US20010003572A1 - Mini-environment control system and method - Google Patents
Mini-environment control system and method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20010003572A1 US20010003572A1 US09/729,779 US72977900A US2001003572A1 US 20010003572 A1 US20010003572 A1 US 20010003572A1 US 72977900 A US72977900 A US 72977900A US 2001003572 A1 US2001003572 A1 US 2001003572A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- micropumps
- array
- sample
- individual enclosure
- atmosphere
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 6
- 230000005068 transpiration Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000005679 Peltier effect Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000005530 etching Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000008021 deposition Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010998 test method Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000001131 transforming effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 21
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 10
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- 235000012431 wafers Nutrition 0.000 description 5
- 230000007935 neutral effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000001052 transient effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicium dioxide Chemical compound O=[Si]=O VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000007872 degassing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005459 micromachining Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- JBRZTFJDHDCESZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N AsGa Chemical compound [As]#[Ga] JBRZTFJDHDCESZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910001218 Gallium arsenide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 235000004431 Linum usitatissimum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 240000006240 Linum usitatissimum Species 0.000 description 1
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical compound [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000001133 acceleration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013019 agitation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000033228 biological regulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004320 controlled atmosphere Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229940079593 drug Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 239000003814 drug Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005538 encapsulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000004426 flaxseed Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010926 purge Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 description 1
- HBMJWWWQQXIZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N silicon carbide Chemical compound [Si+]#[C-] HBMJWWWQQXIZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910010271 silicon carbide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000377 silicon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001771 vacuum deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009489 vacuum treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/673—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere using specially adapted carriers or holders; Fixing the workpieces on such carriers or holders
- H01L21/6735—Closed carriers
- H01L21/67389—Closed carriers characterised by atmosphere control
- H01L21/67393—Closed carriers characterised by atmosphere control characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrierl
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B19/00—Machines or pumps having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B17/00
- F04B19/006—Micropumps
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)
- Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
- Micromachines (AREA)
- Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)
- Testing Or Measuring Of Semiconductors Or The Like (AREA)
- Eye Examination Apparatus (AREA)
- Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
Abstract
A mini-environment control device includes an individual enclosure to contain a sample and to isolate it from the external environment. An array of micropumps attached to the individual enclosure generates and maintains a controlled vacuum in the individual enclosure. Transfer means introduce the sample into the individual enclosure and extract it therefrom. The micropumps of the array of micropumps can be of a type employing the thermal transpiration effect. Temperature and pressure microsensors and a gas analyzer enable the operation of the array of micropumps to be controlled by an onboard microcomputer. The atmosphere surrounding a sample is therefore controlled.
Description
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to devices and methods for controlling the atmosphere surrounding a sample such as a substrate wafer for fabricating semiconductors, for example, or any other item, during testing or manufacture.
- 2. Description of the Prior Art
- In the semiconductor industry, for example, substrate handling systems are currently used to isolate the substrates from contaminating agents in white rooms. Several substrates are placed in a common collective box containing nitrogen or another neutral gas under pressure, as taught in the documents EP 0 582 018 A or U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,233 A. The atmosphere in the box is not controlled. The presence of the nitrogen or other neutral gas, which requires a transient step of degassing before vacuum treatment of the substrate, in an interface like that described in the same document EP 0 532 018 A, constitutes a problem. Another problem is the contamination resulting from gas flows during return to the treatment pressure, as a result of which a purge device like that described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,233 A may be provided.
- In the documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,783 A and EP 0 854 498 A, several substrates can be transported in a common collective box, the atmosphere in which is at a reduced pressure established by an external source and which can contain a substitute neutral gas. The atmosphere of the box is not controlled. At the very most, the document EP 0 854 498 A teaches continuous agitation and filtering of the internal atmosphere, and the generation of an internal overpressure on opening the access door. All the above documents encourage collective transportation of the samples by grouping several of them in a common collective box.
