초록 ▼

A wafer transfer system is described for transferring a wafer while at substantially the same time another wafer is being processed. The wafer transfer system comprises, in one embodiment, a transfer chamber having a wafer transfer blade, a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, an atmos

A wafer transfer system is described for transferring a wafer while at substantially the same time another wafer is being processed. The wafer transfer system comprises, in one embodiment, a transfer chamber having a wafer transfer blade, a load lock chamber coupled to the transfer chamber, an atmospheric robot for loading and unloading the wafer into the load lock chamber, and a slider coupled to the wafer transfer blade for moving the wafer transfer blade between the transfer chamber and the load lock chamber. According to a preferred embodiment, the slider utilizes a magnetic coupling mechanism and a plurality of plasma sources are coupled to the transfer chamber. The plurality of plasma sources are arranged in a plurality of pairs of plasma sources. Each plasma source in a pair of plasma sources share the other plasma source's induction coils.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] An apparatus for transferring and processing a plurality of wafers, comprising:a transfer chamber within which processing of said plurality of wafers takes place;a load lock chamber coupled to said transfer chamber;a transfer blade located within said transfer chamber, said transfe

[ We claim:] [1.] An apparatus for transferring and processing a plurality of wafers, comprising:a transfer chamber within which processing of said plurality of wafers takes place;a load lock chamber coupled to said transfer chamber;a transfer blade located within said transfer chamber, said transfer blade being capable of transferring said plurality of wafers one at a time from said load lock chamber to said transfer chamber or from said transfer chamber to said load lock chamber while others of said plurality of wafers are being processed within said transfer chamber;a plurality of plasma sources coupled to said transfer chamber wherein each of said plurality of plasma sources is capable of generating a plasma, and comprises:a tube having a first end and a second end, said first end of said tube being disposed above said transfer chamber and said second end of said tube being disposed within said transfer chamber;an induction coil having a first end and a second end, said first end of said induction coil being connected to an RF power source, said second end of said induction coil being connected to ground, said induction coil being spiral-wound around said tube between said first end and said second end;a gas source coupled to said first end of said tube; and,said plurality of plasma sources are arranged in a plurality of pairs of plasma sources wherein each plasma source of said pair of plasma sources shares the other's induction coils; that is, said induction coil of a first of said pair of plasma sources is spiral-wound around said tube of said first of said pair of plasma sources and also spiral-wound around said tube of a second of said pair of plasma sources while said induction coil of said second of said pair of plasma sources is spiral-wound around said tube of said second of said pair of plasma sources and also spiral-wound around said tube of said first of said pair of plasma sources.