Substrate transport container

• US 6,875,282 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Akira, Kishi, Takashi, Suzuki, Yoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh, Parviz
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOORE, KARLA A
• Application Number:
  US10/145,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 118/719, 156/345.31, 156/345.32, 414/937, 414/938, 414/940, 206710-712, 206832-833
• US Class Current: 118/719
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/66 Containers specially adapted for masks, mask blanks or pellicles; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67379 characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67393 characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrierl
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/135 Associated with semiconductor wafer handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/14 Wafer cassette transporting

Abstract

A substrate transport container is used, for example, in the process of manufacturing integrated circuits of less than 0.13 μm line width, can hold the level of contaminants in the interior of the container for at least particles, acidic gases, basic gases, organic substances and humidity at controlled low levels, and has the size and structure to be compatible with automated semiconductor manufacturing plants. The container is provided with a door for loading and unloading substrates on a surface of a container main body and is constructed so as to hold the substrates inside the container main body at a given distance of separation. Air conditioning apparatuses for reducing the levels of particulate and gaseous contaminants are disposed roughly symmetrically on the container main body.

Claims

1. A substrate transport container having a door for loading and unloading substrates on a surface of a container main body and constructed so as to hold the substrates inside the container main body at a given distance of separation, wherein air conditioning apparatuses are disposed substantially symmetrically on a lateral surface of the container main body for reducing concentrations of particles and gaseous contaminants in interior of the container, wherein the container main body is provided with a cover for isolating an interior environment of the container main body from an external environment on both lateral surfaces of the container main body, and openings are provided on said lateral surfaces of the main body inside said cover to communicate with an interior space of the container main body so as to circulate air that has been adjusted in the air conditioning apparatus disposed inside the cover through the interior space of the container main body.

2. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein a device is further provided for reducing and/or adjusting humidity in interior of the container.

3. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein the container main body and a holding member for holding substrates are formed integrally as a unit body.

4. A substrate transport container according to claim 3, wherein the container main body and the holding member for holding substrates are comprised by static-charge conductive material or static-charge dispersing material.

5. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein the container main body and a holding member for holding substrates are made as separate members.

6. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein the container main body is made of a material having a water absorption factor of less than 0.1%.

7. A substrate transport container according to claim 2, wherein the device for adjusting humidity utilizes a solid polymer electrolytic film.

8. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning apparatus is comprised by an air circulation device, a particle removal filter and a gaseous contaminants removal filter.

9. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein the container main body is provided with a door in a front surface, a power source unit in a rear surface, and air conditioning apparatuses on both lateral surfaces.

10. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein an opening is disposed on a front surface side and another opening is disposed on a rear surface side of the container main body.

11. A substrate transport container according to claim 9, wherein air is circulated by directing from an opening provided in a rear surface side through interior of container main body to an opening provided in a front surface side.

12. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein the container main body is provided with a gas inlet port and a gas outlet port having a check valve in each port.

25. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein said air conditioning apparatuses are disposed substantially symmetrically inside of the covers on both lateral surfaces of the container main body.

26. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein said air conditioning apparatuses reduce concentrations of particles and gaseous contaminants in interior of the container.

27. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein a center of gravity of the container substantially coincides with a holding device disposed on an upper surface of the container main body so that the container can be handled in a stable manner.

28. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein said openings are provided on said lateral surfaces of the main body inside said over to communicate with an interior space of the container main body so as to circulate air that has been adjusted in the air conditioning apparatus disposed inside the cover through the interior space of the container main body.

29. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, wherein a holding device is provided on said cover for use by an operator.

30. A substrate transport container according to claim 1, powering to said power source is carried out by electromagnetic induction in non-contact method.

13. A substrate transport container comprising:

a container main body constructed so as to be able to hold substrates inside said container main body at a given distance of separation;

a door on said container main body for loading and unloading the substrates;

air conditioning apparatuses disposed on sides of said container main body for reducing concentrations of particles and gaseous contaminants inside of said container main body;

covers provided on said sides of said container main body isolating an interior environment of said container main body from an external environment, said air conditioning apparatuses being disposed inside said covers; and

openings on said sides of said container main body and inside said covers so as to communicate with the interior environment of said container main body so that air that has been conditioned by said air conditioning apparatuses can be circulated through the interior space of said container main body.

14. The substrate transport container of claim 13, and further comprising a device for reducing and/or adjusting humidity in the interior environment of said container main body.

15. The substrate transport container of claim 14, wherein said device for reducing and/or adjusting humidity in the interior environment of said container main body comprises a solid polymer electrolytic film.

16. The substrate transport container of claim 13, wherein said container main body comprises a holding member for holding substrates that is formed integrally with said container main body as a unit body.

17. The substrate transport container of claim 16, wherein said container main body and said holding member are comprised of a static-charge conductive material or a static-charge dispersing material.

18. The substrate transport container of claim 13, wherein said container main body comprises a holding member for holding substrates that is formed as a separate member from said container main body.

19. The substrate transport container of claim 13, wherein said container main body is made of a material that has a water absorption factor of less than 0.1%.

20. The substrate transport container of claim 13, wherein said air conditioning apparatuses each comprises an air circulation device, a particle removal filter and a gaseous contaminants filter.

21. The substrate transport container of claim 13, wherein said container main body has said door provided in a front surface of said container main body, a power source unit provided in a rear surface of said container main body and said air conditioning units provided substantially symmetrically on lateral surfaces of said container main body.

22. The substrate transport container of claim 21, wherein said air conditioning apparatuses are each provided to circulate air through the interior of said container main body through said openings by directing air from one of said openings provided at a rear part of said container main body, through the interior of said container main body and to another of said openings at a front part of said container main body.

23. The substrate transport container of claim 13, wherein said openings include an opening at a rear part of one of said sides of said container main body and another opening at a front part of one of said sides of said container main body.

24. The substrate transport container of claim 13, wherein said container main body has a gas inlet port and a gas outlet port each having a check valve.

31. A substrate transport container according to claim 13, wherein said air conditioning apparatuses are disposed substantially symmetrically inside of the covers on both lateral surfaces of the container main body.

32. A substrate transport container according to claim 13, wherein said air conditioning apparatus reduces concentrations of particles and gaseous contaminants in interior of the container.

33. A substrate transport container according to claim 13, wherein center of gravity of the container substantially coincides with the holding device disposed on the upper surface of the container main body so that the container can be handled in a stable manner.

34. A substrate transport container according to claim 13, wherein said openings are provided on said lateral surfaces of the main body inside said cover to communicate with an interior space of the container main body so as to circulate air that has been adjusted in the air conditioning apparatus disposed inside the cover through the interior space of the container main body.

35. A substrate transport container according to claim 13, wherein a second holding device is provided on said cover for use by an operator.

36. A substrate transport container according to claim 13, powering to said power source is carried out by electromagnetic induction in non-contact method.