Abstract: An apparatus is provided for transferring rotary motion into an isolated region. The apparatus includes first and second angled drive shafts each coupled to an opposite side of a collar via one or more bearings. A flexible seal is coupled between the collar and an isolated region (e.g., a process chamber) forming a first stage isolation region. The second shaft extends from the collar through the first stage isolation region into the process chamber. The first shaft extends through an end plate to the collar. An anti-rotation element is coupled between the collar and the end plate. As the first angled shaft rotates the collar wobbles causing the second shaft to rotate within the process chamber. Rotational forces which may be imparted from the shaft to the collar are opposed by friction induced between the collar and the end plate by the anti-rotation element. Thus, the collar will not rotate and the flexible seal will not twist.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method is provided for storing semiconductor wafer carriers, and for loading wafers or wafer carriers to a fabrication tool. The apparatus comprises a plurality of storage locations positioned above the fabrication tool. The apparatus receives wafer carriers via a factory load port. The wafer carriers are transported between the factory load port and the storage locations via a first robot, and are transported between the fabrication tool load port and the storage locations via a second robot. Both robots access the respective load port from overhead, thus eliminating the need for a front loader robot, and reducing the apparatus' footprint. Each robot may access overhead factory transportation systems to provide further flexibility in wafer carrier transport. Additionally, the apparatus of the present invention may include a mechanism for opening pod type wafer carriers and for extracting wafers therefrom.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing equipment calibration verification procedure is provided that does not rely on pressure rises from laboratory reference chambers and that is insensitive to in-chamber variations that affect processing gas pressure rise but do not affect the underlying process. A baseline pressure rise ratio is computed based on an inert gas pressure rise and a processing gas pressure rise produced when an inert gas and a processing gas, respectively, are flowed into a processing chamber. Subsequent, preferably periodic, calibration verification procedures are performed and new pressure rise ratios are computed. When a new pressure rise ratio differs from the baseline pressure rise ratio by more than a predetermined amount, the calibration of the semiconductor processing equipment is rejected.