Systems, devices, and methods for using a real time environment sensor in a FOUP

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10790177-B2
Application number	US-201815906987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Nov 14, 2017
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for monitoring an environment of a front opening universal pod (FOUP). The systems and methods may include one or more environmental sensors disposed within the FOUP, configured to measure environmental parameters of the environment of the FOUP and a FOUP configured to hold one or more wafers. The systems and methods may also include a wireless transmitter in communication with the environmental sensor, which may be disposed within the FOUP and configured to transmit the measured environmental parameters from the environmental sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a front opening universal pod (FOUP) configured to hold one or more wafers;
an environmental sensor disposed within the FOUP and configured to measure one or more environmental parameters of an interior environment of the FOUP;
a wireless transmitter in communication with the environmental sensor, the wireless transmitter disposed within the FOUP, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the one or more environmental parameters from the environmental sensor to a controller disposed outside of the FOUP to decide whether the one or more environmental parameters are within threshold limits and receive a message according to a decision of whether the one or more environmental parameters are within the threshold limits from the controller; and
an indicator disposed on the FOUP and configured to display an indication of the interior environment of the FOUP according to the message.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor is disposed on a door of the FOUP.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmitter is disposed on a door of the FOUP.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor is configured to measure in real time the one or more environmental parameters of the interior environment of the FOUP.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more environmental parameters comprise humidity, temperature, vibration, incident radiation, particle density, and chemical composition.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is an LED light configured to display an alert if the one or more environmental parameters exceed the threshold limits.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a screen configured to display the one or more environmental parameters.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor comprises a memory module configured to of the one or more environmental parameters of the interior environment of the FOUP.

9. A system, comprising:
a front opening universal pod (FOUP) configured to hold one or more wafers;
an environmental sensor disposed within the FOUP and configured to measure one or more environmental parameters of an interior environment of the FOUP;
a wireless transmitter in communication with the environmental sensor, the wireless transmitter disposed within the FOUP, wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to receive the one or more environmental parameters from the environmental sensor and wirelessly transmit the one or more environmental parameters to a controller outside of the FOUP to decide whether the one or more environmental parameters are within threshold limits and receive a message according to a decision of whether the one or more environmental parameters are within the threshold limits from the controller; and
an environmental support device disposed in the FOUP and configured to change the interior environment of the FOUP if the one or more environmental parameters exceed the threshold limits.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the environmental sensor is operable to be activated automatically before or after a process stage.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the environmental sensor includes more than one sensors for measuring a same type of environmental parameter.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the environmental sensor and the wireless transmitter are disposed on a door of the FOUP.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the environmental sensor is configured to measure in real time the one or more environmental parameters of the interior environment of the FOUP.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the environmental support device includes at least one of a purging system, an anti-radiation system, an anti-vibration system, a sealing system, a humidity control system, and an input/output valve.

15. A method for monitoring an environment within a front opening universal pod (FOUP), comprising:
measuring one or more environmental parameters of the FOUP with an environmental sensor disposed within the FOUP;
transmitting, with a wireless transmitter disposed within the FOUP, the one or more environmental parameters of the FOUP to a controller outside of the FOUP; and
receiving, with the wireless transmitter from the controller, a message according to a decision of whether the one or more environmental parameters of the FOUP are within the threshold levels.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising conducting, by an environmental support device in the FOUP, an operation to change the environment within the FOUP if the one or more environmental parameters are determined to not be within the threshold levels.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operation includes at least one of purging, sealing, renewing gas, reducing radiation, reducing vibration, changing humidity, and changing temperature of the FOUP.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising measuring the one or more environmental parameters of the FOUP with the environmental sensor in real time.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising indicating an alert, by an indicator disposed on the FOUP, if the one or more environmental parameters are determined to not be within the threshold levels.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising displaying the one or more environmental parameters by a screen disposed on the FOUP.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lin Po Shun
• Huang Zhi Long
• Cheng Kung Chieh

Classifications

• H10P72/1924

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title

• H10P72/0604

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• H10P72/1926 Primary

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

• H10P72/3406

  involving removal of lid, door or cover · CPC title

• H10P95/00

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title