The present invention provides a method, system, and components for protecting reticles and specifically for minimizing haze formation on reticles during storage and use. By substantially continually maintaining a purge in a storage housing having a reduced humidity level on reticles or by temporari
The present invention provides a method, system, and components for protecting reticles and specifically for minimizing haze formation on reticles during storage and use. By substantially continually maintaining a purge in a storage housing having a reduced humidity level on reticles or by temporarily storing the reticle in a container in proximity to a desiccant or getter when not being purged, haze formation can be eliminated, minimized, or sufficiently controlled. Moreover, a filter media in the container may be positioned to be “recharged” during the substantially continual purging of the reticle, a reduced desirable humidity level can be readily maintained in the reticle container when the container is not currently being purged. Additionally, the system of the invention can comprise an ionizer associated with the purge system. For example, the ionizer can be associated with at least one of the plurality of purge lines of the purge system. The system of the invention can also include a purge gas source connected to the purge system that comprises a source of CDA or extra CDA. The storage housing can comprise a plurality of shelves that each include a plurality of reticle storage receptacles.
대표청구항▼
1. A reticle handling system comprising: a storage housing defining an enclosed interior environment with open space;a plurality of reticle pods for use therein;a gas delivery system that can be fluidly coupled to a purge gas source;the storage housing comprising a plurality of reticle storage recep
1. A reticle handling system comprising: a storage housing defining an enclosed interior environment with open space;a plurality of reticle pods for use therein;a gas delivery system that can be fluidly coupled to a purge gas source;the storage housing comprising a plurality of reticle storage receptacles in the enclosed interior environment, each reticle storage receptacle comprising a shelf or portion of a shelf for receiving one of the plurality of reticle pods, each said shelf or portion of the shelf having an upper side and a purge outlet oriented upwardly at said upper side, each said shelf or portion of the shelf having a lower side with open space of the enclosed interior environment therebelow, each said shelf or portion of the shelf having a void where each said shelf or portion of the shelf does not extend;wherein each reticle pod comprises an enclosure with structure for holding a reticle, each reticle pod having a door and shell, the shell having a bottom opening and the door sealingly engages the shell at the bottom opening, each reticle pod may be closed with the door latched to the shell and each reticle pod being openable by unlatching the door, the door having a purge inlet and a purge outlet ;each reticle storage receptacle having the purge outlet connected to the gas delivery system for connecting with the purge inlet of one of said reticle pods in place at said storage receptacle with said reticle pod being closed when on said storage receptacle;each shelf or portion of the shelf of each reticle storage receptacle having the void positioned such when a reticle pod is seated thereon, the purge outlet of the reticle pod is positioned over the void allowing discharge of the purge outlet of the reticle pod seated thereon through the void, past the shelf or portion of the shelf, and into the open space of the enclosed interior environment below the respective shelf or portion of the shelf of the storage housing while the reticle pod is closed and seated on the receptacle. 2. The reticle handling system of claim 1 wherein the open space of the enclosed interior environment has air therein and the gas delivery system delivers air which is at least clean dry air. 3. The reticle handling system of claim 2 wherein each of the reticle pods has a water absorbing filter therein that is recharged when exposed to air which is at least clean dry air. 4. The reticle handling system of claim 3 wherein each of the reticle pods has the water absorbing filter positioned in the purge outlet of the respective reticle pod such that any clean dry air that exits the purge outlet of the reticle pod exits through the water absorbing filter. 5. The reticle handling system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of reticle storage receptacles does not engage with the purge outlet of the door of the reticle pod seated thereon. 6. The reticle handling system of claim 1 wherein the shape of the purge outlets on each of the plurality of reticle pods is rectangular and a shape of each void corresponds to the shape of said purge outlets on each of the reticle pods. 7. The reticle handling system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of the reticle storage receptacles are swivelably attached to a post and are swivelable about a vertical axis. 8. The reticle handling system of claim 1 further comprising a robotic gripping device for individually gripping reticle pods for placement on and removal from the reticle storage receptacles, the robotic gripping device further comprising an air flow sensor for confirmation of the purge flow at the reticle storage receptacles. 9. The reticle handling system of claim 8 wherein the air flow sensor is positioned for detection of air flow in the interior environment emitting from the reticle storage receptacle purge outlet when a reticle pod is not positioned on the reticle storage receptacle. 10. A reticle handling system comprising: a storage housing defining an enclosed interior environment;a gas delivery system that can be fluidly coupled to a purge gas source;the storage housing comprising a plurality of reticle storage receptacles in the enclosed interior environment, each reticle storage receptacle configured for receiving a reticle pod wherein each reticle pod having a purge inlet and a purge outlet; each reticle storage receptacle having a purge outlet connected to the gas delivery system for connecting with the purge inlet of a reticle in place at said storage receptacle;a robotic gripping device for individually gripping reticle pods for placement on and removal from the reticle storage receptacles, the robotic gripping device further comprising an air flow sensor movable about the interior environment for confirmation of the purge flow in the interior environment at the reticle storage receptacles. 