Ishikawa, Tetsuya (Saratoga, CA, US)
Roberts, Rick J. (San Jose, CA, US)
Armer, Helen R. (Cupertino, CA, US)
Volfovski, Leon (Mountain View, CA, US)
Pinson, Jay D. (San Jose, CA, US)
Rice, Michael (Pleasanton, CA, US)
Quach, David H. (San Jose, CA, US)
Salek, Mohsen S. (Saratoga, CA, US)
Lowrance, Robert (Los Gatos, CA, US)
Backer, John A. (San Jose, CA, US)
Weaver, William Tyler (Austin, TX, US)
Carlson, Charles (Cedar Park, TX, US)
Wang, Chongyang (San Jose, CA, US)
Hudgens, Jeffrey (San Francisco, CA, US)
Herchen, Harald (Los Altos, CA, US)
Lue, Brian (Mountain View, CA, US)

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414/225.010, 414/217, 414/936, 118/50

B05C13/02; C23C14/00; H01L21/677

118/309, 414/935-941, 118/DIG.7, 414/225.01, 29/25.01, 414/744.6, 414/217, 118/50, 118/503, 118/323, 118/326, 414/744.5, 414/416.03, 118/500

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1927677	Material storage and handling system	September, 1933	Bennington
2578220	Handling apparatus	December, 1951	Biltner
3193080	Multiple station feeding means	July, 1965	Speaker et al.
3206041	Article handling apparatus	September, 1965	McGrath
3279625	Apparatus for handling elongated articles	October, 1966	McConnell et al.
3351219	Warehousing order selection system	November, 1967	Ruderfer et al.
3402835	Control system for a zoned automatic warehouse arrangement	September, 1968	Saul
3428195	STORAGE SYSTEM WITH MULTI-LEVEL LOAD HANDLING MEANS WITH A COMMON LOADING AND UNLOADING LEVEL	February, 1969	Pamer
3610159	AUTOMATIC BAGGAGE-HANDLING SYSTEM	October, 1971	Fickenacher
3669206	CONTAINER TRANSPORTING SYSTEM	June, 1972	Tax et al.
3750804	LOAD HANDLING MECHANISM AND AUTOMATIC STORAGE SYSTEM	August, 1973	Lemelson
3782564	PRODUCT PICKING STACKER CRANE SYSTEM	January, 1974	Burt
3796327	MANUFACTURING SYSTEM	March, 1974	Meyer et al.
3876085	AUTOMATED STORAGE SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR	April, 1975	Bright
4027246	Automated integrated circuit manufacturing system	May, 1977	Caccoma et al.
4197000	Positive developing method and apparatus	April, 1980	Blackwood
4319689	Storage rack	March, 1982	Clapp
4609575	Method of apparatus for applying chemicals to substrates in an acid processing system	September, 1986	Burkman
4634655	Method of forming corrosion resistant film on the surface of substrate composed of copper or copper alloy	January, 1987	Yanagimoto et al.
4664133	Wafer processing machine	May, 1987	Silvernail
4682614	Wafer processing machine	July, 1987	Silvernail
4750505	Apparatus for processing wafers and the like	June, 1988	Inuta et al.
4755257	Method of processing thin metal sheets by photoetching	July, 1988	Yamamoto et al.
4756047	Apparatus for removing organic substance from substrate	July, 1988	Hayashi et al.
4774552	Apparatus for and method of positioning and holding photosensitive material	September, 1988	Nishihama et al.
4788994	Wafer holding mechanism	December, 1988	Shinbara
4803734	Method of and apparatus for detecting pattern defects	February, 1989	Onishi et al.
4830888	Surface treatment method and apparatus thereof	May, 1989	Kobayashi et al.
4838979	Apparatus for processing substrate surface	June, 1989	Nishida et al.
4844746	Method of producing a tantalum stock material of high ductility	July, 1989	Hörmann et al.
4846623	Wafer transferring device	July, 1989	Otani et al.
4855775	Developing apparatus	August, 1989	Matsuoka
4856641	Apparatus and a method for carrying wafers	August, 1989	Matsumura et al.
4857949	Device for venting fumes given off by automatic developing equipment	August, 1989	Masuda et al.
4870923	Apparatus for treating the surfaces of wafers	October, 1989	Sugimoto
4871417	Method and apparatus for surface treating of substrates	October, 1989	Nishizawa et al.
4892761	Surface treatment method and apparatus therefor	January, 1990	Yamada
4895604	Method and apparatus for rinsing materials or articles	January, 1990	Hayashi
4899686	Coating device	February, 1990	Toshima et al.
4911761	Process and apparatus for drying surfaces	March, 1990	McConnell et al.
4917123	Apparatus for treating wafers with process fluids	April, 1990	McConnell et al.
4919073	Surface treatment method and apparatus thereof	April, 1990	Kobayashi et al.
4922278	Developing apparatus	May, 1990	Takeda et al.
4923054	Wafer transfer apparatus having an improved wafer transfer portion	May, 1990	Ohtani et al.
4924073	Method of controlling heat treatment apparatus for substrate	May, 1990	Chiba
4924800	Apparatus for applying photo-resist to substrate	May, 1990	Tanaka
4966094	Surface treatment method and apparatus therefor	October, 1990	Yamada
4982694	Automatic coating system	January, 1991	Moriyama et al.
4984597	Apparatus for rinsing and drying surfaces	January, 1991	McConnell et al.
4985720	Method of controlling temperature for drying photosensitive material	January, 1991	Masuda et al.
4987687	Rotary wafer drier	January, 1991	Sugimoto
4998021	Method of detecting an end point of surface treatment	March, 1991	Mimasaka
5002008	Coating apparatus and method for applying a liquid to a semiconductor wafer, including selecting a nozzle in a stand-by state	March, 1991	Ushijima et al.
5020200	Apparatus for treating a wafer surface	June, 1991	Mimasaka et al.
5032217	System for treating a surface of a rotating wafer	July, 1991	Tanaka
5035200	Processing liquid supply unit	July, 1991	Moriyama et al.
5054332	Articulated robot	October, 1991	Terauchi et al.
5061144	Resist process apparatus	October, 1991	Akimoto et al.
5065178	Photosensitive material detecting apparatus	November, 1991	Awazu et al.
