The invention relates to a station for measuring particulate contamination of a transport chamber for conveying and atmospherically storing semiconductor substrates, said transport chamber including a rigid enclosure (2) provided with an opening and a removable door (3) that enables the opening to be closed. The measuring station comprises: a chamber (4) having a controlled environment, comprising at least one loading port (8) suitable for being coupled to the rigid enclosure (2) and also to the door (3) of the transport chamber such as to move the door (3) into the chamber (4) having a controlled environment and place the inside of the rigid enclosure (2) in communication with the inside of the chamber (4) having a controlled environment ; and a measurement module (5) comprising a unit (14) for measuring the particles, and an enclosure measurement interface (16) configured such as to be coupled to the rigid enclosure (2) transport chamber coupled to the chamber (4) having a controlled environment, instead of to the door (3). Said measurement station is characterized in that said enclosure measurement interface (16) comprises a measurement head projecting from a base of an enclosure measurement interface, having a first sampling opening (12) connected to the unit (14), for measuring the particles, and at least two injection nozzles (20) configured to direct a gas stream onto at least two separate places of the rigid enclosure (2) coupled to the chamber (4) having a controlled environment. The respective orientations of the injection nozzles (20) are stationary relative to the coupled rigid enclosure (2). The invention also relates to a method for measuring particulate contamination of a transport chamber for conveying and atmospherically storing semiconductor substrates.
H01L 21/673 - Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components using specially adapted carriers
2.
STATION AND METHOD FOR MEASURING THE PARTICULATE CONTAMINATION OF A TRANSPORT CHAMBER FOR CONVEYING AND ATMOSPHERICALLY STORING SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATES
The present invention relates to a method for measuring the particulate contamination of a transport chamber for conveying and atmospherically storing semiconductor substrates, used in a measuring station. The measurement method comprises: a step in which the measurement module (5) is coupled to a rigid enclosure (2), defining a first measurement space (V1) between the measurement interface enclosure (16) and the rigid enclosure (2) coupled such as to carry out a measurement of the contamination of the inner walls of the rigid enclosure (2), and a step in which the door (3) is coupled to the measurement module (5), defining a second measurement space (V2) between said measurement surface (22) and the facing door (3), in order to carry out a measurement of the contamination of the door (3). The invention further relates to an associated measurement station.
H01L 21/673 - Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components using specially adapted carriers
3.
DETECTION METHOD AND FACILITY FOR CHECKING SEALED PRODUCTS FOR LEAKS
The invention concerns a detection method for checking sealed product packages for leaks, characterised in that it comprises the following steps: at least one previously sealed product (2) is placed in an air, nitrogen, or oxygen atmosphere, in a chamber (3) (step 101), the pressure in the chamber (3) is lowered to a secondary vacuum pressure below 10-1 mbar and, while continuing the secondary vacuum pumping of the chamber (3), the gases contained in the chamber are ionised to monitor the change in the chamber (3) of the concentration of at least one gaseous species of the gas volume contained within the sealed product (2) chosen from among nitrogen, oxygen, or argon, by analysis by optical emission or mass spectrometry (step 102).
G01M 3/22 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material for valves
G01M 3/38 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using light
4.
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PUMPING OF A PROCESS CHAMBER
The present invention relates to a pumping device intended to be connected to a process chamber (2) comprising a dry primary vacuum pump (3), an auxiliary pumping means (4) mounted so that said pumping means bypasses a check valve (13) on the vacuum pump (3), a first valve device (5) connected to a means for purging (11) the dry primary vacuum pump (3) and intended to be connected to a gas supply (14), a second valve device (6) mounted so that said second valve device bypasses a check valve (13) upstream from the auxiliary pumping means (4), and a control means configured to control the first and second valve devices (5, 6) on the basis of an operating status of the process chamber (2) in such a way that the first valve device (5) is at least partially closed and the second valve device (6) is open when the process chamber (2) is operating at ultimate vacuum. The present invention also relates to a method for pumping of a process chamber (2) by means of such a pumping device (1).
