Vacuum processing system with turbo-axial fan in clean-air supply system of front end environment

• US 6,050,891 A
• Filed: 02/06/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Nering, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US09/019,610
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 454/187, 454/188, 454/192, 55/385.2, 55/467, 55/470, 55/471, 55/473, 414/939
• US Class Current: 454/187
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/46 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67775 Docking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

A turbo-axial fan assembly is provided for a clean-air supply system of a substrate handling module of a vacuum processing system. The turbo-axial fan assembly has one or more turbo-axial fans for generating airflow through the substrate handling environment. The turbo-axial fans have tunable vanes for controlling the speed of the airflow and efficiently using the available power.

Claims

1. A module for use in a vacuum processing system, comprising:

an enclosure of a vacuum processing system, the enclosure having an interior space;

a clean-air supply system disposed proximate to the interior space; and

at least one turbo-axial fan disposed within the clean-air supply system that generates an airflow through the interior space, the fan having an axis of rotation at an angle to a movement path of substrates through the enclosure.

2. The module of claim 1 wherein the at least one turbo-axial fan includes tunable vanes.

3. The module of claim 2 wherein the tunable vanes are adjustable to a range of airflow rates.

4. The module of claim 3 wherein the at least one turbo-axial fan is adapted to rotate at substantially the same axial speed at different airflow rates.

5. The module of claim 1 further comprising three turbo-axial fans disposed within the clean-air supply system.

6. A clean-air supply system comprising at least one turbo-axial fan that generates an airflow through an interior space of a module of a vacuum processing system the fan having an axis of rotation at an angle to a movement path of substrates through the interior space.

7. The clean-air supply system of claim 6 wherein the at least one turbo-axial fan includes tunable vanes.

8. The clean-air supply system of claim 7 wherein the tunable vanes are adjustable to a range of airflow rates.

9. The clean-air supply system of claim 8 wherein the at least one turbo-axial fan is adapted to rotate at substantially the same axial speed at different airflow rates.

10. The clean-air supply system of claim 6 further comprising three turbo-axial fans disposed within the clean-air supply system.

11. A vacuum processing system comprising:

a substrate processing environment;

a module cooperatively engaged with the processing environment and having an enclosure with an interior space;

a clean-air supply system attached to the module that provides a filtered airflow through the interior space;

a particle filter disposed within the clean-air supply system; and

at least one turbo-axial fan disposed within the clean-air supply system that generates the airflow through the filter and the module, the fan having an axis of rotation at an angle to a movement path of substrates through the enclosure.

12. The vacuum processing system of claim 11 wherein the at least one turbo-axial fan includes tunable vanes.

13. The vacuum processing system of claim 12 wherein the tunable vanes are adjustable to a range of airflow rates.

14. The vacuum processing system of claim 13 wherein the at least one turbo-axial fan is adapted to rotate at substantially the same axial speed at different airflow rates.

15. The vacuum processing system of claim 11 further comprising three turbo-axial fans disposed within the clean-air supply system.