CARTESIAN CLUSTER TOOL CONFIGURATION FOR LITHOGRAPHY TYPE PROCESSES

Abstract

The present invention generally provides an apparatus and method for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system (e.g., a cluster tool) that is easily configurable, has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, improved device yield performance, a more repeatable wafer processing history (or wafer history), and a reduced footprint. In one embodiment, the cluster tool is adapted to perform a track lithography process in which a substrate is coated with a photosensitive material, is then transferred to a stepper/scanner, which exposes the photosensitive material to some form of radiation to form a pattern in the photosensitive material, and then certain portions of the photosensitive material are removed in a developing process completed in the cluster tool.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a plan view illustrating a conventional cluster tool configuration;

FIG. 2A is an isometric view illustrating one embodiment of a cluster tool of the invention;

FIG. 2B is a plan view of the processing system illustrated in FIG. 2A, according to the present invention;

FIG. 2C illustrates one embodiment of a process sequence containing various process recipe steps that may be used in conjunction with the various embodiments of the cluster tool described herein;

FIG. 2D is a plan view of the processing system illustrated in FIG. 2B, according to the present invention;

FIG. 2E is a side view that illustrates one embodiment of the first processing rack assembly 60 according to the present invention;

FIG. 2F is a side view that illustrates one embodiment of the second processing rack assembly 80 according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment of an exchange chamber, according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a plan view of a processing system, according to the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a plan view of a processing system illustrated in FIG. 4A, according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view illustrating one embodiment of a robot that may be adapted to transfer substrates in various embodiments of the cluster tool;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view illustrating one embodiment of a cluster tool of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the processing system according to one aspect of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing rack comprising: a first group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically; anda second group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically, wherein each substrate processing chamber in the first and second groups has a first side that is aligned along a first direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical direction;a second processing rack comprising: a third group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically; anda fourth group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically, wherein each substrate processing chamber in the third and fourth groups has a first side that is aligned along the first direction;a first robot assembly adapted to translate in a direction parallel to the first direction and position a substrate in each of the substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack;a second robot assembly adapted to translate in a direction parallel to the first direction and position a substrate in each of the substrate processing chambers in the second processing rack;a third robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the first processing rack and a first processing module in an interface assembly; anda fourth robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the second processing rack and a second processing module in the interface assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fifth robot assembly adapted to translate in a direction parallel to the first direction and position a substrate in each of the substrate processing chambers in the first and second processing racks, wherein the fifth robot assembly is positioned between the first and second robot assemblies.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fifth robot assembly that is positioned within the interface assembly and is in communication with the first processing module and the second processing module, wherein the fifth robot assembly is adapted to communicate with an external module positioned adjacent to the cluster tool.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an external module that is positioned adjacent to the cluster tool and is adapted to communicate with the first and second processing modules positioned in the interface assembly, wherein the external module is selected from a group consisting of a stepper and a scanner.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first group of two or more process chambers have a first width aligned along a first direction and the second group of two or more process chambers having a second width, wherein the second width is generally a multiple of the first width.

