Wafer carrier purge apparatuses, automated mechanical handling systems including the same, and methods of handling a wafer carrier during integrated circuit fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9257320-B2
Application number	US-201313910683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2013
Priority date	Jun 5, 2013
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A wafer carrier purge apparatus, an automated mechanical handling system, and a method of handling a wafer carrier during integrated circuit fabrication are provided. The wafer carrier purge apparatus includes a purge plate adapted for insertion into a carrier storage position. The purge plate includes a gas port and a gas nozzle in fluid communication with the gas port. The gas port receives a gas flow. The gas nozzle is adapted to contact an inlet port of a wafer carrier. The purge plate further includes a vacuum port and a vacuum nozzle in fluid communication with the vacuum port, spaced from the gas nozzle. The vacuum nozzle is adapted to capture gas that escapes from the wafer carrier through an outlet port of the wafer carrier. The purge plate is separate and removable from the carrier storage position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wafer carrier purge apparatus comprising:
a purge plate adapted for insertion into a carrier storage position, wherein the purge plate comprises:
a gas port for receiving a gas flow;
a gas nozzle in fluid communication with the gas port and adapted to contact an inlet port of a wafer carrier for introducing gas into the wafer carrier;
a vacuum port; and
a vacuum nozzle in fluid communication with the vacuum port, spaced from the gas nozzle, and adapted to capture gas that escapes from the wafer carrier through an outlet port of the wafer carrier;

wherein the purge plate is separate and removable from the carrier storage position.

2. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas nozzle and the vacuum nozzle are disposed on a contact surface of the purge plate that is adapted to contact the wafer carrier.

3. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a presence sensor disposed on the contact surface for registering a presence or absence of the wafer carrier in the carrier storage position.

4. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the presence sensor comprises a photoelectric sensor.

5. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the purge plate comprises an integral structure connecting the gas port, the gas nozzle, the vacuum port, and the vacuum nozzle.

6. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the purge plate comprises a fastening feature to facilitate attachment of the purge plate to the carrier storage position.

7. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the purge plate defines a pressure relief feature in fluid communication with the vacuum nozzle and the vacuum port to prevent sealing between the vacuum nozzle and the wafer carrier.

8. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flow regulator disposed between and in fluid communication with the gas port and the gas nozzle to influence flow of the gas from the gas port through the gas nozzle.

9. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the flow regulator comprises a critical orifice.

10. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor disposed between and in fluid communication with the gas port and the gas nozzle to monitor flow of gas between the gas port and the gas nozzle.

11. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the purge plate further comprises an alignment feature for aligning the inlet port and the outlet port of the wafer carrier with the gas nozzle and the vacuum nozzle, respectively.

12. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a control module, an gas manifold in fluid communication with the gas port, and a vacuum manifold in fluid communication with the vacuum port, and wherein the control module is adapted to control fluid flow in the gas manifold and the vacuum manifold.

13. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising an additional purge plate, wherein the gas manifold and the vacuum manifold are in fluid communication with the gas port and the vacuum port of the additional purge plate.

14. The wafer carrier purge apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the wafer carrier purge apparatus is free from shutoff valves disposed between the gas manifold and the gas nozzle and between the vacuum manifold and the vacuum nozzle.

15. An automated mechanical handling system for integrated circuit fabrication, the system comprising:
a plurality of carrier storage positions adapted to receive a wafer carrier;
a container transporter adapted to move the wafer carrier into and out of the plurality of carrier storage positions; and
a wafer carrier purge apparatus comprising a purge plate adapted for insertion into one of the plurality of carrier storage positions, wherein the purge plate comprises:
a gas port for receiving a gas flow;
a gas nozzle in fluid communication with the gas port and adapted to contact an inlet port of the wafer carrier for introducing gas into the wafer carrier;
a vacuum port; and
a vacuum nozzle in fluid communication with the vacuum port, spaced from the gas nozzle, and adapted to capture gas that escapes from the wafer carrier through an outlet port of the wafer carrier;
wherein the purge plate is separate and removable from the carrier storage position.

16. The automated mechanical handling system of claim 15 , wherein the purge plate is disposed on a bottom surface of the carrier storage position and wherein the purge plate is adapted to receive the wafer carrier on a contact surface of the purge plate with the inlet port and the outlet port of the wafer carrier aligned with the gas nozzle and the vacuum nozzle, respectively.

17. A method of handling a wafer carrier having an inlet port and an outlet port during integrated circuit fabrication, wherein the method comprises:
loading the wafer carrier into a carrier storage position, wherein a plurality of carrier storage positions are provided and wherein a purge plate is disposed in each carrier storage position, wherein the purge plates are adapted for insertion into the carrier storage positions and wherein the purge plates comprise:
a gas port for receiving a gas flow;
a gas nozzle in fluid communication with the gas port and adapted to contact the inlet port of the wafer carrier for introducing gas into the wafer carrier;
a vacuum port; and
a vacuum nozzle in fluid communication with the vacuum port, spaced from the gas nozzle, and adapted to capture gas that escapes from the wafer carrier through the outlet port of the wafer carrier;
wherein the purge plates are separate and removable from the carrier storage positions;

sensing the presence of the wafer carrier in the carrier storage position with a presence sensor in electrical communication with a control module adapted to control gas flow through the gas nozzle and vacuum applied to the vacuum nozzle for at least two of the purge plates;
providing gas flow through the gas nozzle and applying vacuum to the vacuum nozzle for all purge plates controlled by the control module upon sensing the presence of the wafer carrier in the carrier storage position.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a pressure sensor is disposed between and in fluid communication with the gas port and the gas nozzle, and wherein the method further comprises sensing flow of gas between the gas port and the gas nozzle.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising initiating an error function using the control module upon sensing the presence of the wafer carrier with the presence sensor and further upon sensing insufficient flow between the gas port and the gas nozzle with the pressure sensor.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising initiating an error function using the control module upon sensing no presence of the wafer carrier with the presence sensor and further upon sensing flow between the gas port and the gas nozzle with the pressure sensor.

Assignees

• Globalfoundries Inc

Inventors

• Fosnight William J
• Waite Stephanie
• Miner Stephen B
• Robinson John

Classifications

• H10P72/3408

  Docking arrangements · CPC title

• H10P72/3404 Primary

  Storage means · CPC title

• H10P72/1924 Primary

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title

• B08B9/00

  Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto · CPC title

• B08B5/00

  Cleaning by methods involving the use of air flow or gas flow (cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00) · CPC title