5070813	Coating apparatus	December, 1991	Sakai et al.
5078832	Method of treating wafer surface	January, 1992	Tanaka
5089305	Coating apparatus and method for applying a liquid to a semiconductor wafer including selecting a nozzle on a stand by state	February, 1992	Ushijima et al.
5127362	Liquid coating device	July, 1992	Iwatsu et al.
5151871	Method for heat-processing semiconductor device and apparatus for the same	September, 1992	Matsumura et al.
5169408	Apparatus for wafer processing with in situ rinse	December, 1992	Biggerstaff
5174855	Surface treating apparatus and method using vapor	December, 1992	Tanaka
5180431	Apparatus for applying liquid agent on surface of rotating substrate	January, 1993	Sugimoto et al.
5197846	Six-degree-of-freedom articulated robot mechanism and assembling and working apparatus using same	March, 1993	Uno et al.
5201653	Substrate heat-treating apparatus	April, 1993	Hasegawa et al.
5209180	Spin coating apparatus with an upper spin plate cleaning nozzle	May, 1993	Shoda et al.
5234499	Spin coating apparatus	August, 1993	Sasaki et al.
5240556	Surface-heating apparatus and surface-treating method	August, 1993	Ishikawa et al.
5250114	Coating apparatus with nozzle moving means	October, 1993	Konishi et al.
5252137	System and method for applying a liquid	October, 1993	Tateyama et al.
5254367	Coating method and apparatus	October, 1993	Matsumura et al.
D341418	Supply nozzle for applying liquid resist to a semiconductor wafer	November, 1993	Akimoto et al.
5275658	Liquid supply apparatus	January, 1994	Kimura
5307109	Method and apparatus for processing photosensitive material	April, 1994	Miyasaka et al.
5308210	Interface apparatus for transporting substrates between substrate processing apparatus	May, 1994	Ohtani et al.
5312487	Coating apparatus	May, 1994	Akimoto et al.
5322079	Substrate holding apparatus of a simple structure for holding a rotating substrate, and a substrate processing apparatus including the substrate holding apparatus	June, 1994	Fukutomi et al.
5331987	Apparatus and method for rinsing and drying substrate	July, 1994	Hayashi et al.
5339128	Resist processing method	August, 1994	Tateyama et al.
5349412	Method and apparatus for processing photosensitive material	September, 1994	Miyasaka
5359785	Substrate transport apparatus	November, 1994	Fukutomi et al.
5374312	Liquid coating system	December, 1994	Hasebe et al.
5376216	Device for holding and rotating a substrate	December, 1994	Yoshioka et al.
5401316	Method and apparatus for hydrophobic treatment	March, 1995	Shiraishi et al.
5405443	Substrates processing device	April, 1995	Akimoto et al.
5411076	Substrate cooling device and substrate heat-treating apparatus	May, 1995	Matsunaga et al.
5416047	Method for applying process solution to substrates	May, 1995	Konishi et al.
5418382	Substrate location and detection apparatus	May, 1995	Blackwood et al.
5427820	Thermal control line for delivering liquid to a point of use in a photolithography system	June, 1995	Biche et al.
5430271	Method of heat treating a substrate with standby and treatment time periods	July, 1995	Orgami et al.
5431700	Vertical multi-process bake/chill apparatus	July, 1995	Sloan
5436848	Method of and device for transporting semiconductor substrate in semiconductor processing system	July, 1995	Nishida et al.
5438209	Apparatus for detecting position of a notch in a semiconductor wafer	August, 1995	Yamamoto et al.
5443348	Cassette input/output unit for semiconductor processing system	August, 1995	Biche et al.
5485644	Substrate treating apparatus	January, 1996	Shinbara et al.
5501870	Method and apparatus for hydrophobic treatment	March, 1996	Shiraishi et al.
5505781	Hydrophobic processing apparatus including a liquid delivery system	April, 1996	Omori et al.
5514215	Treating liquid supplying apparatus for a substrate spin treating apparatus	May, 1996	Takamatsu et al.
5514852	Heat treatment device	May, 1996	Takamori et al.
5520744	Device for rinsing and drying substrate	May, 1996	Fujikawa et al.
5522215	Substrate cooling apparatus	June, 1996	Matsunaga et al.
5536918	Heat treatment apparatus utilizing flat heating elements for treating semiconductor wafers	July, 1996	Ohkase et al.
5553994	Thermal process module for substrate coat/develop system	September, 1996	Biche et al.
5555234	Developing method and apparatus	September, 1996	Sugimoto
5571325	Subtrate processing apparatus and device for and method of exchanging substrate in substrate processing apparatus	November, 1996	Ueyama et al.
5580607	Coating apparatus and method	December, 1996	Takekuma et al.
5599394	Apparatus for delivering a silica film forming solution	February, 1997	Yabe et al.
5601645	Substrate holder for a substrate spin treating apparatus	February, 1997	Nonomura et al.
5608943	Apparatus for removing process liquid	March, 1997	Konishi et al.
5611685	Substrate heat treatment apparatus	March, 1997	Nakajima et al.
5618348	Air elimination system	April, 1997	Tran
5620560	Method and apparatus for heat-treating substrate	April, 1997	Akimoto et al.
5625433	Apparatus and method for developing resist coated on a substrate	April, 1997	Inada et al.
5626913	Resist processing method and apparatus	May, 1997	Tomoeda et al.
5633040	Method and apparatus for treating film coated on substrate	May, 1997	Toshima et al.
5634377	Articulated robot	June, 1997	Kimura et al.
5638687	Substrate cooling method and apparatus	June, 1997	Mizohata et al.
5639301	Processing apparatus having parts for thermal and non-thermal treatment of substrates	June, 1997	Sasada et al.
