Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Apparatus – Vacuum
Reexamination Certificate
2005-05-03
2005-05-03
Esquivel, Denise L. (Department: 3749)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Apparatus
Vacuum
C034S060000, C134S085000, C134S902000, C118S730000, C118S719000, C414S939000, C414S940000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06886272
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: 3652444 (1972-03-01), Lester et al.
patent: 3981791 (1976-09-01), Rosvold
patent: 4138306 (1979-02-01), Niwa
patent: 4226897 (1980-10-01), Coleman
patent: 4311427 (1982-01-01), Coad et al.
patent: 4313783 (1982-02-01), Davies et al.
patent: 4313815 (1982-02-01), Graves, Jr. et al.
patent: 4318767 (1982-03-01), Hijikata et al.
patent: 4449885 (1984-05-01), Hertel et al.
patent: 4457661 (1984-07-01), Flint et al.
patent: 4534314 (1985-08-01), Ackley
patent: 4563240 (1986-01-01), Shibata et al.
patent: 4576698 (1986-03-01), Gallagher et al.
patent: 4634331 (1987-01-01), Hertel
patent: 4643629 (1987-02-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 4705951 (1987-11-01), Layman et al.
patent: 4715764 (1987-12-01), Hutchinson
patent: 4824309 (1989-04-01), Kakehi et al.
patent: 4836733 (1989-06-01), Hertel et al.
patent: 4836905 (1989-06-01), Davis et al.
patent: 4851101 (1989-07-01), Hutchinson
patent: 4895107 (1990-01-01), Yano et al.
patent: 4902934 (1990-02-01), Miyamura et al.
patent: 4903937 (1990-02-01), Jakuniec et al.
patent: 4909695 (1990-03-01), Hurwitt et al.
patent: 4911597 (1990-03-01), Maydan et al.
patent: 4915564 (1990-04-01), Eror et al.
patent: 4917556 (1990-04-01), Stark et al.
patent: 4923584 (1990-05-01), Bramhall, Jr. et al.
patent: 4924890 (1990-05-01), Giles et al.
patent: 4936329 (1990-06-01), Michael et al.
patent: 4951601 (1990-08-01), Maydan et al.
patent: 4969790 (1990-11-01), Petz et al.
patent: 5007981 (1991-04-01), Kawasaki et al.
patent: 5014217 (1991-05-01), Savage
patent: 5169407 (1992-12-01), Mase et al.
patent: 5186718 (1993-02-01), Tapman et al.
patent: 5292393 (1994-03-01), Maydan et al.
patent: 5351415 (1994-10-01), Brooks et al.
patent: 5436848 (1995-07-01), Nishida et al.
patent: 5452166 (1995-09-01), Aylwin et al.
patent: 5462397 (1995-10-01), Iwabuchi
patent: 5504033 (1996-04-01), Bajor et al.
patent: 5504347 (1996-04-01), Jovanovic et al.
patent: 5509771 (1996-04-01), Hiroki
patent: 5536128 (1996-07-01), Shimoyashiro et al.
patent: 5556714 (1996-09-01), Fukuyama et al.
patent: 5651858 (1997-07-01), Lin
patent: 5675461 (1997-10-01), Aylwin et al.
patent: 5685684 (1997-11-01), Kato et al.
patent: 20246453 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 20381338 (1990-05-01), None
patent: 5729577 (1982-02-01), None
patent: 58-93321 (1983-06-01), None
patent: 58-95636 (1983-06-01), None
patent: 58-108641 (1983-06-01), None
patent: 59-094435 (1984-05-01), None
patent: 60-52574 (1985-03-01), None
patent: 60246635 (1985-12-01), None
patent: Sho-61-173445 (1986-08-01), None
patent: 61-250185 (1986-11-01), None
patent: 6244571 (1987-02-01), None
patent: 6250463 (1987-03-01), None
patent: 6289881 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 62-132321 (1987-06-01), None
patent: 62207866 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 62-216315 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 63-57734 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 63-133521 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 63153270 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 63-131123 (1988-08-01), None
patent: 636582 (1989-01-01), None
patent: 6412037 (1989-01-01), None
patent: 64-500072 (1989-01-01), None
patent: 131970 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 131971 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 64-036042 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 1-120811 (1989-05-01), None
patent: 1135015 (1989-05-01), None
patent: 1-170013 (1989-06-01), None
patent: 1251734 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 1298180 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 1310553 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 1-316957 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 2-52449 (1990-02-01), None
patent: 261064 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 265252 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 294647 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 2106037 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 2-178946 (1990-07-01), None
patent: 2-224242 (1990-09-01), None
patent: 3-19252 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 430549 (1992-04-01), None
patent: 4-82841 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 8707309 (1987-05-01), None
