Appeal No. 2004-1123
Application No. 09/933,503
concentration, we note that claim 1 of that patent specifically
requires a vapor removal element which maintains the relative
vapor concentration (RVC) in a SMIF pod enclosure "at ten percent
(10%) or less" to thereby inhibit the formation of contaminating
layers on the vapor sensitive products (i.e, semiconductor
wafers).
As noted by the examiner on page 3 of the answer, Parikh
discloses the use of interior liners (202, 204) and (350, 352) in
SMIF pods to further reduce particle contamination of wafers
stored in such pods. As can be seen best in Figure 10, the
liners completely surround the cassette and wafers carried within
the SMIF pod and are sealed to the base of the pod so that no
contamination is allowed to enter the interior space where the
articles (wafers) are contained. As noted in column 8 of Parikh,
in one embodiment the liners are "electret material" which has
the property of attracting and holding small charged particles,
while in another embodiment the liners may include adhesive
material on their inner surfaces which tends to hold particles
which strike the liners.
88
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007