Equipment front end module gas recirculation

US10566216B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lam Research Corporation · US

Inventors

• Brandon Senn · Molalla, US
• Peter R. Wassei · Newberg, US
• Scott Wong · Sunnyvale, US
• Silvia Rocio Aguilar Amaya · San Jose, US
• Todd A. Lopes · Livermore, US
• Richard H. Gould · Fremont, US
• James Donald Keller · Livermore, US
• Steven Edmund Pracko · Fremont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 9, 2017
• Grant date: Feb 18, 2020
• Expiry date: Apr 19, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/68707
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for recirculating gas in an equipment front end module (“EFEM”), including the ability to provide a gas during recirculation and control the gas flow, pressure, and composition of the environment in the EFEM during recirculation.