F04C 23/00 - Combinations of two or more pumps, each being of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type, specially adapted for elastic fluids; Pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids; Multi-stage pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids
F04B 37/14 - Pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids and having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups for special use to obtain high vacuum
F04C 25/02 - Adaptations for special use of pumps for elastic fluids for producing high vacuum
F04C 29/00 - Component parts, details, or accessories, of pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids, not provided for in groups
F04F 1/00 - Pumps using positively or negatively pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped
F04F 5/00 - Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which fluid flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow
F04C 28/02 - Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids specially adapted for several pumps connected in series or in parallel
The invention relates to a device for pumping gas intended to be connected to a chamber that is to be pumped, comprising a first pumping stage (7) intended to be connected to the outlet of the chamber that is to be pumped, and at least one second pumping stage (17), the pumping stages (7, 17) being connected in series one after the other in a predetermined order and being configured in such a way that the delivery generated per pumping stage (7, 17) decreases with the position of the pumping stage (7, 17) in the series, characterized in that the pumping device further comprises:- a third pumping stage (27) arranged in series at the outlet of the last second pumping stage (175), and having a generated delivery higher than the delivery of the last second pumping stage (175), and - at least one fourth pumping stage (37) in series with the third pumping stage (27) and having a generated delivery lower than the delivery of the third pumping stage (27). The invention also relates to an item of equipment for the manufacture of flat screens comprising a process chamber comprising means for injecting gas containing dioxygen and/or an oxidizing gas such as a halogen, characterized in that it further comprises such a gas pumping device (1).
F04C 23/00 - Combinations of two or more pumps, each being of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type, specially adapted for elastic fluids; Pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids; Multi-stage pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids
F04C 25/02 - Adaptations for special use of pumps for elastic fluids for producing high vacuum
F04C 28/02 - Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids specially adapted for several pumps connected in series or in parallel
The invention relates to a gas pumping and treatment device comprising a stator (5) including a plurality of pumping stages (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) connected in series one after another between an intake (11) and a discharge (12) by inter-stage channels (24, 25). The device is characterised in that the gas pumping and treatment device comprises: an internal tube (14) and a blind external tube (15) which are arranged one inside the other and formed from ceramic material, in which the internal tube (14) is connected to the discharge of the rotor housing (19) of one pumping stage (7) and the external tube (15) is connected to the stator and communicates with at least one inter-stage channel formed in the stator, said tubes defining a path for the pumped gases (27); and a plasma source (33) disposed outside the stator (5) in order to generate a plasma (52) in the path of the pumped gases (27).
F04B 37/02 - Pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids and having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups for evacuating by absorption or adsorption
F04B 37/14 - Pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids and having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups for special use to obtain high vacuum
B01D 53/32 - Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases or aerosols by electrical effects other than those provided for in group
a) and the decontamination chambers (5) of each of the decontamination modules (24-27). The amount of space occupied by and the throughput of the treatment device (23) are thus optimized.
B08B 5/04 - Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action
B08B 9/44 - Cleaning of containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, are brought the apparatus being characterised by means for conveying or carrying containers therethrough the means being for loading or unloading the apparatus
H01L 21/673 - Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components using specially adapted carriers
H01L 21/677 - Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components for conveying, e.g. between different work stations
8.
