Importance

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Abstract

A system (10) for processing wafers and cleaning wafer cassettes (160, 260, 460) includes a work cell (12) having a plurality of processing stations (14) for processing wafers, and at least one processing/cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) for receiving and delivering wafers to and from a wafer cassette (160, 260, 460), a transfer mechanism (16) for moving the wafers between the plurality of processing stations (14) and the cleaning station (30). The cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) may have an exterior door (32, 132, 232, 432), an exhaust (34, 134, 234, 434), an interior door (40, 140, 240, 440), a plurality of gas nozzles (166, 266, 466) for delivering a sweeping gas over the wafer cassette (160, 260, 460). A method for processing wafers and cleaning wafer cassettes (160, 260, 460) includes delivering a wafer cassette (160, 260, 460) to a first station (30, 130, 230, 430) of a work cell (12), cleaning the wafer cassette (160, 260, 460), and loading the cassette (160, 260, 460) with wafers, and the step of cleaning the wafer cassette may include the substeps of applying a pressurized stream of gas against at least one surface of the wafer cassette (160, 260, 460). The cleaning process can also be done with a loaded cassette (160, 260, 460) that is unloaded before cleaning.

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First Claim