S. Nakagawa, “Dry Etching”, Drafts in Symposium of VLSI and FA Technology, Apr. 1985, pp. 1-14.
N. Nagal, “Parallel-Implantation Ion Implantation Device “NH-20SP””, Special Issue/Semiconductor Manufacturing Device of Half-Micron Age, pp. 1-12, Mar. 1990.
JP patent No. 3145375, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Dec. 18, 2001 (TR).
JP patent No. 3147230, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Dec. 18, 2001 (TR).
KR Application No. 46756/98, Preliminary Notice of Ground(s) for Rejection Jan. 20, 1999 (TR).
KR Application No. 212874, Dec. 22, 2000, Notice of Decision on Opposition to the Granted Patent.
KR Application No. 46757/98, Preliminary Notice of Ground(s) for Rejection Jan. 20, 1999 (TR).
KR Application No. 212819, Dec. 22, 2000, Notice of Decision on Opposition to the Granted Patent (TR).
JP patent No. 3145359, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Dec. 18, 2001 (TR).
JP patent No. 3145375, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Dec. 18, 2001 (TR).
EP97111628, Office action Jun. 2001.
EP98106162, Office action Nov. 2000.
EP98106162, Office action Jun. 2001.
KR Application No. 14984/91, Preliminary Notice of Ground(s) for Rejection (TR).
KR Application No. 184682-00-00 Notice of Decision on Opposition to the Granted Patent Oct. 4, 2000 (TR).
KR Application No. 184682, Trial Decision Aug. 1, 2000 (TR).
EP91307625, Summons to attend oral proceedings Dec. 9, 1999.
EP91307625, Communication of a notice of opposition Nov. 19, 1998.
EP91307625, Interlocutory decision in Opposition proceeding, May 16, 2000.
EP91307625, Minutes of the oral proceedings, Mar. 9, 2000.
EP97111628, Office action Dec. 1999.
EP97111628, Office action Nov. 2000.
JP Application No. 11-001263, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Feb. 2, 2000 (TR).
JP Application No. 2000-05449, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Sep. 6, 2000 (TR).
JP Application No. 2000-054450, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Sep. 6, 2000 (TR)
JP Application No. 2000-054451, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Sep. 6, 2000 (TR).
JP Application No. 2000-054452, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Sep. 6, 2000 (TR).
EP91307625, Office Action Oct. 11, 1993.
JP patent No. 2816139, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Nov. 21, 1999 (TR).
Official Decision on Opposition to Grant of Patent 1999-71584 Jan. 12, 2001 (TR).
JP Application No. 9-329873, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Jul. 14, 1998 (TR).
JP Application No. 9-329873, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Nov. 10, 1998 (TR).
JP patent No. 2942527, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Jun. 27, 2000 (TR).
Decision on Opposition to the Grant of a Patent 2000-70844 Jan. 12, 2001 (TR).
JP Application No. 2646905, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Jul. 21, 1999 (TR).
Decision for Patent Opposition, Opposition No. 10-70995 (Oct. 1999) (TR).
JP Application No. 2-225321, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Oct. 15, 1996 (TR).
JP Application No. 8-335329, Interview Record (TR).
JP Application 8-335329, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Sep. 30, 1997 (TR).
JP Application 8-335329, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Apr. 7, 1998 (TR).
Semiconductor World, pp. 52-53, Aug. 1991.
European Search Report, Jan.1992, re 91307625.3.
European Search Report, Apr. 98, re 97111628.0.
European Search Report, Mar. 99, re 981061625.
JP Application No. 3-234408, Noti
Itou Atsushi
Kato Shigekazu
Nishihata Kouji
Tsubone Tsunehiko
Esquivel Denise L.
O'Malley Kathryn S.
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-3461286