/68764",
    "H10P 72/0402",
    "H10P 72/0432",
    "H10P 72/0464",
    "H10P 72/33",
    "H10P 72/3302",
    "H10P 72/3306",
    "H10P 72/34",
    "H10P 72/7602"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/04",
    "G06F 9/30",
    "H01L 21/67",
    "H01L 21/677",
    "H01L 21/687"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "APPLIED MATERIALS INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "WEAVER WILLIAM T",
    "YUDOVSKY JOSEPH",
    "BLAHNIK JEFFREY"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-12-21",
  "publication_date": "2019-01-22",
  "grant_date": "2019-01-22",
  "priority_date": "2016-12-31",
  "application_number": "US-201715851096-A",
  "family_id": "62709009",
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    "US7033126B2",
    "WO2014143662A1"
  ]
}