US 12,476,120 B2
Modular mainframe layout for supporting multiple semiconductor process modules or chambers
Randy A. Harris, Kalispell, MT (US); Coby Scott Grove, Whitefish, MT (US); Paul Zachary Wirth, Kalispell, MT (US); Avinash Shantaram, Whitefish, MT (US); Alpay Yilmaz, San Jose, CA (US); Amir Nissan, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Jitendra Ratilal Bhimjiyani, Santa Clara, CA (US); Niranjan Pingle, Milpitas, CA (US); and Vincent Dicaprio, Pleasanton, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/586,209.
Application 18/586,209 is a continuation of application No. 17/513,631, filed on Oct. 28, 2021, granted, now 11,935,771.
Application 17/513,631 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/177,882, filed on Feb. 17, 2021, granted, now 11,935,770.
Prior Publication US 2024/0194503 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01); H01L 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/6719 (2013.01) [H01L 21/67121 (2013.01); H01L 21/67167 (2013.01); H01L 21/67173 (2013.01); H01L 21/67294 (2013.01); H01L 21/68707 (2013.01); H01L 24/97 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-chamber processing tool for processing substrates, comprising:
an equipment front end module (EFEM) having one or more loadports for receiving one or more types of substrates; and
a plurality of automation modules coupled to each other and having a first automation module coupled to the EFEM, wherein each of the plurality of automation modules include a transfer chamber and one or more process chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, wherein the transfer chamber includes a buffer configured to hold a plurality of the one or more types of substrates, and wherein the transfer chamber includes a transfer robot configured to transfer the one or more types of substrates between the buffer, the one or more process chambers, and a buffer disposed in an adjacent automation module of the plurality of automation modules, wherein at least one of the plurality of automation modules includes a bonder chamber and at least one of the plurality of automation modules includes a wet clean chamber, wherein at least one of:
the one or more loadports include one or more first loadports for receiving a first type of substrate and one or more second loadports for receiving a second type of substrate having a plurality of chiplets, at least one of the plurality of automation modules includes a plasma chamber, and at least one of the plurality of automation modules includes a degas chamber; or
the bonder chamber is configured to remove a plurality of chiplets from a first type of substrate of the one of the one or more types of substrates and bond the plurality of chiplets onto a second type of substrate of the one or more types of substrates.