Station for controlling and purging a mini-environment
US7350544B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 18, 2005 |
| Grant date | Apr 1, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 8, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67017
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A SMIF type mini-environment (1) can be connected onto a purge station (2). The purge station comprises a leaktight purge compartment (2b) whose top face includes a closable transfer passage (2c) facing the bottom face (1b) of the mini-environment pod (1). An elevator (4) is suitable for vertically displacing the bottom wall (1b) of the mini-environment pod (1) when coupled thereto, simultaneously moving the stack (3) of substrate wafers carried by the bottom wall (1c) so as to introduce them together into the leaktight purge compartment (2b). The stack (3) of substrate wafers is then purged inside a leaktight purge compartment (2b) of the purge station (2), while simultaneously purging the mini-environment pod (1). This provides purging that is much more effective and much faster, thus encouraging the use of SMIF mini-environment pods in microelectronic processes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.