Gas isolation box

A gas isolation box comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a plurality of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick comprising:
• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick;
• and
• an evacuation section for the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick;
• and
• further comprising a lockout switch for each of the plurality of gas sticks that prevents the first process gas inlet valve from operating when the lockout switch is in a lockout mode.

A gas isolation box comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a plurality of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick comprising:
• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick;
• and
• an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick to an exhaust stream.

A gas isolation box comprising:

• an enclosure having a process gas inlet, a purge gas inlet, a process gas outlet to a tool and an evacuation outlet;
• a plurality of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick comprising:
• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick from the process gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick from the purge gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet or the evacuation outlet;
• and
• an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick through the evacuation inlet to an exhaust stream;
• wherein in operation, only one of the first process gas inlet valve, purge gas section and evacuation section is operable at any given time.

A gas isolation box comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a plurality of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick comprising:
• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick;
• and
• an evacuation section for the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick;
• and
• further comprising a door on the enclosure, the door having an interlock with the enclosure such that when the door is opened, each of the plurality of gas sticks is disabled.

A gas isolation box comprising:

• an enclosure having a process gas inlet, a purge gas inlet, a process gas outlet to a tool and an evacuation outlet;
• a plurality of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick comprising:
• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick from the process gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick from the purge gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet or the evacuation outlet;
• and
• an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick through the evacuation inlet to an exhaust stream;
• wherein in operation, each of the gas sticks is capable of performing the following operations:
• during an ON mode, the first process gas inlet valve is opened, the purge gas section and evacuation section are not enabled so as to supply the tool with process gas;
• during a SYSTEM PURGE mode,the purge gas section is enabled to purge the tool of process gas and the process gas section and evacuation section are not enabled;
• during a TOOL PUMP/PURGE mode, the purge section is alternately enabled and disabled a predetermined number of times to purge the tool of process gas;
• during a LOCAL EVACUATE mode, the evacuation section is enabled to evacuate process gas from the tool and the process gas section and purge gas section are not enabled;
• and
• during a LOCAL PUMP/PURGE mode, the evacuation section and the purge section are alternately enabled to evacuate and purge process gas from the tool and the process gas section is not enabled.

A gas stick comprising:

• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick;
• and
• an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick to an exhaust stream.

A gas stick comprising:

• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick from the process gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick from the purge gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet or the evacuation outlet;
• and
• an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick through the evacuation inlet to an exhaust stream;
• wherein in operation, only one of the first process gas inlet valve, purge gas section and evacuation section is operable at any given time.

A gas stick comprising:

• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick from the process gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick from the purge gas inlet and out through the process gas outlet or the evacuation outlet;
• and
• an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick through the evacuation inlet to an exhaust stream;
• wherein in operation, each of the gas sticks is capable of performing the following operations:
• during an ON mode, the first process gas inlet valve is opened, the purge gas section and evacuation section are not enabled so as to supply the tool with process gas;
• during a SYSTEM PURGE mode, the purge gas section is enabled to purge the tool of process gas and the process gas section and evacuation section are not enabled;
• during a TOOL PUMP/PURGE mode, the purge section is alternately enabled and disabled a predetermined number of times to purge the tool of process gas;
• during a LOCAL EVACUATE mode, the evacuation section is enabled to evacuate process gas from the tool and the process gas section and purge gas section are not enabled;
• and
• during a LOCAL PUMP/PURGE mode, the evacuation section and the purge section are alternately enabled to evacuate and purge process gas from the tool and the process gas section is not enabled.

A gas isolation box comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a plurality of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick comprising;
• a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick;
• a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick;
• and
• an evacuation section for the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick;
• wherein the enclosure has a first set of perforations for entry of ambient air into the enclosure and a second set of perforations for the exit of ambient air from the enclosure and wherein, in operation, ambient air flows between the first and second set of perforations.