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE DEPOLLUTION OF A PELLICULATED RETICLE
The object of the present invention is a device for depolluting a non-sealed, confined environment (1) having a natural leakage (6) and including an interior space (9) bounded by a wall (7), comprising a depollution enclosure (11, 30) means (32, 42) for pumping gas and means (33, 43) for introducing gas. The depollution enclosure (11, 30) has at least two chambers (12, 13; 31, 41) separated by a sealing wall (14, 49). A first chamber (12, 31) is constituted by the part of the enclosure that is situated in contact with the wall (7) of the non-sealed, confined environment (1) and cooperates with first means for pumping (42) and first means for introducing gas (43), and a second chamber (13, 41) is constituted by the part of the enclosure which is situated in contact with the natural leakage (6) from the non- sealed, confined environment (1) and cooperates with second means for pumping (42) and second means for introducing gas (43). The first and second means for pumping gas (32) and (42) have a pumping capacity which can vary independently, and the first and second means for introducing gas (33) and (43) having a gas injection flow rate which can vary independently. The device for depolluting also has means to control the difference in pressure between the interior space (9) and the first chamber (12, 31).
G03F 1/64 - Pellicles or pellicle assemblies, e.g. having membrane on support frame; Preparation thereof characterised by the frames, e.g. structure or material thereof
G03F 1/00 - Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. masks, photo-masks or reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof
The subject of the present invention is a device for drying a photomask, comprising: a sealed chamber (2) comprising at least one photomask (13); a pumping group (3) for providing and maintaining a vacuum inside said chamber (2); a holder (12) for the photomask (13), placed inside said chamber (2); infrared radiation means (6) placed inside said chamber (2); and a system (10) for injecting gas into said chamber (2). According to the invention, the infrared radiation means comprises a plurality of infrared sources (6) distributed in a plane parallel to the plane of the photomask (13) such that the distance from the photomask (13) to the means for generating IR is given by the equation: D=1.5×d, where D is the distance between the plane containing the infrared sources (6) and the photomask (13), and d is the distance between the central points of two infrared sources (6), and the system (10) for injecting gas comprises a plurality of gas injectors (30) distributed in a plane parallel to the plane of the photomask (13) such that the injectors (30) are invariant in 90o rotation about the central point (13) of the photomask.
F26B 5/04 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by evaporation or sublimation of moisture under reduced pressure, e.g. in a vacuum
F26B 7/00 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes using a combination of processes not covered by a single one of groups or
F26B 21/14 - Arrangements for supplying or controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects using gases or vapours other than air or steam
A treatment device for transport and storage boxes according to the invention comprises a plurality of decontamination modules (24-27) mounted on a common chassis (100) and arranged in a row of at least one column (23c) of modules stacked one on top of another. Each decontamination module (24-27) comprises its own pumping means (8) having at least a primary pump (8a) housed in a primary pumping compartment (8c) that is longitudinally offset with respect to the decontamination chamber (5). Access to the decontamination modules (24-27) is had via side access doors which are all oriented on one and the same access side and which are acted upon by actuating means that automatically close and open them. A lateral transfer zone is provided on the access side, and comprises a robot (29) capable of moving the transport and storage boxes between a frontal loading-unloading station (23a) and the decontamination chambers (5) of each of the decontamination modules (24-27). The amount of space occupied by and the throughput of the treatment device (23) are thus optimized.
F24F 3/16 - Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by ozonisation
11.
DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A DEHYDRATION OPERATION DURING A FREEZE-DRYING TREATMENT
A device for controlling the dehydration operation during a freeze-drying treatment comprises a freeze-drying chamber (1) connected to a vacuum line, and a gas analyzer, for analyzing the gases contained in the chamber. The gas analyzer comprises a gas ionization system (8) comprising a plasma source (13) in contact with the gases, which plasma source is combined with a generator (15) capable of generating a plasma from said gases, and a system for analyzing the ionized gases, comprising a radiation sensor (17) located close to the plasma generation zone and connected to an apparatus (18) for analyzing the change in the radiative spectrum emitted by the plasma. According to the invention, the device includes a means (16) for repeatedly turning the plasma source (13) on and off. The device may further include an optical port (25) placed between the gas ionization system (8) and the freeze-drying chamber (1). The method of controlling the dehydration operation during a freeze-drying operation comprises an alternation of phases during which the plasma source (13) is turned on and phases during which the plasma source (13) is turned off.
