Eaton Corporation

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Kevin R Verrier

A Stuart Denholm

Donald N Polner

David Bernhardt

Jerry Negrotti

James P Quill

Method and apparatus for use in setting up workpiece treatment or processing equipment. A disclosed system processes silicon wafers that are treated during processing steps in producing semiconductor integrated circuits. The processing equipment includes a wafer support that supports a wafer in a treatment region during wafer processing. A housing provides a controlled environment within the housing interior for processing the wafer on the wafer support. A mechanical transfer system transports wafers to and from the support. A wafer simulator is used to simulate wafer movement and includes a pressure sensor for monitoring contact between the simulator and the wafer transfer and support equipment. In one illustrated embodiment the wafer simulator is generally circular and includes three equally spaced pressure sensors for monitoring contact with wafer transport and support equipment.

Workpiece handling alignment system

A dual walled exhaust assembly (,) is provided for an ion implantation system for connecting system components residing at differing voltage potentials. The assembly comprises a disposable corrugated inner tube (,) connected between inner mounting portions of a first end mount and a second end mount, and a permanent outer tube (,) connected between outer mounting portions of the first and second end mounts. The inner and outer tubes (,) are constructed from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or some similar dielectric material with appropriate non-flammable properties. The inner corrugated surface of the tube (,) has a plurality of surfaces which are pitched downwardly toward an axis (,) of the inner tube to prevent contaminant accumulation. The corrugated surface also reduces the risk of arcing between the system components residing at differing voltage levels by effectively increasing the length of the ground path that a leakage current would need to traverse across the length of the tube. The outer tube provides a containment mechanism for containing the toxic effluent if the thinner inner wall should puncture, perhaps due to electrical discharge which might still occur as a result of contaminant build-up on the inner surface of the inner tube.

Dual-walled exhaust tubing for vacuum pump

Growing community of inventors

Hampton, NH, United States of America

Kevin R Verrier