11. The reticle handling system of claim 10 wherein each reticle storage receptacle has a void below where a reticle pod would sit on the reticle storage receptacle for allowing discharge of the purge outlet into the enclosed interior environment of the storage housing. 12. A method of maintaining a low humidity environment on a plurality of reticles, the method comprising the steps of: when not in use or when not in a process tool or an inspection tool, storing the reticles in a plurality of closed reticle pods that each have a purge inlet, a purge outlet, a moisture getter, a shell, and a door sealingly latchable onto the shell for closing the reticle pod, the moisture getter rechargeable when the reticle pods are purged with clean dry air;storing each reticle pod in a reticle pod stocker, the reticle pod stocker having an open interior and a plurality of reticle pod receptacles, each for receiving a reticle pod; andpurging each closed reticle pod most of the time when each closed reticle pod is in the reticle pod stocker with at least clean dry air, said purging comprising generating at each reticle pod receptacle for the closed reticle pod placed thereon an individual first flow of clean dry air from a purge discharge dedicated to that reticle pod receptacle, positioned immediately above the closed reticle pod at that reticle pod receptacle, each discharge placed directly above and over the closed reticle pod and directed at and impinging an exterior of the closed reticle pod and thereby washing the exterior of the closed reticle pod with said clean dry air;generating a second flow of clean dry air into an interior of each of said reticle pods, said second flow exiting each of the closed reticle pods through a bottom opening in each of said reticle pods; andat an upper region of the reticle pod stocker providing a supplemental inlet for purge gas into the reticle pod stocker that is not directed to specific reticle pods in the stocker. 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of maintaining each of the reticles when not in one of the reticle pods, in a sealed enclosure and washing each of the reticles with clean dry air most of the time when each of the reticles is in such a sealed enclosure and not in the reticle pod. 14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of purging each of the reticle pods substantially all of the time with at least CDA when each of the reticle pods is in the reticle pod stocker. 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the getter comprises a filter positioned in the purge outlet of each of the reticle pods. 16. The method of claim 12 wherein the reticle pod stocker has a plurality of reticle storage receptacles each with a purge outlet for connection to one of the reticle pods seated thereon, and wherein a robotic gripper grasps each of the reticle pods individually for seating on and removal from the storage receptacles, the gripping device having an air flow sensor for sensing air flow in the open interior and movable about the open interior and the method further comprises the step of sensing the flow of clean dry air at the reticle storage receptacle in the open interior. 17. A method of confirming flow in a reticle pod stocker that has a plurality of reticle storage receptacles with a respective purge outlets for connection to reticle pod seated thereon, comprising the step of positioning a reticle pod robotic gripper with an air flow sensor capable of measuring air flow in the proximity of one of the purge outlets for confirming air flow in the open interior. 18. A reticle pod stocker comprising: an enclosed housing defining an enclosed interior environment;a source of at least clean dry air connected to the reticle pod stocker;a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle for receiving a closed reticle pod and having an open purge outlet extending upwardly for engaging the closed reticle pod at the receptacle, each purge outlet connected to the source of at least clean dry air whereby a purge stream exits upwardly at each open purge outlet for entering the closed reticle pod at the receptacle, each receptacle further having a purge line positioned above and discharging downwardly at each respective receptacle for individually impinging the exterior surface of the closed reticle pod at the receptacle and not entering the closed reticle pod at the receptacle;the reticle pod stocker further having at an upper region of the reticle pod stocker a supplemental inlet for purge gas into the reticle pod stocker that is not directed to specific reticle pods in the stocker.wherein when a reticle pod is seated on a receptacle the respective purge outlet injects the purge stream into the reticle pod and when the reticle pod is not seated thereon the purge outlet exits into the enclosed interior environment of the housing. 19. The reticle pod stocker of claim 18 further comprising a robotic gripper for placing and removing reticle pods at and from the receptacles, and wherein the robotic gripper comprises an air flow sensor movable throughout the open interior and capable of measuring air flow at different locations in the open interior for confirming air flow in the open interior at individual receptacles. 20. The reticle pod stocker of claim 18 wherein each receptacle has a pair of purge outlets each on opposite side of a void in the receptacle, and wherein the closed reticle pods have a purge outlet with an outlet filter positioned intermediate two purge inlets, and wherein the two purge inlets engage the two purge outlets for injecting a stream of at least clean dry air into the reticle pod, and wherein said stream of at least clean dry air exits the reticle pod at the void in the receptacle to the enclosed interior environment of the stocker and wherein the purge outlet of the closed reticle pods do not engage the receptacle. 21. A method of confirming flow in a reticle pod stocker that has an open interior and that has a plurality of reticle storage receptacles in said open interior, the method comprising the step of positioning an air flow sensor capable of measuring air flow and robotically movable throughout the open interior in the proximity of one of the receptacles for confirming air flow in the open interior.
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