Mini-environment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10340157-B2
Application number	US-201615377393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2016
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

A mini-environment apparatus includes a wafer transportation machine transporting a wafer, a wafer transportation room having the machine and passed by the wafer transported to a processing room, a circulating passage where a gas detoured from the transportation room flows, a blowing means forming a circulating current falling in the transportation room and rising in the passage, a current member arranged in a ceiling part of the transportation room and laminarizing the current and introducing this laminarized current into the transportation room, a particle removal filter arranged in either the ceiling part of the transportation room or the passage, and a chemical filter arranged in the passage detachably and separately from the removal filter. The chemical filter is arranged at a position lower than a lowest position where the wafer may pass through in the transportation room.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mini-environment apparatus, comprising:
a wafer transportation machine configured with a transport arm configured to transport a wafer;
a wafer transportation room provided with the wafer transportation machine and passed by the wafer transported to a processing room;
a circulating passage where a gas detoured from the wafer transportation room flows;
a blower configured to form a circulating current falling in the wafer transportation room and rising in the circulating passage;
a current guide arranged in a ceiling part of the wafer transportation room and configured to laminarize the circulating current and introduce this laminarized circulating current into the wafer transportation room;
a particle removal filter arranged in either the ceiling part of the wafer transportation room or the circulating passage; and
a chemical filter arranged detachably in the circulating passage and separately from the particle removal filter, wherein
the chemical filter is arranged at a position lower than a lowest position where the wafer may pass through in the wafer transportation room,
two shutters configured to shield the circulating current in the circulating passage are arranged in the circulating passage so as to sandwich the chemical filter from up and down directions, and a filter removal window configured such that the chemical filter can be removed from the circulating passage through the filter removal window, the filter removal window arranged between the two shutters in the circulating passage, and
the two shutters are located at a position lower than a lowest position of the transport arm.

2. A mini-environment apparatus, comprising:
a wafer transportation machine configured with a transport arm configured to transport a wafer;
a wafer transportation room provided with the wafer transportation machine and passed by the wafer transported to a processing room; a circulating passage where a gas detoured from the wafer transportation room flows;
a blower configured to form a circulating current falling in the wafer transportation room and rising in the circulating passage;
a current guide arranged in a ceiling part of the wafer transportation room and configured to laminarize the circulating current and introduce this laminarized circulating current into the wafer transportation room; a particle removal filter arranged in either the ceiling part of the wafer transportation room or the circulating passage; and
a chemical filter arranged in the circulating passage, wherein the chemical filter is arranged at a position between a lowest position of the circulating passage and 150 cm above the lowest position, wherein
two shutters configured to shield the circulating current in the circulating passage are arranged in the circulating passage so as to sandwich the chemical filter from up and down directions,
a filter removal window configured such that the chemical filter can be removed from the circulating passage through the filter removal window, the filter removal window arranged between the two shutters in the circulating passage, and
the two shutters are located at a position lower than a lowest position of the transport arm.

3. The mini-environment according to claim 1 , wherein the particle removal filter is arranged in the circulating passage.

4. The mini-environment according to claim 2 , wherein the particle removal filter is arranged in the circulating passage.

5. The mini-environment according to claim 3 , wherein the particle removal filter is arranged at a position lower than a lowest position where the wafer may pass through in the wafer transportation room.

6. The mini-environment according to claim 4 , wherein the particle removal filter is arranged at a position lower than a lowest position where the wafer may pass through in the wafer transportation room.

7. The mini-environment according to claim 1 , wherein the particle removal filter is arranged in the ceiling part of the wafer transportation room and also functions as the current guide.

8. The mini-environment according to claim 2 , wherein the particle removal filter is arranged in the ceiling part of the wafer transportation room and also functions as the current guide.

9. The mini-environment according to claim 1 , comprising a cleaning gas introduction nozzle positioned higher than the chemical filter and configured to introduce a cleaning gas into the circulating passage or the wafer transportation room.

10. The mini-environment according to claim 2 , comprising a cleaning gas introduction nozzle positioned higher than the chemical filter and configured to introduce a cleaning gas into the circulating passage or the wafer transportation room.

Assignees

• Tdk Corp

Inventors

• Okabe Tsutomu
• Horibe Hidetoshi

Classifications

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/3404

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/1926

  characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier · CPC title

• H10P72/1924

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title