- Various micropump designs are known in the art, including thermal transpiration micropumps described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,336 A when applied to generating vacuum in a miniature gas analyzer employing a mass spectrograph or other miniature sensor; thermal gas expansion micropumps described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,979 A; piezo-electric membrane micropumps described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,742 A for pumping liquids or gases in the fields of medication, biology, cooling and fuel supply; micropumps which function by varying the volume of gases using Peltier-effect junctions described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,856 A when applied to acceleration, pressure or chemical composition sensors or to fluid control in the pharmaceutical or aerospace industry. None of the above documents describes or suggests an application to controlling the atmosphere in the treatment of samples such as semiconductor wafers.
- An object of the invention is to design a device for placing the sample in a controlled atmosphere, and maintaining it therein, which is as close as possible to the conditions under which the sample is treated or used, and to eliminate or significantly reduce transient steps of atmosphere modification and adaptation that have previously been necessary between successive sample treatment or test operations.
- The invention aims to bring the sample as close as possible to the conditions of use or treatment and to maintain it there.
- To this end, the invention provides a method of testing samples or of transforming samples by etching and deposition, said method including a step of transporting the sample individually in a controlled vacuum in an individual enclosure. This significantly reduces the risk of contaminating the samples.
- The size of the individual enclosure is preferably only slightly greater than that of the sample to be transported, so that the sample placed in the enclosure is surrounded by a small volume of atmosphere constituting a mini-environment.
- The invention also provides a device for controlling the atmosphere which surrounds a sample, notably for using these methods, said device including:
- a sealed individual enclosure conformed to contain said sample and to isolate it from the external atmosphere with a small volume interior atmosphere around said sample,
- an array of micropumps fastened to said individual enclosure and adapted to generate and maintain a controlled vacuum in said individual enclosure, said array of micropumps being adapted to be connected to an electrical power supply,
- transfer means for introducing said sample into said individual enclosure and extracting it therefrom.
- The above device produces a mini-environment around the sample, significantly reducing the risk of contamination of the sample.
- In a first embodiment, the combination of said individual enclosure and said array of micropumps constitutes a portable self-contained system including an internal electrical power supply for supplying power at least temporarily to said array of micropumps. It is therefore possible to move the sample between two successive workstations without necessitating any transient degassing operation such as has been necessary with pressurized nitrogen containers.
- In another application, said combination of said individual enclosure and said array of micropumps is fixed and constitutes a transfer chamber in a semiconductor fabrication installation.
- According to one advantageous facility, in particular for constituting a portable self-contained system, said array of micropumps comprises thermal transpiration micropumps. The heat sources for producing the thermal transpiration effect can be electrical resistances or Peltier-effect junctions. An advantage of these micropumps is that they have no moving parts, and therefore no parts that can be worn by friction. This can therefore achieve excellent reliability, and freedom from losses caused by friction.
- Also, these micropumps do not release unwanted particles into the atmosphere.
- Micromembrane micropumps, piezo-electric micropumps or gas thermal expansion micropumps in which the gases can be heated by electrical resistances or by Peltier effect junctions can be used instead.
- The interior atmosphere can be controlled by temperature and pressure microsensors and a gas analyzer controlling the micropumps via an onboard microcomputer.
- Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments, which is given with reference to the accompanying drawings.
- FIG. 1 is a diagram showing in section an array of thermal transpiration micropumps that can be used in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view in section of an embodiment of an atmosphere control device in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 3 shows the use of a portable implementation of an atmosphere control device in accordance with the invention for fabricating semiconductors.
- Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, a device in accordance with the invention for controlling the atmosphere in a mini-environment includes an individual enclosure 1 with a sealed
peripheral wall 2 conformed to contain a sample 3 and to isolate it from the external atmosphere with asmall volume 4 around the sample 3 inside the individual enclosure 1. For a semiconductor substrate wafer, for example, theperipheral wall 2 can define a flat parallelepiped-shaped interior chamber whose dimensions are only slightly greater than those of the substrate wafer. - An array of
micropumps 5, attached to the individual enclosure 1, is adapted to generate and maintain a controlled vacuum in the individual enclosure 1. The array ofmicropumps 5 can be connected to an electrical power supply. - Transfer means shown diagrammatically as a
door 6 and atransfer plate 19, which can be motorized and slides longitudinally as shown by the double-headed arrow 20, insert the sample 3 in the individual enclosure 1 or extract it therefrom. - In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the combination of the individual enclosure 1 and the array of
micropumps 5 is a portable self-contained system including an internalelectrical power supply 7 for supplying power at least temporarily to the array ofmicropumps 5 and its control units. A portable configuration of the device as a whole can have a diameter of approximately 200 mm to approximately 500 mm, and a thickness from approximately 30 mm to approximately 50 mm. - In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the device further includes microsensors such as, for example, a
temperature microsensor 8, a pressure microsensor 9, and agas analyzer 10, for controlling the atmosphere in the individual enclosure 1 and for controlling the array ofmicropumps 5 via anonboard microcomputer 11. Themicrocomputer 11 is programmed to control the operation of themicropumps 5 to stabilize the atmosphere in the individual enclosure 1 around the sample 3. - In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the array of
micropumps 5 comprises micropumps operating by the thermal transpiration effect. As demonstrated by Knudsen, thermal transpiration establishes a pressure difference between two large volumes at different temperatures linked by a channel with very small transverse dimensions, the radius of which is less than the mean free path of the molecules. A succession of channels and volumes can therefore generate a pressure difference from atmospheric pressure down to a hard vacuum. - Considering two
successive chambers section channel 14, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, if thesecond chamber 13 is at a higher temperature than thefirst chamber 12, for example with afirst chamber 12 at 300° K and asecond chamber 13 at 600° K, the pressure in thesecond chamber 13 can be 1.4 times greater than the pressure in thefirst chamber 12. The ratio of the pressures is substantially proportional to the square root of the ratio of the absolute temperatures in the twochambers - This effect is produced even if the
channel 14 is short but sufficiently long to maintain the temperature difference between the twochambers - Clearly a plurality of chambers linseed by a plurality of channels can be provided.
- Accordingly, the array of
micropumpls 5 can advantageously comprise a succession ofchambers channels 14 of which at least one transverse dimension is approximately equal to or less than the mean free path of the gas molecules present in themicropumps 5, and with means for creating and maintaining a temperature difference between thesuccessive chambers - This plurality of chambers and channels can be formed on substrates by micromachining processes routinely used in microtechnology. Multiple sequences (thousands of sequences) can then be performed on an entire wafer, which significantly increases the pumping capacity of the array, which can be as high as several hundred mbar.L/s, with nominal and redundant sequences. It is important to note that there are no moving parts.
- In an array of
micropumps 5 of this kind using the thermal transpiration effect it is necessary to create and to maintain a temperature difference between the successive chambers such as thechambers - As shown to a larger scale in FIG. 2, an array of
thermal transpiration micropumps 5 according to the invention can include apump inlet 15 connected to theinterior volume 4 of the individual enclosure 1 and apump outlet 16 connected to atmospheric pressure. The array ofmicropumps 5 receives a gas at a low pressure via itsinlet 15 and exhausts the gas at atmospheric pressure via itsoutlet 16. - Each of the connecting channels such as the
channel 14 can have a rectangular cross section, which is easier to produce by micromachining, and at least one dimension that is approximately equal to or less than the mean free path of the gas molecules under the conditions present in thechannel 14. - To generate the pumping effect, the means for creating and maintaining a temperature difference between the successive chambers can include an
electrical resistance 17 for heating the gases in thesecond chamber 13. Theelectrical resistance 17 can advantageously be disposed near the inlet of thesecond chamber 13 and fed by control and regulation means. - Alternatively, the means for creating and maintaining a temperature difference can include Peltier effect junctions located near the inlets of the
successive chambers - The substrate in which the
chambers channels 14 are formed is preferably made of a semiconductor material such as silicon, silica, gallium arsenide or silicon carbide. - For ease of manufacture, channels of rectangular cross section may be preferred, in which one dimension, such as the width, is approximately equal to or less than the mean free path of the molecules.
