Box cover opening device

Abstract

A cassette lid opening apparatus for a clean room apparatus configured to cooperate with a wafer cassette. The cassette lid opening apparatus includes a wall structure having a partition wall with a wall opening for conveying wafers therethrough, a cassette docking port, and a lid manipulator disposed to the wall structure. The cassette docking port is arranged at a first side of the wall structure for docking a wafer cassette. The lid manipulator is movable relative to the wall opening and configured to engage a lid of the wafer cassette docked in the cassette docking port. The cassette lid opening apparatus further includes a blower having an elongated slit-like nozzle substantially across a height or width of the wall opening and configured to blow a curtain jet of a purge gas into a cassette interior of the wafer cassette.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a lid opening device for cleanroom equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Wafer cassettes are used in cleanroom environments to transport wafers to and from cleanroom equipment such as vertical batch furnaces. An example of such a wafer cassette is a front-opening cassette, or FOUP, used for transporting 300mm wafers. The wafer cassette can be positioned against a cover opening device, which may be arranged at an opening in the wall of the cleanroom equipment. The opening in the wall can be closed by a door. The wall may, for example, separate a first environment (e.g., a cassette handling space) and a second environment (e.g., a wafer handling space). The cover opening device can be configured to open the cover and door of the wafer cassette while also preventing particulate / contaminant entry into the wafer cassette and / or the second environment. Because wafer cassettes are not airtight, they may be filled with cleanroom air present in the cleanroom environment. When the second environment of the cleanroom equipment uses a purifying gas such as nitrogen (N2) for example to reduce the O2 / H2O content in the second environment, it is preferable that the cleanroom air in the wafer cassette is at least partially removed before the door is opened. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This overview is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are further described in detail in the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. This overview is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] One objective is to obtain the desired concentration level of the purge gas within the wafer cassette relatively quickly while using the least amount of purge gas.

[0005] For this purpose, a lid opening device can be provided. More specifically, a lid opening device for use in a cleanroom apparatus configured to cooperate with a wafer cassette can be provided. The wafer cassette can include a cassette body defining an interior for receiving wafers and may have a cassette opening that can be closed with a lid. The lid opening device can include a wall structure, a cassette docking port, and / or a lid manipulator disposed on the wall structure. The wall structure may have a partition wall having a first side defining a first space and an opposing second side defining a second space. The partition wall may have a wall opening for conveying wafers therethrough. The cassette docking port may be disposed on the first side of the wall structure for docking the wafer cassette received in the first space. The lid manipulator may be movable relative to the wall opening and may be configured to engage the lid of the wafer cassette docked in the cassette docking port. The lid manipulator may have a closed position in which the engaged lid closes the cassette body. The lid manipulator may have an open position in which the engaged lid is spaced apart from the cassette body. The lid opening device may further include a pneumatic flow generator, such as a blower, having an elongated, slit-shaped nozzle that generally spans the height or width of the wall opening and can be configured to blow a curtain-like jet of purified gas from the partition wall in the direction from the first space into the interior of the box.

[0006] Components for cleanroom equipment may also be provided. These components may include a wafer cassette having a body and a lid. The body may define an interior for receiving wafers and may have an opening. The lid may be configured to close the opening. The component may further include a lid-opening device according to the instructions.

[0007] This disclosure may also provide a method for opening and purifying a wafer cassette. The method may include providing a wafer cassette that may include a cassette body defining an interior for receiving wafers and may have a cassette opening. The wafer cassette may further include a cassette cover for closing the cassette opening. The method may further include moving the cassette cover relative to the cassette body to an open position to open the wafer cassette, and may include purifying the interior of the cassette by blowing a curtain jet of purifying gas into the interior of the cassette while moving the curtain jet along substantially the entire width or height of the cassette opening.

[0008] To summarize the invention and the advantages achieved compared to the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described above. It should be understood, of course, that not all of these objects or advantages may necessarily be achieved according to any particular embodiment of the invention. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be carried out or practiced in a manner that achieves or optimizes one or more advantages or sets of advantages taught or revealed herein, without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages taught or revealed herein.

[0009] Various embodiments are claimed in the dependent claims, and these embodiments will be further illustrated with reference to the examples shown in the accompanying drawings. These embodiments may be combined or applied independently of each other.

