Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Process – Gas or vapor pressure is subatmospheric
Reissue Patent
2007-09-11
2007-09-11
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3749)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Process
Gas or vapor pressure is subatmospheric
C034S417000
Reissue Patent
active
10060304
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 dirty-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: 5186718 (1993-02-01), Topman 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: 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: 6007675 (1999-12-01), Toshima
patent: 20246453 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 0246453 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 20381338 (1990-05-01), None
patent: 0381338 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 57-29577 (1982-02-01), None
patent: 58-93321 (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: 60-246635 (1985-12-01), None
patent: SHO-61-173445 (1986-08-01), None
patent: 61-250185 (1986-11-01), None
patent: 62-44571 (1987-02-01), None
patent: 62-50463 (1987-03-01), None
patent: 62-89881 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 62-132321 (1987-06-01), None
patent: 62-207866 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 62-216315 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 63-133521 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 63-153270 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 636582 (1989-01-01), None
patent: 6412037 (1989-01-01), None
patent: 131970 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 131971 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 1-120811 (1989-05-01), None
patent: 1-135015 (1989-05-01), None
patent: 1-170013 (1989-06-01), None
patent: 1-251734 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 1-258438 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 1-298180 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 1-310553 (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: 02-065252 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 2-94647 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 2-106037 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 2-178946 (1990-07-01), None
patent: 02-178946 (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: 63-153270 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 8707309 (1987-05-01), None
patent: 87/07309 (1987-12-01), None
Terminological Dictionary of Semiconductor Equipment, Edited by Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan, Published by Nikkan Kogyo Shinbun sha Inc. (1987) p. 183 (PTR).
Semicon News, Apr. 1987 (pp. 38-43) (PTR).
VLSI Processing Equipment handbook, Ph. D. Kazuo Maeda (Jun. 1990), pp. 158 (PTR).
Latest trend of process automation (Realize, Inc.) (1986), pp. 202 and 203.
Semicon News, Semicon/East '84, Dec. 1984, vol. 13, p. 199.
“Semiconductor World”, Sep. 1990, Published by Press Journal, Inc., pp. 136-137 (FTR).
Electronic Parts and Materials, 1989, vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 22-29.
Solid State Technology, Oct. 1990, pp. 35-41.
Solid State Technology, Dec. 1990, pp. 37-47.
Semiconductor World, pp. 106-111, Sep. 1990.
Semiconductor World, pp. 122-125, Sep. 1990.
Semiconductor World, pp. 110-113, Oct. 1989.
Semiconductor World, pp. 52-53, Aug. 1991.
European Search Report, Jan. 1992, re 91307625.3.
European Search Report, Apr. 1998, re 97111628.0.
European Search Report, Mar. 1999, re 981061625.
JP application No. 3-234408, Notification of Reasons for Refusal, Jan. 28, 1997 (TR).
JP application No. 2646905, Notification Reasons for Revocation Dec. 15, 1998 (TR).
JP application No. 2646905, Notice of Reasons for Revocation Jul. 21, 1999 (TR).
Decision for Patent Opposition, Opposition No. 10-70995 (Dec. 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 No. 8-335329, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Sep. 30, 1997 (TR).
JP application No. 8-335329, Notification of Reasons for Refusal Apr. 7, 1998 (TR).
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. 11, 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. 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.
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.
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).
KR application N
Itou Atsushi
Kato Shigekazu
Nishihata Kouji
Tsubone Tsunehiko
Antonelli, Terry Stout and Kraus, LLP.
Hitachi , Ltd.
Lazarus Ira S.
O'Malley Kathryn S.
LandOfFree
Vacuum processing operating method with wafers, substrates... 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 operating method with wafers, substrates..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vacuum processing operating method with wafers, substrates... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3754030