公开(公告)号：US20030198541A1

公开(公告)日：2003-10-23

申请号：US10457944

申请日：2003-06-09

Applicant: Semitool, Inc.

Inventor： Jeffry A. Davis ,  Kert L. Dolechek ,  Gary L. Curtis

IPC: B65G049/07

CPC classification number: H01L21/67754 ,  H01L21/67173 ,  H01L21/6732 ,  H01L21/67769 ,  H01L21/67772 ,  H01L21/67775 ,  H01L21/67778 ,  H01L21/67781 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  Y10S414/135 ,  Y10S414/137 ,  Y10S414/139 ,  Y10S414/14

Abstract: A processor for processing articles, such as semiconductor wafers, in a substantially clean atmosphere is set forth. The processor includes an enclosure defining a substantially enclosed clean processing chamber and at least one processing station disposed in the processing chamber. An interface section is disposed adjacent an interface end of the enclosure. The interface section includes at least one interface port through which a pod containing articles for processing are loaded or unloaded to or from the processor. The interface section is hygienically separated from the processing chamber since the interface section is generally not as clean as the highly hygienic processing chamber. An article extraction mechanism adapted to seal with the pod is employed. The mechanism is disposed to allow extraction of the articles contained within the pod into the processing chamber without exposing the articles to ambient atmospheric conditions in the interface section. The article processor also preferably includes an article insertion mechanism that is adapted to seal with a pod disposed in the interface section. The article insertion mechanism is disposed to allow insertion of the articles into the pod after processing by the at least one processing station. The article insertion mechanism allows the insertion of the articles without exposing the articles to ambient atmospheric conditions in the interface section.

公开(公告)号：US20010022188A1

公开(公告)日：2001-09-20

申请号：US09862752

申请日：2001-05-22

Applicant: SEMITOOL, INC.

Inventor： Jeffry A. Davis ,  Kevin P. Meyer ,  Kert L. Dolechek

IPC: B08B003/04

CPC classification number: H01L21/68707 ,  A01G18/64 ,  H01L21/67742 ,  H01L21/67754 ,  H01L21/67769 ,  H01L21/67772 ,  H01L21/67775 ,  H01L21/67781 ,  Y10S134/902

Abstract: An automated semiconductor processing system has an indexer bay perpendicularly aligned with a process bay within a clean air enclosure. An indexer in the indexer bay provides stocking or storage for work in progress semiconductor wafers. Process chambers are located in the process bay. A process robot moves between the indexer bay and process bay to carry semi-conductor wafers to and from the process chambers. The process robot has a robot arm vertically moveable along a lift rail. Semiconductor wafers are carried offset from the robot arm, to better avoid contamination. The automated system is compact and requires less clean room floor space.

公开(公告)号：US20030002961A1

公开(公告)日：2003-01-02

申请号：US10205158

申请日：2002-07-25

Applicant: Semitool, Inc.

Inventor： Jeffry A. Davis ,  Kert L. Dolechek ,  Gary L. Curtis

IPC: B65G049/07

CPC classification number: H01L21/67754 ,  H01L21/67126 ,  H01L21/67173 ,  H01L21/6719 ,  H01L21/67313 ,  H01L21/67326 ,  H01L21/67769 ,  H01L21/67772 ,  H01L21/67775 ,  H01L21/67778 ,  H01L21/67781 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  Y10S134/902 ,  Y10S414/139 ,  Y10S414/14

Abstract: A processor for processing articles, such as semiconductor wafers, includes an enclosure defining a substantially enclosed clean processing chamber and at least one processing station disposed in the processing chamber. An interface section is disposed adjacent an interface end of the enclosure. The interface section includes at least one interface port through which a pod containing articles for processing are loaded or unloaded to or from the processor. An article extraction mechanism adapted to seal with the pod removes articles from the pod without exposing the articles to ambient atmospheric conditions in the interface section. The article processor also preferably includes an article insertion mechanism adapted to seal with a pod in the interface section. The article insertion mechanism allows insertion of the articles into the pod after processing by at least one processing station.

公开(公告)号：US20020164232A1

公开(公告)日：2002-11-07

申请号：US10180793

申请日：2002-06-25

Applicant: Semitool, Inc.

Inventor： Jeffry A. Davis ,  Kert L. Dolechek ,  Gary L. Curtis

IPC: B65G001/10

CPC classification number: H01L21/67754 ,  H01L21/67173 ,  H01L21/6719 ,  H01L21/67313 ,  H01L21/67769 ,  H01L21/67772 ,  H01L21/67775 ,  H01L21/67778 ,  H01L21/67781 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  Y10S414/137 ,  Y10S414/139

Abstract: A processor for processing articles, such as semiconductor wafers, in a substantially clean atmosphere is set forth. The processor includes an enclosure defining a substantially enclosed clean processing chamber and at least one processing station disposed in the processing chamber. An interface section is disposed adjacent an interface end of the enclosure. The interface section includes at least one interface port through which a pod containing articles for processing are loaded or unloaded to or from the processor. The interface section is hygienically separated from the processing chamber since the interface section is generally not as clean as the highly hygienic processing chamber. An article extraction mechanism adapted to seal with the pod is employed. The mechanism is disposed to allow extraction of the articles contained within the pod into the processing chamber without exposing the articles to ambient atmospheric conditions in the interface section. The article processor also preferably includes an article insertion mechanism that is adapted to seal with a pod disposed in the interface section. The article insertion mechanism is disposed to allow insertion of the articles into the pod after processing by the at least one processing station. The article insertion mechanism allows the insertion of the articles without exposing the articles to ambient atmospheric conditions in the interface section.

Abstract translation: 阐述了一种用于在基本上清洁的气氛中处理诸如半导体晶片的制品的处理器。 处理器包括限定基本封闭的清洁处理室的外壳和设置在处理室中的至少一个处理站。 接口部分设置在外壳的接口端附近。 接口部分包括至少一个接口端口，通过该至少一个接口端口将包含用于处理的物品的容器装载或者从处理器卸载。 接口部分与处理室卫生地分开，因为界面部分通常不像高度卫生的处理室那么干净。 采用适于与荚密封的物品提取机构。 该机构被设置为允许将容纳在容器内的物品提取到处理室中，而不会使物品暴露于接口部分中的环境大气条件。 物品处理器还优选地包括物品插入机构，其适于与设置在界面部分中的容器密封。 物品插入机构设置成允许在由至少一个处理站处理之后将物品插入容器中。 物品插入机构允许物品的插入，而不会使物品暴露在界面部分中的环境大气条件下。