Method of operating a processing system for treating a substrate

Abstract

A method and system are described for operating a processing system in order to optimize throughput. The processing system is configured for chemical oxide removal, wherein the processing system includes a process chamber having a lower chamber portion configured to chemically treat a substrate and an upper chamber portion configured to thermally treat the substrate, and a substrate lifting assembly configured to transport the substrate between the lower chamber portion and the upper chamber portion.

1 . A method of operating a processing system for treating substrates comprising: 
 transferring a first substrate into a lower portion of a processing system configured to perform a chemical treatment using a transfer system coupled to said processing system;    transferring said first substrate from said lower portion of said processing system to an upper portion of said processing system configured to perform a thermal treatment using said transfer system; and    removing said first substrate from said processing system and said transfer system.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 storing a second substrate at a first holding station in said transfer system while said first substrate is processed in said lower portion of said processing system.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 transferring said second substrate to said lower portion of said processing system while said first substrate is processed in said upper portion of said processing system.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 transferring said second substrate from said lower portion of said processing system to said upper portion of said processing system while said first substrate is stored at a second holding station in said transfer system.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 storing a third substrate at said first storage station in said transfer system while said second substrate is processed in said lower portion of said processing system.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 transferring said third substrate to said lower portion of said processing system while said second substrate is processed in said upper portion of said processing system.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said removing said first substrate from said processing system and said transfer system includes storing said first substrate at a second storage station in said transfer system.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said transferring said first substrate into said lower portion of said processing system is followed by chemically treating said first substrate in said lower portion in order to alter surface layers on said first substrate.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said transferring said first substrate from said lower portion to said upper portion of said processing system is followed by thermally treating said first substrate in order to remove said chemically altered surface layers on said first substrate.  
   
   
       10 . A method of operating a processing system for treating substrates comprising: 
 transferring a first substrate into a lower portion of said processing system using a transfer system coupled to said processing system;    processing said first substrate in said lower portion;    while processing said first substrate in said lower portion, transferring a second substrate to a first holding station in said transfer system;    transferring said first substrate using said transfer system from said lower portion to an upper portion of said processing system;    processing said first substrate in said upper portion;    while processing said first substrate in said upper portion, transferring said second substrate into said lower portion;    processing said second substrate in said lower portion;    while processing said second substrate in said lower portion, transferring a third substrate to said first holding station;    while processing said second substrate in said lower portion, transferring said first substrate to a second holding station in said transfer system;    transferring said second substrate using said transfer system from said lower portion to said upper portion of said processing system;    processing said second substrate in said upper portion;    transferring said third substrate into said lower portion;    processing said third substrate in said lower portion; and    removing said first substrate from said processing system and said transfer system.    
   
   
       11 . A system for chemically treating and thermally treating a substrate comprising: 
 a processing system having a process chamber including a lower chamber portion that chemically alters exposed surface layers on said substrate, and an upper chamber portion that thermally treats said chemically altered surface layers on said substrate;    a substrate lifting assembly coupled to said process chamber, configured to transport said substrate between said lower chamber portion and said upper portion; and    a controller coupled to said processing system and said substrate lifting assembly, and configured to optimize the throughput of a plurality of substrates through said upper portion and said lower portion of said processing system.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said lower chamber portion and said upper chamber portion is temperature-controlled.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said lower chamber portion is thermally insulated from said upper chamber portion.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said thermal insulation comprises a thermal insulation plate.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said thermal insulation plate provides a thermal barrier between said chemical treatment chamber and said thermal treatment chamber.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said thermal insulation plate comprises at least one of Teflon, alumina, sapphire, and quartz.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said lower chamber portion is vacuum isolated from said upper chamber portion.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said vacuum isolation includes a gate valve for opening and closing an opening between said lower chamber portion and said upper chamber portion.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said lower chamber portion comprises a temperature controlled substrate holder mounted within said lower chamber portion and configured to be substantially thermally insulated from said lower chamber portion, a pumping system coupled to said lower chamber portion, and a gas injection system configured to introduce one or more process gases to said lower chamber portion.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said temperature controlled substrate holder comprises at least one of an electrostatic clamping system, a back-side gas supply system, and one or more temperature control elements.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said temperature controlled substrate holder in said chemical treatment chamber includes one or more temperature control elements and said one or more temperature control elements comprise at least one of a cooling channel, a heating channel, a resistive heating element, a radiant lamp, and a thermo-electric device.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said gas injection system comprises at least one gas distribution plenum.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said gas injection system comprises one or more gas injection orifices.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more process gases comprises a first gas and a second gas different from said first gas.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more process gases comprise at least one of HF and NH 3 .  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein said one or more process gases further includes an inert gas.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said inert gas includes a Noble gas.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said upper chamber portion comprises: 
 a heating assembly configured to elevate the temperature of said substrate,    a pumping system coupled to said upper chamber portion, and    a gas purge system configured to introduce a purge gas to said upper chamber portion.    
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said heating assembly includes a radiant heating assembly.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein said radiant heating assembly includes an array of radiant lamps.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said purge gas includes N 2 .  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said substrate lifting assembly locates said substrate on a temperature-controlled substrate holder in said lower chamber portion for exposure to one or more process gases when in a lowered position, and locates said substrate proximate a heating assembly in said upper chamber portion when in a raised position.  
   
   
       33 . The system of in  claim 11 , wherein said process chamber is coupled to a manufacturing system.