CONTAINED OBJECT TRANSFER SYSTEM

• US 20090175709A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: MIYAJIMA, TOSHIHIKO, OKABE, TSUTOMU
• Granted Patent: US 8,083,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/222.20
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67772 involving removal of lid, door, cover

Abstract

A so-called transfer chamber in a semiconductor processing apparatus in which an FIMS system is secured is separated into a second chamber in which a transfer robot is disposed and a first chamber that is minute and includes a door capable of holding a cap of a pod as the FIMS system. In the second chamber, higher pressure than in the first chamber is maintained by a minute amount of nitrogen. In the first chamber, usually, a down flow of clean air is used via the FFU. When the wafer is transferred, a down flow of nitrogen is used. Thus, oxidation gas in the transfer chamber and released substances caused the FFU can be decreased.

Claims

1. A transfer system for a contained object that transfers the contained object between a container and a processing chamber in which processing is performed on the contained object, the container being capable of containing the contained object therein and including a main unit in a substantially box-like shape having an opening on one face thereof and a cap capable of being separated from the main unit and closing the opening to form a sealed space together with the main body, and the cap being removed from the container to open the opening so that the contained object is able to taken out of and put into the container, the transfer system comprising:

a placing base on which the container is placed;

a first chamber that is disposed adjacent to the placing base and includes a first opening portion facing the container placed on the placing base;

a first door capable of closing the first opening portion and holding the cap of the container;

a fan filter unit capable of supplying clean air into the first chamber disposed above the first chamber;

a first inert-gas supply system that is disposed above the first chamber independently from the fan filter unit and capable of supplying inert gas into the first chamber;

a first discharge system capable of discharging gas existing in the first chamber;

a second chamber that is disposed adjacent to the first chamber, capable of connecting to the first chamber via a second opening portion, and capable of connecting to the processing chamber via a third opening portion;

a second door capable of closing the second opening portion;

a second inert-gas supply system capable of supplying inert gas into the second chamber;

a second discharge system capable of discharging gas existing in the second chamber;

a transfer robot that is disposed in the second chamber and transfers the contained object between an inside of the container and the processing chamber; and

a control apparatus that enables the clean air to be supplied from the fan filter unit into the first chamber in a state where the container is not placed on the placing base and stops supplying the clean air from the fan filter unit and enables gas to be supplied from the first inert-gas supply system upon detecting a state where the container is placed.

2. The transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter member that is disposed near an outlet of the clean air from the fan filter unit and capable of spacially separating the outlet from the first chamber,

wherein the control apparatus stops supplying the clean air from the fan filter unit and enables the shutter member to spacially separate the outlet from the first chamber.

3. The transfer system according to claim 1,

wherein the second inert-gas supply system has a supply mode of a large flow amount for supplying the inert gas with a large flow amount into the second chamber and a supply mode of a small flow amount for supplying the inert gas with a small flow amount into the second chamber, in order to maintain a purity level of the inert gas in the second chamber.

4. The transfer system according to claim 3,

wherein, when the second inert-gas supply system supplies the inert gas into the second chamber in the supply mode of the small flow amount, the control apparatus controls at least either one of the second inert-gas supply system or the second discharge system to maintain pressure within the second chamber being higher than pressure within the first chamber.

5. The transfer system according to claim 1,

wherein the second inert-gas supply system supplies inert gas with a small flow amount in order to maintain a purity level of the inert gas in the second chamber;

and

wherein the control apparatus enables the second door to open the second opening portion and the first discharge system to stop a discharge operation, and has a purge mode for feeding the inert gas supplied from the first inert gas supply system into the second chamber via the first chamber.

6. The transfer system according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of first chambers are provided, and the fan filter unit, the first inert-gas supply system, the second opening portion, and the second door are each provided for each of the first chambers.