6. A cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing rack comprising: a first group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically; anda second group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically, wherein the two or more substrate processing chambers in the first and second groups have a first side that is aligned along a first direction;a second processing rack comprising: a third group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically; anda fourth group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically, wherein the two or more substrate processing chambers in the third and fourth groups have a first side that is aligned along the first direction;a first robot assembly adapted to transfer a substrate to the substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack, wherein the first robot assembly comprises: a first robot having a robot blade and a substrate receiving surface located thereon, wherein the first robot defines a transferring region and is adapted to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within a first plane, wherein the first plane is parallel to the first direction and a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction;a first motion assembly that is adapted to position the first robot in a third direction that is generally perpendicular to the first plane; anda second motion assembly that is adapted to position the first robot in a direction generally parallel to the first direction;a second robot assembly adapted to transfer a substrate to the substrate processing chambers in the second processing rack, wherein the second robot assembly comprises: a second robot having a robot blade and a substrate receiving surface located thereon, wherein the second robot defines a transferring region and is adapted to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within the first plane, wherein the first plane is parallel to the first direction and the second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction;a third motion assembly that is adapted to position the second robot in a third direction that is generally perpendicular to the first plane; anda fourth motion assembly that is adapted to position the second robot in a direction generally parallel to the first direction;a third robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the first processing rack and a first processing module in an interface assembly which is positioned adjacent to the first processing rack;a fourth robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the second processing rack and a second processing module in the interface assembly which is positioned adjacent to the second processing rack; anda fifth robot assembly that is positioned within the interface assembly and is in communication with the first processing module and the second processing module, wherein the fifth robot assembly is adapted to communicate with an external module positioned adjacent to the cluster tool.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first robot assembly and the second robot assembly further comprise a third robot that has a robot blade having a substrate receiving surface, wherein the third robot is adapted to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within a second plane, wherein the first plane and the second plane are spaced a distance apart.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cluster tool further comprises: a sixth robot assembly that is adapted to transfer a substrate to the substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack and the second processing rack, wherein the sixth robot assembly comprises: a third robot having a third robot blade and a substrate receiving surface located thereon, wherein the third robot defines a transferring region and is adapted to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within a second plane, wherein the second plane is parallel to the first direction and a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction;a first motion assembly having an actuator assembly that is adapted to position the second robot in a third direction that is generally perpendicular to the second plane; anda second motion assembly having an actuator assembly that is adapted to position the second robot in a direction generally parallel to the first direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a cassette that is adapted to retain two or more substrates; anda first pass-through chamber that is adapted to receive a substrate from a front end robot and the first robot assembly;a second pass-through chamber that is adapted to receive a substrate from the front end robot and the second robot assembly; andthe front end robot being adapted to transfer a substrate to and from a cassette and the first and second pass-through chambers.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the external module is adapted to communicate with the fifth robot assembly or the first and second processing modules positioned in the interface assembly, wherein the external module is selected from a group consisting of a stepper and a scanner.

11. A cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing rack comprising: a first group of two or more process chambers that are stacked in a vertical direction, each process chamber having a first width aligned along a first direction; anda second group of two or more process chambers that are stacked in the vertical direction, each processing chamber having a second width aligned along the first direction, wherein the first direction is generally perpendicular to the vertical direction and the second width is generally a multiple of the first width; anda first robot assembly adapted to translate in a direction parallel to the first direction and position a substrate in each of the substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first width is between about 0.4 meters and about 1 meter and the second width is between about 0.8 meters and about 2 meters.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a second processing rack comprising: a third group of two or more process chambers that are stacked in the vertical direction, each process chamber having a third width aligned along a first direction; anda fourth group of two or more process chambers that are stacked in the vertical direction, each process chamber having a fourth width aligned along a first direction, wherein the fourth width is generally a multiple of the third width; anda second robot assembly adapted to translate in a direction parallel to the first direction and position a substrate in each of the substrate processing chambers in the second processing rack.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a third robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the first processing rack and a first processing module in an interface assembly which is positioned adjacent to the first processing rack;a fourth robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the second processing rack and a second processing module in the interface assembly which is positioned adjacent to the second processing rack; anda fifth robot assembly that is positioned within the interface assembly and is in communication with the first processing module and the second processing module, wherein the fifth robot is adapted to communicate with an external module in the interface assembly.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a third robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the first processing rack and an external module which is positioned adjacent to the first processing rack; anda fourth robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the second processing rack and an external module which is positioned adjacent to the second processing rack.

