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. 31, 2016
Filed:
Mar. 10, 2014
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Paul B. Reuter, Austin, TX (US);
Ganesh Balasubramanian, Fremont, CA (US);
JuanCarlos Rocha-Alvarez, San Carlos, CA (US);
Jeffrey B. Robinson, San Jose, CA (US);
Dale Robert du Bois, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Paul Connors, San Mateo, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A process load lock apparatus is disclosed. The process load lock apparatus includes a load lock chamber adapted to couple between a mainframe section and a factory interface, the load lock chamber including an entry and an exit each having a slit valve, and a load lock process chamber located at a different level than the load lock chamber at the load lock location wherein the load lock process chamber is adapted to carry out a process on a substrate, such as oxide removal or other processes. Systems including the process load lock apparatus and methods of operating the process load lock apparatus are provided. A lift assembly including a containment ring is also disclosed, as are numerous other aspects.