US2023282492A1PendingUtilityA1

Substrate processing system and substrate transfer apparatus and method

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Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LTDPriority: Apr 8, 2019Filed: May 15, 2023Published: Sep 7, 2023
Est. expiryApr 8, 2039(~12.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Toshiaki Toyomaki
H10P 72/0464H10P 72/0461H10P 72/0456H10P 72/0451H10P 50/242H10P 72/0421H10P 72/3302H01L 21/67069H01L 21/67155H01L 21/67196H01L 21/3065H01L 21/67184H01L 21/67173H01J 37/305H01J 2237/184H01J 2237/204
68
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Claims

Abstract

A substrate processing system includes a first substrate processing chamber, a first substrate transfer chamber connected to the first substrate processing chamber, a second substrate processing chamber, and a second substrate transfer chamber connected to the second substrate processing chamber. The substrate processing system further includes a buffer chamber connected between the first substrate transfer chamber and the second substrate transfer chamber, the buffer chamber having at least one substrate holder. At least a part of the buffer chamber and at least one of the first substrate transfer chamber or the second substrate transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with each other.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A substrate processing system comprising:
 a first substrate processing chamber;   a first substrate transfer chamber connected to the first substrate processing chamber;   a second substrate processing chamber;   a second substrate transfer chamber connected to the second substrate processing chamber;   a buffer chamber connected between the first substrate transfer chamber and the second substrate   transfer chamber;   a first substrate transfer robot disposed in the first substrate transfer chamber, the first substrate transfer robot being configurated to transfer a substrate between the first substrate transfer chamber and the first substrate processing chamber at a first height, and transfer a substrate between the first substrate transfer chamber and the buffer chamber at a second height different from the first height; and   a second substrate transfer robot disposed in the second substrate transfer chamber, the second substrate transfer robot being configured to transfer a substrate between the second substrate transfer chamber and the second substrate processing chamber at the first height, and transfer a substrate between the second substrate transfer chamber and the buffer chamber at the second height.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the buffer chamber and the first substrate transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with each other. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the buffer chamber and the second substrate transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with each other. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the buffer chamber and the second substrate transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate transfer robot is vertically movable. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 5 , wherein the second substrate transfer robot is vertically movable. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate transfer chamber has a first transfer port that allows the first substrate transfer chamber to communicate with the first substrate processing chamber,
 a first part of the buffer chamber is disposed above or below the first transfer port when viewed from a side of the substrate processing system.   
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein the second substrate transfer chamber has a second transfer port that allows the second substrate transfer chamber to communicate with the second substrate processing chamber,
 a second part of the buffer chamber is disposed above or below the second transfer port when viewed from a side of the substrate processing system.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second substrate transfer chamber has a second transfer port that allows the second substrate transfer chamber to communicate with the second substrate processing chamber,
 a part of the buffer chamber is disposed above or below the second transfer port when viewed from a side of the substrate processing system.   
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 7 , wherein the first part of the buffer chamber is disposed above the first transfer port when viewed from the side, and the second height is higher than the first height. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 10 , wherein the second part of the buffer chamber is disposed above the second transfer port when viewed from the side, and the second height is higher than the first height. 
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the buffer chamber, an upper surface of the first substrate transfer chamber, and an upper surface of the second substrate transfer chamber form the same plane. 
     
     
         13 . A substrate processing system comprising:
 a substrate processing chamber;   a substrate transfer chamber connected to the substrate processing chamber;   a buffer chamber connected to the substrate transfer chamber; and   a substrate transfer robot disposed in the substrate transfer chamber, the substrate transfer robot being configured to transfer a substrate between the substrate transfer chamber and the substrate processing chamber at a first height, and transfer a substrate between the substrate transfer chamber and the buffer chamber at a second height different from the first height.   
     
     
         14 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 13 , wherein the buffer chamber and the substrate transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with each other. 
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 14 , wherein the substrate transfer robot is vertically movable. 
     
     
         16 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 14 , wherein the substrate transfer chamber has a transfer port that allows the substrate transfer chamber to communicate with the substrate processing chamber,
 a part of the buffer chamber is disposed above or below the transfer port when viewed from a side of the substrate processing system.   
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 16 , wherein the part of the buffer chamber is disposed above the transfer port when viewed from the side, and the second height is higher than the first height. 
     
     
         18 . The substrate processing system according to  claim 17 , wherein an upper surface of the buffer chamber, and an upper surface of the substrate transfer chamber form the same plane.

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