Building and method for manufacture of integrated circuits
First Claim
1. A building for the manufacture of integrated circuits comprising:
- a manufacturing equipment floor with processing equipment for the manufacture of said integrated circuits supported thereon;
a lower floor under said manufacturing equipment floor with supporting equipment associated with each of said processing equipment;
a ceilling over the top of said manufacturing equipment floor for supporting a plenum system that provides at least two classes of clean air circulation to said manufacturing floor;
means for enclosing from surrounding areas each piece of said processing equipment and for providing said enclosure with a clean air input of said highest class of clean air purity from said plenum system and an air/gas exhaust to an air/gas handling system;
means for providing the said surrounding areas a clean air input of a lower class of clean air purity from said plenum system and an air/gas exhaust to said air/gas handling system;
means in said air/gas handling system for separately handling said air/gas exhaust from within said processing equipment; and
interchangeable means associated with said plenum system which quickly allow the change of location of the input of clean air from one class of clean air purity to another class of clean air purity whereby said processing equipment can be removed, replaced with another processing equipment or a new piece of processing equipment inserted without undue down time of the manufacturing of said integrated circuits.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A building for the manufacture of integrated circuits which includes a manufacturing equipment floor with processing equipment for the manufacture of integrated circuits, a floor under the manufacturing floor has supporting equipment associated with each of the processing equipment, and an upper floor above the manufacturing floow supports a plenum system that provides at least two classes of clean air circulation to the manufacturing floor. Each piece of processing equipment is enclosed with means to separate it from the surrounding air. A clean air input of the highest class of clean air purity is provided to the processing equipment in the enclosure. The air/gas exhaust is directed through an air/gas handling system. Means are also provided to provide the surrounding areas a clean air input of a lower class of clean air purity from the plenum system and the air/gas exhaust directed to an air/gas handling system. Interchangeable means are provided that are associated with the plenum system which quickly allow the change of air purity to another class of clean air purity whereby the processing equipment can be removed, replaced with another processing equipment or a new piece of processing equipment inserted without undue down time of the manufacturing of the integrated circuits.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A building for the manufacture of integrated circuits comprising:
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a manufacturing equipment floor with processing equipment for the manufacture of said integrated circuits supported thereon; a lower floor under said manufacturing equipment floor with supporting equipment associated with each of said processing equipment; a ceilling over the top of said manufacturing equipment floor for supporting a plenum system that provides at least two classes of clean air circulation to said manufacturing floor; means for enclosing from surrounding areas each piece of said processing equipment and for providing said enclosure with a clean air input of said highest class of clean air purity from said plenum system and an air/gas exhaust to an air/gas handling system; means for providing the said surrounding areas a clean air input of a lower class of clean air purity from said plenum system and an air/gas exhaust to said air/gas handling system; means in said air/gas handling system for separately handling said air/gas exhaust from within said processing equipment; and interchangeable means associated with said plenum system which quickly allow the change of location of the input of clean air from one class of clean air purity to another class of clean air purity whereby said processing equipment can be removed, replaced with another processing equipment or a new piece of processing equipment inserted without undue down time of the manufacturing of said integrated circuits. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. The method of manufacturing integrated circuits with only the processing equipment maintained at the highest class of clean air while the surrounding areas are at a lower class of clean air and with availability of quickly moving or adding/removal of processing equipment comprising:
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providing a manufacturing equipment floor having processing equipment for the manufacture of said integrated circuits supported thereon; providing a lower floor under said manufacturing equipment floor with supporting equipment associated with each of said processing equipment; providing a ceiling over the top of said manufacturing equipment floor for supporting a plenum system that has at least two classes of clean air for circulation to said manufacturing floor; enclosing from surrounding areas each piece of said processing equipment; providing said enclosure with a clean air input of said highest class of clean air purity from said plenum system and exhausting air/gas from said processing equipment to an air/gas handling system; providing to the said surrounding areas a clean air input of a lower class of clean air purity from said plenum system and exhausting the air/gas from said processing equipment to said air/gas handling system; moving the exhausting air/gas from said processing equipment through appropriate portions of the said air/gas handling system and vertical headers connecting the said air/gas handling system to scrubbers for the said toxic gases and returning said air to said plenum system; providing interchangeable means associated with said plenum system which quickly allow the change of location of the input of clean air from one class of clean air purity to another class of clean air purity whereby said processing equipment can be removed, replaced with another processing equipment or a new piece of processing equipment inserted without undue down time of the manufacturing of said integrated circuits; transporting wafers from one piece of processing equipment to another in the same clean air class as exists in the processing equipment; and following through the sequence of the process of manufacture in said process equipment until said integrated circuits have been completed on said wafers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification