Processing System For Small Substrates

Abstract

A substrate processing system that is optimized for the production of smaller volumes of semiconductor components is disclosed. To minimize cost, the substrate processing system is designed to accommodate smaller substrates, such as substrates having a diameter of roughly one inch. Additionally, the components of the substrate processing system are designed to be interchangeable, thereby further reducing cost and complexity. In certain embodiments, the substrate processing system comprises a lower assembly, which may be used with one or more upper assemblies. The lower assembly is used to support the substrate and provide many of the fluid, electrical, and sensor connections, while the upper assemblies include the apparatus required to perform a certain fabrication function. For example, different upper assemblies may exist for deposition, etching, sputtering and ion implantation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for processing of micro- and nanoscale devices, comprising:
 a lower assembly, comprising:
 a flange; 
 a vacuum feedthrough; 
 a chuck assembly, adapted to hold a substrate and adapted to connect to the vacuum feedthrough; and 
   a plurality of upper assemblies, each adapted to connect to the first predefined interface, wherein each of the plurality of upper assemblies comprises:
 a hollow tube; 
 a chamber head comprising a top flange sealed to a first end of the hollow tube; and 
 a bottom flange, having a central opening, disposed at a second end of the hollow tube; 
 wherein each of the plurality of upper assemblies comprises a different processing apparatus, 
 wherein the bottom flange of any one of the plurality of upper assemblies may be connected to the flange of the lower assembly to provide an air-tight seal, so as to form a respective processing chamber surrounding the substrate, so that the processing apparatus associated with the connected upper assembly may be used to process the substrate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein fasteners, disposed outside the hollow tube, are used to connect the chamber head, the hollow tube and the bottom flange together. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein one of the plurality of upper assemblies comprises a helical coil disposed around the hollow tube. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the helical coil is held by a coil connecting assembly, and the coil connecting assembly is secured to the upper assembly using the fasteners. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the helical coil is configured to be translated vertically along the hollow tube. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of upper assemblies comprises a planar coil disposed on the top flange. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the top flange is entirely or partially constructed from a dielectric material. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber head of one of the upper assemblies comprises a sputtering gun disposed within the processing chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the chuck assembly comprises a feedthrough tube, which is insertable into the vacuum feedthrough. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lower assembly further comprises an interface adapted to connect to a sample transfer mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a chuck assembly, comprising:
 a feedthrough tube, having a first end extending to an exterior of a processing chamber, and a second end, and having at least one fluid connection;   a coupling plate, disposed at the second end of the feedthrough tube, having at least one fluid feedthrough conduit in communication with the at least one fluid connection,   an upper chuck piece, disposed adjacent to the coupling plate, and having at least one internal conduit fabricated on an underside of the upper chuck piece and in contact with a top surface of the coupling plate, the at least one internal conduit being in communication with the at least one fluid feedthrough conduit;   and   a wafer attachment mechanism disposed on a top surface of the upper chuck piece, such that the upper chuck piece is between the coupling plate and the wafer clamp.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising an isolation and alignment block, having a hollow interior and disposed at the second end of the feedthrough tube, wherein the coupling plate and the upper chuck piece are disposed within the hollow interior of the isolation and alignment block. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling plate comprises an electrical connection, and wherein the coupling plate is adapted to be in communication with a power source. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the electrical connection exits the chuck assembly through the first end of the feedthrough tube. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling plate contains one or more sensor connections, and wherein the coupling plate is adapted to be in communication with equipment interfacing with these sensor connections. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one fluid feedthrough conduit in the coupling plate comprises gas conduits, the at least one internal conduit in the upper chuck piece comprises gas passages, and wherein the at least one fluid connection in the feedthrough tube comprises a gas connection, adapted to connect to a heat transfer medium, such that the heat transfer medium can flow through the gas connection, the gas conduits and the gas passages to the top surface of the upper chuck piece. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wafer attachment mechanism comprises a wafer clamp, having one or more apertures defines region of a substrate to be processed, wherein the substrate is disposed between the top surface of the upper chuck piece and the wafer clamp. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wafer attachment mechanism comprises a wafer carrier, the wafer carrier comprises a substrate holder and an insulating clamp, wherein a substrate is disposed between the insulating clamp and the substrate holder, and wherein the substrate holder is removably attached to the upper chuck piece. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one fluid feedthrough conduit in the coupling plate comprises gas conduits, the at least one internal conduit in the upper chuck piece comprises gas passages, the substrate holder comprises conduits, and wherein the at least one fluid connection in the feedthrough tube comprises a gas connection, adapted to connect to a heat transfer medium, such that the heat transfer medium can flow through the gas connection, the gas conduits of the coupling plate, the gas passages of the upper chuck piece and the conduits of the substrate holder to a top surface of the substrate holder.