Packaging material, packaging method and transport method for transporting items between clean rooms

Abstract

To provide a packing material, a packing method, and a conveying method that enable conveying objects between clean rooms at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness of the objects to be conveyed, which are FOUP or FOSB.SOLUTION: A packing material for packing objects to be conveyed between clean rooms is characterized in that it is a packing material for packing objects to be conveyed that is FOUP or FOSB in conveyance between clean rooms that are made into a clean atmosphere in a semiconductor plant, and includes a dustproof and moisture-proof dust-free cloth.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging material (cover) for packaging a FOUP or FOSB to be transported between clean rooms, a packaging method, and a transport method. [Background technology]

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing plants, for example in the process of manufacturing semiconductor wafers, strict control is exercised over particle and other dust particles, as well as contamination by metal impurities. For this reason, the final inspection and packaging process immediately before shipping must be carried out in a clean room where particle and metal contamination are strictly controlled.

[0003] In these clean rooms, particle and metal contamination are strictly controlled, and workers who work in the clean rooms wear dust-free clothing (clean suits) made from special dust-free cloth, cover their mouths and noses with masks, and wear plastic gloves on their hands, taking measures to minimize dust generation from the human body, and in the most stringent work areas, the number of people entering the clean room is limited and managed, and the number of people entering the work area is also limited to control particle and metal contamination. In addition, only special items (pens and paper) are brought into the clean room, and dust generation measures are taken for PCs and printers.

[0004] In semiconductor factories, processes are not necessarily connected by clean rooms, and various items are transported across rooms (clean rooms) depending on the area, across floors (clean rooms) depending on the floor, or across buildings (clean rooms). For example, in the case of semiconductor wafers, they are stored and transported between processes in Front Opening Unified Pods (FOUPs), and the dimensions and materials of FOUPs are specified in detail by SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Material International) standards. In addition, when semiconductor material manufacturers ship and transport semiconductor wafers, which are the raw material, they are stored in Front Opening Unified Pods (FOSBs). Opening The details of the FOSB are specified in detail by the SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Material International) standard.

[0005] There is no problem transporting FOUPs and FOSBs between clean rooms within a semiconductor factory if a clean tunnel or clean elevator is available; however, if there is no clean tunnel or clean elevator, or if the FOUP or FOSB is being moved between buildings (clean rooms), it is necessary to package the FOUP or FOSB in a plastic bag.

[0006] Patent Document 1 describes a method and material for packaging items to be brought into a clean room, specifically, a packaging device for manufacturing semiconductor devices.

[0007] Patent Document 2 describes a dust-free garment worn when working in a clean room.

[0008] Patent Document 3 describes a temporary dustproof tent used when performing piping and wiring work in a clean room, and a work method therefor.

[0009] Patent Document 4 describes a double clean transport carrier for transporting an object into a clean room.

[0010] Patent Document 5 describes fibers used in dust-free clothing worn in clean rooms and a method for producing the dust-free clothing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-208708 [Patent Document 2] JP 2001-303314 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2003-004274 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2004-150674 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2014-070305 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] In the past, when transporting FOUP or FOSB between clean rooms in semiconductor factories, the transported items were wrapped in plastic bags and transported from the clean room to the clean room through the general outdoor air environment. These plastic bags are made by processing plastic materials that do not generate dust in the clean room into sheets and forming them into bags, and the opening of the bag is sealed with a heat sealer to seal the transported items. Even in the general outdoor air environment outside the clean room, the transported items, which are FOUP or FOSB, are transported protected from particles (dust) and metal impurities contained in the outdoor air by being sealed in plastic bags. In addition, when more strict management is required, these plastic bags are wrapped twice, and one layer (the outer packaging) of the double packaging is broken in a room (cushion room) adjacent to the clean room with a lower cleanliness level than the clean room, and the transported items wrapped in the inner packaging are brought into the clean room, and the transported items are taken out of the plastic bags in the clean room. In this case, the transported items are wrapped in one or more layers in a clean room before transport, and the wrapping is torn in the clean room after transport to take out the transported items. In addition, one or more layers of resin bags are required as packaging materials, and in order to bring them into the clean room, it is necessary to use materials with low dust generation, moisture-proof materials that are not affected by the humidity of the outside air and prevent both moisture permeation and moisture absorption, or materials that have been specially processed, such as coating or lamination, to exhibit low dust generation and moisture resistance, but these are very expensive materials. Although the packaging materials used here are very expensive, they are torn when the transported items are taken out as described above, so they are discarded after use. In addition, after the transported items are placed in these resin bags, high costs are a problem, such as the need for a device to heat-seal the opening of the bag and the need to secure a work area to seal them. Furthermore, clean tunnels and clean elevators can be installed to connect clean rooms, but this requires even more capital investment.

