Method and apparatus for maintaining sensitive articles in a contaminant-free environment
US5628121A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 1, 1995 |
| Grant date | May 13, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 1, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S414/14
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for maintaining sensitive articles such as IC wafers or the like contaminant-free including a base member having a removable cover defining a sealed unit having an interior in which a plurality of sensitive articles are supported and through which a particle-free ionizing gas from a source on a wheeled table is continuously passed, the sealed unit being movable from a storage position on the table to an access position on associated processing without interruption of the ionized gas flow and at which the cover is removed and the supported articles continuously bathed with a particle-free, ionized gas to permit the articles to be sequentially moved to a fabricating position in the processing equipment and back to the access position while being continuously bathed with a particle-free ionized gas for subsequent assembly of the cover and base member and return of the sealed unit to the storage position.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.