The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 14, 1993
David K Carlson, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Norma B Riley, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A process and apparatus is disclosed for providing access to the interior of a vacuum deposition chamber in a vacuum deposition apparatus without exposing residues, such as chlorosilane residues, within the chamber to moisture and/or oxygen-containing gases. The process comprises first placing over the upper surface of the vacuum deposition apparatus an enclosure which has a bottom opening large enough to completely cover the top opening to the chamber, and which is capable of being filled with one or more non-reactive gases. One or more non-reactive gases are then flowed into the enclosure to purge moisture and/or oxygen-containing gases from the enclosure. After the enclosure has been mounted on the apparatus and purged by the flow of non-reactive gases therein, the vacuum deposition chamber may be opened, while continuing the flow of non-reactive gases into the enclosure. After servicing, the vacuum deposition chamber may be resealed, the flow of non-reactive gases shut off, and the enclosure then removed from the apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the flow of non-reactive gases into the enclosure is positioned to flow down from the top of the enclosure at a right angle to openings in the sidewall of the enclosure provided for accessing the vacuum deposition chamber, to thereby provide a gas curtain of non-reactive gas flow across the openings to inhibit ingress of moisture and/or oxygen-containing gases, as well as particulate impurities, into the enclosure.