Method for sequencing substrates

Abstract

Methods for transferring substrates in a system with a factory interface robot between at least one FOUP, a buffer coupled to a parasitic device and an inbound and outbound transfer station coupled to a processing tool are provided. In one embodiment, a method for transferring substrates includes transferring a first substrate on an end effector of a robot from a FOUP to a buffer station serving a parasitic device, moving the substrate from the buffer station into the parasitic device, picking up a second substrate on the end effector, compensating for a residence time of the first substrate in the parasitic device, transferring the second substrate to parasitic device from the end effector to the buffer station serving the parasitic device, and picking up the first substrate from the buffer station.

1 . An apparatus configured for processing semiconductor substrates, comprising: 
 a factory interface module;    at least one front-opening unified pod (FOUP) coupled to the factory interface, wherein the at least one front-opening unified pod is configured to retain a plurality of substrates;    an inbound transfer station coupled to the factory interface module, wherein the inbound transfer station is further connected with one or more processing chambers, and configured to transfer substrates to the one or more processing chambers for processing;    an outbound transfer station coupled to the factory interface module, wherein the outbound transfer station is further connected with the one or more processing station, and configured to receive processed substrates from the one or more processing chambers;    a parasitic tool coupled to the factory interface module, wherein the parasitic tool is configured to process substrates while the substrates travel between the at least one front-opening unified pod and the inbound and outbound transfer stations, and the parasitic tool comprises a buffer station configured to hold one or more substrates; and    a factory interface robot disposed in the factory interface module, wherein the factory interface robot is configured to transfer substrates among the at least one front-opening unified pod, the buffer station of the parasitic tool, the inbound transfer station, and the outbound transfer station.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inbound station and outbound station are disposed in a cleaning chamber configured to cleaning substrates before and after processing.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the cleaning chamber further connected to a polisher comprising a plurality of polishing stations.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inbound station and outbound stations are connected with the one or more processing chambers via a transfer chamber.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the factory interface robot is configured to synchronize arrival of a substrate to be loaded into the buffer station of the parasitic tool with completion of processing in the parasitic tool.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the factory interface robot is synchronized by adjusting the speed of the factor interface robot.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the factory interface robot is synchronized by leaving the substrate waiting in the inbound station, the outbound station or the front-opening unified pod.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the parasitic tool comprises one of an aligner, a thermal processing station, a substrate flipper, a spin rinse drying station, or a metrology station.  
   
   
       9 . A method for transferring substrates for a parasitic process using a factory interface robot disposed in a factory interface module that is connected with a parasitic tool, a processing tool, and a front-opening unified pod, sequentially comprising: 
 picking up a substrate to be processed by the parasite tool from the processing tool or the front opening unified pod;    synchronizing arrival of the substrate to be processed by the parasitic tool at the parasitic tool with completion of processing in the parasitic tool;    transferring the substrate to be processed to the parasitic tool;    picking up a processed substrate from the parasitic tool; and    transferring the processed substrate to the processing tool or the front-opening unified pod.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein synchronizing comprising adjusting a speed of an end effector movement.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein adjusting a speed comprises slowing the speed of the end effector movement.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, prior to picking up the substrate to be processed, leaving the substrate to be processed waiting in the processing tool or the front-opening unified pod.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the parasitic process comprises at least one of substrate orientation, thermal processing, optical metrology, critical dimension measurement or film thickness profiling in the parasitic tool.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the parasitic tool comprises a buffer station, transferring the substrate to the parasitic tool comprises transferring the substrate to the buffer station, and picking up the processed substrate comprises picking up the substrate from the buffer station.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising repeating all the steps.  
   
   
       16 . A method for the transfer of substrates in a system with a factory interface robot between at least one front-opening unified pod, a parasitic device and an inbound and outbound transfer station coupled to a processing tool, the method comprising: 
 synchronizing the arrival time of a first inbound substrate to the parasitic device with completion of processing a first outbound substrate by the parasite device;    putting the first inbound substrate from the factory interface robot into the parasitic device;    getting the first outbound substrate from the parasitic device with the factory interface robot;    putting the first outbound substrate from the factory interface robot into the front-opening unified pod;    getting a second outbound substrate from the outbound transfer station with the factory interface robot;    synchronizing the arrival time of the second outbound substrate to the parasitic device with completion of processing the first inbound substrate in the parasitic device;    transferring the second outbound substrate from the factory interface robot into the parasitic device;    transferring the first inbound substrate from the parasitic device to the factor interface robot; and    transferring the first inbound substrate from the factory interface robot into the inbound transfer station; and    getting a second inbound substrate from the front-opening unified pod with the factory interface robot.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising repeating all the steps.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein synchronizing the arrival time of the first inbound substrate and the second outbound substrate comprises adjusting speed of the factory interface robot.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising, prior to getting the second outbound substrate, leaving the second outbound substrate waiting in the outbound transfer station according processing progress of the parasitic device.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein getting the first outbound substrate comprises getting the first outbound substrate from a buffer station of the parasitic device.