Semiconductor wafer storage system and method of supplying fluid for semiconductor wafer storage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10964570-B2
Application number	US-201916529082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2019
Priority date	Dec 3, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer storage system includes a container that provides a space in which a semiconductor wafer is to be stored, a fluid supply that provides a fluid to the container, a connection part that receives the fluid from the fluid supply and transfers the fluid to the container, and a nozzle part that connects the connection part to the container. The container may include a coupling plate to which the nozzle part is coupled, and the nozzle part may include a first nozzle and a second nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor wafer storage system, comprising:
a container that provides a space in which a semiconductor wafer is to be stored;
a fluid supply that provides a fluid to the container;
a connection part that receives the fluid from the fluid supply and transfers the fluid to the container; and
a nozzle part that connects the connection part to the container, wherein:
the container includes a coupling plate to which the nozzle part is coupled,
the nozzle part includes a first nozzle, a second nozzle, and a third nozzle adjacent to respective corners of the coupling plate,
the connection part includes a manifold fitting that branches a path of the fluid passing from the fluid supply to the first, second, and third nozzles, and
the connection part further includes:
a first supply line that connects the first nozzle and the manifold fitting to each other;
a second supply line that connects the second nozzle and the manifold fitting to each other; and
a third supply line that connects the third nozzle and the manifold fitting to each other.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the nozzle part further includes:
a sidewall disposed on an edge of the coupling plate; and
an upper plate covering the sidewall and the coupling plate, and the coupling plate has a shape of quadrangle having first to fourth corners.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising an exhaust part exhausting the fluid in the container,
wherein the exhaust part is adjacent to the fourth corner.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the connection part further includes a filter that filters an impurity of the fluid, and
the manifold fitting receives the fluid passing through the filter.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third supply lines have different lengths from each other.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connection part further includes:
a valve that adjusts a flow rate of the fluid supplied from the fluid supply;
a flowmeter that measures the flow rate of the fluid passing through the valve; and
a controller that controls the valve.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
during a first time period, the fluid supply provides the fluid to the container at at least ten times a volume of the space.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:
the volume of the space is 64 liters, and
the fluid supply provides the fluid of 900 liters to the space during the first time period.

9. A semiconductor wafer storage system, comprising:
a wafer container accommodating a semiconductor wafer;
a fluid supply providing a fluid to the wafer container;
a nozzle part connecting the wafer container to the fluid supply and providing the fluid in the wafer container; and
an exhaust part exhausting the fluid in the wafer container, wherein:
the wafer container has a shape of a hexahedron,
the nozzle part includes a first nozzle, a second nozzle, and a third nozzle adjacent to respective corners of a lower surface of the hexahedron,
a connection part receives the fluid from the fluid supply and transfers the fluid to the wafer container, the connection part including a manifold fitting that branches a path of the fluid passing from the fluid supply to the first, second, and third nozzles, and
the connection part further includes:
a first supply line that connects the first nozzle and the manifold fitting to each other:
a second supply line that connects the second nozzle and the manifold fitting to each other; and
a third supply line that connects the third nozzle and the manifold fitting to each other.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
the exhaust part is adjacent to another corner of the lower surface of the hexahedron.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
the wafer container has an inner space in the hexahedron, and
during a first time period of about 30 minutes to about 90 minutes, the fluid supply provides the fluid to the inner space at at least ten times a volume of the inner space.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein:
the volume of the inner space is has a volume of 64 liters, and the fluid supply provides the fluid of 900 liters to the inner space during the first time period.

13. A semiconductor wafer storage system, comprising:
a gas supply providing an inert gas; and
a wafer container having a coupling plate connected to the gas supply and accommodating a semiconductor wafer, wherein:
the wafer container includes:
a first nozzle hole, a second nozzle hole, and a third nozzle hole adjacent to respective corners of the coupling plate to provide the inert gas to the wafer container;
an exhaust hole adjacent to another corner of the coupling plate to exhaust the inert gas in the wafer container;
a connection part that receives the inert gas from the gas supply and transfers the inert gas to the wafer container, the connection part including:
a manifold fitting that branches a path of the inert gas passing from the gas supply to the first, second, and third nozzle holes,
a first supply line that connects the first nozzle hole and the manifold fitting to each other,
a second supply line that connects the second nozzle hole and the manifold fitting to each other, and
a third supply line that connects the third nozzle hole and the manifold fitting to each other.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein:
the wafer container has an inner space, and
during a first time period of about 30 minutes to about 90 minutes, the gas supply provides the inert gas to the inner space at at least ten times a volume of the inner space.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein:
the volume of the inner space is 64 liters, and
the gas supply provides the inert gas of 900 liters to the inner space during the first time period.

16. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein:
the wafer container is cubic.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sangkyung
• Ahn Yong-Jun
• Jeon Taijo
• Cho Kyubum
• Kim Jongsam
• Park Gi-Nam
• Park Chul-Jun
• Lee Junyong

Classifications

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• H10P72/1926 Primary

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

• B05B1/30

  designed to control volume of flow, e.g. with adjustable passages {(B05B11/0094 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H01L21/67017

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L21/67393 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic