公开(公告)号：US06251195B1

公开(公告)日：2001-06-26

申请号：US09351939

申请日：1999-07-12

申请人： Thomas J. Wagener ,  John C. Patrin ,  William P. Inhofer ,  Kevin L. Siefering

发明人： Thomas J. Wagener ,  John C. Patrin ,  William P. Inhofer ,  Kevin L. Siefering

IPC分类号： B08B100

CPC分类号： H01L21/67748 ,  H01L21/67028

摘要： An apparatus having a processing chamber for processing a semiconductor wafer under evacuated conditions that is capable of transfer of the wafer from the processing chamber under conditions that are substantially equal to the pressure of an adjacent environment. In a preferred embodiment, the processing chamber is pressurized and vented with a source of high purity dry gas that is diffused into the chamber through a diffuser to pressurize the processing chamber after processing of the wafer is completed. A chamber equalization port between the processing chamber and the adjacent environment is opened to maintain the pressure within the chamber at or slightly above the pressure of the adjacent environment, and the chamber valve is then opened. The wafer can then be removed from the processing chamber, and a new wafer can be inserted. The chamber is then sealed by closing the chamber valve and the equalization port, and the atmosphere within the processing chamber is evacuated to a desired level. The new wafer is then processed, and the above steps are repeated to remove the wafer once processing has finished.

摘要翻译： 一种装置，具有用于在真空条件下处理半导体晶片的处理室，该条件能够在基本上等于相邻环境的压力的条件下从处理室传送晶片。 在优选实施例中，处理室被加压并且用高纯度干燥气体源排出，该干燥气体源通过扩散器扩散到室中，以在晶片的处理完成之后加压处理室。 打开处理室和相邻环境之间的室平衡端口，以将室内的压力维持在或略高于相邻环境的压力，然后打开室阀。 然后可以从处理室移除晶片，并且可以插入新的晶片。 然后通过关闭室阀和均衡端口来密封室，并且处理室内的气氛被抽空到期望的水平。 然后处理新的晶片，一旦处理完成，就重复上述步骤以移除晶片。