Substrate transfer systems and methods of use thereof

{
  "publication_number": "US12106991B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Substrate transfer systems and methods of use thereof",
  "abstract": "Disclosed herein are systems and methods relating to 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 and configured to generate a magnetic field above the track. The transfer chamber also includes a magnetic levitation track disposed along a width of the transfer chamber such that a plane of this lateral track crosses a 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 also is configured to rotate at the junction.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system, comprising: a magnetic levitation platform, comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a horizontal length of the transfer chamber and configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a horizontal width of the transfer chamber, wherein a plane of the second magnetic levitation track crosses a plane of the first magnetic levitation track at a first junction, wherein the second magnetic levitation track is 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, wherein the substrate carrier is configured to rotate at the first junction.",
    "2. The transfer chamber of claim 1, further comprising at least one of: (i) a third magnetic levitation track disposed along the horizontal length of the transfer chamber spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track, wherein the second magnetic levitation track is disposed across the third magnetic levitation track at a second junction; or (ii) a fourth magnetic levitation track disposed along the horizontal width of the transfer chamber spaced apart from the second magnetic levitation track, wherein the fourth magnetic levitation track is disposed across the first magnetic levitation track at a third junction.",
    "3. The transfer chamber of claim 2, further comprising at least one of: (iii) a fifth magnetic levitation track disposed along the horizontal length of the transfer chamber spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and the third magnetic levitation track, wherein the second and fourth magnetic levitation tracks are disposed across the fifth magnetic levitation track; or (iv) a sixth magnetic levitation track disposed along the horizontal width of the transfer chamber spaced apart from the second magnetic levitation track and the fourth magnetic levitation track, wherein the sixth magnetic levitation track is disposed across the first, third and fifth magnetic levitation tracks.",
    "4. The transfer chamber of claim 3, wherein the first and third, and third and fifth magnetic levitation tracks are spaced apart a distance of about 350 mm to about 450 mm.",
    "5. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate carrier is configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, wherein the at least one substrate carrier comprises at least one of: a passive rotational magnetic bearing configured to rotate the substrate carrier; or a mirrored drive segment configured to rotate the substrate carrier; or a stationary active bearing and drive assembly configured to rotate a turntable on a top surface of the substrate carrier; or a rotational drive configured to rotate a passive magnetic bearing.",
    "6. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate carrier comprises an end effector for holding a substrate, wherein at least one of the first magnetic levitation track or the second magnetic levitation track is configured to cause the substrate carrier to rotate to place the substrate into a process chamber connected to the transfer chamber.",
    "7. The transfer chamber of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ports in sidewalls of the transfer chamber, wherein the plurality of ports are a plurality of slit valves accessible to the at least one substrate carrier, and wherein the second magnetic levitation track is proximate to a subset of the plurality of ports on a first side of the transfer chamber and is usable to transfer a substrate into a process chamber through one of the plurality of ports.",
    "8. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein a first horizontal plane of the first magnetic levitation track is at a different height than a second horizontal plane of the second magnetic levitation track.",
    "9. The transfer chamber of claim 8, further comprising an assembly for transferring the at least one substrate carrier from the first magnetic levitation track to the second magnetic levitation track, comprising: a magnetic bearing comprising: a shaft and a torsional spring positioned within the shaft; a plurality of permanent magnets concentric to the shaft; an encoder configured to monitor at least one of speed, distance or direction of rotation of the shaft; and a drive configured to rotate the shaft.",
    "10. A transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system, comprising: a magnetic levitation platform, comprising: a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a horizontal length of the transfer chamber at a first height within the transfer chamber and configured to generate a first magnetic field above the first magnetic levitation track; a second magnetic levitation track disposed along a horizontal width of the transfer chamber at a second height within the transfer chamber, wherein the second magnetic levitation track is 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, wherein the substrate carrier is configured to move from the first magnetic levitation track to the second magnetic levitation track at a point of intersection between a plane of the first magnetic levitation track and a plane of the second magnetic levitation track.",
    "11. The transfer chamber of claim 10, further comprising at least one of: (i) a third magnetic levitation track disposed along the horizontal length of the transfer chamber at the first height spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and configured to generate a third magnetic field above the third magnetic levitation track, wherein the plane of the second magnetic levitation track intersects a plane of the third magnetic levitation track; or (ii) a fourth magnetic levitation track disposed along the horizontal width of the transfer chamber at the second height spaced apart from the second magnetic levitation track and configured to generate a fourth magnetic field below the fourth magnetic levitation track, wherein the plane of the first magnetic levitation track and the plane of the third magnetic levitation track intersect a plane of the fourth magnetic levitation track.",
    "12. The transfer chamber of claim 11, wherein the first and third magnetic levitation tracks are spaced apart a distance of about 40 mm to about 300 mm, and wherein the second and fourth magnetic levitation tracks are spaced apart a distance of about 40 mm to about 300 mm.",
    "13. The transfer chamber of claim 11, wherein the at least one substrate carrier is configured to move along the first, second, third and fourth magnetic levitation tracks, wherein the at least one substrate carrier comprises: a first magnet on a bottom surface of the substrate carrier and a second magnet on a top surface of the substrate carrier, wherein the first magnet is configured to interact with the first and third magnetic levitation tracks and the second magnet is configured to interact with the second and fourth magnetic levitation tracks.",
    "14. The transfer chamber of claim 10, further comprising: at least one lift pin assembly configured to move the at least one substrate carrier in a vertical direction between the first and second magnetic levitation tracks.",
    "15. The transfer chamber of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of process chambers connected to the transfer chamber via a plurality of respective slit valves.",
    "16. The transfer chamber of claim 10, wherein the transfer chamber is connected to a first load lock, wherein the first load lock is accessible to the at least one substrate carrier when engaged with the first magnetic levitation track, the transfer chamber further comprising: a second load lock stacked above the first load lock, wherein the second load lock is accessible to the at least one substrate carrier when engaged with the second magnetic levitation track.",
    "17. 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 horizontal length of the transfer chamber, and wherein the second magnetic levitation track is configured to move the at least one substrate carrier in a second direction along the horizontal length of the transfer chamber, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.",
    "18. A method of moving one or more substrates in a transfer chamber, comprising: retrieving from a first process chamber a first substrate by a first substrate carrier engaged with a first magnetic levitation track disposed along a horizontal length of the transfer chamber, wherein the first magnetic levitation track is 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 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 crosses a plane of the first magnetic levitation track, wherein the second magnetic levitation track is disposed along a horizontal width of the transfer chamber and is 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 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 junction formed where a plane of a third magnetic levitation track crosses the plane of the second magnetic levitation track, wherein the third magnetic levitation track is disposed along the horizontal length of the transfer chamber spaced apart from the first magnetic levitation track and is 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 with the first substrate in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track to a second process chamber positioned on an opposite side of the transfer chamber from the first process chamber; and rotating the first substrate carrier with the first substrate and placing the first substrate in the second process chamber.",
    "19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: rotating the first substrate carrier at a second junction formed where a third magnetic levitation track crosses the second magnetic levitation track proximate to a bottom surface of the transfer chamber, wherein the third magnetic levitation track has a face-up orientation configured to generate a third magnetic field above the third magnetic levitation track; and generating the third magnetic field by the third magnetic levitation track to move the first substrate carrier with the first substrate in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track.",
    "20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: lifting, with a first lift pin assembly, the first substrate carrier to a third magnetic levitation track positioned proximate a top surface of the transfer chamber, wherein the third magnetic levitation track has a face-down orientation and is configured to generate a third magnetic field below the third magnetic levitation track; detecting that the first substrate carrier is proximate to the third magnetic levitation track; and generating the third magnetic field to suspend the first substrate carrier below the third magnetic levitation track and to move the first substrate carrier with the first substrate in a third direction along the third magnetic levitation track.",
    "21. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one substrate carrier is configured to move along the first magnetic levitation track and the second magnetic levitation track, wherein the at least one substrate carrier comprises: a passive rotational magnetic bearing configured to rotate the substrate carrier; or a mirrored drive segment configured to rotate the substrate carrier; or a stationary active bearing and drive assembly configured to rotate a turntable on a top surface of the substrate carrier; or a rotational drive configured to rotate a passive magnetic bearing; or a first magnet on a bottom surface of the substrate carrier and a second magnet on a top surface of the substrate carrier, wherein the first magnet is configured to interact with the first and second magnetic levitation tracks and the second magnet is configured to interact with third and fourth magnetic levitation tracks positioned on a top surface of the transfer chamber."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The disclosure relates generally to the field of robotics. In particular, the disclosure relates to substrate transfer systems, which transport substrates between process chambers within an isolated environment. The substrates may be transported using a magnetic levitation platform within a transport enclosure. Also disclosed are methods of using such magnetic levitation platforms within a transfer chamber.\n\nSemiconductor devices are formed on substrates through numerous process steps within one or more process chambers of a semiconductor manufacturing system. Each process chamber completes one or more of the various steps (e.g., etching, polishing, deposition, etc.) to form the semiconductor devices. The process chambers are held under vacuum. Substrate transfer systems, which are also held under vacuum, can interconnect process chambers and move the substrates between the process chambers without having to break vacuum. Some substrate transfer systems have a linear and rectangular arrangement such that process chambers are positioned along each side of the transfer chamber. A substrate transfer system using a linear arrangement typically includes a conveyor having a rectangular top surface with the process chambers on one side or opposite sides of the conveyor. The conveyor can be connected to one or more load lock in order to maintain the vacuum environment within the transfer system. Substrates are placed in and removed from the load lock, which will only open to the transfer chamber once under vacuum.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10P 72/3204",
    "B65G 54/02",
    "H01L 21/67201",
    "H01L 21/67706",
    "H01L 21/67709",
    "H10P 72/0456",
    "H10P 72/0464",
    "H10P 72/0466",
    "H10P 72/18",
    "H10P 72/3202",
    "H10P 72/3302",
    "H10P 72/3306",
    "H10P 72/7612"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 54/02",
    "H01L 21/67",
    "H01L 21/677"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "APPLIED MATERIALS INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "HUDGENS JEFFREY C",
    "OLDENDORF ULRICH"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-09-20",
  "publication_date": "2024-10-01",
  "grant_date": "2024-10-01",
  "priority_date": "2021-09-22",
  "application_number": "US-202217949090-A",
  "family_id": "85573672",
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}