[0013] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has an object to provide a packaging material, a packaging method, and a transport method that make it possible to transport a FOUP or FOSB, which is a transport item, between clean rooms at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness of the transported item. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a packaging material for packaging an object to be transported between clean rooms having a clean atmosphere in a semiconductor factory, the packaging material being characterized in that the packaging material includes a dust-free cloth having dust-proof and moisture-proof properties.

[0015] The packaging material of the present invention, made of dust-proof and moisture-proof dust-free cloth, can serve as a packaging material (cover) that protects a FOUP or FOSB being transported from dust generation, particles (dust) contained in the outside air, dust from metal contaminants, and moisture. By using the packaging material of the present invention as a packaging material for packaging an object being transported between clean rooms, it becomes possible to transport the FOUP or FOSB between clean rooms while maintaining a high level of cleanliness for the object being transported.

[0016] In addition, the packaging material of the present invention made of dust-free cloth is washable, and when it becomes dirty with dust, it can be washed and reused. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of materials and labor required for packaging in plastic packaging bags that are discarded after use, and in some cases, it may also be possible to reduce the need for cushion rooms and air showers.

[0017] In other words, the packaging material of the present invention makes it possible to transport a FOUP or FOSB between clean rooms at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness for the transported item.

[0018] The present invention also provides a method for packaging an object to be transported between clean rooms having a clean atmosphere in a semiconductor factory, the method comprising packaging the object, which is a FOUP or FOSB, using a packaging material including a dust-free cloth having dust-proof and moisture-proof properties.

[0019] In the packaging method of the present invention, the FOUP or FOSB is packaged in a packaging material made of dust-free cloth having dust-proof and moisture-proof properties, thereby protecting the FOUP or FOSB from dust generation, dust from metal contaminants, and moisture. By transporting the packaged item in this manner, it becomes possible to transport the FOUP or FOSB between clean rooms while maintaining a high level of cleanliness of the FOUP or FOSB. Furthermore, the packaging material of the present invention made of dust-free cloth is washable, and when it becomes dirty with dust, it can be washed and reused.

[0020] In other words, if an item is packed using the packaging method of the present invention and then transported, it becomes possible to transport the item, which is a FOUP or FOSB, between clean rooms at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness of the item.

[0021] The present invention also provides a method for transporting an object between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory, the clean room being provided with a clean atmosphere, the method comprising the steps of: The present invention also provides a method for transporting an article between clean rooms, which comprises packaging the article by the packaging method of the present invention and transporting the packaged article between the clean rooms.

[0022] In the transport method of the present invention, a FOUP or FOSB is packaged by the packaging method of the present invention and then the packaged item is transported between clean rooms, so that the FOUP or FOSB can be transported between clean rooms at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness for the FOUP or FOSB. Effect of the Invention

[0023] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a packaging material (cover) that can package a FOUP or FOSB transported item between clean rooms, protect it from particles and dust containing metal impurities contained in the outside air, moisture, etc., and transport the item at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness, without using expensive disposable resin packaging materials and packaging equipment, workers who tear the packaging and packaging bags, or equipment such as expensive clean tunnels and clean elevators that have been used in the past, a packaging method using such a packaging material, and a transport method. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a packaging material of the present invention and an example of its use. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a process for preparing wafers for shipment, including an example of a transport method of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a part of an example of a conveying method of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a packaging material-free transport vehicle. [Diagram 5] 11 is a graph showing the difference in particle count before and after transportation in an example and a comparative example. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a conventional wafer shipping preparation process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] As described above, when transporting FOUP or FOSB items between clean rooms, it has been necessary to either individually package the items or install clean spaces such as clean tunnels or clean elevators. This requires a great deal of cost and effort from workers, so there is a need to be able to transport items simply and at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness.

[0026] As a result of extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have discovered that by using a packaging material containing a dust-free cloth having dust-proof and moisture-proof properties as a packaging material for packaging a FOUP or FOSB, the transported object can be transported between clean rooms easily and at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness of the transported object, and have completed the present invention.