- The gases pumped out of the individual enclosure 1 pass through a plurality of stages within the array of
micropumps 5. Because the mean free path of the molecules decreases as the gas pressure increases, the chambers and the channels can be made smaller as the gas pressure increases. The typical dimensions used in thermal transpiration micropumps of the above kind are from a few hundreds of microns to less than one micron. - To avoid the more complex production of chambers and channels with very small dimensions when the pressure of the gas to be exhausted is approaching atmospheric pressure, an array of
micropumps 5 can advantageously comprise in series at least one primary stage of thermal transpiration effect micropumps and at least one secondary stage of piezo-electric micropumps. - FIG. 3 shows one use of the device according to the invention.
- In this use, the individual enclosure 1 shown is in the form of a flat parallelepiped-shaped box. The figure also shows the sample 3 and a
door device 6. The individual enclosure 1 can be the size of a cassette, depending on the size of the sample 3, for example it can have a diameter from approximately 200 mm to approximately 500 mm and a thickness from approximately 30 mm to approximately 50 mm. - The individual enclosure 1 containing the sample 3 can easily be moved manually to a workstation 1E, in which the sample 3 is extracted from the individual enclosure 1 but remains at a pressure similar to that in the individual enclosure 1, for example for a vacuum deposition or etching step of the fabrication of a semiconductor.
- Another example of a use of the device according to the invention is the encapsulation of a satellite onboard optical system detector to protect it from moisture and other contaminating agents during dedicated control tests prior to launch.
- The present invention is not limited to the embodiments explicitly described but includes variants and generalizations thereof that will be evident to the skilled person.
Claims (12)
1. A method of testing samples or of transforming samples by etching and deposition, said method including a step of transporting the sample individually in a controlled vacuum in an individual enclosure.
2. A device for controlling the atmosphere which surrounds a sample, said device including:
a sealed individual enclosure conformed to contain said sample and to isolate it from the external atmosphere with a small volume interior atmosphere around said sample,
an array of micropumps, fastened to said individual enclosure and adapted to generate and maintain a controlled vacuum in said individual enclosure, said array of micropumps being adapted to be connected to an electrical power supply,
transfer means for introducing said sample into said individual enclosure and extracting it therefrom.
3. The device claimed in wherein the combination of said individual enclosure and said array of micropumps constitutes a portable self-contained system including an internal electrical power supply for supplying power at least temporarily to said array of micropumps.
claim 2
4. The device claimed in wherein said combination of said individual enclosure and said array of micropumps is fixed and constitutes a transfer chamber in a semiconductor fabrication installation.
claim 2
5. The device claimed in wherein said array of micropumps comprises thermal transpiration micropumps.
claim 2
6. The device claimed in wherein said array of micropumps comprises a succession of chambers linked by channels of which at least one transverse dimension is approximately equal to or less than the mean free path of the gas molecules present in said micropumps, and means for creating and maintaining a temperature difference between said successive chambers in order to generate a pumping effect.
claim 5
7. The device claimed in wherein said means for creating and maintaining a temperature difference between said successive chambers include an electrical resistance in the vicinity of the inlet of the second of two successive chambers.
claim 6
8. The device claimed in wherein said means for creating and maintaining a temperature difference comprise Peltier-effect junctions accommodated in the vicinity of the inlets of the successive chambers.
claim 6
9. The device claimed in wherein said array of micropumps comprises micromembrane micropumps.
claim 2
10. The device claimed in wherein said array of micropumps comprises piezo-electric micropumps.
claim 2
11. The device claimed in wherein said array of micropumps comprises a series of at least one primary stage of thermal transpiration micropumps and at least one secondary stage of piezo-electric micropumps.