[0010] All these embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. These and other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of certain embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Although the specification concludes with claims that are specifically pointed out and explicitly claimed as embodiments of the invention, the advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure can be more readily determined from the description of specific examples of embodiments thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0012] Figure 1 A top cross-sectional view of an example component according to the specification is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 The example shows the lid actuator in the open position in front of the wall opening, and the jet of purifying gas on the left side has not yet been blown into the box.

[0014] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 and 2 In one example, the lid manipulator moves laterally to the right parallel to the partition wall, and the jet is blown into the box from the left side of the box body;

[0015] Figure 4 Showing Figure 1-3 In the example, the cover manipulator moves laterally to the right, and the jet blows into the box to the right, with the area of ​​the purified gas located to the left of the jet.

[0016] Figure 5 Showing Figure 1-4 In one example, the lid manipulator moves even further to the right, the jet blows into the box from the right side of the box, and the area of ​​the purifying gas completely occupies the inside of the box. Detailed Implementation

[0017] In this application, similar or corresponding features are indicated by similar or corresponding reference numerals. The description of various embodiments is not limited to the examples shown in the drawings, and the reference numerals used in the detailed description and claims are not intended to limit the description of the embodiments, but are included to illustrate the embodiments by referring to the examples shown in the drawings.

[0018] Although specific embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention extends beyond the specific disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the invention and their obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention should not be limited to the specific disclosed embodiments described below. The illustrations presented herein are not intended to be actual views of any particular material, structure, or device, but are merely idealized representations used to describe embodiments of this disclosure.

[0019] As used herein, the term “wafer” can refer to any one or more substrate materials that can be used, or materials on which devices, circuits or films can be formed.

[0020] In the most general terms, this disclosure provides a lid opening device 12 for use in a cleanroom apparatus configured to engage with a wafer cassette 80. The wafer cassette 80 may include a body 82 defining a cassette interior 88 for receiving wafers, and may have a cassette opening 86 that can be closed by a lid 84. The lid opening device 12 may include a wall structure 14, a cassette docking port 28, and a lid actuator 30 disposed to the wall structure 14. The wall structure may have a partition wall 16 having a first side 18 defining a first space 22 and an opposing second side 20 defining a second space 24. The partition wall 16 may have a wall opening 26 for conveying wafers therethrough. The cassette docking port may be 28 disposed at the first side 18 of the wall structure 14 for docking the wafer cassette received in the first space 22. The lid actuator 30 may be movable relative to the wall opening 26 and may be configured to engage the lid 84 of the wafer cassette 80 docked in the cassette docking port 28. The lid actuator 30 may have a closed position in which the engaged lid 84 closes the housing 82. The lid actuator 30 may also have an open position in which the engaged lid 84 is spaced apart from the housing 82. The lid opening device 12 may further include a pneumatic flow generator, such as a blower 36, having an elongated, slit-shaped nozzle 38 that generally spans the height or width of the wall opening 26, and may be configured to blow a curtain jet 40 of purified gas from the partition wall 16 in the direction from the first space 22 into the housing interior 88.

[0021] By configuring the air pressure generator or blower 36 to blow a curtain-like jet 40 of purified gas into the interior 88 of the box, the purified gas jet 40 forms a leading edge of purified gas that blows cleanroom air out. Because the jet is a curtain-like jet 40, it can divide the interior of the box into two regions 90, 92, that is, one region on either side of the curtain-like jet. Because the nozzle 38 of the blower 36 is a long, narrow slit nozzle 38 that roughly spans the height or width of the wall opening 26, the jet 40 can also span the interior 88 of the box from one end to the other. Because the sides of the jet 40 therefore flow over the sides of the box 82, the cleanroom air in the interior 88 of the box cannot pass through these sides of the jet 40, thus creating a clear division between the regions 90, 92 on either side of the curtain-like jet, where no air flows from one region to another. The speed at which the jet 40 blows into the interior 88 of the box can be adjusted according to the size, height or width of the wall opening 26 and the depth of the interior 88 of the box. In this way, the jet leading edge can displace cleanroom air and replace it with purifying gas. Since wafers are typically oriented horizontally inside the wafer cassette, the nozzle 38 advantageously spans the height of the wall opening 26, i.e., spans the wall opening 26 in the direction of vertical orientation. Because the purifying gas is essentially not mixed with the cleanroom air, less purifying gas is needed to replace the air in the wafer cassette 80 compared to methods based on "mixing and diluting" the cleanroom air present in the wafer cassette 80 with the purifying gas. Not only is less purifying gas required, but purifying time can also be reduced.

