Alcatel Lucent

Alcatel

Adixen Vacuum Products

Pfeiffer Vacuum Gmbh

Erwan Godot

Julien Bounouar

Arnaud Favre

Jean-Pierre Desbiolles

Gloria Sogan

Bertrand Bellet

Hisanori Kambara

Sylvain Rioufrays

Catherine Le Guet

Emmanuelle Veran

Amaud Favre

Remi Thollot

Jean-Marie Foray

Raphael Sylvestre

Raphaël Sylvestre

Rémi Thollot

Adrien Brouillard

A treatment device for transport and storage boxes according to the invention comprises a plurality of decontamination modules (-) supported by a common chassis () and arranged in a row of at least one column () of modules superposed one on top of the other. Each decontamination module (-) comprises its own pumping means () having at least a primary pump () housed in a primary pumping compartment () that is longitudinally offset from the decontamination chamber (). Access to the decontamination modules (-) is had via side access doors which are all oriented on one and the same access side and which are acted upon by actuating means that automatically close and open them. A lateral transfer zone is provided on the access side, and comprises a robot () capable of moving the transport and storage boxes between a frontal loading-unloading station () and the decontamination chambers () of each of the decontamination modules (-). The amount of space occupied by and the throughput of the treatment device () are thus optimized.

Treatment device for transport and storage boxes

The aim of the invention is to provide a method for the treatment of a transport support () for the conveyance and storage of semiconductor substrates, with said support () possibly having first undergone a cleaning operation using a liquid. The method includes a treatment stage in which the transport support () is placed in a sealed chamber () connected to a vacuum pump () and said transport support () is subjected to the combined action of a subatmospheric pressure and infrared radiation to favor the removal of foreign bodies on the walls of the transport support (). The invention also concerns a treatment station for a transport support () for implementation of the method.

Method for treating a transport support for the conveyance and atmospheric storage of semiconductor substrates, and treatment station for the implementation of such a method

The invention concerns a measurement station for the measurement of particle contamination of a transport pod for the conveyance and atmospheric storage of semiconductor substrates, such pod comprising a casing capable of being closed by means of a removable access door, such station comprising: The invention also concerns a method for the measurement of particle contamination of a transport pod for the conveyance and atmospheric storage of semiconductor substrates.

Contamination measurement station and method for a semiconductor substrates transport pod

A transport pod interface in one example including a sampling probe connected to a gas analyzer and an actuator coupled with an access door on the transport pod in the coupling position, and that moves said door towards the base of the interface in an retracted position in which the volume of gas to be analyzed contained within the transport pod is accessible by the sampling probe, characterized in that it includes at least one sealing joint configured such that at least when the interface is in the retracted position, the space between the actuator and said base is sealed in such a way as to isolate the volume of gas to be analyzed.

Transport pod interface

In apparatus of the invention, a transport pod () can be coupled to an article-passing opening () of process equipment () in leaktight manner with sealing being provided by an interposed interface peripheral gasket (). The pod door () can be secured selectively to the interface door () so that they can be moved together as a unit along an axial stroke followed by a transverse stroke under drive from door actuator means (). The transport pod () is held by retaining means (). The peripheral volume () around the two doors can be pumped out by means of a pump () and a duct (). The pod door () can be locked on the transport door () by locking means () that guarantee good sealing while the transport pod () is separate from the process equipment (). This ensures good sealing of the transport pod (), and enables the doors () to be opened under a vacuum without polluting the inside atmosphere.

Vacuum interface between a mini-environment pod and a piece of equipment

Growing community of inventors

Annecy, France

Erwan Godot