claim 2
12. The device claimed in further including a temperature microsensor, a pressure microsensor and a gas analyzer, for controlling said atmosphere in said individual enclosure and for controlling said array of micropumps via an onboard microcomputer.
claim 2
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR9915528A FR2802335B1 (en) | 1999-12-09 | 1999-12-09 | MINI-ENVIRONMENT MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD |
| FR9915528 | 1999-12-09 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US20010003572A1 true US20010003572A1 (en) | 2001-06-14 |
| US6422823B2 US6422823B2 (en) | 2002-07-23 |
Family
ID=9553053
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US09/729,779 Expired - Fee Related US6422823B2 (en) | 1999-12-09 | 2000-12-06 | Mini-environment control system and method |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US6422823B2 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP1107292B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2001223263A (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE385345T1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE60037932T2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2802335B1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20040179946A1 (en) * | 2003-01-16 | 2004-09-16 | Gianchandani Yogesh B. | Packaged micromachined device such as a vacuum micropump, device having a micromachined sealed electrical interconnect and device having a suspended micromachined bonding pad |
| US20060147741A1 (en) * | 2004-12-30 | 2006-07-06 | Instrument Technology Research Center | Composite plate device for thermal transpiration micropump |
| CN103502642A (en) * | 2011-04-19 | 2014-01-08 | 俄罗斯联邦政府预算机构《联邦军事、特殊及双用途智力活动成果权利保护机构》 | Gas micropump |
| US9997325B2 (en) | 2008-07-17 | 2018-06-12 | Verity Instruments, Inc. | Electron beam exciter for use in chemical analysis in processing systems |
Families Citing this family (14)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7514048B2 (en) * | 2002-08-22 | 2009-04-07 | Industrial Technology Research Institute | Controlled odor generator |
| US6986649B2 (en) * | 2003-04-09 | 2006-01-17 | Motorola, Inc. | Micropump with integrated pressure sensor |
| US7189291B2 (en) * | 2003-06-02 | 2007-03-13 | Entegris, Inc. | Method for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants using oxygen gas mixtures |
| FR2861814B1 (en) * | 2003-11-04 | 2006-02-03 | Cit Alcatel | THERMAL TRANSPIRATION MICROPOMP PUMPING DEVICE |
| JP4644189B2 (en) * | 2004-03-23 | 2011-03-02 | 株式会社大阪真空機器製作所 | Pump device and pump unit thereof |
| FR2869452B1 (en) * | 2004-04-21 | 2006-09-08 | Alcatel Sa | DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING SUBSTRATES UNDER CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE |
| FR2869451B1 (en) * | 2004-04-21 | 2006-07-21 | Alcatel Sa | TRANSPORT ENVELOPE WITH THERMOPHORESIS PROTECTION |
| US20060001569A1 (en) * | 2004-07-01 | 2006-01-05 | Marco Scandurra | Radiometric propulsion system |
| JP2006218421A (en) * | 2005-02-10 | 2006-08-24 | Kyoto Univ | Method for separating gas mixture and apparatus for the same |
| US20090272461A1 (en) * | 2005-08-03 | 2009-11-05 | Alvarez Jr Daniel | Transfer container |
| US20070144118A1 (en) * | 2005-12-22 | 2007-06-28 | Alvarez Daniel Jr | Purging of a wafer conveyance container |
| JP4893156B2 (en) * | 2006-08-21 | 2012-03-07 | 栗田工業株式会社 | Water quality evaluation method and substrate contact tool used therefor |
| WO2012118995A1 (en) * | 2011-03-02 | 2012-09-07 | Game Changers, Llc | Thermal transpiration device and method of making same |
| EP2681438B1 (en) * | 2011-03-02 | 2019-01-23 | Game Changers, Llc | Fault tolerant control system for distributed micro-thrusters |
Family Cites Families (21)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5950538A (en) * | 1982-09-17 | 1984-03-23 | Hitachi Ltd | Wafer carrier |
