Source: http://www.google.com/patents/USRE39756?dq=6702462
Timestamp: 2014-03-16 11:19:30
Document Index: 323388034

Matched Legal Cases: ['application No. 11', 'application No. 2000', 'application No. 2000', 'application No. 2000', 'application No. 2000', 'application No. 2000', 'application No. 2', 'application No. 2646905', 'application No. 2646905', 'application No. 3', 'application No. 8', 'application No. 8', 'application No. 8', 'application No. 9', 'application No. 9', 'application No. 14984', 'application No. 184682', 'application No. 184682', 'application No. 212819', 'application No. 212874', 'application No. 46756', 'application No. 46757']

Patent USRE39756 - Vacuum processing operating method with wafers, substrates and/or semiconductors - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThis invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber...http://www.google.com/patents/USRE39756?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent USRE39756 - Vacuum processing operating method with wafers, substrates and/or semiconductorsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUSRE39756 E1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/062,087Publication dateAug 7, 2007Filing dateFeb 1, 2002Priority dateAug 29, 1990Fee statusLapsedPublication number062087, 10062087, US RE39756 E1, US RE39756E1, US-E1-RE39756, USRE39756 E1, USRE39756E1InventorsShigekazu Kato, Kouji Nishihata, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Atsushi ItouOriginal AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (87), Non-Patent Citations (65), Classifications (14), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetVacuum processing operating method with wafers, substrates and/or semiconductorsUS RE39756 E1Abstract This invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus having vacuum processing chambers the insides of which must be dry cleaned, and to a method of operating such an apparatus. When the vacuum processing chambers are dry-cleaned, dummy substrates are transferred into the vacuum processing chamber by substrates conveyor means from dummy substrate storage means which is disposed in the air atmosphere together with storage means for storing substrates to be processed, and the inside of the vacuum processing chamber is dry-cleaned by generating a plasma. The dummy substrate is returned to the dummy substrate storage means after dry cleaning is completed. Accordingly, any specific mechanism for only the cleaning purpose is not necessary and the construction of the apparatus can be made simple. Furthermore, the dummy substrates used for dry cleaning and the substrates to be processed do not coexist, contamination of the substrates to be processed due to dust and remaining gas can be prevented and the production yield can be high.
Cassette tables 2a to 2c are disposed in an L-shape in this case in positions such that they can be loaded into and unloaded from the apparatus without changing their positions and postures. In other words, the cassettes 1a to 1c are fixed always in predetermined positions on a substantially horizontal plane, while the cassette tables 2a and 2b are disposed adjacent to and in parallel with each other on one of the sides of the L-shape. The cassette table 2c is disposed on the other side of the L-shape. The cassette 1a and 1b are for storing unprocessed wafers and for recovering the processed wafers. They can store a plurality (usually 25) of wafers 20 as the substrates to be treated. The cassette 1c in this case is for storing the dummy wafers for effecting dry-cleaning using plasma (hereinafter referred to as �plasma-cleaning�) and recovering the dummy wafers after plasma-cleaning. It can store a plurality of (usually twenty-five pieces) dummy wafers 30.
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Kazuo Maeda (6-90), pp. 158 (PTR).* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification34/406, 34/92International ClassificationC23C14/56, H01L21/677, H01L21/00, F26B5/04Cooperative ClassificationH01L21/67028, H01L21/67748, H01L21/67167, C23C14/564European ClassificationC23C14/56D, H01L21/67S2D4, H01L21/677B6, H01L21/67S2Z2CLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJun 6, 2012LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesRotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google