초록 ▼

A fab can be constructed as a round or rectangular annular tube with a primary cleanspace located in-between its inner and outer tubes. The fab can be encircled with levels upon which tools can be densely packed while preserving unidirectional air flow. If only tool ports are inside, and robotics ar

A fab can be constructed as a round or rectangular annular tube with a primary cleanspace located in-between its inner and outer tubes. The fab can be encircled with levels upon which tools can be densely packed while preserving unidirectional air flow. If only tool ports are inside, and robotics are used, primary cleanspace size can be minimized. Highly simplified robotics can be used. Tools can be removed and repaired centrally. A secondary cleanspace can be added for tool bodies. Multilevel construction enhances use of prefabricated units for fab build or maintenance. Curves or folds, applied to a conventional planar cleanroom, can construct a wide range of fab geometries, including a tubular non-annular fab. A fab can also be constructed according to a curved or non-curved sectional cut of an annular tube. A novel fab, of a non-curved section, can include a nonsegmented cleanspace or have its tools vertically stacked.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for constructing a cleanspace fabricator, comprising: forming a first fabricator cleanspace that is folded along at least one dimension and the fabricator cleanspace is located between an outer boundary and an inner boundary; providing a clean airflow through the fir

What is claimed is: 1. A method for constructing a cleanspace fabricator, comprising: forming a first fabricator cleanspace that is folded along at least one dimension and the fabricator cleanspace is located between an outer boundary and an inner boundary; providing a clean airflow through the first fabricator cleanspace in a predetermined unidirection; and placing a plurality of fabrication tools such that each tool is sealed to a respective opening in at least one of the outer boundary and the inner boundary, wherein each fabrication tool is capable of independent operation and removable in a discrete fashion relative to other fabrication tools and wherein each fabrication tool comprises a port and a body and the seal facilitates containment of air within the first fabricator cleanspace and positions each port of each respective tool within the first fabricator cleanspace and the body of each respective tool external to the first fabricator cleanspace and a material to be processed by the plurality of tools can be transferred from a port of a first tool to a port of a second tool through the first fabricator cleanspace. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tools are for processing substrates. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fabricator cleanspace is folded to close upon itself. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein a tool body is placed, with respect to the outer boundary of the first fabricator cleanspace, intersecting said outer boundary. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the first fabricator cleanspace and the plurality of tools such that, for each tool, there is an unobstructed path by which it can be removed from the fabricator. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: adding automation for transporting material, within the first fabricator cleanspace, from the first tool to the second tool. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: adding automation having two degrees of gross movement capability. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: adding automation having a first degree, of gross movement capability, that can be specified as a rotation angle. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: adding automation having a second degree, of gross movement capability, that can be specified as a height coordinate. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: adding automation that can simultaneously combine varying the first and second degrees of gross movement capability. 11. The method of claim 6, further comprising: adding automation comprising a first platform to which is attached a first plurality of robots. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: adding automation comprising a second platform, to which is attached a second plurality of robots, that can serve the function of the first platform when the first platform is not working. 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the first fabricator cleanspace into a first tubular shape along a first axis. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein a cross section of the first fabricator cleanspace, perpendicular to the first axis, is a closed curvilinear shape. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein a cross section of the first fabricator cleanspace, perpendicular to the first axis, is a closed multifaced polygonal shape. 16. The method of claim 3, further comprising: providing for unidirectional air flow within the first fabricator cleanspace in segmented sections. 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising: forming the first fabricator cleanspace to surround an annular region. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: forming a second cleanspace that surrounds the annular region and shares the first axis with the first fabricator cleanspace. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: forming the second cleanspace to be adjacent to the first fabricator cleanspace. 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: placing the plurality of tools such that, for each tool, its body is at least partly located in the second cleanspace. 