Radiant energy – Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles – Analyte supports
Patent
1985-03-05
1986-04-22
Smith, Alfred E.
Radiant energy
Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles
Analyte supports
2504922, 219121EN, 219121EQ, H01J 3718, H01J 3302
Patent
active
045844798
ABSTRACT:
An envelope apparatus is provided for facilitating the production of a vacuum at a localized region on the surface of an article such as a semiconductor wafer. The vacuum permits vacuum processing in the localized region. The envelope apparatus includes an internal processing zone in which the requisite processing level vacuum is maintained. The envelope apparatus also includes intermediate vacuum zones surrounding the internal processing zone. The internal processing zone and surrounding intermediate vacuum zones are exposed at an external surface so that when the external surface is placed in spaced apart, close coupled opposition to the article being processed a graded vacuum seal is formed. The graded seal extends from the internal processing zone, past the intermediate vacuum zones and out to ambient. The envelope apparatus is held either in a fixed position with respect to the surface of the article or actively tracks the topography of the surface of the article so that the gap between the external surface and the surface of the article lies within an acceptable range. For semiconductor processing applications, it has been found that a graded seal formed by two-stage differential pumping and having a gap in the range of 20 micrometers to 40 micrometers will permit vacuums on the order of 10.sup.-5 Torr to be maintained within the interior processing zone of the envelope apparatus.
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Lamattina John R.
Petric Paul F.
Berman Jack I.
Cole Stanley Z.
McClellan William R.
Smith Alfred E.
Varian Associates Inc.
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