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:
Feb. 07, 2017
Filed:
Sep. 18, 2015
Globalfoundries Inc., Grand Cayman, KY;
William Fosnight, Saratoga Spring, NY (US);
Stephanie Waite, Glens Falls, NY (US);
GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC., Grand Cayman, KY;
Abstract
Methodology and system for using vacuum pods to store/transport semiconductor wafers to efficiently reduce contamination of the wafers while reducing cost, cycle time, and process steps and tools without the need for a complete reconfiguration of processes/tools in the fabrication facility are disclosed. Embodiments include configuring a wafer pod with an isolated vacuum environment for storing and transporting semiconductor wafers; configuring a load port module with an isolated vacuum environment to interface with the wafer pod; transporting the wafer pod, including semiconductor wafers, to interlock with the load port module; creating a merged vacuum environment including the isolated vacuum environments of the wafer pod and the load port module; increasing a pressure level in the merged vacuum environment for creating a merged ambient atmospheric environment; and transferring the semiconductor wafers through a transfer chamber, with an isolated environment, from the load port module to a semiconductor wafer processing device.