FRONT-DUCTED EQUIPMENT FRONT END MODULES, SIDE STORAGE PODS, AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20200135523A1
• Filed: 10/22/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Reuter, Paul B., Armstrong, Robin C., Menk, John C., Merry, Nir
• Granted Patent: US 11,373,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67389 characterised by atmosphere control
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67393 characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrierl
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67766 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J

Abstract

Equipment front end module (EFFM) includes front located return ducts. The EFFM may include a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls, the front wall including a plurality of load ports, and the rear wall configured to couple to a load lock apparatus. An EFFM chamber is formed between the front wall, the rear wall, and the two side walls. An upper plenum is positioned at a top of the EFFM and includes an opening into the EFFM chamber. Return ducts provide a return gas flow path enabling recirculation of gas from the EFFM chamber to the upper plenum. At least some of the plurality of return ducts are located between the load ports. Electronic device manufacturing assemblies and methods of operating equipment front end modules are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An equipment front end module, comprising:

a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls, the front wall including a plurality of load ports, and the rear wall configured to couple to a load lock apparatus;

an equipment front end module chamber formed between the front wall, the rear wall, and the two side walls;

an upper plenum at a top of the equipment front end module and including an opening into the equipment front end module chamber; and

a plurality of return ducts providing a return gas flow path enabling recirculation of gas from the equipment front end module chamber to the upper plenum, wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts are located between the load ports.

2. The equipment front end module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of return ducts extend alongside of the front wall.

3. The equipment front end module of claim 2, wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts is configured to extend upward between sides of two adjacent carrier door openers.

4. The equipment front end module of claim 1, wherein a first side storage pod is coupled to at least one of the two side walls.

5. The equipment front end module of claim 4, wherein an exhaust channel from the first side storage pod is coupled to the upper plenum by a side return duct.

6. The equipment front end module of claim 1, comprising a first side storage pod coupled to a first side wall of the two side walls, and a second side storage pod is coupled to a second side wall of the two side walls.

7. The equipment front end module of claim 1, comprising four substrate carriers docked at the plurality of load ports and at least three return ducts providing the return gas flow path.

8. An electronic device manufacturing assembly, comprising:

an equipment front end module including;

a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls, the front wall including a plurality of load ports, and the rear wall configured to couple to a load lock apparatus;

an equipment front end module chamber formed between the front wall, the rear wall, and the two side walls;

an upper plenum at a top of the equipment front end module and including an opening into the equipment front end module chamber;

a plurality of return ducts providing a return gas flow path enabling recirculation of gas from the equipment front end module chamber to the upper plenum, wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts are located between some of the plurality of load ports;

a first side storage pod coupled to a first side wall of the two side walls of the equipment front end module via an interface opening in the first side wall, the first side storage pod configured to receive one or more substrates from the equipment front end module chamber, the first side storage pod comprising an exhaust channel; and

a first side return duct coupled between the exhaust channel and the upper plenum.

9. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 8, wherein each of two of the plurality of load ports comprise a carrier door opener and one of the plurality of return ducts is configured to extend upward between sides of the carrier door openers.

10. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 8, wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts are configured to extend upward along an inside surface of the front wall.

11. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 8, wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts are configured to extend upward along an outside surface of the front wall.

12. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 8, wherein the first side storage pod further comprises:

one or more chambers, each of the one or more chambers having a chamber opening located adjacent to the interface opening; and

one or more side storage containers located in the one or more chambers, each of the one or more side storage containers configured to receive the one or more of the substrates from the equipment front end module chamber, each of the one or more side storage containers coupled to the exhaust channel and configured to exhaust gas entering from the chamber opening.

13. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 12, further comprising a chemical filter located in a third plenum coupled to the exhaust channel.

14. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

a common plenum; and

an exhaust baffle located in the one or more side storage containers between the chamber opening and the common plenum.

15. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 14, further comprising a heater configured to heat an exhaust gas exiting the common plenum.

16. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 8, further comprising a second side storage pod coupled to a second side wall of the two side walls of the equipment front end module via an interface opening in the second side wall, the second side storage pod configured to receive one or more substrates from the equipment front end module chamber.

17. The electronic device manufacturing assembly of claim 16, wherein the second side storage pod comprises a second exhaust channel, and a second side return duct is coupled between the second exhaust channel and the upper plenum.

18. A method of operating an equipment front end module, comprising:

providing the equipment front end module with an upper plenum connected to an equipment front end module chamber, the equipment front end module chamber interfacing with a plurality of load ports;

flowing gas from the upper plenum to the equipment front end module chamber; and

recirculating at least some of the gas from the equipment front end module chamber to the upper plenum through one or more return ducts positioned between the load ports.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising flowing some of the gas from the equipment front end module chamber into a first side storage pod.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising exhausting gas from the first side storage pod through a first side return duct to the upper plenum.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising exhausting gas from a second side storage pod through a second side return duct to the upper plenum.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising passing the gas exhausting from the first side storage pod through a chemical filter of the first side storage pod to output filtered gas therefrom.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising heating the gas exhausting from the first side storage pod.