[0027] That is, the present invention relates to a packaging material for packaging an object, such as a FOUP or FOSB, between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory that have a clean atmosphere, the packaging material including a dust-free cloth that is dust-proof and moisture-proof.

[0028] The present invention also relates to a method for packaging an object between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory, the method comprising packaging the object, which is a FOUP or FOSB, in a packaging material including a dust-free cloth having dust-proof and moisture-proof properties when the object is transported between clean rooms having a clean atmosphere in the semiconductor factory.

[0029] The present invention also provides a method for transporting an object between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory, the method comprising the steps of: The method for transporting an article between clean rooms includes packaging the article by the packaging method of the present invention, and transporting the packaged article between the clean rooms.

[0030] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0031] [Packing materials] First, an example of the packaging material of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0032] In FIG. 1, a FOSB 3 is packaged in a packaging material 1 of the present invention and placed on a transport platform 4 with a packaging material (cover).

[0033] The packaging material 1 of the present invention includes a dust-free cloth having dust-proof and moisture-proof properties. The packaging material 1 shown in FIG.

[0034] When workers work in a clean room, they wear dust-free work clothes made of dust-free cloth that reduces dust generation as much as possible. In addition, the sweat of workers contains sodium chloride and magnesium chloride, and in order to prevent this sweat from turning into water vapor and being released to the outside of the dust-free work clothes, the dust-free cloth used in the dust-free work clothes is a dust-proof cloth that has been moisture-proofed to prevent both moisture transmission and moisture absorption. For example, dust-free work clothes have a moisture-proof material applied or laminated on the inside of the dust-proof work clothes to prevent moisture absorption and moisture transmission. Due to these effects, even if people work in a clean room, the generation of particles and metal impurities can be kept to a minimum.

[0035] When transporting the transported item 3, which is a FOUP or FOSB, between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory with a clean atmosphere, the packaging material (cover) 1 of the present invention, made from dust-free cloth used in dust-free work clothes, is used as a packaging material (cover) that protects the transported item 3 from dust generation, dust from metal contaminants, and moisture, making it possible to transport the transported item 3, which is a FOUP or FOSB, between clean rooms while maintaining a high level of cleanliness.

[0036] The dust-free cloth can be, for example, a cloth made of polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, polyolefin fibers, or polyacrylic fibers. Furthermore, by mixing these fibers with fibers containing a substance with an antistatic effect, it is possible to prevent the entire packaging material (cover) 1 from becoming charged, and prevent dust from adhering due to static electricity.

[0037] The fastening member 2 for opening and closing the packaging material (cover) 1 is not particularly limited, but a fastener can be used more preferably than adhesive tape or Velcro (registered trademark) because it can prevent the adhesive strength from decreasing and has excellent airtightness and dustproofness. From the viewpoint of metal contamination in the semiconductor manufacturing process, a resin fastener is optimal.

[0038] [Packing and transportation methods] Next, examples of the packaging method and the conveying method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the shipping container FOSB is processed in the following order: FOSB receiving process, FOSB cleaning process, FOSB assembly process, FOSB inspection process, and FOSB shipping process. After these FOSB processes, from receiving to shipping, are carried out in clean room A, wafers that pass the wafer inspection process are transported to the shipping and organization process where they are stored in FOSBs. If the shipping and organization process is within clean room A, there is no problem because the FOSB is transported from the FOSB shipping process to the shipping and organization process within clean room A. However, if the shipping and organization process is in clean room B, which is different from clean room A, the FOSB must first be transported to an outside air environment that is not a clean room.

[0040] Conventionally, before being shipped from clean room A, FOSBs were individually wrapped in plastic bags (FOSB wrapping process), and then they were loaded onto a transport cart and transported to clean room B. When entering clean room B, the plastic bags were torn, the FOSBs were removed, and the FOSBs were placed in clean room B (FOSB wrapping removal process). This flow is shown in Figure 6. In the flow shown in Figure 6, one plastic bag was always required for one FOSB, regardless of the distance it was transported, and the bags were discarded after use in clean room B. This required a lot of cost and labor from workers. Also, when clean rooms A and B are close to each other or on upper and lower floors, it is possible to connect them with a clean tunnel or clean elevator, but this requires a highly clean space and an automatic FOSB transport system that does not generate dust, which is extremely expensive.

[0041] On the other hand, in the example of the packaging method of the present invention shown in Fig. 2, in the FOSB shipping process, FOSBs that have passed the FOSB inspection process are packaged using packaging material containing dust-proof and moisture-proof dust-free cloth. Then, in the example of the transport method of the present invention shown in Fig. 2, the FOSBs packaged in this manner are transported between clean rooms A and B.

[0042] The method of transporting using the packaging material (cover) is not particularly limited, but for example, the FOSB 3 can be transported between clean rooms using a transport cart 4 with a packaging material (cover) as shown in FIG. 1. The transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) is, for example, a transport cart having a shelf-like platform with a top plate, a bottom plate, and one or more plates arranged between four pillars, and a moving means such as casters installed on the platform. In the example of FIG. 1, the transport cart 4 is packed in a state in which the top and bottom surfaces and four side surfaces are wrapped with the packaging material (cover) 1. The packaging material 1 is provided with a fastener 2 that can be engaged with the periphery of the side surface in the longitudinal direction. The fastener 2 is opened, and the FOSB 3 is placed on the shelf of the transport cart 4, and the fastener 2 is closed when the FOSB 3 is transported between the clean rooms A and B.

[0043] In the packaging and transporting methods of the present invention, the FOSB 3 is packaged in packaging material 1 including dust-free cloth that has dust-proof and moisture-proof properties, and the FOSB 3 packaged in this manner is transported between clean rooms. This makes it possible to transport the FOSB 3 between clean rooms A and B while maintaining a high level of cleanliness, without using a work area or expensive equipment such as an expensive clean tunnel or clean elevator.

[0044] In addition, the packaging material 1 of the present invention made of dust-free cloth is washable, and when it becomes dirty with dust, it can be washed and reused. In other words, there is no need to dispose of the packaging material 1, and it is possible to transport the FOSB 3 at low cost, saving the costs and labor required for disposal in the past.

[0045] 1, one FOSB 3 is placed on the transport cart 4, but multiple FOSBs 3 can also be placed on the transport cart 4. In the present invention, the FOSBs 3 can be transported while maintaining a high level of cleanliness without having to be individually wrapped as in the past, which further reduces costs.

[0046] The FOSB 3 transported to the clean room B is transported to the shipping and organization process described above within the clean room, and then transported to the shipping and packaging process and the shipping process in this order.

[0047] The shipping and packaging process involves attaching FOSB accessories, attaching labels, and packaging the FOSB 3 assembled in the previous shipping and organization process based on customer packaging specifications, and finally inspecting the number and position of labels, as well as the condition of the packaging, such as whether it is single-layered, double-layered, and the material, etc.

[0048] The shipping process involves packaging the FOSBs 3 that were packaged and inspected in the shipping packaging process in the packaging format (cardboard, container, number of FOSBs packaged, etc.) based on the customer's shipping specifications, transferring the packaged FOSBs 3 to a truck, and shipping the FOSBs 3 containing the wafers. EXAMPLES

[0049] The present invention will be specifically described below using examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0050] (Example) The process proceeds based on the flow chart in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 shows a part of an example of a transportation method using the packaging material (cover) of the present invention.

[0051] 3 shows a clean room A10, a cushion room 20, and a general work room 30. The clean room A10 and the cushion room 20 are connected with a first air shower room 40 in between. The cushion room 20 and the general work room 30 are connected with a second air shower room 50 in between.

[0052] According to the flow in Figure 2, FOSBs that have been cleaned in the FOSB cleaning process, assembled in the FOSB assembly process, and inspected in the FOSB inspection process are prepared in clean room A10.

[0053] These FOSBs are placed on a transport cart within the clean room A10 (similar to the transport cart 5 without packaging material shown in FIG. 4). The clean room side doors 11 and 12 of the first air shower room 40 are opened, and the transport cart 5 within the clean room moves from the clean room A10 to the first air shower room 40. The first air shower room 40 has doors 11 and 12 on the clean room A10 side and doors 21 and 22 on the cushion room 20 side, but these are set not to open at the same time. Also, when the doors 11 and 12 on the clean room A10 side are open, the air shower in the first air shower room 40 does not operate, but when the doors 21 and 22 on the cushion room side are open, the air shower operates.

