Wafer transfer microclimate techniques and apparatuses, including horizontal slot implementations and/or travelling showerheads

The invention discloses wafer transfer microclimate techniques and apparatuses, including horizontal slot implementations and/or travelling showerheads. Systems and techniques for forming buffer gas microclimates around semiconductor wafers in environments external to a semiconductor processing chamber are disclosed. Such systems may include slot doors that may allow for single wafers to be removed from a multi-wafer stack while limiting outflow of buffer gas from a multi-wafer storage system, as well as buffer gas distributors that move in tandem with robot arms used to transport wafers for at least some of the movements of such robot arms. 本发明公开了包括水平槽和/或移动喷头的晶片输送微气候技术和装置，具体公开了在半导体处理室的外部环境中形成半导体晶片周围的缓冲气体微气候的系统和技术。这样的系统可以包括槽门，其可允许单个晶片能从多晶片堆中移除同时限制缓冲气体从多晶片存储系统中的流出，以及缓冲气体分配器，其针对机械手臂的至少些运动随着这些机械手臂起运动，所述机械手臂用于运输晶片。