More particularly, the present invention relates to cluster type asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device in which a unit for conducting alignment and OCR (optical character recognition) functions is arranged in a buffer stage so that alignment and OCR processes can be conducted while a wafer is positioned in the buffer stage.

Also, the present invention relates to cluster type asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device in which a plurality of transfer modules each for transferring a wafer into a process chamber are provided so that a semiconductor manufacturing process can be implemented with a plurality of wafers simultaneously introduced, from a standby state, into the process chamber, and in which a unit for conducting alignment and OCR functions is arranged in a buffer stage so that the alignment and OCR processes can be conducted while a wafer is positioned in the buffer stage.

Further, the present invention relates to cluster type asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device in which a plurality of transfer modules each for transferring a wafer into a process chamber are provided so that a semiconductor manufacturing process can be implemented with a plurality of wafers simultaneously introduced, from a standby state, into the process chamber.

Background Art Generally, cluster type equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device serves as multi-reactor type composite semiconductor manufacturing equipment including a single common transfer module which has

a substrate transfer robot, a cluster platform which is composed of a plurality of separation valves and accompanying vacuumizing elements, a plurality of process modules which are positioned at respective sides of the cluster platform, and attachment modules such as a cassette module, etc.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a construction of conventional cluster type equipment 100 used for manufacture of a semiconductor device.

Referring to FIG. 1, a polygonal transfer module 130 is used as a basic platform in a state wherein a substrate transfer module 132 capable of automatically transferring a substrate 140 is positioned at a center portion of the polygonal transfer module 130. Process chambers 110a, 110b and 110c and first and second loadlock chambers 120a and 120b are respectively defined at respective sides of the polygonal transfer module 130. Substrates are respectively loaded on or unloaded from the first and second loadlock chambers 120a and 120b.

Hereafter, operations of the conventional cluster type equipment 100 constructed as stated above will be described.

First, a cassette (not shown) in which a substrate is inserted is mounted in the first loadlock chamber 120a. Thereafter, a pressure in the first loadlock chamber 120a is reduced to a predetermined level by a vacuum pump. If the pressure in the first loadlock chamber 120a is reduced to the predetermined level, the substrate transfer robot 132 takes the substrate out of the cassette and places the substrate on an aligner 122 for aligning a flat zone of the substrate.

The substrate aligned in this way is introduced into the first process chamber 1 l0a by the substrate transfer robot 132 of the transfer module 130, to undergo a specified process. In the case that the specified process is to be implemented with the substrate heated, after the specified process is completed, the substrate is taken out of the first process chamber 110a by the substrate transfer robot 132 and then placed on a cooling plate 124, so-called an InCooler, for cooling the substrate to an ambient temperature. All of the above procedures for taking the substrate out of the cassette mounted in the loadlock chamber, introducing the substrate into the process chamber, implementing the specified process, and

cooling on the cooling plate the substrate having undergone the specified process are effected for each substrate.

However, the conventional cluster type equipment suffers from drawbacks in that, since a unit for conducting alignment and OCR functions is positioned at a side of the cassette or the substrate transfer robot, a size of the cluster type equipment cannot but be increased. Also, because alignment and OCR processes are separately implemented before the substrate, that is, a wafer is introduced into the process chamber, an extended period of time is required to complete the entire processes and thereby productivity becomes deteriorated.

Further, in the conventional cluster type equipment, when implementing the semiconductor manufacturing processes for the wafer employing the loadlock chambers, as wafers are transferred and introduced one by one into the process chambers, a transfer time under a vacuum state becomes longer than that in a standby state and thereby productivity becomes deteriorated.

Moreover, in the conventional cluster type equipment, since the wafers are transferred one by one into each process chamber via the loadlock chambers which serve as vacuumized transfer chambers, it is necessary to separately define the loadlock chambers and prepare the vacuum-operated robot, whereby a cost required for fabricating the equipment cannot but be increased.

Consequently, it is inappropriate to use the costly conventional cluster type equipment when implementing processes in an asher or a Lite Etch system of a main etcher, which does not require a vacuumized transfer chamber, such as a both-handed transfer robot for elevating a throughput of a buffer station including an OCR part capable of administrating an individual wafer without the need of necessarily maintaining a vacuumized state before introduction of the wafer into a process chamber and an alignment part capable of improving precision of a process.

