초록 ▼

A front opening unified pod (FOUP) used for temporarily and portably storing semiconductor wafers between processing steps includes a manifold for uniformly distributing a purge gas in the FOUP during a purging process between wafer processing steps. The manifold can be a variety of shapes, and can

A front opening unified pod (FOUP) used for temporarily and portably storing semiconductor wafers between processing steps includes a manifold for uniformly distributing a purge gas in the FOUP during a purging process between wafer processing steps. The manifold can be a variety of shapes, and can be located in a number of appropriate locations within the FOUP. The manifold generally extends the full height of the FOUP and includes a plurality of openings configured to direct a flow of purge gas above and below each wafer held by the FOUP.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:an enclosed container having a plurality of walls and an entry with a removable door for providing access to the container, said container being configured to receive a plurality of semiconductor wafers to be protected from an environment outside th

1. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:an enclosed container having a plurality of walls and an entry with a removable door for providing access to the container, said container being configured to receive a plurality of semiconductor wafers to be protected from an environment outside the container, said entry being configured to mate with other wafer processing equipment to enable wafers to be transferred to and from the container directly into die processing equipment, said container having an inlet port configured to be connected to a source of a purge gas; and a manifold in fluid communication with the port, the manifold comprising a plurality of openings configured to distribute purge gas across the wafers, wherein the manifold is substantially flat and each of the openings is configured to extend substantially across the entire width of a plurality of wafers. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each opening comprises a vane above or below the opening.3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the manifold is positioned proximate to a rear wall of the container.4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the manifold is integrally formed with a wall of the container.5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second manifold in fluid communication with an outlet port, and having a plurality of openings spaced to distribute purge gas between adjacent wafer.6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second manifold is in fluid communication with a vacuum pump.7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manifold is integrally formed with a side wall of the container.8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manifold is located at a front of the container.9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manifold is located at a side of the container.10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the vanes is configured to support semiconductor wafer thereon.11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the purge gas is an inert gas.12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the purge gas is a reducing gas.13. A system for controlling an atmosphere in a semiconductor substrate carrier, the system comprising:an enclosable container configured to receive and support a plurality of wafers, first and second ports in a wall of said container; a source of purge gas in fluid communication with the first port and configured to inject the purge gas into the container; a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the second port and configured to remove gases from the container; a first manifold inside the container and in fluid communication with the first port, the first manifold having a plurality of first manifold openings being configured to deliver purge gas, one of the first manifold openings being positioned between each pair of adjacent wafers, so as to direct purge gas between each pair of adjacent wafers, one of the first manifold openings being positioned above a top-most wafer position of the enclosable container and one of the first manifold openings being positioned below a bottom-most wafer position of the enclosable container; and a second manifold inside the container and in fluid communication with the second port, the second manifold having a plurality of second manifold openings being configured to take in a gas, one of the second manifold openings positioned between each pair of adjacent wafers so as to take in purge gas between each pair of adjacent wafers, one of the second manifold openings being positioned above the top-most wafer position and one of the first manifold openings being positioned below the bottom-most wafer position. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second manifold is located at a front of the container.15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first manifold is located at a side of the container.16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first manifold is configured to support portions of a plurality of wafers in the container.17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first manifold and second manifold are configured to extend vertically and horizontally across a width and height of an entire stack of wafers positioned therebetween.18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the ports include check valves.19. A method of reducing moisture and oxygen content of a semiconductor wafer container, the method comprising:providing an enclosed container having a removable front door, a plurality of walls, sad first and second ports, said container being configured to support a plurality of wafers therein at a plurality of wafer positions; providing a source of purge gas in fluid communication with the first port; providing a manifold having a plurality of elongated openings, the openings extending a distance equal to or greater than the diameter of wafers suitable for support in the container, each adjacent pair of wafer positions having interposed therebetween one of the openings; and initiating a flow of purge gas into the container. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the container is farther provided with a second manifold in fluid communication with the second port.21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second port is in fluid communication with a vacuum pump.22. The method of claim 21, further comprising controlling a flow rate of the purge gas into the container and a flow rate out of the container such that a pressure within the container is maintained within a specified range.23. A method of controlling an atmosphere in a wafer carrying container, the method comprising:providing a front opening unified pod, the pod comprising an inlet port and a plurality of wafers supported therein; placing the pod onto a load port on a mobile vehicle, said vehicle comprising a source of purge gas and a vacuum pump joined to the load port; supplying a purge gas to the inlet port in the pod; distributing the purge gas through a first manifold which extends at least half the entire height of the front opening unified pod; and directing the purge gas through openings of the first manifold, a spacing between the openings corresponding to a spacing between pain of adjacent wafers, a bottom-most opening being positioned below a bottom-most wafer position of the front opening unified pod. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the pod is farther provided with a second manifold in fluid communication with a second poll.25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second port is in fluid communication with a vacuum pump.26. The method of claim 25, further comprising controlling a flow rate of the purge gas into the pod and a flow rate out of the pod such that a pressure within the pod is maintained within a specified range.27. The method of claim 23, wherein the manifold extends substantially the entire height of the pod.28. A device comprising:a manifold having a plurality of vertically-spaced openings said manifold being shaped to conform to a vertical wall of a wirer container; wherein a spacing between said openings corresponds to a spacing between adjacent stacked semiconductor wafers; and wherein a bottom-most opening is positioned below a bottom-most wafer within the wafer container and a top-most opening is positioned above a top-most wafer within the wafer container; wherein said manifold is made of a substantially non-reactive plastic material. 29. The device of claim 28, wherein the manifold is integrally formed with a vertical wall of a semiconductor FOUP.