Lsi Logic Corporation

Richard C Gimmi

James E Cossitt

Steven E Reder

Matthew R Trattles

Mark I Mayeda

A method of applying a layer of a flowable material to a substrate. The substrate is received with a rotatable chuck, and an amount of the flowable material is dispensed on to the substrate. The substrate is spun on the rotatable chuck, thereby spreading the flowable material across the substrate and conveying a surplus amount of the flowable material away from the substrate. An exhaust stream is created with a vacuum source. At least a portion of the surplus amount of the flowable material conveyed away from the substrate is entrained into the exhaust stream, which exhaust stream is conveyed into an exhaust system. A pressure drop is created in the exhaust stream across a vane anemometer within the exhaust system. The blow back of the entrained portion of the surplus amount of the flowable material from a downstream position in the exhaust system to the substrate is thereby reduced. Thus, positioning the vane anemometer in the exhaust system tends to create a sudden and distinct pressure drop across the vane anemometer, which tends to reduce the occurrence of blow back of the flowable material from the portion of the exhaust system that is downstream from the vane anemometer, and which is at a relatively lower pressure, to the portion of the exhaust system that is upstream from the vane anemometer, and which is at a relatively higher pressure, and which is where the substrate is processed.

Exhaust flow control system

An apparatus for reducing residual oxygen content from a processing chamber of an atmospheric reactor after the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor has been exposed to an oxygen environment. The processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor has an inert gas purge, including an inert gas source, for reducing a residual oxygen level within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor at a rate of reduction. A venturi vacuum system is enabled by the inert gas source. The venturi vacuum system draws a vacuum on the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor and supplements the inert gas purge, thereby accelerating the rate at which the residual oxygen level is reduced within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor. In this manner, the vacuum created by the venturi vacuum system increases the efficiency of the inert gas purge by reducing by some moderate degree the pressure within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor. This provides additional gas flow within the processing chamber to physically remove the residual oxygen from the processing chamber. However, the vacuum provided by the venturi vacuum system is not high enough to cause damage to the components of the atmospheric reactor, which are not designed to withstand the forces that are created by a relatively high vacuum.

Residual oxygen reduction system

A method of applying a layer of material to a substrate. The substrate is received with a chuck, and the material is dispensed. The substrate is spun on the chuck, spreading the material and conveying a surplus of the material away. The surplus of the material conveyed away is entrained into an exhaust stream. A pressure drop is created in the exhaust stream across a vane anemometer. The blow back of the entrained surplus of the material from a downstream position in the exhaust system to the substrate is thereby reduced.

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Gresham, OR, United States of America

Richard C Gimmi