21. The method of claim 18, further comprising: providing for a first cleanliness level in the first fabricator cleanspace that is different from a second cleanliness level in the second cleanspace. 22. The method of claim 18, further comprising: exhausting air from the first fabricator cleanspace such that it is a clean air input to the second cleanspace. 23. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming a first boundary wall, of the first fabricator cleanspace, from a plurality of panels. 24. The method of claim 23,wherein at least one of the plurality of panels is an air source panel. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of panels is an air source panel and an air receiving panel. 26. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the first fabricator cleanspace from prefabricated units. 27. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the first fabricator cleanspace from a plurality of levels; and forming each level, of the plurality of levels, from at least one prefabricated unit. 28. A cleanspace fabricator, comprising: a first fabricator cleanspace that is folded along at least one dimension and the fabricator cleanspace is located between an outer boundary and an inner boundary; an air source providing a clean airflow through the first cleanspace in a predetermined unidirection; and a plurality of fabrication tools that are placed, with respect to the first cleanspace, such that each tool is sealed to a respective opening in at least one of the outer boundary and the inner boundary, wherein each fabrication tool is capable of independent operation and removable in a discrete fashion with respect to other fabrication tools and wherein each tool comprises a port and a body and the seal facilitates containment of air within the first cleanspace and positions each port of each respective tool within the first cleanspace and the body of each respective tool external to the first cleanspace and a material to be processed by the plurality of tools can be transferred from a port of a first tool to a port of a second tool through the first cleanspace. 29. The cleanspace fabricator of claim 28, further comprising: the first fabricator cleanspace and the plurality of tools formed, such that, for each tool, there is an unobstructed path by which it can be removed from the fabricator. 30. The cleanspace fabricator of claim 28, further comprising: automation for material transport within the first fabricator cleanspace. 31. The cleanspace fabricator of claim 28, further comprising: the first fabricator cleanspace formed into a first tubular shape along a first axis. 32. The cleanspace fabricator of claim 28, further comprising: providing the first fabricator cleanspace with unidirectional air flow. 33. The cleanspace fabricator of claim 28, further comprising: a second cleanspace; and the plurality of tools placed, such that, for each tool, its body is at least partly located in the second cleanspace. 34. The cleanspace fabricator of claim 28, further comprising: the first fabricator cleanspace formed from prefabricated units. 35. The cleanspace fabricator of claim 28, further comprising: the first fabricator cleanspace formed from a plurality of levels; and each level, of the plurality of levels, formed from at least one prefabricated unit. 36. A method for cleanspace fabrication, comprising: transferring a job from a first fabrication tool to a robot, wherein the fabrication tool is capable of independent operation with respect to other fabrication tools; transporting the job in a first fabricator cleanspace that is folded along at least one dimension and located between an outer boundary and an inner boundary; and transferring the job from the robot to a second fabrication tool, wherein at least one of the first tool and the second tool comprises a port and a body and the port is scaled to an opening in at least one of the outer boundary and the inner boundary, and the seal facilitates containment of air within the first fabricator cleanspace and positions the port of the at least one of the first tool and the second tool within the first fabricator cleanspace and the body of at least one of the first tool and the second tool external to the first fabricator cleanspace. 37. The method of claim 36, further comprising: removing a third tool, from the first fabricator cleanspace, along an unobstructed path. 38. The method of claim 36, further comprising: transporting the job in the first fabricator cleanspace with two degrees of gross movement. 39. The method of claim 38, further comprising: simultaneously varying the two degrees of gross movement. 40. The method of claim 36, wherein the first fabricator cleanspace is formed into a first tubular shape along a first axis. 41. The method of claim 36, further comprising: providing the first fabricator cleanspace with unidirectional air flow. 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising: providing a second cleanspace with unidirectional air flow, wherein a plurality of tools is placed in the second clean space such that, for each tool, its body is at least partly located in the second cleanspace but its port is located in the first fabricator cleanspace. 43. The method of claim 36, further comprising: servicing the first fabricator cleanspace by removing a prefabricated unit. 44. The method of claim 36, further comprising: servicing the first fabricator cleanspace by removing a prefabricated unit that is a part of a level of the first fabricator cleanspace. 45. The method of claim 36, further comprising: servicing the first fabricator cleanspace by removing a prefabricated unit that is a level of the first fabricator cleanspace.