5651823	Clustered photolithography system	July, 1997	Parodi et al.
5658615	Method of forming coating film and apparatus therefor	August, 1997	Hasebe et al.
5665200	Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus	September, 1997	Fujimoto et al.
5668733	Substrate processing apparatus and method	September, 1997	Morimoto et al.
5670210	Method of uniformly coating a substrate	September, 1997	Mandal et al.
5672205	Coating apparatus	September, 1997	Fujimoto et al.
5674410	Chemical agent producing device and method thereof	October, 1997	Nakajima et al.
5677000	Substrate spin treating method and apparatus	October, 1997	Yoshioka et al.
5681614	Hydrophobic treatment method involving delivery of a liquid process agent to a process space	October, 1997	Omori et al.
5687085	Substrate processing apparatus and method	November, 1997	Morimoto et al.
5688322	Apparatus for coating resist on substrate	November, 1997	Motoda et al.
5688324	Apparatus for coating substrate	November, 1997	Umaba
5688326	Apparatus for coating elongated material with photoresist	November, 1997	Kandori et al.
5689749	Apparatus for developing a resist-coated substrate	November, 1997	Tanaka et al.
5695817	Method of forming a coating film	December, 1997	Tateyama et al.
5700046	Wafer gripper	December, 1997	Van Doren et al.
5701627	Substrate processing apparatus	December, 1997	Matsumura et al.
5704493	Substrate holder	January, 1998	Fujikawa et al.
5711809	Coating apparatus and method of controlling the same	January, 1998	Kimura et al.
5715173	Concentration controlling method and a substate treating apparatus utilizing same	February, 1998	Nakajima et al.
5730574	Transfer apparatus for and method of transferring substrate	March, 1998	Adachi et al.
5733024	Modular system	March, 1998	Slocum et al.
5762684	Treating liquid supplying method and apparatus	June, 1998	Hayashi et al.
5762708	Coating apparatus therefor	June, 1998	Motoda et al.
5762709	Substrate spin coating apparatus	June, 1998	Sugimoto et al.
5762745	Substrate processing apparatus	June, 1998	Hirose
5763892	Ultraviolet irradiator for substrate, substrate treatment system, and method of irradiating substrate with ultraviolet light	June, 1998	Kizaki et al.
5765072	Treating solution supplying method and substrate treating apparatus	June, 1998	Ohtani et al.
5766671	Method of an apparatus for forming film on substrate by sensing atmospheric pressure	June, 1998	Matsui
5766824	Method and apparatus for curing photoresist	June, 1998	Batchelder et al.
5772764	Coating apparatus	June, 1998	Akimoto et al.
5779796	Resist processing method and apparatus	July, 1998	Tomoeda et al.
5788742	Method and apparatus for degassing processing solution for substrates	August, 1998	Sugimoto et al.
5788773	Substrate spin treating method and apparatus	August, 1998	Okuda et al.
5788868	Substrate transfer method and interface apparatus	August, 1998	Itaba et al.
5792259	Substrate processing apparatus and air supply method in substrate processing apparatus	August, 1998	Yoshioka et al.
5803932	Resist processing apparatus having an interface section including two stacked substrate waiting tables	September, 1998	Akimoto et al.
5803970	Method of forming a coating film and coating apparatus	September, 1998	Tateyama et al.
5817156	Substrate heat treatment table apparatus	October, 1998	Tateyama et al.
5823736	Substrate processing device and method for substrate from the substrate processing device	October, 1998	Matsumura
5826130	Apparatus and method for developing resist coated on substrate	October, 1998	Tanaka et al.
5834737	Heat treating apparatus	November, 1998	Hirose et al.
5839011	Apparatus for processing photosensitive material	November, 1998	Urasaki et al.
5841515	Substrate container cassette, interface mechanism, and substrate processing	November, 1998	Ohtani
5843527	Coating solution applying method and apparatus	December, 1998	Sanada
5845170	Developing method	December, 1998	Ogata
5846327	Substrate spin treating apparatus	December, 1998	Kawamoto et al.
5853483	Substrate spin treating method and apparatus	December, 1998	Morita et al.
5853812	Method and apparatus for processing substrates	December, 1998	Kawasaki et al.
5854953	Method for developing treatment	December, 1998	Semba
5866307	Resist processing method and resist processing system	February, 1999	Kiba et al.
5867389	Substrate processing management system with recipe copying functions	February, 1999	Hamada et al.
5871584	Processing apparatus and processing method	February, 1999	Tateyama et al.
5875804	Substrate treating apparatus	March, 1999	Tanaka et al.
5881750	Substrate treating apparatus	March, 1999	Yoshitani
5887214	Apparatus for processing photosensitive material	March, 1999	Kuriu et al.
5888344	Method of and an apparatus for processing a substrate	March, 1999	Ogami et al.
5898588	Method and apparatus for controlling substrate processing apparatus	April, 1999	Morimoto
5904169	Apparatus for and method of treating substrate	May, 1999	Yoshitani
5906469	Apparatus and method for detecting and conveying substrates in cassette	May, 1999	Oka et al.
5906860	Apparatus for treating a substrate with resist and resist-treating method	May, 1999	Motoda et al.
5908657	Coating apparatus and method of controlling the same	June, 1999	Kimura et al.
5912054	Coating method and apparatus	June, 1999	Tateyama et al.
5915396	Substrate processing apparatus	June, 1999	Kinose
5916366	Substrate spin treating apparatus	June, 1999	Ueyama et al.
5919520	Coating method and apparatus for semiconductor process	July, 1999	Tateyama et al.
5919529	Apparatus for and method of processing substrate	July, 1999	Matsumura
5921257	Device for treating substrates in a fluid container	July, 1999	Weber et al.
5923915	Method and apparatus for processing resist	July, 1999	Akimoto et al.
5927077	Processing system hot plate construction substrate	July, 1999	Hisai et al.
5927303	Substrate processing apparatus	July, 1999	Miya et al.
5932380	Method of processing resist utilizing alkaline component monitoring	August, 1999	Yaegashi et al.
5934856	Multi-chamber treatment system	August, 1999	Asakawa et al.	414/217
5935768	Method of processing a substrate in a photolithography system utilizing a thermal process module	August, 1999	Biche et al.
5938847	Method and apparatus for coating a film on an object being processed	August, 1999	Akimoto et al.
5939130	Coating film forming method and coating film forming apparatus	August, 1999	Shiraishi et al.
5941083	Cooling device and cooling method	August, 1999	Sada et al.
5942035	Solvent and resist spin coating apparatus	August, 1999	Hasebe et al.
5943726	Substrate processing apparatus	August, 1999	Eitoku et al.
5943880	Cooling apparatus, cooling method, and processing apparatus	August, 1999	Tateyama et al.
5945161	Apparatus and method for supplying process solution to surface of substrate to be processed	August, 1999	Hashimoto et al.
5960225	Substrate treatment apparatus	September, 1999	Fujimoto
5962070	Substrate treating method and apparatus	October, 1999	Mitsuhashi et al.
5963753	Substrate processing apparatus	October, 1999	Ohtani et al.
5965200	Processing apparatus and processing method	October, 1999	Tateyama et al.
5968268	Coating apparatus and coating method	October, 1999	Kitano et al.
5968691	Method and apparatus for coating resist and developing the coated resist	October, 1999	Yoshioka et al.
5970717	Cooling method, cooling apparatus and treatment apparatus	October, 1999	Tateyama et al.
5974682	Cooling process system	November, 1999	Akimoto et al.
5976256	Film coating apparatus	November, 1999	Kawano
5976620	Coating solution applying method and apparatus	November, 1999	Sanada et al.
5984540	Developing apparatus and developing method	November, 1999	Mimasaka et al.
5985357	Treating solution supplying method and apparatus	November, 1999	Sanada
5989342	Apparatus for substrate holding	November, 1999	Ikeda et al.
5989346	Semiconductor processing apparatus	November, 1999	Hiroki
5989632	Coating solution applying method and apparatus	November, 1999	Sanada et al.
5992431	Device for treating substrates in a fluid container	November, 1999	Weber et al.
5993518	Deaerating apparatus, deaerating method, and treatment apparatus	November, 1999	Tateyama
6000227	Wafer cooling in a transfer chamber of a vacuum processing system	December, 1999	Kroeker	62/62
6000862	Substrate developing method and apparatus	December, 1999	Okuda
6002108	Baking apparatus and baking method	December, 1999	Yoshioka
6004047	Method of and apparatus for processing photoresist, method of evaluating photoresist film, and processing apparatus using the evaluation method	December, 1999	Akimoto et al.
6007629	Substrate processing apparatus	December, 1999	Ohtani et al.
6010570	Apparatus for forming coating film for semiconductor processing	January, 2000	Motoda et al.
6012192	Substrate processing apparatus	January, 2000	Sawada et al.
6012858	Apparatus and method for forming liquid film	January, 2000	Konishi et al.
6013317	Coating apparatus and method therefor	January, 2000	Motoda et al.
6015066	Liquid supplying device	January, 2000	Kimura et al.
6017663	Method of processing resist utilizing alkaline component monitoring	January, 2000	Yaegashi et al.
6018616	Thermal cycling module and process using radiant heat	January, 2000	Schaper
6021790	Substrate treating apparatus and method for treating substrate	February, 2000	Yoshitani et al.
6033475	Resist processing apparatus	March, 2000	Hasebe et al.
6040120	Thermal processing apparatus	March, 2000	Matsushita et al.
6048400	Substrate processing apparatus	April, 2000	Ohtani
6051101	Substrate processing apparatus, substrate transport apparatus and substrate transfer apparatus	April, 2000	Ohtani et al.
6051349	Apparatus for coating resist and developing the coated resist	April, 2000	Yoshioka
6053058	Atmosphere concentration monitoring for substrate processing apparatus and life determination for atmosphere processing unit of substrate processing apparatus	April, 2000	Hayashi et al.
6053977	Coating apparatus	April, 2000	Konishi
6056998	Coating apparatus and coating method	May, 2000	Fujimoto
6059880	Coating apparatus	May, 2000	Kitano et al.
6060697	Substrate processing apparatus having regulated power consumption and method therefor	May, 2000	Morita et al.
6062240	Treatment device	May, 2000	Sada et al.
6062288	Processing apparatus	May, 2000	Tateyama
6062852	Substrate heat-treating apparatus	May, 2000	Kawamoto et al.
6063190	Method of forming coating film and apparatus therefor	May, 2000	Hasebe et al.
6063439	Processing apparatus and method using solution	May, 2000	Semba et al.
6067727	Apparatus and method for drying substrates	May, 2000	Muraoka
6074515	Apparatus for processing substrates	June, 2000	Iseki et al.
6076652	Assembly line system and apparatus controlling transfer of a workpiece	June, 2000	Head
6076979	Method of and apparatus for supplying developing solution onto substrate	June, 2000	Mimasaka et al.
6077321	Wet/dry substrate processing apparatus	June, 2000	Adachi et al.
