SIDE STORAGE PODS, EQUIPMENT FRONT END MODULES, AND METHODS FOR OPERATING EQUIPMENT FRONT END MODULES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A side storage pod, comprising:
- a first chamber;
a first side storage container located in the first chamber, the first side storage container configured to receive one or more substrates from an equipment front end module, the first side storage container including an opening configured to be adjacent to a first opening of the equipment front end module;
a container plenum in fluid communication with the first side storage container; and
a first supply conduit coupled to the container plenum and configured to deliver a gas flow from an upper plenum into the container plenum.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Electronic device processing assemblies including an EFEM with at least one side storage pod attached thereto. The side storage pod has a side storage pod container. A supply conduit extends between an upper plenum of the EFEM to the side storage pod container. A fan causes purge gas to simultaneously flow into the EFEM chamber and into the side storage pod container. The fan also causes recirculation of the purge gas from the EFEM chamber. Methods of operating EFEMs and EFEMs are also disclosed.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A side storage pod, comprising:
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a first chamber; a first side storage container located in the first chamber, the first side storage container configured to receive one or more substrates from an equipment front end module, the first side storage container including an opening configured to be adjacent to a first opening of the equipment front end module; a container plenum in fluid communication with the first side storage container; and a first supply conduit coupled to the container plenum and configured to deliver a gas flow from an upper plenum into the container plenum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electronic device processing assembly, comprising:
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an equipment front end module including an equipment front end module chamber having one or more interface openings and an upper plenum in fluid communication with the equipment front end module chamber; one or more side storage pods attached to a body of the equipment front end module, the one or more side storage pods each comprising; a first chamber; a first side storage container located in the first chamber, the first side storage container configured to receive one or more substrates from the equipment front end module chamber, the first side storage container including a first opening located adjacent to a first opening of the equipment front end module chamber; a first container plenum in fluid communication with the first side storage container; and a first supply conduit coupled between the upper plenum and the first container plenum and configured to deliver a purge gas flow from the upper plenum into the first container plenum. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating an equipment front end module, comprising:
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providing an equipment front end module having an upper plenum and an equipment front end module chamber in fluid communication with the upper plenum, and a side storage pod including a side storage container; flowing purge gas from the upper plenum into the equipment front end module chamber and simultaneously into the side storage container located within the side storage pod from the upper plenum; exhausting the purge gas from the side storage container into the equipment front end module chamber; and recirculating at least a portion of the purge gas from the equipment front end module chamber into the upper plenum. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification