An improved apparatus and method is provided for storing semiconductor wafer carriers, and for loading wafers or wafer carriers to a fabrication tool. The apparatus preferably provides an elevated port for receipt of wafer carriers from an overhead factory transport, allows for local interconnection among a plurality of the inventive apparatuses, and enables independent loading of the factory load port and the tool load port. An inventive wafer handling method which divides a lot of wafers into sublots and distributes the sublots among tools configured to perform the same process is also provided.
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4. A system comprising:
a fabrication tool comprising a processing chamber for performing a process on at least one wafer;
an overhead wafer carrier transport system;
a storage location located at an elevation below the overhead wafer carrier transport system;
a load port located at an elevation below the storage location;
a transfer mechanism including a vertical transfer mechanism and an horizontal transfer mechanism, the transfer mechanism extending between the overhead wafer carrier transport system positioned at an upper elevation position of the vertical transfer mechanism and the load port positioned at a lower elevation position of the vertical transfer mechanism so that the transfer mechanism is adapted to access, and transfer a wafer carrier between, the overhead wafer carrier transport system, the storage location, and the load port;
a loadlock operatively coupled to the load port; and
a loader mechanism adapted to horizontally extract at least one wafer from the wafer carrier into the loadlock.
7. An apparatus for supplying at least one wafer to a fabrication tool, comprising:
a load port coupled to a fabrication tool;
an overhead load port comprising a location to which a wafer carrier is transported via an overhead wafer carrier transport system;
a storage location located at an elevation above the elevation of the load port and below the overhead load port coupled to the fabrication tool;
a transfer mechanism adapted to access, and transfer a wafer carrier between, the overhead load port, the storage location, and the load port, the transfer mechanism including a vertical transfer mechanism and a horizontal transfer mechanism and wherein the overhead load port is located at an upper elevation position of the vertical transfer mechanism and above the storage location and the load port is positioned at a lower elevation position of the vertical transfer mechanism;
a loadlock operatively coupled to the load port; and
a loader mechanism adapted to horizontally extract at least one wafer from the wafer carrier into the loadlock.
1. A method of providing wafers to a fabrication tool having a load port coupled thereto for transferring one or more wafers from a wafer carrier to the fabrication tool, comprising:
unloading a wafer carrier from an overhead wafer carrier transport system via a transfer mechanism including a vertical transfer mechanism and a horizontal transfer mechanism;
lowering the wafer carrier from an upper elevation position of the transfer mechanism at the overhead wafer carrier transport system with the vertical transfer mechanism;
placing the wafer carrier at a storage location via motion of the horizontal transfer mechanism;
lowering the wafer carrier from the storage location with the vertical transfer mechanism to the load port located at an elevation below the storage location and positioned at a lower elevation position of the vertical transfer mechanism;
placing the wafer carrier on the load port;
opening the wafer carrier; and
extracting horizontally at least one wafer from the wafer carrier into a loadlock operatively coupled to the load port via a loader mechanism.
2. The method of
placing the wafer carrier in storage after unloading from the overhead wafer carrier transport system, and before placing the wafer carrier on the load port.
3. The method of
employing the transfer mechanism to unload the wafer carrier from the overhead wafer carrier transport system and lower the wafer carrier directly from the overhead wafer carrier transport system to the load port.
5. The system of
6. The system of
8. The apparatus of
9. The apparatus of
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This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/348,836, filed Jan. 22, 2003 now abandoned, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350,867, filed Jul. 9, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,466, which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/764,661, filed Dec. 11, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,648. Each of these patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer fabrication systems, and to an improved method and apparatus for storing and loading semiconductor wafer carriers at a given semiconductor wafer fabrication tool.
The drive for reduced cost per unit wafer processed characterizes the semiconductor industry. Thus the semiconductor industry continuously searches for ways to increase wafer output and/or reduce overall equipment costs (costs of ownership). Among the factors significantly affecting cost of ownership for a given piece of equipment are clean room costs, footprint and labor costs. It is well recognized that overall semiconductor wafer fabrication system (i.e., fabrication tool) productivity increases are achieved by ensuring a constant supply of wafers at each tool. Conventionally this has been accomplished by employing a local buffer supply (i.e., a supply of wafers at the tool). For example, the “MINI BUFFER” marketed by Jenoptik/Infab is a vertical buffer which is positioned near a fabrication tool's load lock chambers. The MINI BUFFER comprises a series of vertically arranged shelves and one or more load ports for access by the tool's loader robot, and/or for access by factory transport agents (i.e., the mechanism that transfers wafer carriers from the factory to the buffer apparatus' factory load port). Conventionally one MINI BUFFER is positioned near each load lock, a distance from the load lock sufficient to accommodate the axis of rotation of a front loader robot. The loader robot may then access either MINI BUFFER to obtain a wafer carrier for loading to either load lock. Although such methods maintain a constant local buffer supply of wafer carriers, they occupy a considerable amount of floor space thus increasing the system's cost of ownership. The fact that fabrication tools are frequently maintained in a clean room environment further exacerbates the increased cost associated with the system's larger footprint.
In addition, most prior art systems do not allow simultaneous access by the tool loader and the factory transport agent, and thereby complicate factory transport scheduling, and can result in throughput reduction.
Accordingly, there is a need for apparatuses and methods which can reduce footprint and/or increase machine/factory throughput.
In its broadest aspect the invention comprises a load/buffer adapted to provide local storage of wafer carriers at a fabrication tool, the load/buffer comprising a first factory load port adapted to receive wafer carriers to be transferred to and from the factory, a wafer carrier store, a first wafer carrier transfer mechanism adapted to transfer wafer carriers between the factory load port and the store, a first tool load port adapted to receive wafer carriers to be accessed by a fabrication tool, and a second wafer carrier transfer mechanism adapted to transfer wafer carriers between the tool load port and the store.
The wafer carrier store may comprise for example, a shelf, shelves, or a conveyor, and the wafer carrier transfer mechanisms may comprise for example, a shelf capable of raising or lowering the wafer carrier between the wafer carrier store and the load port (in which case rollers, a wafer handler or the like may transfer the wafer carrier between the shelf and the wafer carrier store), or a wafer handler capable of transferring the wafer carriers between the port and the store. The ports may be positioned at the height set by SEMI standard E15, or may be at a height greater than that of the fabrication tool, etc. The inventive apparatus may be positioned in front of the fabrication tool, beside the fabrication tool, at least partially above the fabrication tool, etc.
To enhance throughput, a plurality of load buffers may be connected so that one fabrication tool can receive a wafer carrier from the wafer carrier store of another fabrication tool if necessary. As used herein, the term “fabrication tool” includes any tool that performs a process on a substrate, whether it be deposition, etch, heat treatment, polish, clean, etc.
To further enhance throughput an inventive wafer handling method may be employed. The inventive wafer handling method increases throughput during any non-steady-state processing period (startup, tool failure, etc.), by dividing the wafers contained in a wafer carrier among a plurality of fabrication tools that are adapted to perform the same process. In this manner, each fabrication tool can immediately begin processing wafers, and throughput is greatly increased as compared to conventional methods which allow the entire wafer carrier full of wafers to remain with a single fabrication tool. Such conventional methods force the remaining fabrication tools to idle until a wafer carrier has arrived for each fabrication tool. Because most conventional fabrication systems deliver only one wafer carrier per hour, the inventive method results in a substantial increase in throughput. Although the inventive wafer handling method is most advantageously employed within a plurality of connected load buffers, such as those described herein, it may be used within any system containing a plurality of fabrication tools which perform the same process.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
The first robot 13 is configured such that when the first x-axis component 19 is at the lower portion of the first y-axis component 17 it may access a first load port 27 (preferably a SEMI E15 type load port) and such that when the first x-axis component 19 is at the upper portion of the first y-axis component 17 it may access a first overhead load port 20 which provides access to a first overhead wafer carrier transport system such as a monorail, referenced generally by the numeral 29a of
The second robot 15 is configured such that when the second x-axis component 23 is at the lower portion of the second y-axis component 21 it may access a first wafer exchange port 31 and, optionally, such that when the second x-axis component 23 is at the upper portion of the second y-axis component 23 it may access an optional second overhead load port which provides access to a second overhead wafer carrier transport system such as a monorail, referenced generally by the numeral 29b in
The first wafer exchange port 31 is preferably located substantially or completely above a fabrication tool 33 having at least a transfer chamber 32, a process chamber 34 and a first load lock 35. Most preferably the first wafer exchange port 31 is located above the transfer chamber 32 of the fabrication tool 33. Alternatively, however, the wafer exchange port 31 may occupy other locations. The first wafer exchange port 31 is operatively coupled to the first load lock 35 via a first loader mechanism referenced generally by the numeral 37 of
In the present invention the first loader mechanism 37 is positioned on lift-lower mechanism 41. When the first lid 39 and the lift-lower mechanism 41 are in their elevated positions, as shown in
Further, in a preferred embodiment the first lid 39 has a wafer carrier-engaging mechanism referenced generally by the numeral 45 of
Further, as shown by
As shown in
Next, as shown in
Thereafter, as shown in the example of
As shown in
The first robot 13 and the second robot 15 may continue to operate independently of the loading of the first wafer carrier 43 from the first wafer exchange port 31 to the first load lock 35. Although not shown in
The configuration of the load buffer 11 advantageously enables independent operation of the first robot 13 and the second robot 15, and enables independent loading and unloading of each pair of load ports (e.g., the first load port and the first wafer exchange port) and the overhead load ports. Thus, it is understood that the specific operation of the load buffer 11 described with reference to
After processing is complete and the wafers have been returned to the load lock 35, the lid of load lock 35 elevates, the lift/lower mechanism 41 lifts the wafers to the elevation of the first wafer exchange port 31, and the first loader mechanism 37 returns the wafers to the cassette 43 positioned on the wafer exchange port 31. As the first lid 39 of load lock 35 lowers, lift/lower mechanism 41 lowers, and the second lid 47 of the wafer carrier 43 lowers, sealing around the cassette 43a. Thereafter the second robot 15 transfers the wafer carrier 43 either to a storage shelf 25 or to the second overhead load port. If the second robot 15 places the wafer carrier 43 on one of the storage shelves 25, the first robot 13 may then transfer the wafer carrier 43 either to the first load port 27 or to the first overhead load port. Thus a wafer carrier full of processed wafers travels backward through the load buffer 11 in the same manner as a wafer carrier of unprocessed wafers travels forward through the load buffer 11, only the direction of travel changes. Each robot elevates a wafer carrier between the respective load port or wafer exchange port and the overhead load ports or storage shelves. As used herein the term “elevate” refers to any y-axis movement and therefore includes both lifting and lowering.
In operation, at any given time wafer carriers may be traveling both forward and backward through the load buffer 11. Thus, a robot may transfer a first wafer carrier to the storage shelves or to the overhead load ports, and then immediately pick up a second wafer carrier for transfer to one of the load ports or to the wafer exchange ports.
Although with reference to the side elevational views of
The inventive load buffer 71 shown in
In operation an automated local area fabrication system; comprising the load buffer 71, at least the first load lock 83, and at least one processing chamber; receives a wafer carrier in the first load port 73. Typically the wafer carrier will be traveling from a previous processing location (e.g., an additional automated local area fabrication system) and may be transported to and loaded into the first load port 73 via a factory automation system, an automatic guided vehicle, or an operator, etc. The wafer carrier is loaded via the first load port 73 into the first elevator 75. The first elevator 75 elevates the wafer carrier to the upper portion of the first elevator 75 which is connected to the horizontal transfer mechanism 77. Thereafter the wafer carrier is transferred to the horizontal transfer mechanism 77 via conventional methods, for example, the first elevator 75 may comprise an x-y robot that delivers a wafer carrier to the horizontal transfer mechanism 77 and then returns to the first load port 73, or, the first elevator 75 may comprise a surface of rolling elements which are actuated when the surface is aligned with the horizontal transfer mechanism 77, causing the wafer carrier to be transferred across the rolling elements to the horizontal transfer mechanism 77.