6087632	Heat processing device with hot plate and associated reflector	July, 2000	Mizosaki et al.
6089762	Developing apparatus, developing method and substrate processing apparatus	July, 2000	Mimasaka et al.
6097005	Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method	August, 2000	Akimoto et al.
6099643	Apparatus for processing a substrate providing an efficient arrangement and atmospheric isolation of chemical treatment section	August, 2000	Ohtani et al.
6104002	Heat treating apparatus	August, 2000	Hirose et al.
6108932	Method and apparatus for thermocapillary drying	August, 2000	Chai
6113695	Coating unit	September, 2000	Fujimoto
6117486	Photoresist coating method and apparatus	September, 2000	Yoshihara
6120834	Apparatus for forming film and method for forming film	September, 2000	Terauchi
6124211	Cleaning method	September, 2000	Butterbaugh
6126725	Deaerating apparatus and treatment apparatus with gas permeable films	October, 2000	Tateyama et al.
6128829	Method for drying substrates	October, 2000	Wolke et al.
6129546	Heat process apparatus and heat process method	October, 2000	Sada
6138695	Substrate processing apparatus	October, 2000	Shibao et al.
6142722	Automated opening and closing of ultra clean storage containers	November, 2000	Genov et al.
6143087	Methods for treating objects	November, 2000	Walter
6143478	Resist processing method	November, 2000	Toshima et al.
6147329	Resist processing system and resist processing method	November, 2000	Okamura et al.
6149727	Substrate processing apparatus	November, 2000	Yoshioka et al.
6155275	Substrate processing unit and substrate processing apparatus using the same	December, 2000	Shinbara
6156125	Adhesion apparatus	December, 2000	Harada et al.
6158446	Ultra-low particle semiconductor cleaner	December, 2000	Mohindra
6159291	Substrate treating apparatus	December, 2000	Morita et al.
6165270	Process solution supplying apparatus	December, 2000	Konishi et al.
6165273	Equipment for UV wafer heating and photochemistry	December, 2000	Fayefield
6168665	Substrate processing apparatus	January, 2001	Sakai et al.
6169274	Heat treatment apparatus and method, detecting temperatures at plural positions each different in depth in holding plate, and estimating temperature of surface of plate corresponding to detected result	January, 2001	Kulp
6174371	Substrate treating method and apparatus	January, 2001	Iseki et al.
6176667	Multideck wafer processing system	January, 2001	Fairbairn et al.
6177133	Method and apparatus for adaptive process control of critical dimensions during spin coating process	January, 2001	Gurer et al.
6181336	Database-independent, scalable, object-oriented architecture and API for managing digital multimedia assets	January, 2001	Chiu et al.
6183147	Process solution supply system, substrate processing apparatus employing the system, and intermediate storage mechanism employed in the system	February, 2001	Kimura et al.
6185370	Heating apparatus for heating an object to be processed	February, 2001	Sekimoto et al.
6190063	Developing method and apparatus	February, 2001	Akimoto et al.
6191394	Heat treating apparatus	February, 2001	Shirakawa et al.
6193783	Apparatus and method for supplying a process solution	February, 2001	Sakamoto et al.
6199568	Treating tank, and substrate treating apparatus having the treating tank	March, 2001	Arai et al.
6200633	Coating apparatus and coating method	March, 2001	Kitano et al.
6202653	Processing solution supplying apparatus, processing apparatus and processing method	March, 2001	Harada et al.
6203969	Resist processing apparatus which measures temperature of heat-sensing substrate and measuring method therein	March, 2001	Ueda
6207231	Coating film forming method and coating apparatus	March, 2001	Tateyama
6210481	Apparatus and method of cleaning nozzle and apparatus of processing substrate	April, 2001	Sakai
6213853	Integral machine for polishing, cleaning, rinsing and drying workpieces	April, 2001	Gonzalez-Martin et al.	451/287
6216475	Cooling device and cooling method	April, 2001	Sada et al.
6217657	Resist processing system having process solution deaeration mechanism	April, 2001	Kiba et al.
6221787	Apparatus and method of forming resist film	April, 2001	Ogata
6222161	Heat treatment apparatus	April, 2001	Shirakawa et al.
6227786	Substrate treating apparatus	May, 2001	Tateyama
6228171	Heat processing apparatus	May, 2001	Shirakawa et al.
6228561	Film forming method and film forming apparatus	May, 2001	Hasebe
6229116	Heat treatment apparatus	May, 2001	Shirakawa et al.
6235641	Method and system to control the concentration of dissolved gas in a liquid	May, 2001	Christenson
6238107	Developing apparatus	May, 2001	Inada
6238109	Processing solution supply apparatus	May, 2001	Minami
6238735	Method of uniformly coating a substrate	May, 2001	Mandal et al.
6238848	Developing method and developing apparatus	May, 2001	Konishi et al.
6241402	Developing apparatus and method thereof	June, 2001	Sakamoto et al.
6241403	Developing method and developing apparatus	June, 2001	Sakamoto et al.
6246030	Heat processing method and apparatus	June, 2001	Matsuyama et al.
6248398	Coater having a controllable pressurized process chamber for semiconductor processing	June, 2001	Talieh et al.
6251195	Method for transferring a microelectronic device to and from a processing chamber	June, 2001	Wagoner
6253118	Substrate transport method and apparatus	June, 2001	Koyama
6254936	Environment exchange control for material on a wafer surface	July, 2001	Gurer et al.
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Tadesse, Yewebdar

Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/639,109 filed Dec. 22, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference.

We claim:

1. A cluster tool for processing substrates, comprising: a cassette that is configured to contain two or more substrates; a processing module comprising: a first processing chamber that is configured to perform a chill process on a substrate supported above a surface of a chill plate in a first processing region; a second processing chamber that is configured to perform a bake process on the substrate supported above a surface of a bake plate in a second processing region; and an input chamber, wherein the first processing chamber, the second processing chamber, and the input chamber are substantially adjacent to each other; a robot that is configured to receive the substrate in the input chamber and transfer and position the substrate in the first processing chamber and second processing chamber, wherein the robot comprises: a robot blade; an actuator that is configured to position the robot blade in the first and second processing chambers; and a heat exchanging device that is in thermal communication with the robot blade and is configured to control the temperature of a substrate positioned thereon; wherein the heat exchanging device comprises a chilled transfer arm assembly; and a 6-axis articulated robot configured to transfer the substrate between the cassette and the input chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first processing chamber is a chill chamber and the second processing chamber is a bake chamber, a HMDS process chamber or a PEB chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second processing module positioned adjacent to the first processing module, wherein the second processing module comprises: a third processing chamber that is configured to perform a chill process on the substrate supported above a surface of a second chill plate in a third processing region; a fourth processing chamber that is configured to perform a bake process on a substrate supported above a surface of a second bake plate in a fourth processing region, wherein the third processing chamber and the fourth processing chamber are substantially adjacent to each other, and a robot that is configured to transfer and position a substrate in the third processing chamber and fourth processing chamber, wherein the robot comprises: a robot blade; an actuator that is configured to position the robot blade in the third and fourth processing chambers; and a heat exchanging device that is in thermal communication with the robot blade and is configured to control the temperature of a substrate positioned thereon; wherein the 6-axis articulated robot is configured to transfer the substrate between the cassette and the third processing chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein transferring the substrate between the cassette and the third processing chamber comprises removing the substrate from the third processing chamber and moving the substrate to the cassette.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the third processing chamber is a chill chamber and the fourth processing chamber is a bake chamber, a HMDS process chamber or a PEB chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising an access port disposed on a surface of the third processing chamber.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein transferring the substrate between the cassette and the third processing chamber comprises removing the substrate from the third processing chamber through the access port and moving the substrate to the cassette.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the 6-axis articulated robot is further configured to transfer the substrate between the cassette and the first processing chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising an access port disposed on a surface of the first processing chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein transferring the substrate between the cassette and the first processing chamber comprises removing the substrate from the first processing chamber through the access port and moving the substrate to the cassette.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cluster tool is disposed in a track lithography tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to an integrated processing system containing multiple processing stations and robots that are capable of processing multiple substrates in parallel.

