Method and apparatus for semiconductor processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for semiconductor processing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of transporting a wafer within a cluster tool, comprises placing the wafer into a first segment of a vacuum enclosure, the vacuum enclosure being attached to a processing chamber and a factory interface. The wafer is transported to a second segment of the vacuum enclosure using a vertical transport mechanism, wherein the second segment is above or below the first segment.

1 . A method of transporting a wafer within a cluster tool, comprising: 
 placing the wafer into a first segment of a vacuum enclosure, the vacuum enclosure being attached to a processing chamber and a factory interface;    transporting the wafer to a second segment of the vacuum enclosure using a vertical transport mechanism, wherein the second segment is above or below the first segment.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 moving the wafer into and out of the vacuum enclosure using a linear wafer drive, wherein the linear wafer drive is external to the vacuum enclosure.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 controlling the linear wafer drive and the vertical transport mechanism with a computer executing processing control software.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein moving the wafer includes moving the wafer through a gate valve.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein moving the wafer includes moving the wafer between the vacuum enclosure and the processing chamber.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein moving the wafer includes moving the wafer between the vacuum enclosure and a second vacuum enclosure.  
     
     
         7 . A method of transporting a wafer within a cluster tool, comprising: 
 moving the wafer between a vacuum enclosure and a processing chamber using a linear wafer drive, wherein the linear wafer drive is external to the vacuum enclosure and the processing chamber.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 controlling the linear wafer drive with a computer executing processing control software.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein moving the wafer includes moving the wafer through a gate valve.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein moving the wafer includes moving the wafer between the vacuum enclosure and the processing chamber.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein moving the wafer includes moving the wafer between the vacuum enclosure and a second vacuum enclosure.  
     
     
         12 . The method  claim 7 , wherein the linear drive is disposed between the vacuum enclosure and the processing chamber.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising simultaneously transporting a fresh wafer from the vacuum enclosure and a processed wafer from the processing chamber into the linear wafer drive.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising rotating the fresh wafer and the processed wafer within the linear wafer drive.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising simultaneously transporting the fresh wafer into the processing chamber and the processed wafer into the vacuum enclosure.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising transporting the wafer from the vacuum enclosure into the linear wafer drive.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising rotating the wafer within the linear wafer drive.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising transporting the wafer from the linear wafer drive into the processing chamber.  
     
     
         19 . A cluster tool, comprising: 
 a vacuum enclosure;    a linear drive attached to the vacuum enclosure; and    a processing chamber, wherein the vacuum enclosure includes a vertical transport mechanism that carries a wafer from a lower segment of the vacuum enclosure to an upper segment of a vacuum enclosure.    
     
     
         20 . A vacuum processing system comprising: 
 at least one wafer transport operating vertically through an assembly of end-to-end flanged chamber sections;    a load-lock system between two of the end-to-end flanged chamber sections acting to bring wafers from outside the system into the vacuum processing system; and    a processing module between two of the end-to-end flanged chamber sections including at least one horizontal linear transport mechanisms for trading wafers horizontally between the vertical wafer transport and a processing chamber, through isolation valves.