After traveling though the horizontal transfer mechanism 77 the wafer carrier is transferred from the horizontal transfer mechanism 77 to the upper portion of the second elevator 79 via conventional methods. The second elevator 79 then lowers the wafer carrier to the second load port 81 where a conventional loader mechanism 91 (e.g., a robot) transfers one or more wafers, or the entire wafer carrier from the second load port 81 to either the first load lock 83 or the second load lock 85 of the fabrication tool 87. Within the fabrication tool 87 wafers are transferred from the first load lock 83 or the second load lock 85 to one or more process chambers 86 (see
In the positive position the first compartment 95 of the dual-compartment segment 93 occupies the storage channel 109 and the second compartment 97 of the dual-compartment segment 93 occupies the move channel 105. Thus, although a given dual-compartment segment 93 may be positioned such that a compartment occupies either the shuttle channel 107 or the storage channel 109, each dual-compartment segment 93 has a compartment which occupies the move channel 105. Therefore the move channel 105 is a continuous channel, formed of the first compartment 95 and/or the second compartment 97 of a plurality of the dual-compartment segments 93, through which wafer carriers may travel; and the shuttle channel 107 and the storage channel 109 are intermittently occupied by the second compartment 97 or the first compartment 95, respectively, of one or more dual-compartment segments 93. Thus, the shuttle channel 107 and/or the storage channel 109 may store wafer carriers without blocking the passage of wafer carriers through the move channel 105.
In the preferred operation, initially each dual-compartment segment 93a-d is neutrally positioned. A first wafer carrier (not shown) is then loaded into the first compartment 95 of dual-compartment segment 93a and can: 1) travel immediately along the move channel 105 to the end of the bi-level conveyor 103 where the first wafer carrier will be unloaded from the bi-level conveyor 103; 2) travel a distance along the bi-level conveyor 103 (e.g., to dual-compartment segment 93b, 93c or 93d) and then be placed in storage (e.g., placed in the storage channel 109 by shifting the respective dual-compartment segment 93 to a positive position); or 3) immediately be placed in storage (e.g., by shifting dual-compartment segment 93a to a positive position).
To remove a wafer carrier from storage and return the wafer carrier to the move channel 105, the dual-compartment segment 93 containing the wafer carrier is shifted from the positive position to the neutral position. Thereafter, the wafer carrier may continue traveling along the move channel 105. Thus, by employing a bi-level conveyor 103 and by designating one channel for storage and one channel for movement, a first wafer carrier may be placed in storage at any point along the bi-level conveyor 103 (i.e., within any of the plurality of dual-compartment segments 93 a-d) without obstructing the passage of a second wafer carrier through the move channel 105. Although the move channel 105 is preferably used only for moving wafer carriers, and the storage channel 109 is preferably used only for storing wafer carriers, the storage channel 109 and/or the move channel 105 may perform a combination of storage and movement functions.
In operation an automated local area fabrication system; comprising the load buffer 71, at least the first load lock 83, and at least one processing chamber; receives a wafer carrier in the first load port 73. Typically the wafer carrier will be traveling from a previous process location (e.g., an additional automated local area fabrication system) and may be transported to and loaded into the first load port 73 via, for example, a factory automation system, an automatic guided vehicle, or an operator. The wafer carrier is loaded via the first load port 73 into the first elevator 75. The first elevator 75 elevates the wafer carrier to the upper portion of the first elevator 75 which is connected to the bi-level conveyor 103. Thereafter the wafer carrier is transferred to the bi-level conveyor 103 via conventional methods. An actuator (not shown) controls the bi-level conveyor 103 causing a given dual-compartment segment 93 to shift from the neutral position to the positive position and vice versa. The actuator also controls the operation of the first plurality of rolling elements 99a-e, and the second plurality of rolling elements 101a-e, selectively causing them to rotate and thus to transfer a wafer carrier from one universe of rolling elements to the next. By selectively shifting the dual-compartment segments 93a-d and rotating the plurality of rolling elements 99a-e and 101a-e, wafer carriers are stored in the storage channel 109 and transferred through the move channel 105, as described previously in conjunction with
After traveling though the bi-level conveyor 103 the wafer carrier is transferred from the bi-level conveyor 103 to the upper portion of the second elevator 79 via conventional methods. The second elevator 79 then lowers the wafer carrier to the second load port 81 where a conventional loader mechanism 91 (e.g., a robot) transfers one or more wafers at a time, or transfers the entire wafer carrier, from the second load port 81 to either the first load lock 83 or the second load lock 85 of the fabrication tool 87. Within the fabrication tool 87 wafers are transferred from the first load lock 83 or the second load lock 85 to one or more process chambers 86 (see
In the example of
As with the vertically oriented bi-level conveyor 103 of
To remove a wafer carrier from storage and return it to the move channel 105, the dual-compartment segment 93 containing the wafer carrier is shifted from the positive position to the neutral position. Thereafter, the wafer carrier may continue traveling along the move channel 105. Thus, by employing a dual-compartment conveyor 103 and by designating one channel for storage and one channel for movement, a first wafer carrier may be placed in storage at any point along the bi-level conveyor 103 (i.e., within any of the plurality of dual-compartment segments 93 a-d) without obstructing the passage of a second wafer carrier through the move channel 105. Although the move channel 105 is preferably used only for moving wafer carriers, and the storage channel 109 is preferably used only for storing wafer carriers, the storage channel 109 and/or the move channel 105 may perform a combination of storage and movement functions. Although the load buffer 71 of
As previously stated, the load buffer embodiments described above are merely the currently preferred embodiments. Other embodiments will likewise benefit from the inventive features taught herein, such as the local interconnection of fabrication tools, the ability to receive wafer carriers from overhead factory transport mechanisms, the ability for the factory load port and the tool load port to operate independently, etc.
