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:
Dec. 27, 2011
Filed:
Nov. 11, 2008
Jacob Wylie, San Diego, CA (US);
Gregory A. Clemmer, Fremont, CA (US);
Alan M. Schoepp, Ben Lomond, CA (US);
Jacob Wylie, San Diego, CA (US);
Gregory A. Clemmer, Fremont, CA (US);
Alan M. Schoepp, Ben Lomond, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
Improved gate movement is provided in a wet process environment in which fluid collecting from a gate occurs adjacent to an access opening provided in a wall of a process chamber while the gate is moved relative to the opening. A minimum space environment is adjacent to the chamber due to a requirement for fluid collection next to the opening, yet the gate movement is provided without interference with a wafer transfer unit that moves the wafer through the access opening. Drives are configured within the minimum space environment to move the gate into and out of alignment with the opening and when aligned, to move the gate into and out of a gate closure position. The configuration of the drives avoids interference with the wafer transfer unit and the gate is received in a fluid collector during the gate movement to provide fluid collection during the wafer transfer.