초록 ▼

A removable semiconductor wafer susceptor used for supporting a substrate during batch processing. The susceptor includes a flat circular central plane with a predetermined outer diameter. The susceptor is sized to fit within an inner diameter formed from wafer support ledges of a wafer transport co

A removable semiconductor wafer susceptor used for supporting a substrate during batch processing. The susceptor includes a flat circular central plane with a predetermined outer diameter. The susceptor is sized to fit within an inner diameter formed from wafer support ledges of a wafer transport container. The susceptor includes edges that are chamfered and rounded to lessen stress concentration at the edges. The susceptor is transported through processing by a sieving action of transport automation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A semiconductor substrate transfer system used in substrate thermal processing, comprising:a self-aligning substrate transport container which stores at least one substrate;a removable semiconductor substrate susceptor for supporting the substrate during thermal processing;a self-aligning end-eff

1. A semiconductor substrate transfer system used in substrate thermal processing, comprising:a self-aligning substrate transport container which stores at least one substrate;a removable semiconductor substrate susceptor for supporting the substrate during thermal processing;a self-aligning end-effector for transferring the substrate from said transport container to thermal processing along with said removable susceptor, wherein the substrate is oriented vertically above said removable susceptor; anda self-aligning substrate support assembly for supporting both said removable susceptor and the substrate in a vertical orientation during thermal processing. 2. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 1, wherein said removable susceptor comprises:a flat circular central plane mechanically separable from said self-aligning substrate support assembly, and including a predetermined outer diameter sized to fit within an inner diameter formed from wafer support ledges of said substrate transport container, wherein said flat circular central plane is a disk, a ring, a plate, or combination thereof. 3. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said removable susceptor includes a ring. 4. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said removable susceptor is a disk. 5. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said removable susceptor is an annular ring. 6. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said removable susceptor is silicon carbide, quartz, silicon, graphite, diamond-coated graphite, or silicon-coated graphite. 7. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said removable susceptor is composed of ceramics having net composite thermal conductivity at least equal to the substrate placed on top. 8. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said removable susceptor is composed of metals having net composite thermal conductivity at least equal to the substrate placed on top. 9. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said removable susceptor is composed of composites having net composite thermal conductivity at least equal to the substrate placed on top. 10. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 6, wherein said removable susceptor has a net mechanical strength at least equal to said substrate placed on top. 11. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 7, wherein said removable susceptor has a net mechanical strength at least equal to said substrate placed on top. 12. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 8, wherein said removable susceptor has a net mechanical strength at least equal to said substrate placed on top. 13. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 9, wherein said removable susceptor has a net composite mechanical strength at least equal to said substrate placed on top. 14. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said circular central plane includes a plurality of surface abstractions inscribed on a bottom of said removable susceptor to facilitate alignment. 15. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of structural abstractions includes dimples. 16. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said circular central plane includes perforations. 17. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said circular central plane is concave. 18. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 2, wherein said circular central plane is convex. 19. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 3 with chamfered, removable susceptor edges. 20. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 3 with rounded, removable susceptor edges. 21. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 4 with chamfered, removable susceptor edges. 22. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 4 with rounded, removable susceptor edges. 23. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 5 with chamfered, removable susceptor edges. 24. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 5 with rounded, removable susceptor edges. 25. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 17 with chamfered, removable susceptor edges. 26. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 17 with rounded, removable susceptor edges. 27. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 18 with chamfered, removable susceptor edges. 28. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 18 with rounded, removable susceptor edges. 29. A semiconductor substrate transfer system used in substrate thermal processing, comprising:a self-aligning substrate transport container which stores at least one substrate;a removable semiconductor substrate susceptor for supporting the substrate during thermal processing, wherein said removable susceptor comprises a flat circular central plane mechanically separable from a self-aligning substrate support assembly, and including a predetermined outer diameter sized to fit within an inner diameter formed from wafer support ledges of said substrate transport container;a self-aligning end-effector for transferring the substrate from said transport container to thermal processing along with said removable susceptor, wherein the substrate is oriented vertically above said removable susceptor; anda self-aligning substrate support assembly for supporting both said removable susceptor and the substrate in a vertical orientation during thermal processing. 30. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 29, wherein said support ledges of said self-aligning substrate transport container are sized to include the inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said substrate susceptor to aid in alignment of the substrate when positioned. 31. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 30, wherein a plurality of support ledges are employed to position a plurality of substrates within said self-aligning substrate transport container. 32. A semiconductor substrate transfer system used in substrate thermal processing, comprising:a self-aligning substrate transport container which stores at least one substrate, wherein said support ledges of said self-aligning substrate transport container are sized to include an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of a substrate susceptor to aid in alignment of a substrate when positioned;a removable semiconductor substrate susceptor for supporting the substrate during thermal processing, wherein said removable susceptor comprises a flat circular central plane mechanically separable from a self-aligning substrate support assembly, and including a predetermined outer diameter sized to fit within an inner diameter formed from wafer support ledges of said substrate transport container;a self-aligning end-effector for transferring the substrate from said transport container to thermal processing along with said removable susceptor, wherein the substrate is oriented vertically above said removable susceptor; anda self-aligning substrate support assembly for supporting both said removable susceptor and the substrate in a vertical orientation during thermal processing. 33. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 32, wherein said self-aligning end-effector aligns the substrate and said substrate susceptor along a common central axis by utilizing a difference in outer radial dimension between the substrate and said substrate susceptor. 34. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 33, wherein said self-aligning end-effector vertical ly supports the substrate on top of said substrate susceptor by employing two different sized recesses. 35. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 34, wherein said two different sized recesses are chamfered. 36. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 34, wherein said two different sized recesses structurally separate the substrate and said substrate susceptor vertically by a predetermined vertical dimension. 37. A semiconductor substrate transfer system used in substrate thermal processing, comprising:a self-aligning substrate transport container which stores at least one substrate, wherein said support ledges of said self-aligning substrate transport container are sized to include an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of a substrate susceptor to aid in alignment of a substrate when positioned;a removable semiconductor substrate susceptor for supporting the substrate during thermal processing, wherein said removable susceptor comprises a flat circular central plane mechanically separable from a self-aligning substrate support assembly, and including a predetermined outer diameter sized to fit within an inner diameter formed from wafer support ledges of said substrate transport container;a self-aligning end-effector for transferring the substrate from said transport container to thermal processing along with said removable susceptor, wherein the substrate is oriented vertically above said removable susceptor; anda self-aligning substrate support assembly for supporting both said removable susceptor and the substrate in a vertical orientation during thermal processing. 38. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 37, wherein said self-aligning substrate support assembly supports a plurality of substrates and substrate susceptors during thermal processing. 39. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 38, wherein opposing support members are employed to support the substrate and said substrate susceptor. 40. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 39, wherein said opposing support members are annular in shape in a circumferential direction along a common central axis. 41. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 39, wherein said opposing support members are circular arc in shape in a circumferential direction along a common central axis. 42. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 40, wherein a flat annular extension is employed as a radiant energy emitter for a duration of any cooling phase with a circular central plane used for thermal energy collection and conveyance to said emitter. 43. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 41, wherein a flat annular extension is employed as a radiant energy emitter for a duration of any cooling phase with a circular central plane used for thermal energy collection and conveyance to said emitter. 44. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 40, wherein said annular support members include an opening at a particular point along their circumference of sufficient size to allow said self-aligning end-effector to radially translate to a position underneath the substrate. 45. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 41, wherein said circular arc support members include an opening at a particular point along their circumference of sufficient size to allow said self-aligning end-effector to radially translate to a position underneath the substrate. 46. A process for transferring a semiconductor substrate through thermal processing, comprising:retrieving a first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor with a self-aligning end-effector in a substantially horizontal state;aligning said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor on said self-aligning end-effector;retrieving a first substrate from a self-aligning substrate transport container using said self-al igning end-effector burdened with said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor;aligning said first substrate on said self-aligning end-effector whereas said first substrate is positioned in an imaginary vertical plane orientation directly above said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor;unloading said first substrate and said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor onto a self-aligning substrate support assembly for placement in an oven for heating, wherein the imaginary vertical plane orientation is maintained;reloading said first substrate and said removable semiconductor substrate susceptor onto said self-aligning end effector after heating;unloading said first substrate from said self-aligning end-effector; andunloading said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor from said self-aligning end-effector. 47. The method according to claim 46, further comprising retrieving a plurality of removable semiconductor substrate susceptors and a plurality of substrates for placement in said self-aligning substrate support assembly. 48. The method according to claim 46, further comprising aligning said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor and said first substrate on said self-aligning end-effector by employing two different sized recesses in said self-aligning end-effector, wherein a first deeper and smaller sized recess retains said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor, and a second larger, less deep recess and situated on top of the first recess, retains the first substrate. 49. The method according to claim 46, further comprising lifting vertically upward said self-aligning end-effector with said retained first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor, underneath said first substrate, which is supported in said self-aligning substrate transport container by support ledges. 50. The method according to claim 46, further comprising loading said self-aligning substrate support assembly by lowering vertically downward said self-aligning end-effector with said retained first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor and said first substrate, between and onto opposing support members at predetermined locations within said self-aligning substrate support assembly. 51. The method according to claim 50, further comprising using support members with a third recess sized to a depth to include said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor, allowing said first substrate to seat directly on top. 52. The method according to claim 51, further comprising allowing a gap between said first substrate and said support members when said first removable semiconductor substrate susceptor is seated in the third recess. 53. The method according to claim 52, further comprising modifying existing substrate transport systems to include first, second and third recesses, respectively located, and at least one removable semiconductor substrate susceptor. 54. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 1, wherein said susceptor is an independent substrate support member and is thus freely removable via said end effector both from said substrate transport support and said substrate support assembly. 55. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 1 wherein said susceptor is dimensioned to contact a majority of a support surface of the substrate. 56. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 1 wherein an outer perimeter of said susceptor is sized for underlying support by a support member of said substrate support assembly while being free to vertically pass through a substrate support region defined by said substrate transport container. 57. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 56 wherein said substrate support region defined by said substrate support container includes a substrate support ledge. 58. The semiconductor substrate transfer system according to claim 1 wherein said substrate support assembly includes a radially inward extending susceptor support member which has a stepped end region with a radial interior region that is positioned for direct contact with said susceptor and a more radially external region over which the substrate extends while in support contact with said susceptor, and said interior region having a susceptor contact level and said radially external region having an upper surface and the spacing between the contact level and said upper surface being less than a thickness of the susceptor such that a gap is formed between said upper surface and an under region of a substrate supported by said susceptor.