Abstract: A collar may be provided having an aperture through it through which the turret of a wafer handling robot may be extended or retracted. The collar may have one or more radial gas passages. Gas directed inwards towards the turret from the radial passage(s) may turn downward when it strikes the turret. A bellows may be optionally affixed to the bottom of the turret and to the bottom of the base such that the volume of the base occupied by the turret and the bellows remains generally fixed regardless of the degree to which the turret is extended from the base.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for reducing or eliminating particulate contamination from wafer handling robots configured for vertical translation are disclosed. In one such technique, a collar may be provided having an aperture through it through which the turret of a wafer handling robot may be extended or retracted. The collar may have one or more radial gas passages. Gas directed at the turret from the radial passage(s) may turn downward when it strikes the turret and may act to prevent or discourage gas from within the base of the wafer handling robot from escaping through the aperture. In another technique, a bellows may be affixed to the bottom of the turret and to the bottom of the base such that the volume of the base occupied by the turret and the bellows remains generally fixed regardless of the degree to which the turret is extended from the base.