A substrate processing system includes a chamber group including chambers configured to process a substrate in a desired process gas, a gas box group including gas boxes configured to supply the process gas to each of the chambers, a flow rate measuring device configured to measure a flow rate of the process gas supplied from the gas box group, and an exhaust device connected to the chamber group and the flow rate measuring device. The flow rate measuring device includes a measuring instrument and a measurement pipe connected to the gas box group and the measuring instrument and configured to flow the process gas through the gas box group and the measuring instrument. The measurement pipe includes branch pipes connected to each of the gas boxes, a main pipe connected to each of the branch pipes and the measuring instrument, and branch pipe valves provided in the branch pipes.

The treating arrangement (900) for an epitaxial reactor (1000) comprises: a reaction chamber (100) for treating substrates, a transfer chamber (200) adjacent to the reaction chamber (100), for transferring substrates placed over substrates support devices, a loading/unloading group (300) at least in part adjacent to the transfer chamber (200), arranged to contain a substrates support device with one or more substrates, a storage chamber (400) containing at least in part the loading/unloading group (300), having a first storage zone (410) for treated and/or untreated substrates and a second storage zone (420) for substrates support devices without any substrate, at least one external robot (500) for transferring treated substrates, untreated substrates and substrates support devices without any substrate between said storage chamber (400) and said loading/unloading group (300), at least one internal robot (600) for transferring substrates support devices with one or more substrates between said loading/unloading group (300) and said reaction chamber (100) via said transfer chamber (200); said loading/unloading group comprises a load-lock chamber (300A) and a preparation station (300B) associated with each other.

At least one laser sensor and a controller are embedded into a substrate processing system communicating with a remote big data and machine learning server receiving/sending data from/to a fleet of substrate processing systems for autonomous process control and optimization. The laser sensor is arranged proximate to a region of the substrate processing system and is configured to capture first data from at least one of an edge coupling ring and a semiconductor substrate transported from/to the processing chamber to/from the region. The controller is configured to receive the first data from the laser sensor, process the first data to generate second data, transmit the second data to a remote server via a network, receive third data from the remote server via the network in response to sending the second data to the remote server, and operate the substrate processing system based on the third data for process optimization.

Semiconductor processing apparatuses and methods are provided in which an electrostatic discharge (ESD) prevention layer is utilized to prevent or reduce ESD events from occurring between a semiconductor wafer and one or more components of the apparatuses. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing apparatus includes a wafer handling structure that is configured to support a semiconductor wafer during processing of the semiconductor wafer. The apparatus further includes an ESD prevention layer on the wafer handling structure. The ESD prevention layer includes a first material and a second material, and the second material has an electrical conductivity that is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for processing substrates. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to transfer apparatus and substrate-supporting members. In an embodiment, an apparatus for transferring a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a hub and a plurality of transfer arms extending from the hub. The apparatus further includes a plurality of substrate-supporting members, wherein each of the transfer arms has a first end coupled to the hub and a second end coupled to a respective one of the plurality of substrate-supporting members. The apparatus further includes a first electrical interface connection for electrostatically chucking a substrate and located at a first position on each substrate-supporting member, and a second electrical interface connection for electrostatically chucking the substrate and located at a second position on each substrate-supporting member. Substrate processing modules are also described.

A vacuum substrate transport apparatus including a frame, a drive section having a drive axis, at least one arm, having an end effector for holding a substrate, having at least one degree of freedom axis effecting extension and retraction, and a bearing defining a guideway that defines the axis, the bearing including at least one rolling load bearing element disposed in a bearing case, interfacing between a bearing raceway and bearing rail to support arm loads, and effecting sliding of the case along the rail, and at least one rolling, substantially non-load bearing, spacer element disposed in the case, intervening between each of the load bearing elements, wherein the spacer element is a sacrificial buffer material compatible with sustained substantially unrestricted service commensurate with a predetermined service duty of the apparatus in a vacuum environment at temperatures over 260° C. for a specified predetermined service period.

The present disclosure provides a chamber device, which includes a housing, which defines an cavity therein, a first valve, provided on a first side of the housing, and configured to switch between a closed condition thereof, and an opened condition thereof where the housing is in communication with one of the first pressure environment and the second pressure environment therethrough, a switching device, fixed to the housing, and configured to align the first valve with a respective inlet of the one of the first pressure environment and the second pressure environment, a second valve, provided on a second side of the housing opposite to the first side, and configured to communicate the cavity with the first pressure environment or disconnect the cavity from the first pressure environment, and a pressure regulating device, provided on the housing and in communication with the cavity .

A linear electrical machine comprising a frame with a level reference plane and an array of electromagnets, connected to the frame to form a drive plane at a predetermined height relative to the reference plane. The array of electromagnets being arranged so that a series of electromagnets of the array of electromagnets define at least one drive line within the drive plane, and each of the electromagnets being coupled to an alternating current power source energizing each electromagnet. At least one reaction platen of paramagnetic, diamagnetic, or non-magnetic conductive material disposed to cooperate with the electromagnets of the array of electromagnets so that excitation of the electromagnets with alternating current generates levitation and propulsion forces against the reaction platen that controllably levitate and propel the reaction platen along at least one drive line, in a controlled attitude relative to the drive plane.

Embodiments of heated lids for a process chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a heated lid includes: a body having a central region and a peripheral region, wherein the body includes a central opening in the central region, wherein the peripheral region includes a plurality of vertical slots that extend into an upper surface of the body and arranged along a circle to provide a thermal break, and wherein the body includes one or more annular plenums that extend into the upper surface of the body and a plurality of holes extending through a bottom surface of the one or more annular plenums to a lower surface of the body; a first heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein, wherein the first heater ring is coupled to the central region of the body; and a second heater ring having one or more heating elements disposed therein.

A wafer processing apparatus of an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an equipment front end module (EFEM), a wafer transfer chamber, a wafer processing chamber, and a wafer transfer arm. In addition, the EFEM may include an atmosphere control chamber configured to store a wafer carrier accommodating wafers, an upper air supplier configured to supply air into the atmosphere control chamber, an EFEM chamber under the atmosphere control chamber, a load lock arranged to be vertically overlapped by at least a portion of the EFEM chamber, and an EFEM arm configured to transfer the wafer carrier.