Mainshaft shield

Abstract

A system for removal of contaminating particles from a target chamber (1) which includes a target chamber having an aperture in the floor thereof for entry of a reciprocating shaft (7) for positioning a wafer (11) within the target chamber, a seal (21) disposed at the aperture and about the shaft to seal-the interior of the target chamber from the exterior of the target chamber at the seal and a removable shield mechanism (17), preferably of polytetrafluoroethylene, disposed within the target chamber, above the seal and around the shaft to retain particles scraped from the shaft. The shield mechanism has a pocket (29) disposed over the seal and around the shaft to retain the particles therein isolated from the target chamber. The shield mechanism comprises a shield (17) disposed around the shaft and a collar (18) contacting the shield and the floor of the target chamber to form the pocket with the seal. The collar further includes a lip (16) extending toward the shaft for supporting the shield thereon.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.