[0022] In one embodiment, the blower 36 may be configured and arranged to be movable generally along the entire width or height of the box opening 86, and may be configured to blow into the box interior 88. The lid actuator 30 may be configured to laterally move the engaged box lid 84 parallel to the partition wall 16. The blower 36 may be connected to the lid actuator 30 and may be configured to blow across the engaged box lid 84 into the box interior 88.

[0023] By connecting the blower 36 to the laterally movable cover actuator 30, the jet can move laterally together with the cover actuator 30. This ensures that the jet leading edge can move from one side of the box interior 88 to the opposite side, thereby expelling and pushing aside the cleanroom air inside the box interior 88. Figure 2-5 An example of how this works is shown. Suppose, for example, the interior of a box 88 is defined by a square or rectangular shape with a bottom wall, a top wall, and two side walls. Then, a curtain-like jet 40 can traverse the interior of the box 88 from the bottom wall to the top wall, thereby dividing the interior of the box 88 into a left region 90 and a right region 92. As... Figure 2 As shown, at the start of purification, the entire interior of the chamber 88 is filled with cleanroom air. Purification then begins with a jet 40 blowing along either the left or right wall of the interior of the chamber 88. Assuming the jet initially blows along the left wall of the interior of the chamber 88, as... Figure 3As shown. The cleanroom air is then confined to region 92 to the right of jet 40. The cover manipulator 30, and therefore jet 40, can then proceed to the right. In this way, the region 92 to the right of jet 40, filled with cleanroom air, gradually decreases, while the region 90 to the left of jet 40 gradually increases, as shown. Figure 4 As shown. Ultimately, the jet 40 will reach the right side wall of the box interior 88, and all cleanroom air will be expelled from the box interior, as... Figure 5 As shown.

[0024] In one embodiment, the blower 36 may include a convex surface 42. An elongated slit-shaped nozzle 38 may be configured to blow a jet 40 onto the convex surface 42. The lid opening device 12 may also be provided with a second purified gas source 44 that supplies a second purified gas around the convex surface 42 such that, due to the Coanda effect, at least a portion of the supplied second purified gas is entrained by the jet 40 of purified gas blown onto the convex surface 42.

[0025] The Coanda effect is the tendency of the jet 40 to remain attached to the convex surface 42. When blown onto the convex surface 42, the Coanda effect generates a negative pressure on the side of the jet 40 opposite to the convex surface 42. Due to this negative pressure, ambient gas is entrained into the jet 40. Because of this entrainment, the effect of the blower 36 is amplified, and a very uniform flow of the jet 40 is produced. Therefore, the convex surface 42 over which the jet 40 blows forms an ideal ejector with uniform outflow.

[0026] In one embodiment, the blower 36 may be configured to blow a curtain jet 40 of purified gas across substantially the entire depth of the housing 82.

[0027] By ensuring that the jet 40 is blown across the entire depth of the housing 82, the jet 40 will reach the distal end of the housing 82 opposite the housing opening 86. This prevents cleanroom air from bypassing the jet 40 at this distal end to reach area 90 within the purified housing interior 88.

[0028] In one embodiment, the wall structure 14 may include an exhaust port 46. The exhaust port 46 may be configured to remove gas from the interior 88 of the housing when the lid actuator 30 is moved from the closed position to the open position and when the lid actuator 30 is in the open position. The exhaust port 46 may include a venturi tube.

[0029] Exhaust port 46 prevents gas from accumulating inside the housing 88. Exhaust port 46 is preferably positioned where the jet 40 is directed toward driving cleanroom air. In the example shown in the attached figures, this is near the right side wall of the housing 82.

[0030] In one embodiment, the lid opening device 12 may further include a door 48 and a door manipulator 50. The door 48 is configured to close the wall opening 26 in the partition wall 16 and is movable relative to the wall opening 26. The door manipulator 50 may be connected to the door 48. The door manipulator 50 may be configured to move the door 48 to a closed position and an open position, in which the door 48 closes the wall opening 26 and in the open position, the door 48 is laterally moved away from the wall opening 26.

[0031] In one embodiment, the door actuator 50 may be connected to the cover actuator 30 so that they can move laterally together.

