Lam Research Corporation

Eric A Terbeek

Trace L Boyd

Vernon W Wong

Richard D Beer

A transport chamber implemented to retrieve a substrate from at least one storage facility that is external to the transport chamber and transition the substrate into at least one processing chamber that is external to the transport chamber is provided. The transport chamber includes a bottom plate having an inner surface that is configured to accept a first O-ring. Further provided is a chamber housing that is defined from a rolled forging. The chamber housing has a top surface, and a bottom surface that is designed to join with the inner surface of the bottom plate such that the first O-ring seal forms a seal. The top surface of the chamber housing is suited to accept a second O-ring seal fastened to the perimeter of the top surface of the chamber housing. The transport chamber further includes a top plate that is configured to sit over the second O-ring seal and thereby form a seal over the top surface of the chamber housing.

Transport chamber and method for making same

Disclosed is a transport chamber and a method of making a transport chamber having a robot arm installed within the transport chamber. The robot arm may be implemented to retrieve a substrate from at least one storage facility that is external to the transport chamber, and insert the substrate into at least one processing chamber that is external to the transport chamber. The method of making the transport chamber includes: (a) providing a bottom plate having an inner surface; (b) defining a robot drive mounting port at about the center of the bottom plate, applying a first o-ring seal around the perimeter of the inner surface of the bottom plate; (c) generating a chamber housing from a rolled forging, the chamber housing having a top surface, and a bottom surface designed to meet the inner surface of the bottom plate such that the first o-ring seal forms a substantially vacuum-tight seal, and the top surface of the chamber housing having a second o-ring seal around the perimeter, and (d) providing a top plate having an underlip portion around the perimeter designed to sit over the second o-ring seal in order to form a substantially vacuum-tight seal against the top surface of the chamber housing.

Disclosed is a method for implementing a vacuum seal between an interface of a transport chamber interface port of a transport chamber and another chamber. The transport chamber being configured to mate with the another chamber in an adjacent relationship. The method includes placing an insert plate having a sealing surface containing a first O-ring into the transport chamber interface port such that the first O-ring is sandwiched between the sealing surface and a surface of the another chamber. Therefore, a vacuum seal is achieved between the transport chamber and the another chamber within the transport chamber interface port via the first O-ring.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Eric A Terbeek