16. A cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing rack comprising: a first group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically; anda second group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically, wherein the two or more substrate processing chambers in the first and second groups have a first side that is aligned along a first direction;a second processing rack comprising: a third group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically; anda fourth group of two or more process chambers that are stacked vertically, wherein the two or more substrate processing chambers in the third and fourth groups have a first side that is aligned along the first direction;a first robot assembly adapted to transfer a substrate to the substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack, wherein the first robot assembly is contained within a central module and comprises: a first robot having a robot blade and a substrate receiving surface located thereon, wherein the first robot defines a transferring region and is adapted to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within a first plane, wherein the first plane is parallel to the first direction and a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction;a first motion assembly that is adapted to position the first robot in a third direction that is generally perpendicular to the first plane; anda second motion assembly that is adapted to position the first robot in a direction generally parallel to the first direction;a second robot assembly adapted to transfer a substrate to the substrate processing chambers in the second processing rack, wherein the second robot assembly and is contained within a central module and comprises: a second robot having a robot blade and a substrate receiving surface located thereon, wherein the second robot defines a transferring region and is adapted to position a substrate at one or more points generally contained within a first plane, wherein the first plane is parallel to the first direction and a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction;a third motion assembly that is adapted to position the second robot in a third direction that is generally perpendicular to the first plane; anda fourth motion assembly that is adapted to position the second robot in a direction generally parallel to the first direction;a front-end robot positioned in an interface assembly that is positioned adjacent to the first and second processing racks, wherein the front-end robot is adapted to transfer a substrate to and from a cassette that is in communication with the interface assembly; anda pass-through chamber positioned proximate to the central module and the interface assembly and is adapted to receive a substrate from the front-end robot, the first robot assembly and the second robot assembly.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a third robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the first processing rack and a first processing module in an interface assembly which is positioned adjacent to the first processing rack;a fourth robot assembly that is in communication with a process chamber in the second processing rack and a second processing module in the interface assembly which is positioned adjacent to the second processing rack; anda fifth robot assembly that is positioned within the interface assembly and is in communication with the first processing module and the second processing module, wherein the fifth robot assembly is adapted to communicate with an external module in the interface assembly.

18. A method of transferring a substrate in a cluster tool, comprising: providing a first processing rack that comprises a first array of three or more groups of two or more vertically stacked processing chambers that each have a first side that is aligned along a first direction which is generally orthogonal to a vertical direction, wherein each of the three or more groups of two or more vertically stacked chambers within the first array are positioned along the first direction;positioning a second processing rack that comprises a second array of three or more groups of two or more vertically stacked processing chambers that each have a first side that is aligned along the first direction so that the first side of each of the processing chambers in the first processing rack and the first side of each of the processing chambers in the second processing rack are facing each other, wherein each of the three or more groups of two or more vertically stacked chambers within the second array are positioned along the first direction;positioning at least two robot assemblies between each of the first sides of the processing chambers in the first and second processing racks, wherein each of the at least two robot assemblies are adapted to position a substrate in a desired position in the first direction;transferring the substrate from at least one processing chamber contained within a first group of processing chambers in the first processing rack to at least one processing chamber contained within a second group of processing chambers in the first processing rack using a first robot assembly;transferring the substrate from at least one processing chamber contained within the second group of processing chambers in the first processing rack to a first group of processing chambers in the second processing rack using a second robot assembly;transferring the substrate from at least one processing chamber contained within a first group of processing chambers in the first processing rack to a first processing module positioned in an interface assembly using a third robot assembly;transferring the substrate from at least one processing chamber contained within a first group of processing chambers in the second processing rack to a second processing module positioned in the interface assembly using a fourth robot assembly; andtransferring the substrate from the first processing module or the second processing to an external module using a fifth robot assembly, wherein the external module is selected from a group consisting of a stepper and a scanner.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transferring a substrate from one or more processing chambers contained within the first group of two or more vertically stacked processing chambers in the first processing rack to one or more processing chambers contained within a third group of two or more vertically stacked processing chambers in the first processing rack using the sixth robot assembly that is positioned between the first and second robot assemblies.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: transferring a substrate from a cassette positioned in a front-end module to a pass-through chamber using the sixth robot assembly that is positioned in the front-end module which is adjacent to one or more of the vertically stacked processing chambers contained within the first and second processing racks; andtransferring a substrate from the pass-through chamber to a processing module positioned in the vertically stacked processing chambers contained within the first or second processing racks using the first robot assembly or the second robot assembly.