Flexible Seal EFEM Interface for Load Lock Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equipment front end modules (EFEMs) in electronic device manufacturing face challenges in ease of assembly, particularly in accommodating misalignment and ensuring a gas-tight seal during the retrofitting of environmentally controlled EFEMs, which can lead to leakage and contamination issues.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an EFEM interface with a flexible seal and mounting member that can couple to a load lock assembly, accommodating misalignment through a sealing flange that forms a gas-tight seal around the interface opening, allowing for axial, lateral, and vertical misalignment correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a rigid seal interface is used between the EFEM and load lock assembly, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but ease of assembly deteriorates due to inability to accommodate misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible seal comprising a flexible elastomer material positioned at the interface between the EFEM and load lock assembly. This flexible seal can deform to accommodate misalignment while maintaining a gas-tight barrier, thus enabling ease of assembly without compromising alignment precision requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible seal changes its physical state from a rigid configuration to a deformed configuration to accommodate misalignment. By allowing the seal material to change its shape parameters within elastic limits, the system achieves both ease of assembly and maintains sufficient manufacturing precision
2Ease of manufacture
If a flexible seal is introduced to accommodate misalignment, then ease of assembly is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible seal made of flexible elastomer material that provides misalignment accommodation through its inherent flexibility. This single-component flexible seal design achieves the alignment compensation function without requiring complex multi-component mechanisms, thus limiting the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible seal acts as an intermediary element between the EFEM and load lock assembly, absorbing the misalignment issue. This intermediary component simplifies the overall assembly process by providing a straightforward solution that doesn't require complex adjustment mechanisms or precise positioning systems
3Reliability
If precise alignment is required to prevent leakage, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible seal maintains gas-tight integrity while accommodating misalignment through its flexibility. The elastomer material deforms to seal around the interface opening even when components are not perfectly aligned, thus maintaining seal integrity without requiring precise alignment operations
Solution Approach 2:
The seal system transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic flexible connection that can adapt to misalignment. The flexible seal's ability to deform and reconfigure during assembly simplifies the operation while maintaining reliable sealing through its dynamic adaptation to the interface geometry
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient assembly by minimizing stress on components and ensuring a reliable gas-tight seal, effectively maintaining environmental control within the EFEM chamber and preventing contamination, even in scenarios with manufacturing variations or retrofitting.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible seal coupled to the first mounting member, the flexible seal including a sealing flange configured to seal around an interface opening
Data Source
AI summary
An equipment front end module interface of an equipment front end module including environmental controls. The equipment front end module interface includes a first mounting member configured to couple to a load lock assembly, and a flexible seal coupled to the first mounting member. The flexible seal provides sealing between the equipment front end module and the load lock assembly and also accommodates axial and other misalignment between the load lock assembly and the equipment front end module during assembly. Equipment front end modules including the equipment front end module interface and methods of assembling a load lock assembly to the equipment front end module using the equipment front end module interface are provided, as are other aspects.