[0032] Because the jet 40 blows away or expels cleanroom air from inside the housing 88, it prevents this cleanroom air from reaching the second space 24 on the opposite side of the partition wall 16 and door 48. Therefore, door 48 does not need to remain closed until all cleanroom air has been purified from inside the housing 88. Door 48 may have already been opened during purification, and door 48 can move together with the lid actuator 30. Because the opening of door 48 does not occur after the lid actuator 30 moves, but simultaneously, time is saved. This can have a positive impact on the throughput of cleanroom equipment where the lid opening device is part of the equipment.

[0033] In one embodiment, the second space 24 may be a small environment for a cleanroom device.

[0034] This disclosure also provides a component 10 for cleanroom equipment, an example of which is shown in Figure 1-5 As shown in the diagram. Component 10 may include a wafer cassette 80. The wafer cassette 80 may include a cassette body 82 and a cassette cover 84. The cassette body 82 may define a cassette interior 88 for receiving wafers and may have a cassette opening 86. The cassette cover 84 may be configured to close the cassette opening 86. Component 10 may further include a cassette cover opening device 12 according to the specification.

[0035] The effects and advantages of component 10 are similar to those described above regarding the lid opening device, and these effects and advantages are inserted here by reference.

[0036] In one embodiment, the wafer cassette 80 may include a front-opening wafer cassette (FOUP). The FOUP is sized according to standards and is suitable for 300mm wafers. This improves the replaceability of the lid opening mechanism for use with wafer cassettes from different manufacturers. It also increases the replaceability of the lid opening mechanism for cleanroom equipment from different manufacturers.

[0037] This disclosure may also disclose a method for opening and purifying a wafer cassette 80. The method may include providing a wafer cassette 80 having a housing 82 defining an interior 88 for receiving wafers and having a housing opening 86. The wafer cassette 80 may further include a cover 84 for closing the housing opening 86. The method may further include moving the cover 84 relative to the housing 82 to an open position to open the wafer cassette 80, and may include purifying the interior 88 by blowing a curtain jet 40 of purifying gas into the housing interior 88 while moving the curtain jet 40 along substantially the entire width or height of the housing opening 86.

[0038] The effects and advantages of this method are similar to those described in the reference cover opening device, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] In one embodiment, purification can occur at least during the movement of the lid 84. The movement of the curtain jet 40 along substantially the entire width or height of the box opening 86 and the movement of the lid 84 can be synchronized.

[0040] Purification can be performed using the lid opening device 12 according to the instructions. The effect of purifying the interior 88 of the box during the movement of the lid 84 is described relative to device 12, characterized in that the lid manipulator 30 can be configured to move the engaged lid 84 laterally parallel to the partition wall 16. The same effects and advantages mentioned herein also apply to this embodiment of the method.

[0041] Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described above in part with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. By studying the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, those skilled in the art will understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments in practicing the claimed invention.

[0042] Throughout this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the phrases "in an embodiment" or "in one embodiment" appearing throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0043] Furthermore, it should be noted that one or more specific features, structures, or characteristics in the various embodiments described above may be implemented independently of each other and may be combined in any suitable manner to form new, not explicitly described embodiments. The reference numerals used in the detailed description and claims do not limit the description of the embodiments, nor do they limit the claims. The reference numerals are for clarification only.

