IP Library Granted Patent US 9,401,270
Granted Patent B2
US 9,401,270 · App. 14/682,059 · Granted Jul 26, 2016

Semiconductor cleaner systems and methods

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,401,270
App. No.
14/682,059
Granted
Jul 26, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an embodiment, the present invention discloses a EUV cleaner system and process for cleaning a EUV carrier. The euv cleaner system comprises separate dirty and cleaned environments, separate cleaning chambers for different components of the double container carrier, gripper arms for picking and placing different components using a same robot handler, gripper arms for holding different components at different locations, horizontal spin cleaning and drying for outer container, hot water and hot air (70 C) cleaning process, vertical nozzles and rasterizing megasonic nozzles for cleaning inner container with hot air nozzles for drying, separate vacuum decontamination chambers for outgassing different components, for example, one for inner and one for outer container with high vacuum (e.g., <10 −6 Torr) with purge gas, heaters and RGA sensors inside the vacuum chamber, purge gas assembling station, and purge gas loading and unloading station.

Claims (22)

1. A method for transferring a workpiece, wherein the workpiece comprises a first component and a second component, the method comprising:

adjusting a distance between two gripper arms of a handler for gripping the first component;

gripping the first component at a first portion on the gripper arms;

transferring the first component to a first destination;

adjusting the distance between two gripper arms for gripping the second component;

gripping the second component at a second portion on the gripper arms, wherein the second portion is at a different location on the handler than the first portion;

transferring the second component to a second destination,

wherein an insert is coupled to an arm, wherein the first portion comprises a middle portion of the insert; and

mating the first or second component with a locking mechanism.

2. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the second portion comprises a top or bottom portion of the insert.

3. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the first portion comprises a middle portion of an arm of the handler, and the second portion comprises a top or bottom portion of the arm of the handler, or

wherein the first portion comprises a top or bottom portion of an arm of the handler, and the second portion comprises a middle portion of the arm of the handler.

4. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the first and second destinations comprises different locations in a chamber.

5. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

coupling a mechanism to the two arms, wherein the mechanism is configured to adjust a distance between the two arms.

6. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin for mating with a recess on the first or second component.

7. A method as in claim 6 , further comprising:

wherein the first component surrounds the second component.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 044142/0258 Recorded Nov 4, 2025
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: AZENTA, INC. (F/K/A BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.); AZENTA US, INC. (F/K/A BROOKS LIFE SCIENCES, INC., F/K/A BIOSTORAGE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.)
Reel/Frame 073514/0609 →
SUBMISSION IS TO CORRECT AN ERROR MADE IN A PREVIOUSLY RECORDED DOCUMENT THAT ERRONEOUSLY AFFECTS THE IDENTIFIED APPLICATION(S), OR PATENT(S). Recorded Jan 19, 2022
From: BROOKS AUTOMATION (GERMANY) GMBH
To: BROOKS AUTOMATION (GERMANY) GMBH
Reel/Frame 058771/0795 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2021
From: BROOKS AUTOMATION,INC
To: BROOKS AUTOMATION HOLDING, LLC
Reel/Frame 058481/0740 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2021
From: BROOKS AUTOMATION HOLDING, LLC
To: BROOKS AUTOMATION US, LLC
Reel/Frame 058482/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.; BIOSTORAGE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 044142/0258 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2015
From: REBSTOCK, LUTZ
To: BROOKS CCS GMBH
Reel/Frame 036503/0348 →