Air bearing-sealed micro-processing chamber

Claim 2

Apparatus for processing a surface of a substrate, comprising: a chamber, comprising a chamber wall defining a cavity having one side that is open, the chamber wall comprising a lip surrounding the open side of the cavity; and gas ports disposed within the chamber wall and opening through the lip, the gas ports being adapted to emit a pressurized gas so as to create a gas cushion between the lip and the surface when the open side of the cavity is placed adjacent to the surface, thus creating a seal between the cavity and an environment external to the chamber.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 , and comprising a vacuum manifold for evacuating the chamber while the gas cushion maintains the seal between the cavity and the environment.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the vacuum manifold is disposed within the chamber wall and opens through the lip between the gas ports and the cavity.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas ports are adapted to emit the pressurized gas so as to create an aerodynamic shear force, which is effective to dislodge contaminants from the surface.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 , and comprising means disposed within the chamber for applying a manufacturing process to an area of the surface adjacent to the open side of the cavity.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the means for applying the manufacturing process comprise means for cleaning the surface.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the means for applying the manufacturing process comprise an inlet port, which is adapted to convey at least one of a gas, a vapor, a liquid and a stream of frozen particles into the cavity.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the means for applying the manufacturing process comprise a radiation guide, which is adapted to direct radiation toward the area of the surface adjacent to the open side of the cavity.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer, and wherein the manufacturing process comprises a process for fabricating microelectronic devices on the wafer.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 1 , and comprising a motion device, which is coupled to scan the chamber over the surface while maintaining the seal between the lip and the surface.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the motion device comprises a rotation mechanism, which is adapted to rotate the substrate about a rotation axis, and a translation mechanism, which is adapted to translate the chamber over the surface in a radial direction relative to the rotation axis.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 12 , and comprising evacuating the chamber while the gas cushion maintains the seal between the cavity and the environment.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 13 , wherein evacuating the chamber comprises sucking gas out of the chamber through openings in the lip adjacent to the cavity.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 12 , wherein directing the flow of the gas comprises emitting the gas through the lip under pressure so as to create an aerodynamic shear force, which is effective to dislodge contaminants from the surface.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 12 , and comprising applying a manufacturing process within the chamber to an area of the surface adjacent to the open side of the cavity.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 16 , wherein applying the manufacturing process comprises cleaning the surface.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 16 , wherein applying the manufacturing process comprises conveying at least one of a gas, a vapor, a liquid and a stream of frozen particles into the cavity.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 16 , wherein applying the manufacturing process comprises directing radiation toward the area of the surface adjacent to the open side of the cavity.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 16 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer, and wherein applying the manufacturing process comprises performing one or more steps of fabricating microelectronic devices on the wafer.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 16 , wherein placing the chamber comprises placing multiple chambers at respective positions adjacent to the surface, and wherein directing the flow of the gas comprises sealing each of the chambers against the surface, and wherein applying the manufacturing process comprises operating each of the chambers to apply a respective portion of the process.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 21 , wherein operating each of the chambers comprises operating at least first and second ones of the chambers to apply successive, first and second steps of the process, respectively.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 12 , and comprising scanning the chamber over the surface while maintaining the seal between the lip and the surface.

Claim 26

A method according to claim 23 , wherein scanning the chamber comprises rotating the substrate about a rotation axis, and translating the chamber over the surface in a radial direction relative to the rotation axis.

Claim 27

Apparatus for processing a surface of a substrate, comprising: a plurality of chambers, each such chamber comprising a chamber wall defining a cavity having one side that is open, the chamber wall comprising a lip surrounding the open side of the cavity; gas ports disposed within the chamber wall and opening through the lip of each chamber, the gas ports being adapted to emit a pressurized gas so as to create a gas cushion between the lip and the surface when the open side of the cavity is placed adjacent to the surface, thus creating a seal between the cavity and an environment external to the chambers; and means disposed within each chamber for applying a respective portion of a manufacturing process to an area of the surface adjacent to the open side of the cavity.

Claim 28

Apparatus for processing a surface of a substrate, comprising: a plurality of chambers, each such chamber comprising a chamber wall defining a cavity having one side that is open, the chamber wall comprising a lip surrounding the open side of the cavity; gas ports disposed within the chamber wall and opening through the lip of each chamber, the gas ports being adapted to emit a pressurized gas so as to create a gas cushion between the lip and the surface when the open side of the cavity is placed adjacent to the surface, thus creating a seal between the cavity and an environment external to the chambers; and means disposed within each chamber for applying a respective portion of a manufacturing process to an area of the surface adjacent to the open side of the cavity.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 25 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises at least first and second chambers, and wherein the means disposed within each chamber comprise first and second means disposed respectively within the first and second chambers for performing successive, first and second steps of the process, respectively.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 25 , wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer, and wherein the manufacturing process comprises a process for fabricating microelectronic devices on the wafer.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 25 , and comprising one or more motion devices, which are coupled to scan the chambers over the surface while maintaining the seal between the lip and the surface.

Claim 32

Apparatus according to claim 28 , wherein the motion devices comprise a rotation mechanism, which is adapted to rotate the substrate about a rotation axis, and a plurality of translation mechanisms, which are respectively coupled to translate the plurality of the chambers over the surface in a radial direction relative to the rotation axis.