Method and apparatus for reducing particle contamination
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorBuh-Kuan Fang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device for gradually equalizing air or gas pressures between substrate processing chambers prior to transfer of a substrate between the chambers. The device comprises a gas flow restrictor provided in the chamber wall that separates the chambers. A door typically reversibly seals the gas flow restrictor. During substrate processing in one of the chambers, the gas flow restrictor is sealed to maintain a partial vacuum pressure in the chamber. Prior to opening the wafer transfer gate between the chambers, the gas flow restrictor door is opened to facilitate the gradual flow of air or gas from the higher-pressure chamber, through the gas flow restrictor to the lower-pressure chamber and substantially equalize the pressures in the respective chambers.
Claims20
A method of reducing gas flow-induced generation of particles in a first chamber connected to a second chamber via a dividing wall, comprising the steps of:
- providing a gas flow restrictor in the dividing wall between the first chamber and the second chamber;
- and
- substantially equalizing gas pressures between the first chamber and the second chamber by flowing a gas between the first chamber and the second chamber, through said gas flow restrictor.
A method of reducing gas flow-induced generation of particles in a first chamber connected to a second chamber via a dividing wall having a gate slot reversibly closed by a gate door, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a gas flow restrictor in said dividing wall between the first chamber and the second chamber;
- substantially equalizing gas pressures between the first chamber and the second chamber by flowing a gas between the first chamber and the second chamber, through said gas flow restrictor;
- and
- opening said gate slot by displacing said gate door from a closed position to an open position.
A multi-chamber system comprising:
- a first chamber for containing a first gas having a first pressure;
- a second chamber for containing a second gas having a second pressure greater than said first pressure;
- and
- a gas flow restrictor confluently connecting said first chamber and said second chamber, whereby the second gas flows from said second chamber, through said gas flow restrictor into said first chamber until said first pressure substantially equals said second pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.