| US4636128A (en) * | 1984-08-30 | 1987-01-13 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Semiconductor slice cassette transport unit |
| US4966519A (en) * | 1985-10-24 | 1990-10-30 | Texas Instruments Incorporated | Integrated circuit processing system |
| US4676884A (en) * | 1986-07-23 | 1987-06-30 | The Boc Group, Inc. | Wafer processing machine with evacuated wafer transporting and storage system |
| US4938742A (en) * | 1988-02-04 | 1990-07-03 | Smits Johannes G | Piezoelectric micropump with microvalves |
| US4969556A (en) | 1988-05-10 | 1990-11-13 | Hajime Ishimaru | Vacuum container |
| DE3925749C1 (en) * | 1989-08-03 | 1990-10-31 | Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung Ev, 8000 Muenchen, De | |
| DE4024973C2 (en) * | 1990-08-07 | 1994-11-03 | Ibm | Arrangement for storing, transporting and introducing substrates |
| US5255783A (en) * | 1991-12-20 | 1993-10-26 | Fluoroware, Inc. | Evacuated wafer container |
| DE4220077A1 (en) * | 1992-06-19 | 1993-12-23 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Micro-pump for delivery of gases - uses working chamber warmed by heating element and controlled by silicon wafer valves. |
| EP0582018B1 (en) * | 1992-08-04 | 1995-10-18 | International Business Machines Corporation | Pressurized interface apparatus for transferring a semiconductor wafer between a pressurized sealable transportable container and a processing equipment |
| US5295522A (en) * | 1992-09-24 | 1994-03-22 | International Business Machines Corporation | Gas purge system for isolation enclosure for contamination sensitive items |
| FR2697000B1 (en) * | 1992-10-16 | 1994-11-25 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | Flat box for confining a flat object under a special atmosphere. |
| US5810537A (en) * | 1995-10-18 | 1998-09-22 | Bye/Oasis Engineering Inc. | Isolation chamber transfer apparatus |
| FR2747112B1 (en) * | 1996-04-03 | 1998-05-07 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING FLAT OBJECTS AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING THESE OBJECTS BETWEEN SAID DEVICE AND A PROCESSING MACHINE |
| US5871336A (en) * | 1996-07-25 | 1999-02-16 | Northrop Grumman Corporation | Thermal transpiration driven vacuum pump |
| US5843196A (en) * | 1997-01-21 | 1998-12-01 | International Business Machines Corporation | Ultra-clean transport carrier |
| DE19719862A1 (en) * | 1997-05-12 | 1998-11-19 | Fraunhofer Ges Forschung | Micro diaphragm pump |
| US5975856A (en) * | 1997-10-06 | 1999-11-02 | The Aerospace Corporation | Method of pumping a fluid through a micromechanical valve having N-type and P-type thermoelectric elements for heating and cooling a fluid between an inlet and an outlet |
| US5988233A (en) * | 1998-03-27 | 1999-11-23 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Evacuation-driven SMIF pod purge system |
| US6368079B2 (en) * | 1998-12-23 | 2002-04-09 | Battelle Pulmonary Therapeutics, Inc. | Piezoelectric micropump |
-
1999
- 1999-12-09 FR FR9915528A patent/FR2802335B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2000
- 2000-12-06 EP EP00420248A patent/EP1107292B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-12-06 US US09/729,779 patent/US6422823B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2000-12-06 AT AT00420248T patent/ATE385345T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2000-12-06 DE DE60037932T patent/DE60037932T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-12-08 JP JP2000374250A patent/JP2001223263A/en not_active Ceased
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20040179946A1 (en) * | 2003-01-16 | 2004-09-16 | Gianchandani Yogesh B. | Packaged micromachined device such as a vacuum micropump, device having a micromachined sealed electrical interconnect and device having a suspended micromachined bonding pad |
