Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for recirculating gas in an equipment front end module (“EFEM”), including the ability to provide a gas during recirculation and control the gas flow, pressure, and composition of the environment in the EFEM during recirculation.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for forming buffer gas microclimates around semiconductor wafers in environments external to a semiconductor processing chamber are disclosed. Such systems may include slot doors that may allow for single wafers to be removed from a multi-wafer stack while limiting outflow of buffer gas from a multi-wafer storage system, as well as buffer gas distributors that move in tandem with robot arms used to transport wafers for at least some of the movements of such robot arms.

Abstract: A buffer for use in semiconductor processing tools is disclosed. The buffer may be used to temporarily store wafers after processing operations are performed on those wafers. The buffer may include two side walls and a back wall interposed between the side walls. The side walls and the back wall may generally define an area within which the wafers may be stored in a stacked arrangement. Wafer support fins extending from the side walls and the back wall may extend into a wafer support region that overlaps with the edges of the wafers. Purge gas may be introduced in between each pair of wafers via purge gas ports located in one of the walls.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for recirculating gas in an equipment front end module (“EFEM”), including the ability to provide a gas during recirculation and control the gas flow, pressure, and composition of the environment in the EFEM during recirculation.

Abstract: A buffer for use in semiconductor processing tools is disclosed. The buffer may be used to temporarily store wafers after processing operations are performed on those wafers. The buffer may include two side walls and a back wall interposed between the side walls. The side walls and the back wall may generally define an area within which the wafers may be stored in a stacked arrangement. Wafer support fins extending from the side walls and the back wall may extend into a wafer support region that overlaps with the edges of the wafers. Purge gas may be introduced in between each pair of wafers via purge gas ports located in one of the walls.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for capturing a series of images with variable focus and exposure values. Upon initiation of an image capture routine, a series of images is captured while focal length and exposure value are changed such that the delay associated with conventional autofocus systems is avoided and images with multiple objects at various depths are captured in focus in one or more of the images of the series.

Abstract: A buffer for use in semiconductor processing tools is disclosed. The buffer may be used to temporarily store wafers after processing operations are performed on those wafers. The buffer may include two side walls and a back wall interposed between the side walls. The side walls and the back wall may generally define an area within which the wafers may be stored in a stacked arrangement. Wafer support fins extending from the side walls and the back wall may extend into a wafer support region that overlaps with the edges of the wafers. Purge gas may be introduced in between each pair of wafers via purge gas ports located in one of the walls.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for forming buffer gas microclimates around semiconductor wafers in environments external to a semiconductor processing chamber are disclosed. Such systems may include slot doors that may allow for single wafers to be removed from a multi-wafer stack while limiting outflow of buffer gas from a multi-wafer storage system, as well as buffer gas distributors that move in tandem with robot arms used to transport wafers for at least some of the movements of such robot arms.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system may be provided that includes a first plurality of semiconductor processing tools with a first average wafer transfer plane and a second plurality of semiconductor processing tools with a second average wafer transfer plane. The second plurality of semiconductor processing tools may be vertically offset from the first plurality of semiconductor processing tools by a first vertical distance measured between the first average wafer transfer plane and the second average wafer transfer plane, and the first and second pluralities of semiconductor processing tools are in a commonly shared space.

Abstract: A buffer for use in semiconductor processing tools is disclosed. The buffer may be used to temporarily store wafers after processing operations are performed on those wafers. The buffer may include two side walls and a back wall interposed between the side walls. The side walls and the back wall may generally define an area within which the wafers may be stored in a stacked arrangement. Wafer support fins extending from the side walls and the back wall may extend into a wafer support region that overlaps with the edges of the wafers. Purge gas may be introduced in between each pair of wafers via purge gas ports located in one of the walls.