US 11,986,868 B2
System dedicated for parts cleaning
Yukihiro Mori, Machida (JP)
Assigned to ASM IP Holding B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed by ASM IP Holding B.V., Almere (NL)
Filed on Feb. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/180,275.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/983,303, filed on Feb. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0268554 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01); B08B 7/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 7/0035 (2013.01) [H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01L 21/67028 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system dedicated for parts cleaning, comprising: a gas supply apparatus configured to supply a cleaning gas, wherein the gas supply apparatus comprises a gas box in which the cleaning gas is stored and a controller box configured to control an operation of supplying the cleaning gas; a first adapter connected to a gas supply port of the gas supply apparatus; an exhaust system configured to exhaust the gas supplied from the gas supply apparatus, the exhaust system comprising: a first pipe configured to join a gas inlet to a first exhaust outlet, an auxiliary vacuum pump provided in the middle of the first pipe, a second pipe configured to join a portion of the first pipe between the gas inlet and, the auxiliary vacuum pump to a second exhaust outlet; a second adapter connected to the gas inlet of the exhaust system, wherein the first adapter is configured to connect to an inlet of a part and the second adapter is configured to connect to an outlet of the part, wherein the part is selected from the group consisting of pumps, valves, pipes, or a combination of these in series, wherein the system is configured such that, during operation of the system, the auxiliary vacuum pump operates if the part does not comprise a pump that is operational and the auxiliary vacuum pump does not operate if the part comprises a pump that is operational, and wherein the controller box is configured to flow the cleaning gas after the auxiliary vacuum pump is started and to stop flow of the cleaning gas once a base pressure in the auxiliary vacuum pump reaches a lower threshold.