| US7367781B2 (en) | 2003-01-16 | 2008-05-06 | The Regents Of The University Of Michigan | Packaged micromachined device such as a vacuum micropump, device having a micromachined sealed electrical interconnect and device having a suspended micromachined bonding pad |
| US20060147741A1 (en) * | 2004-12-30 | 2006-07-06 | Instrument Technology Research Center | Composite plate device for thermal transpiration micropump |
| US9997325B2 (en) | 2008-07-17 | 2018-06-12 | Verity Instruments, Inc. | Electron beam exciter for use in chemical analysis in processing systems |
| CN103502642A (en) * | 2011-04-19 | 2014-01-08 | 俄罗斯联邦政府预算机构《联邦军事、特殊及双用途智力活动成果权利保护机构》 | Gas micropump |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JP2001223263A (en) | 2001-08-17 |
| US6422823B2 (en) | 2002-07-23 |
| EP1107292A1 (en) | 2001-06-13 |
| DE60037932T2 (en) | 2009-01-29 |
| ATE385345T1 (en) | 2008-02-15 |
| DE60037932D1 (en) | 2008-03-20 |
| FR2802335B1 (en) | 2002-04-05 |
| EP1107292B1 (en) | 2008-01-30 |
| FR2802335A1 (en) | 2001-06-15 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US6422823B2 (en) | Mini-environment control system and method | |
| US5653807A (en) | Low temperature vapor phase epitaxial system for depositing thin layers of silicon-germanium alloy | |
| FI95421C (en) | Device and method for treating semiconductors, such as silicon wafer | |
| US6602348B1 (en) | Substrate cooldown chamber | |
| US5879458A (en) | Molecular contamination control system | |
| EP0465185B1 (en) | Vacuum processing method and apparatus | |
| US6846380B2 (en) | Substrate processing apparatus and related systems and methods | |
| KR100392966B1 (en) | Buffer chamber and method for integrating physical and chemical vapor deposition chambers together in a processing system | |
| US5871336A (en) | Thermal transpiration driven vacuum pump | |
| US6637998B2 (en) | Self evacuating micro environment system | |
| CA2076334C (en) | Ambient-free processing system | |
| EP1234133B1 (en) | Compact gate valve | |
| JPH10270527A (en) | Composite type vacuum processor | |
| US6698718B2 (en) | Rotary valve | |
| US10056274B2 (en) | System and method for forming a sealed chamber | |
| JP4996035B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for doping, diffusion and oxidation of silicon wafers under reduced pressure | |
| US20060102287A1 (en) | Systems and methods for achieving isothermal batch processing of substrates used for the production of micro-electro-mechanical-systems | |
| US20180045697A1 (en) | Thermal desorption system and method of analyzing a substrate using the same | |
| KR0135032B1 (en) | Method for controlling high vacuum pressure of transport module and apparatus thereof | |
| US5860805A (en) | Effluent-gas-scavenger system for process tube, minimizing back diffusion and atmospheric contamination | |
| Gu et al. | Benefits derived from integrated loadlock pumping.(Vacuum Technology/Applications). | |
| JPH08241868A (en) | Semiconductor processing device | |
| KR920020585A (en) | Vacuum System for CBE / ALE Growth Equipment | |
| JPH0277809A (en) | Pressure controller | |
| Barmak et al. | Preview: 1999 MRS Spring Meeting |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS | Assignment |
Owner name: ALCATEL, FRANCE Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CHEVALIER, ERIC;BERNARD, ROLAND;REEL/FRAME:011362/0616 Effective date: 20001130 |
|
| FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
|
| FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
| FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
| REMI | Maintenance fee reminder mailed | ||
| LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees | ||
| STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
|
| FP | Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee |
Effective date: 20140723 |