F26B 5/06 - Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by evaporation or sublimation of moisture under reduced pressure, e.g. in a vacuum the process involving freezing
G01N 21/68 - Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light electrically excited, e.g. electroluminescence using high frequency electric fields
12.
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE MANUFACTURE OF SEMICONDUCTOR BY MEASURING CONTAMINATION
The present invention relates to a device for handling substrates in a semiconductor manufacturing plant that has substrate processing facilities, a substrate storage means, a substrate transport means, and a system for controlling manufacturing execution systems (MES) in functional relationship to the substrate processing facilities, the substrate storage means, and the substrate transport means. Said device includes: at least one substrate storage and transport box that is transported by the transport means and stored in the storage means; at least one device for analyzing the gases forming the inner atmosphere of a substrate storage and transport box, said analyzing device producing analysis signals that represent the critical gas amount that is capable of generating molecular contamination and is present in the storage and transport box; and a control device that controls the transport means and storage means, the control device including instructions for detecting a need for molecular decontamination on the basis of analysis signals emitted by the gas-analyzing device.
H01L 21/00 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
H01L 21/673 - Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components using specially adapted carriers
13.
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PUMPING WITH REDUCED POWER USE
The pumping device comprises: a dry rough vacuum pump provided with a gas inlet opening connected to a vacuum chamber and moreover has a gas outlet opening leading into a pipe; a delivery check valve placed in the pipe at the outlet of the dry rough vacuum pump; and an ejector mounted in parallel relative to the delivery check valve. The pumping method includes the following steps: pumping the gases, contained in the vacuum chamber, by means of the dry rough vacuum pump through the gas inlet opening; connecting the gas outlet opening of the dry rough vacuum pump to an ejector; measuring the electrical power used by the dry rough vacuum pump and the pressure of the gases in the pipe at the outlet of the dry rough vacuum pump; setting in motion the ejector, after a time delay, when the pressure of the gases at the outlet of the dry rough vacuum pump has exceeded a rising edge set value and when the electrical power used by the dry rough vacuum pump exceeds a rising edge set value; stopping the ejector when the electrical power used by the dry rough vacuum pump exceeds a falling edge set value and when the pressure of the gases in the pipe at the outlet of the dry rough vacuum pump exceeds a falling edge set value.
The invention relates to a method for predicting a rotation fault in the rotor of a vacuum pump, including the following steps: recording sequences of events relating to the time variation of functional signals of the vacuum pump (101); searching for a connection between at least one series of events and at least one pattern that is a precursor of a predefined rule of association of a behaviour model of the vacuum pump in the recorded sequences of events, said patterns that are precursors of predefined rules of association implying a rotation fault of the rotor (102); deducing a predictive time window therefrom, during which the vacuum pump will experience a rotor rotation fault (103). The invention also relates to a pumping device, including: a vacuum pump (7) including at least one rotor and a pump body, said rotor being capable of being rotated inside said pump casing by a motor (T) of said pump; a sensor for picking up functional signals (9) of said pump (7); and a means (10) for predicting a predictive time window during which the vacuum pump (7) will experience a rotor rotation fault, said prediction means (10) calculating the predictive time window using measurements supplied by said functional signal sensor (9).
F04D 19/04 - Multi-stage pumps specially adapted to the production of a high vacuum, e.g. molecular pumps
F04D 27/00 - Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
F04B 37/14 - Pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids and having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups for special use to obtain high vacuum
F04B 51/00 - Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
F04C 25/02 - Adaptations for special use of pumps for elastic fluids for producing high vacuum
G05B 19/4065 - Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
The invention relates to a station for measuring gaseous pollution in a transport enclosure of semiconductor substrates comprising a gas analysis device for determining the concentration of the gas to be analysed, said analysis device including: a diluting unit (3) configured to dilute a flow of gas to be analysed (Q) according to a dilution coefficient (D), and an analysis unit (5) communicating with the diluting unit (3) via a sampling pipe (7) in order to sample a flow of diluted gas (Qa) by pumping, and comprising at least one processing means for: analysing the sampled flow of diluted gas (Qa), and determining the concentration (C) of the gas flow to be analysed (Q) according to said analysed flow of diluted gas (Qa) and the dilution coefficient (D). The invention further relates to an associated gas analysis method.