[0044] legend

[0045] 10 components

[0046] 12. Lid opening device

[0047] 14-wall structure

[0048] 16. Partition wall

[0049] 18 First side view

[0050] 20 Second side view

[0051] 22 First Space

[0052] 24 Second Space

[0053] 26. Wall opening

[0054] 28 junction boxes

[0055] 30 Cover Manipulator

[0056] 36 Blower

[0057] 38 nozzles

[0058] 40 jets

[0059] 42 Convex surface

[0060] 44 Second Purified Gas Source

[0061] 46 Exhaust Port

[0062] 48 doors

[0063] 50-door controller

[0064] 80 Chip Box

[0065] 82 boxes

[0066] 84 box lids

[0067] 86 boxes open

[0068] 88 boxes inside

[0069] 90. Areas filled with purified gas

[0070] 92 Areas filled with cleanroom air

Claims

1. A cover opening device (12) for cleanroom equipment, said cleanroom equipment being configured to cooperate with a wafer cassette (80), wherein, The wafer cassette (80) includes a cassette body (82) defining an interior (88) for receiving wafers and having a cassette opening (86) that can be closed by a cassette cover (84), wherein the cassette cover opening device (12) includes: - A wall structure (14) having a partition wall (16) having a first side (18) defining a first space (22) and an opposing second side (20) defining a second space (24), the partition wall (16) having a wall opening (26) for conveying a wafer therethrough. - A cassette docking port (28) disposed on the first side (18) of the wall structure (14), the cassette docking port (28) being used to dock a wafer cassette housed in the first space (22); and - A cover actuator (30) is provided to the wall structure (14), the cover actuator (30) being movable relative to the wall opening (26) and configured to engage a cover (84) of a wafer cassette (80) mating in the cassette docking port (28), the cover actuator (30) having a closed position and an open position, in the closed position the engaged cover (84) closing the cassette body (82), and in the open position the engaged cover (84) spaced apart from the cassette body (82). The lid opening device (12) further includes a blower (36) having an elongated slit-like nozzle (38) that spans the height of the wall opening (26) and is configured to blow a curtain-like jet (40) of purified gas from the partition wall (16) in the direction from the first space (22) to the box interior (88). The blower (36) is constructed and arranged to be movable along the entire width of the box opening (86) and configured to blow into the box interior (88). The lid manipulator is configured to laterally move the engaged lid along a horizontal direction, wherein the horizontal direction is parallel to the partition wall; The wall structure (14) includes an exhaust port (46) positioned so that the jet is directed toward its driving air and configured to remove gas from inside the box (88) when the cover manipulator (30) moves from the closed position to the open position or is in the open position. The lid opening device further includes: - Door (48), which is configured to close the wall opening (26) in the partition wall (16) and is movable relative to the wall opening (26); - Door manipulator (50), which is connected to the door (48) and configured to move the door (48) to: ● Closed position, in which the door (48) closes the wall opening (26); and ● Open position, in which the door moves laterally from the wall opening (26) in a horizontal direction. The door actuator is connected to the cover actuator so that they can move laterally together; and The curtain jet is orthogonal to the horizontal plane and the horizontally oriented wafer, and the curtain jet moves laterally together with the blower and the cover actuator. The curtain jet divides the interior of the box into a first volume on one side of the curtain jet's movement direction and a second volume on the other side of the curtain jet's movement direction. The curtain jet is shaped such that no gas flows from the first volume to the second volume, and the second volume is substantially filled with purge gas.

2. The lid opening device according to claim 1, wherein, The blower (36) is connected to the cover manipulator (30) and configured to blow through the engaged cover (84) into the interior (88) of the box.

3. The lid opening device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The blower (36) includes a convex surface (42), and wherein the elongated slit-shaped nozzle (38) is configured to blow the jet (40) onto the convex surface (42).

4. The lid opening device according to claim 3 is further provided with a second purified gas source (44), which supplies a second purified gas around the convex surface (42) such that, due to the Coanda effect, at least a portion of the supplied second purified gas is entrained by the jet (40) of purified gas blown onto the convex surface (42), thereby amplifying the curtain jet and generating a uniform flow.

5. The lid opening device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The blower (36) is configured to blow a curtain jet (40) of purified gas across the entire depth of the housing (82).

6. The lid opening device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The second space (24) is a small environment of the cleanroom equipment.

7. A component (10) for cleanroom equipment, comprising: -Chip box (80), including: ● A housing (82) defining an interior (88) for receiving a wafer and having a housing opening (86); and ● Box lid (84), configured to close the box opening (86); and -The lid opening device (12) according to any one of the preceding claims 1-6.

8. The component according to claim 7, wherein, The wafer cassette (80) includes a FOUP.

9. A method for opening and cleaning a wafer cassette (80), comprising: - Provide a wafer cassette (80) including a housing (82) defining a housing interior (88) for receiving a wafer and having a housing opening (86), the wafer cassette (80) further including a housing cover (84) for closing the housing opening (86), wherein the housing interior includes a first gas; -The cover (84) is moved to the open position relative to the housing (82) by means of the cover opening device (12) according to any one of claims 1-6 to open the wafer cassette (80); and - The interior of the box (88) is purified by blowing a curtain jet (40) of purifying gas into the box (88) while moving the curtain jet (40) in a horizontal direction. The curtain jet is orthogonal to the horizontal plane of the wafer and substantially along the entire height of the box opening, wherein the first gas inside the box is substantially purged as the curtain jet moves from the first lateral side of the wafer box to the second lateral side of the wafer box.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The purification is performed at least during the movement of the lid (84), wherein the movement of the curtain jet (40) along the entire width or height of the box opening (86) and the movement of the lid (84) are linked.

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