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:
Jul. 22, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 29, 2000
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd, Hsin Chu, TW;
Abstract
A wafer transfer chamber, such as a load-lock chamber used in a cluster processing tool for semiconductor devices that has reduced particle contamination problem is provided. In the wafer transfer chamber, a particle filter is provided to shield or isolate a wafer cassette during a chamber pumping and venting process such that not only particle contamination on the wafers situated in the wafer cassette can be drastically reduced, but also the cycle time or time for pumping and venting the load-lock chamber can be significantly reduced since turbulent flow in the chamber interior can be tolerated when the wafers are isolated from such flow which carries contaminating particles.