2. Description of the Related Art

The process of forming electronic devices is commonly done in a multi-chamber processing system (e.g., a cluster tool) that has the capability to sequentially process substrates, (e.g., semiconductor wafers) in a controlled processing environment. A typical cluster tool used to deposit (i.e., coat) and develop a photoresist material, commonly known as a track lithography tool, will include a mainframe that houses at least one substrate transfer robot which transports substrates between a pod/cassette mounting device and multiple processing chambers that are connected to the mainframe. Cluster tools are often used so that substrates can be processed in a repeatable way in a controlled processing environment. A controlled processing environment has many benefits which include minimizing contamination of the substrate surfaces during transfer and during completion of the various substrate processing steps. Processing in a controlled environment thus reduces the number of generated defects and improves device yield.

The effectiveness of a substrate fabrication process is often measured by two related and important factors, which are device yield and the cost of ownership (CoO). These factors are important since they directly affect the cost to produce an electronic device and thus a device manufacturer's competitiveness in the market place. The CoO, while affected by a number of factors, is greatly affected by the system and chamber throughput, or simply the number of substrates per hour processed using a desired processing sequence. A process sequence is generally defined as the sequence of device fabrication steps, or process recipe steps, completed in one or more processing chambers in the cluster tool. A process sequence may generally contain various substrate (or wafer) electronic device fabrication processing steps. In an effort to reduce CoO, electronic device manufacturers often spend a large amount of time trying to optimize the process sequence and chamber processing time to achieve the greatest substrate throughput possible given the cluster tool architecture limitations and the chamber processing times. In track lithography type cluster tools, since the chamber processing times tend to be rather short, (e.g., about a minute to complete the process) and the number of processing steps required to complete a typical process sequence is large, a significant portion of the time it takes to complete the processing sequence is taken up transferring the substrates between the various processing chambers. A typical track lithography process sequence will generally include the following steps: depositing one or more uniform photoresist (or resist) layers on the surface of a substrate, then transferring the substrate out of the cluster tool to a separate stepper or scanner tool to pattern the substrate surface by exposing the photoresist layer to a photoresist modifying electromagnetic radiation, and then developing the patterned photoresist layer. If the substrate throughput in a cluster tool is not robot limited, the longest process recipe step will generally limit the throughput of the processing sequence. This is usually not the case in track lithography process sequences, due to the short processing times and large number of processing steps. Typical system throughput for the conventional fabrication processes, such as a track lithography tool running a typical process, will generally be between 100-120 substrates per hour.

Other important factors in the CoO calculation are the system reliability and system uptime. These factors are very important to a cluster tool's profitability and/or usefulness, since the longer the system is unable to process substrates the more money is lost by the user due to the lost opportunity to process substrates in the cluster tool. Therefore, cluster tool users and manufacturers spend a large amount of time trying to develop reliable processes, reliable hardware and reliable systems that have increased uptime.

The push in the industry to shrink the size of semiconductor devices to improve device processing speed and reduce the generation of heat by the device, has caused the industry's tolerance to process variability to diminish. Due to the shrinking size of semiconductor devices and the ever increasing device performance requirements, the allowable variability of the device fabrication process uniformity and repeatability has greatly decreased. To minimize process variability an important factor in the track lithography processing sequences is the issue of assuring that every substrate run through a cluster tool has the same “wafer history.” A substrate's wafer history is generally monitored and controlled by process engineers to assure that all of the device fabrication processing variables that may later affect a device's performance are controlled, so that all substrates in the same batch are always processed the same way. To assure that each substrate has the same “wafer history” requires that each substrate experiences the same repeatable substrate processing steps (e.g., consistent coating process, consistent hard bake process, consistent chill process, etc.) and the timing between the various processing steps is the same for each substrate. Lithography type device fabrication processes can be especially sensitive to variations in process recipe variables and the timing between the recipe steps, which directly affects process variability and ultimately device performance. Therefore, a cluster tool and supporting apparatus capable of performing a process sequence that minimizes process variability and the variability in the timing between process steps is needed. Also, a cluster tool and supporting apparatus that is capable of performing a device fabrication process that delivers a uniform and repeatable process result, while achieving a desired substrate throughput is also needed.

Therefore, there is a need for a system, a method and an apparatus that can process a substrate so that it can meet the required device performance goals and increase the system throughput and thus reduce the process sequence CoO.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally provides a cluster tool containing multiple processing stations and robots that are capable of processing multiple substrates in parallel. The cluster tool for processing substrates, includes a first substrate processing chamber; a second substrate processing chamber, wherein the second substrate processing chamber is a fixed vertical distance from the first substrate processing chamber; a third substrate processing chamber; a fourth substrate processing chamber, wherein the fourth substrate processing chamber is positioned a fixed vertical distance from the third substrate processing chamber; a first robot assembly adapted to access the first substrate processing chamber and the second substrate processing chamber; and a second robot assembly adapted to receive one or more substrates from the first substrate processing chamber and one or more substrates from the second substrate processing chamber substantially simultaneously, and then deposit the one or more substrates from the first substrate processing chamber in the third substrate processing chamber and the one or more substrates from the second substrate processing chamber in the fourth substrate processing chamber substantially simultaneously.

Embodiments of the invention further provide a cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising a first processing rack having a plurality of vertically stacked substrate processing chambers; a second processing rack having a plurality of vertically stacked substrate processing chambers; a first robot blade assembly comprise: a first robot blade; and a first robot blade actuator; a second robot blade assembly comprise: a second robot blade; a second robot blade actuator; wherein the first robot blade assembly and a second robot blade assembly are vertically positioned a fixed distance apart and can be separately horizontally positioned by use of the first robot blade actuator or the second robot blade actuator; and a 6-axis articulated robot connected to the first robot blade assembly and the second robot blade assembly, wherein the first robot blade assembly and the second robot blade assembly are spaced a fixed distance apart and with cooperative motion of the 6-axis articulated robot are adapted to substantially simultaneously access substrates positioned in the two vertically stacked substrate processing chambers in the first processing rack or substantially simultaneously access substrates positioned in the two vertically stacked substrate processing chambers in the second processing rack.

