| CPC H01L 21/67745 (2013.01) [B65G 47/91 (2013.01); H01L 21/67196 (2013.01); H01L 21/67201 (2013.01); H01L 21/67265 (2013.01); H01L 21/67742 (2013.01); H01L 21/68707 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
|
1. A system of processing a substrate comprising:
an atmospheric-pressure transfer chamber;
a first vacuum processing chamber for processing the substrate, wherein a consumable is positioned in the first vacuum processing chamber during processing of the substrate;
wherein the consumable becomes a used consumable after processing, and when replacement is desired or needed, the used consumable is replaced with a replacement consumable;
a vacuum transfer chamber adjacent to the first vacuum processing chamber, the substrate and the consumable being configured to be transferred in the vacuum transfer chamber under a reduced pressure;
at least two load-lock structures disposed between the atmospheric-pressure transfer chamber and the vacuum transfer chamber, the load-lock structures each being configured to transfer the substrate or the consumable between the atmospheric-pressure transfer chamber and the vacuum transfer chamber;
a plurality of load ports attached to the atmospheric-pressure transfer chamber;
a plurality of detachable containers detachably mountable on the respective load ports;
a first transfer arm configured to transfer the substrate and the consumable, including the used consumable or the replacement consumable, between the load-lock structures and the first vacuum processing chamber through the vacuum transfer chamber;
a second transfer arm configured to transfer the substrate and the consumable, including the used consumable or the replacement consumable, between the containers and the load-lock structures through the atmospheric-pressure transfer chamber; and
a controller configured to:
control the first and second transfer arms to perform a first transfer sequence in order including: (1) getting the used consumable from the first vacuum processing chamber, with the first transfer arm, so that the used consumable is held by the first transfer arm and (2) after part (1) of the first transfer sequence, transferring the used consumable from the first vacuum processing chamber through the vacuum transfer chamber to one of the load-lock structures with the first transfer arm; and
control the first and second transfer arms to perform a second transfer sequence in order including: (1) getting the replacement consumable from one of the containers with the second transfer arm, so that the replacement consumable is held by the second transfer arm and (2) after part (1) of the second transfer sequence, transferring the replacement consumable from the one of the containers to another of the load-lock structures with the second transfer arm,
wherein the controller is further configured to control the first transfer sequence and the second transfer sequence such that part (1) of the first transfer sequence is concurrent and at least partially overlaps in time with part (1) of the second transfer sequence, wherein:
the controller is further configured to identify whether each container of the plurality of containers contains the consumable or the substrate;
the controller is further configured to determine whether replacement of the consumable is required; and
the controller is further configured to control the system to perform a replacement path securing process after determining replacement of the consumable is required and before performing the first transfer sequence and the second transfer sequence, the replacement path securing process including at least one of:
(a) in response to a determination that the substrate is present in a second vacuum processing chamber, making the substrate wait in the second vacuum processing chamber until after the first transfer sequence and the second transfer sequence are completed;
(b) in response to a determination that the substrate is present in the vacuum transfer chamber, the load-lock structures, or the atmospheric-pressure transfer chamber, and a processing for the substrate in the first or second vacuum processing chamber has been completed and a subsequent processing for the substrate in a third vacuum processing chamber is not completed, transferring the substrate to the third vacuum processing chamber for the subsequent processing; or
(c) in response to a determination that the substrate is present in the vacuum transfer chamber, the load-lock structures, or the atmospheric-pressure transfer chamber, and the processing for the substrate has been completed, transferring the substrate to one of the plurality of detachable containers.
|