Similarly, an inventive method of wafer handling is now provided which is particularly advantageous when employed with the interconnected conveyor-type load buffers shown in
In its broadest sense, the inventive method comprises receiving a wafer carrier containing a plurality of wafers (i.e., a wafer lot), at a fabrication tool, or at an incoming wafer carrier location 115 of the tool set 111, dividing the wafer lot into a plurality of sublots and delivering these sublots to a plurality of the tools within the tool set 111. In this manner, the plurality of tools may begin processing shortly after receipt of the first wafer lot. The sublots may be delivered to the tools 113a-c via the same mechanism (e.g., factory transport) which delivered the lot, or may be delivered via a local transfer mechanism (represented generally by the number 117) such as a local connection of load buffers (e.g., those pictured in
The present invention preferably provides a control program generally represented by the number 119 which may be stored in any computer readable medium (e.g., a hard disc, floppy disc, carrier wave signal, etc.). The control program may be part of the overall program that controls manufacturing execution and material control, or may be a separate program. When a separate program and an incoming wafer carrier location 115 are employed, both the manufacturing execution/material control program and the wafer handling equipment can be significantly simplified, as fewer locations (in this example a third of the locations) will need to be accessed thereby.
A control program for carrying out the inventive method is set forth in
The inventive method allows a tool set to assume steady state processing in a fraction (in this example approximately one third) the time that is required by conventional methods, and is therefore advantageous during any transient processing condition (startup, tool failure, etc.)
The foregoing description discloses only the preferred embodiment of the invention, modification of the above disclosed apparatus and method which fall within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For instance, although only four storage locations 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d are shown, additional storage locations could be provided. Although each of the storage locations 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d is shown as being wide enough to hold only a single wafer carrier, the size of the storage locations may vary so as to hold a plurality of wafer carriers. As well, the specific apparatus employed as the first and second vertical transfer mechanism may vary, as may the specific location and coupling of components.
Although the dual-compartment segment 93 is shown as having only a first compartment 95 and a second compartment 97, the dual-compartment segment 93 may have additional compartments which could provide additional storage locations or additional movement channels. Although each dual-compartment segment 93 is shown as being wide enough to hold only a single wafer carrier, the size of dual-compartment segment 93 may vary.
In operation, any channel may perform both storage and movement at a given time, and the first and second load ports may each function as both a factory load port and a tool load port. The horizontal transfer mechanism is not limited to the conveyor system disclosed. Other equivalent transfer mechanisms will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Although a horizontal transfer mechanism that comprises both a storage and a move channel is preferred, the horizontal transfer mechanism may comprise a single channel. Preferably the first and second load ports will conform to the specifications set forth in SEMI-E15, however, other load ports could be used.
The load buffer apparatus is described as transferring wafer carriers, however, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, and wafers may be transferred individually, and/or in SMIF or other type pods, etc. The pods need not be of the bottom opening type, for instance, side or top opening pods may be employed within the inventive system. If used for transferring SMIF or other type pods the load buffer of the present invention preferably would include a mechanism for opening and closing the pod at the tool load port, such as those conventionally known in the art.
Finally, although
Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
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