Disclosure of the Invention Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to

overcome the barriers occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide cluster type asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device in which a unit for conducting alignment and OCR functions is arranged in a buffer stage so that an OCR process can be implemented while a wafer is positioned in the buffer stage, thereby allowing administration of costly wafers, for example, of 300 mm, not on a lot basis but on an individual basis, to increase a yield, and allowing implementation of additional alignment process to ensure precise wafer alignment and improve precision of a process.

Another object of the present invention is to provide cluster type asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device in which a plurality of transfer modules each for transferring a wafer into a process chamber are provided so that plural wafers can be simultaneously introduced into the process chamber to enhance a throughput of the equipment.

In order to achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device, including a transfer module which is provided with a substrate transfer robot capable of simultaneously transferring at least two substrates and being defined with process chambers, wherein a buffer stage is arranged in a manner such that, before introduction of the wafers into the respective process chambers, alignment and OCR processes can be implemented in a standby state of the wafers which is to be transferred to be introduced into the respective process chambers by the substrate transfer robot.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the asher equipment further comprises a plurality of transfer modules attached to the substrate transfer robot for introducing, into the respective process chambers, plural wafers having undergone the alignment and OCR processes in the buffer stage.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the buffer stage includes an aligner; and, as a wafer is placed on the aligner, the aligner

sucks the wafer by vacuum, rotates the wafer, and senses a notched portion of the wafer to align the wafer.

Description of the Drawings Brief The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood with regard to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a conventional cluster type equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device; FIG. 2 is a constructional view for illustrating a cluster type asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view for illustrating in detail a buffer stage which is adopted in the asher equipment shown in FIG. 2 and includes an alignment module and an OCR process module; FIG. 4 is a perspective view for illustrating a transfer module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view for illustrating a state wherein wafers are introduced into a process chamber by the transfer module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

As shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, in a cluster type asher equipment 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an aligner 218 capable of implementing an alignment process is positioned in a buffer stage 210 below a cooling stage 216. Also, an OCR module 220 is positioned in the buffer stage

210 at a side of an upper end of the aligner 218 and at a side of a lower end of the cooling stage 216.

Thereupon, when implementing a specified semiconductor manufacturing process, respective wafers are placed on transfer modules 212 in the buffer stage 210 to be transferred and introduced one by one into a process chamber 222 by a substrate transfer robot 214. The aligner 218 and the OCR module 220 positioned in the buffer stage 210 implement their respective alignment and OCR processes for wafers which are maintained at a standby state in the buffer stage 210.

Further, as a wafer is placed on the aligner 218 positioned inside the buffer stage 210, the aligner 218 sucks the wafer by vacuum, rotates the wafer, and senses a notched portion of the wafer to align the wafer.

In the present invention, two transfer modules 212a and 212b are formed in such a way as to be attached to the substrate transfer module 214 so that two wafers can be transferred at a time. Consequently, two wafers having undergone the alignment and OCR processes in the buffer stage 210 while being maintained in the standby state are introduced into the process chamber 222 by the substrate transfer robot 214 to undergo a next semiconductor manufacturing process.

Industrial Applicability As apparent from the above description, the cluster type asher equipment used for manufacture of a semiconductor device, according to the present invention, provides advantages in that, since a unit for conducting alignment and OCR functions is arranged in a buffer stage to allow alignment and OCR processes to be implemented while a wafer is positioned in the buffer stage, the need for a separate period of time to implement the alignment and OCR processes is obviated, whereby productivity is improved.

Further, in the present invention, because a plurality of transfer modules each for transferring a wafer into a process chamber are provided so that a

semiconductor manufacturing process can be implemented with a plurality of wafers simultaneously introduced into the process chamber, a throughput of the equipment can be enhanced and productivity can be improved.

Moreover, in the present invention, it is possible to elevate a throughput of the buffer station including an OCR part capable of administrating an individual wafer without the need of necessarily maintaining a vacuumized state before introduction of the wafer into a process chamber and an alignment part capable of improving precision of a process.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.