초록 ▼

An apparatus comprises a process chamber, and a loadlock connected to the process chamber. The loadlock is configured to have a wafer holder disposed therein. The wafer holder is configured to store a plurality of wafers, and is configured to transport the plurality of wafers away from the loadlock.

An apparatus comprises a process chamber, and a loadlock connected to the process chamber. The loadlock is configured to have a wafer holder disposed therein. The wafer holder is configured to store a plurality of wafers, and is configured to transport the plurality of wafers away from the loadlock.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus comprising: a wafer holder configured to store a plurality of wafers, wherein the wafer holder is capable of withstanding a pressure difference between a first pressure inside the wafer holder, and a second pressure outside the wafer holder, with the pressure difference being greater

1. An apparatus comprising: a wafer holder configured to store a plurality of wafers, wherein the wafer holder is capable of withstanding a pressure difference between a first pressure inside the wafer holder, and a second pressure outside the wafer holder, with the pressure difference being greater than one atmosphere, the wafer holder having a first door;sealing materials on outer sides of the wafer holder adjacent top and bottom edges of the first door;a process chamber;a loadlock connected to the process chamber, the loadlock having a second door, wherein the wafer holder and the loadlock are configured to be joined when the second door is open, wherein an end of the second door is configured to press against the sealing materials to create a sealed integrated inner space of the loadlock and the wafer holder when the second door is open, and wherein the integrated inner space is capable of being vacuumed; anda robot housed in the loadlock and configured to transfer the plurality of wafers directly from the wafer holder into the process chamber, and to transfer the plurality of wafers directly from the process chamber back into the wafer holder. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loadlock is configured to hold a front portion of the wafer holder, with the front portion inserted into a front portion of the loadlock. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second door of the loadlock comprises a sliding door configured to be opened to allow the front portion of the wafer holder to be pushed into the loadlock, and wherein the sliding door is further configured to be pressed onto a sidewall of the sealing materials on the front portion of the wafer holder to seal a joint between the loadlock and the wafer holder. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an internal space of the loadlock, an internal space of the wafer holder, and an inner space of the process chamber are joined to form the integrated inner space. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the loadlock further comprises: a third door on an opposite end of the loadlock from the second door, wherein the third door is configured to be opened to the process chamber. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wafer holder and the loadlock are configured to be joined with the wafer holder being outside of the loadlock. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second door of the loadlock comprises a sliding door. 8. An apparatus comprising: a wafer holder configured to hold a plurality of wafers, the wafer holder having a first sliding door;a loadlock configured to connect to the wafer holder, the loadlock having a second sliding door and a third sliding door, wherein the first sliding door of the wafer holder is substantially a same size as the second sliding door of the loadlock, and wherein the first sliding door of the wafer holder is aligned with and faces the second sliding door of the loadlock such that the loadlock and the wafer holder are connected at an interface of the first sliding door and the second sliding door;a wafer storage unit disposed in the loadlock, the wafer storage unit configured to receive the plurality of wafers from the wafer holder;a robot housed in the loadlock, wherein the robot is configured to transport the plurality of wafers from the wafer holder to the wafer storage unit one by one; anda process chamber connected to the loadlock at the third sliding door, the process chamber being configured to process the plurality of wafers, wherein the robot is configured to transport the plurality of wafers from the wafer storage unit into the process chamber and to transport the plurality of wafers from the process chamber back to the wafer storage unit and from the wafer storage unit back to the wafer holder. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second sliding door of the loadlock is configured to be closed with the plurality of wafers in the loadlock. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first sliding door is configured to slide in a first direction to open and the second sliding door is configured to slide in a second direction opposite the first direction to open. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the loadlock is configured to be vacuumed with the wafer storage unit and the plurality of wafers inside, wherein the loadlock is configured to be vacuumed to a same inner pressure as the process chamber. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the inner pressure is lower than 100 Torr. 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a process for which the process chamber is configured to process the plurality of wafers comprises a deposition process, an etching process, or a treatment. 14. An apparatus comprising: a wafer holder configured to store a plurality of wafers, wherein the wafer holder is capable of withstanding a pressure difference between a first pressure inside the wafer holder, and a second pressure outside the wafer holder, with the pressure difference being greater than one atmosphere, the wafer holder having a first door;sealing materials on outer sides of the wafer holder adjacent top and bottom edges of the first door;a process chamber;a loadlock connected to the process chamber, the loadlock having a second door, wherein the wafer holder and the loadlock are configured to be joined when the second door is open, an end of the second door being configured to press against the sealing materials to create a sealed integrated inner space of the loadlock and the wafer holder when the second door is open, and wherein the integrated inner space is capable of being vacuumed; anda robot housed in the loadlock and configured to transfer each wafer of the plurality of wafers, one by one, directly from the wafer holder into the process chamber while a same integrated vacuum environment is maintained in the integrated inner space, and to transfer the plurality of wafers directly from the process chamber back into the wafer holder while the same integrated vacuum environment is maintained in the integrated inner space. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the loadlock is configured to hold a front portion of the wafer holder, with the front portion inserted into a front portion of the loadlock. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second door of the loadlock comprises a sliding door configured to be opened to allow the front portion of the wafer holder to be pushed into the loadlock, and wherein the sliding door is further configured to be pressed onto a sidewall of the sealing materials on the front portion of the wafer holder to seal a joint between the loadlock and the wafer holder. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein an internal space of the loadlock, an internal space of the wafer holder, and an inner space of the process chamber are joined to form the integrated inner space. 18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the loadlock further comprises: a third door on an opposite end of the loadlock from the second door, wherein the third door is configured to be opened to the process chamber. 19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the wafer holder and the loadlock are configured to be joined with the wafer holder being outside of the loadlock. 20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second door of the loadlock comprises a sliding door.