Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Process – Gas or vapor pressure is subatmospheric
Patent
1996-01-30
1997-09-02
Sollecito, John M.
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Process
Gas or vapor pressure is subatmospheric
134902, F26B 504
Patent
active
056619138
ABSTRACT:
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.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4138306 (1979-02-01), Niwa
patent: 4576698 (1986-03-01), Gallagher et al.
patent: 4924890 (1990-05-01), Giles et al.
patent: 4936329 (1990-06-01), Michael et al.
patent: 5007981 (1991-04-01), Kawasaki et al.
patent: 5014217 (1991-05-01), Savage
patent: 5314509 (1994-05-01), Kato et al.
patent: 5349762 (1994-09-01), Kato et al.
patent: 5351415 (1994-10-01), Brooks etal.
patent: 5553396 (1996-09-01), Kato et al.
Itou Atsushi
Kato Shigekazu
Nishihata Kouji
Tsubone Tsunehiko
Gravini Steven
Hitachi , Ltd.
Sollecito John M.
LandOfFree
Vacuum processing apparatus and operating method therefor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vacuum processing apparatus and operating method therefor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vacuum processing apparatus and operating method therefor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-298884