The invention relates to an ionization cell for a mass spectrometer (2), comprising: an ionization housing (10) comprising a first and a second electron input groove (11, 26) and one side (16) of which has an output groove (15) for passing ionized particles (14a, 14b, 14c) therethrough, a first working filament (13) placed opposite said first electron input groove (11) and intended to be supplied to produce an electron beam (12), and a second backup filament (22) placed opposite said second electron input groove (26) and intended to be supplied in the even the first working filament (13) fails so as to produce the electron beam, said input groove (26) being placed outside a front region (F) located opposite said first input groove (11). The invention also relates to a leak detector with a mass spectrometer, comprising such an above-described ionization cell.
The invention relates to a device for measuring and processing an input signal (To) of at least two decades, comprising: an electron multiplier (4) that has an exponential gain on the basis of the power supply voltage (Vm) thereof and which receives said input signal (To); a power supply (5) that provides the power supply voltage (Vm) of said multiplier (4); a control circuit (6) of the power supply (5), the gain (10) and shift (11) parameters of which are adjustable and define an output signal range while varying the exponential gain of said multiplier (4); a logarithmic compression amplifier (T), the output of which is received as an input of the control circuit (6) so as to vary the exponential gain of the electron multiplier (4), in a continuous manner over the dynamic range of a measurement, on the basis of the output signal (IoG) of the electron multiplier (4), and forming the output signal (Vout) of said device; a measuring and calculating means for predetermining the value of the exponent (b) for the exponential gain of the electron multiplier (4) and for calculating the gain (10) and shift (11) parameter values of said control circuit (6) on the basis of the value of said predetermined exponent (b). The invention also relates to a corresponding leak detector and measuring and processing method.
The invention relates to a method for lowering the pressure in a device charge-discharge lock from atmospheric pressure to a sub-atmospheric transfer pressure, said lock comprising a chamber in which at least one substrate is arranged at atmospheric pressure, said method comprising: a first step (101), in which first primary pumping is carried out from atmospheric pressure to a first characteristic threshold, using a primary pump with limited pumping rate, while isolating a turbomolecular pumping of said chamber; a second step (102) following said first step (101), in which a second primary pumping is carried out, faster than in said first step, to a second characteristic threshold, maintaining the isolation of the turbomolecular pumping; a third step (103) following said second step (102), in which secondary pumping is performed using said turbomolecular pumping upstream from the first pumping, and the primary pump chamber is isolated. The invention also relates to a device for implementing the method.
H01L 21/677 - Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components for conveying, e.g. between different work stations
H01L 21/00 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
C23C 14/00 - Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
The invention relates to a dry vacuum pump comprising two rotors (6, 7) capable of rotating in a synchronized manner in opposing directions and without contact so as to feed a gas to be pumped from an intake (4) towards a delivery side of said pump (1), said pump (1) comprising a gear pair comprising two timing gears (20) each having a toothed wheel (22) mounted on a respective shaft (8, 9) of said rotors (6, 7) to synchronise the rotation of said rotors (6, 7), characterised in that at least one timing gear (20) is provided with a clamp (24) rigidly connected to said toothed wheel (22) of said gear (20) in order to clamp said gear (20) to said shaft (8, 9). The invention also relates to a method for assembling a pair of timing gears (20) in a dry vacuum pump (1) in the previously described manner.
F04C 18/14 - Rotary-piston pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids of intermeshing-engagement type, i.e. with engagement of co-operating members similar to that of toothed gearing of other than internal-axis type with toothed rotary pistons
F04C 29/00 - Component parts, details, or accessories, of pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids, not provided for in groups
F04C 25/00 - Adaptations for special use of pumps for elastic fluids