Substrate transport apparatus, pod and method
First Claim
1. A method for transporting substrates between a plurality of processes, comprising:
- loading the substrates into a pod from an atmosphere of a first process;
contacting the substrates to the pod directly or indirectly, the pod having a conductive part so as to enable static charges to be drained from the pod;
removing at least one contaminant of moisture, particulate substances and chemical substances intermittently or continually so as to expose the substrates to a controlled atmosphere while the substrates are retained in the pod; and
unloading the substrates from the pod for introduction to a second process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of using a substrate transport pod is provided, which is suitable for manufacturing semiconductor devices with copper wiring and low dielectric insulating film having dielectric constants of less than 3. The method is based on loading the substrates into a pod from an atmosphere of a first process, and circulating a gaseous atmosphere through interior of the pod in such a way to selectively remove at least one contaminant including moisture, particulate substances or chemical substances, and to expose the substrates to a controlled atmosphere intermittently or continually while the substrates are held in the pod before they are unloaded from the pod and introduced into a second process. For a pod that is used to house the substrates for the purpose of retaining or transporting, the pod has a pod main body and a door that provides a hermetic sealing seal, and the pod is made primarily of a materiel that has moisture absorption factor of less than 0.1%, a the pod can contact the substrates directly or indirectly and has a conductive area so as to enable static charges to be guided out of the pod.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method for transporting substrates between a plurality of processes, comprising:
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loading the substrates into a pod from an atmosphere of a first process;
contacting the substrates to the pod directly or indirectly, the pod having a conductive part so as to enable static charges to be drained from the pod;
removing at least one contaminant of moisture, particulate substances and chemical substances intermittently or continually so as to expose the substrates to a controlled atmosphere while the substrates are retained in the pod; and
unloading the substrates from the pod for introduction to a second process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 51, 52, 54, 56)
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8. A substrate transport apparatus comprising a substrate transport pod for holding substrates therein, said substrate transport pod comprising:
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at least one filter for purifying gas selected from a filter for removing particulate substances, a filter for removing chemical substances and a dehumidifying apparatus for removing moisture;
a circulation apparatus for circulating purified gas;
a holding apparatus for holding the substrates in contact with said pod, either directly or indirectly, said holding apparatus having a conductive part so as to enable static charges to be drained from said pod. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 53, 57, 58)
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11. A substrate transport pod for containing, storing or transporting substrates, comprising:
a pod main body and a door for hermetic sealing of the pod main body, which is formed primarily of a material having moisture absorption coefficient of not more than 0.1%, wherein the pod main body is in contact with the substrates directly or indirectly and has a conductive part so as to enable static charges to be drained from the pod main body. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A substrate transport apparatus comprising:
- a substrate transport pod that can be sealed hermetically for holding substrates therein, said substrate transport pod comprising;
at least one of a particle filter, a chemical filter, and a dehumidifying apparatus for removing, respectively, particulate substances, chemical substances, and moisture from a gas circulated inside the pod;
a gas circulation apparatus for circulating a purified gas;
a holding apparatus for holding the substrates so as to keep the state of the substrates by exposing the substrates to the purified gas; and
an identifier for distinguishing individual pods, whose historical data is managed by a computing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
- a substrate transport pod that can be sealed hermetically for holding substrates therein, said substrate transport pod comprising;
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55. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device by transporting substrates between a plurality of processes, comprising:
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loading the substrates into a pod from an atmosphere of a first process;
contacting the substrates to the pod directly or indirectly the pod having a conductive part so as to enable static charges to be drained from the pod;
circulating a gaseous atmosphere through the interior of the pod to remove at least one contaminant of moisture, particulate substances and chemical substances so as to expose the substrates to a controlled atmosphere intermittently or continually while the substrates are retained in the pod; and
unloading the substrates from the god and introducing the substrates into a second process.
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Specification