Embodiments of the invention further provide a cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a cassette that is adapted to contain two or more substrates; a first module that comprises: a first processing rack that comprises two or more substrate processing chambers stacked in a vertical direction; a second module that comprises: a second processing rack that comprises two or more substrate processing chambers stacked in a vertical direction; a first robot assembly adapted to access a substrate positioned in at least one substrate processing chamber in each of the first and second processing racks and the cassette; and a second robot assembly comprises: a robot; a first robot blade connected to the robot; and a second robot blade connected to the robot and positioned a fixed distance apart from the first robot blade; wherein the second robot is adapted to access a substrate positioned in at least one substrate processing chamber in each of the first and second processing racks and the first and second robot blades are adapted to substantially simultaneously transfer, pickup and/or drop-off the substrates in at least two substrate processing chambers in each of the first and second processing racks.

Embodiments of the invention further provide a cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing rack containing a first vertical stack of substrate processing chambers; a first robot adapted to transfer a substrate to a substrate processing chamber in the first processing rack; a second processing rack containing a first vertical stack of substrate processing chambers; a second robot adapted to transfer a substrate between a substrate processing chamber in the first processing rack and a substrate processing chamber in the second processing rack; a controller that is adapted to optimize the movements of the substrate through the first and second processing rack using the first robot or second robot; and a memory, coupled to the controller, the memory comprising a computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing the operation of the cluster tool, the computer-readable program comprising: computer instructions to control the first robot and second robot movement comprising: storing one or more command tasks for the first robot and second robot in the memory; review command tasks for first robot retained in the memory; review command tasks for second robot retained in the memory; and move command tasks from the first robot to the second robot or the second robot to the first robot to balance the availability of each robot.

Embodiments of the invention further provide a cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a cassette that is adapted to contain two or more substrates; a first processing rack containing a vertical stack of substrate processing chambers and having a first side extending along a first direction to access the substrate processing chambers therethrough; a second processing rack containing a vertical stack of substrate processing chambers and having a first side extending along a second direction to access the substrate processing chambers therethrough, wherein the first side and the second side are spaced a distance apart; a first robot having a base that is in a fixed position between the first side of the second processing rack and the first side of the first processing rack, wherein the first robot is adapted to transfer a substrate to a substrate processing chamber in the first processing rack, the second processing rack and the cassette; a third processing rack containing a vertical stack of substrate processing chambers and having a first side extending along a third direction to access the substrate processing chambers therethrough; a fourth processing rack containing a vertical stack of substrate processing chambers and having a first side extending along a fourth direction to access the substrate processing chambers therethrough, wherein the third side and the fourth side are spaced a distance apart; and a second robot assembly comprises: a robot having a base that is in a fixed position between the first side of the third processing rack and the first side of the fourth processing rack; a first robot blade connected to the robot; and a second robot blade connected to the robot and positioned a fixed distance apart from the first robot blade; wherein the first and second robot blades are adapted to substantially simultaneously transfer substrates to two chambers in the first, second, third and fourth processing racks.

Embodiments of the invention further provide a cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a cassette that is adapted to contain two or more substrates; a first processing chamber that is adapted to perform a first process on a substrate; a second processing chamber that is adapted to perform a second process on a substrate, wherein the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber are substantially adjacent to each other; a fluid dispensing means that is adapted to fluidly communicate with a first substrate positioned in the first processing chamber and a second substrate positioned in the second processing chamber, wherein the fluid dispensing means comprises: a fluid source; a nozzle that is in fluid communication with the fluid source; a fluid delivery means that is adapted to deliver fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle; a moveable shutter adapted to isolate the first processing chamber from the second processing chamber; and a robot adapted to transfer a substrate between the cassette, the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber.

Embodiments of the invention further provide a cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a first processing rack comprising: a first processing module comprising: a first processing chamber that is adapted to perform a first process on a substrate; a second processing chamber that is adapted to perform a second process on a substrate, wherein the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber are substantially adjacent to each other; a fluid dispensing means that is adapted to fluidly communicate with a substrate that is being processed in the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber, wherein the fluid dispensing means comprises: a fluid source; a nozzle that is in fluid communication with the fluid source; a fluid delivery means that is adapted to deliver fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle; and a moveable shutter adapted to isolate the first processing chamber from the second processing chamber; a second processing module comprising: a third processing chamber that is adapted to perform a first process on a substrate; a fourth processing chamber that is adapted to perform a second process on a substrate, wherein the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber are substantially adjacent to each other; a fluid dispensing means that is adapted to fluidly communicate with a substrate that is being processed in the third processing chamber and the fourth processing chamber, wherein the fluid dispensing means comprises; a fluid source; a nozzle that is in fluid communication with the fluid source; a fluid delivery means that is adapted to deliver fluid from the fluid source to the nozzle; and a moveable shutter adapted to isolate the first processing chamber from the second processing chamber; wherein the second processing module is substantially adjacent to the first processing module; and a robot adapted to transfer a substrate between the first processing chamber, the second processing chamber, the third processing chamber and the fourth processing chamber.

Embodiments of the invention further provide a cluster tool for processing a substrate, comprising: a cassette that is adapted to contain two or more substrates; a processing module comprising: a first processing chamber that is adapted to perform a first process on a substrate in a processing region; a second processing chamber that is adapted to perform a second process on a substrate in a processing region, wherein the first processing chamber and the second processing chamber are substantially adjacent to each other; a robot that is adapted to transfer and position a substrate in the first processing chamber and second processing chamber, wherein the robot comprises: a robot blade; an actuator that is adapted to position the robot blade in the first and second processing chambers; and a heat exchanging d