[0054] Next, a transport cart 4 with a packaging material (cover) attached, to which a packaging material 1 made of a dust-free polyester cloth as shown in FIG. 1 is attached, is prepared in the general work room 30 connected to the clean room A10. The packaging material 1 has a fastener 2 that can be fastened to the periphery of the longitudinal side. Nothing is placed inside the prepared transport cart 4 with a packaging material (cover). With the doors 31 and 32 on the general work room 30 side of the second air shower room 50 open, the transport cart 4 with a packaging material (cover) is moved from the doors 31 and 32 on the general work room 30 side of the second air shower room 50 to the second air shower room 50. When the doors 31 and 32 on the general work room 30 side are closed, the air shower in the second air shower room 50 is activated. When the operation of the air shower is completed, the doors 23 and 24 on the cushion room side of the second air shower room 50 are opened. Next, the transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover) is moved from the second air shower room 50 to the cushion room 20. Next, when the movement is completed, the cushion room side doors 23 and 24 of the second air shower room 50 are closed. Next, the cushion room 20 side doors 21 and 22 of the first air shower room 40 are opened from the cushion room 20 side. The transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover) that has moved to the cushion room 20 is brought into close contact with the openings of the cushion room side doors 21 and 22 of the first air shower room 40 as shown in FIG. 3. In this state, the open sides of the doors 21 and 22 on the cushion room 20 side of the first air shower room 40 are in close contact with the side of the packaging material 1 of the transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover) where the fastener 2 is located. In this state, the fastener 2 of the transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover) is opened, and the FOSB that has been placed on the transport cart 5 in the clean room for the FOSB shipping process that has been prepared is transferred to the transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover).

[0055] After the transfer is completed, the fastener 2 of the transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) is closed, and the transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) is retreated from near the cushion room side doors 21 and 22 of the first air shower room 40 to near the center of the cushion room 20.

[0056] Next, the open doors 21 and 22 on the cushion room 20 side of the first air shower room 40 are closed. In the first air shower room 40, only the intra-cleanroom transport cart 5 after transfer is present, and as soon as the doors 21 and 22 are closed, the air shower is activated and the air inside the first air shower room 40 is replaced with air of the same cleanliness as that of the clean room A10.

[0057] After the air shower operation is completed, the clean room side doors 11 and 12 of the first air shower room 40 open, and the intra-clean room transport cart 5 is moved from the first air shower room 40 into the clean room A10, and the clean room side doors 11 and 12 of the first air shower room 40 are closed.

[0058] This completes the transfer of the FOSB to the packaging (cover) equipped transport cart 4. In the cushion room 20, there is the packaging (cover) equipped transport cart 4 on which the FOSB 3 is placed and stored, as shown in FIG.

[0059] Next, the transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover) attached and the FOSB 3 placed thereon is moved to the second air shower room 50 and the general work room 30 in the reverse order to the above.

[0060] From the general work room 30, the products are transported through a corridor to a general work room and a cushion room connected to the clean room B, which has a shipping and organization process. In this embodiment, the clean room B and the general work room and cushion room connected thereto are arranged in the same manner as shown in Fig. 3. The following description will be given with reference to Fig. 3 again.

[0061] In clean room B10, an empty cleanroom transport cart (similar to the packaging-free transport cart 5 in Figure 4) is prepared, the cleanroom side doors 11 and 12 of the first air shower room 40 are opened, the cleanroom transport cart 5 moves from clean room B10 to the first air shower room 40, the empty cleanroom transport cart 5 waits in the first air shower room 40, and the cleanroom side doors 11 and 12 of the first air shower room 40 are closed.

[0062] Next, in order to transport the FOSB from the clean room A, the transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover) attached, on which the FOSB 3 from the clean room A is placed and stored, is moved from the doors 31 and 32 on the general work room side to the second air shower room 50, with the doors 31 and 32 on the general work room side of the second air shower room 50 on the clean room B side being open. When the doors 31 and 32 on the general work room side are closed, the air shower in the second air shower room 50 is activated. When the air shower operation is completed, the cushion room side doors 23 and 24 of the second air shower room 50 are opened. Next, the transport cart 4 with the packaging material (cover) is moved from the second air shower room 50 to the cushion room 20. Next, when the movement is completed, the cushion room side doors 23 and 24 of the second air shower room 50 are closed.

[0063] Next, the doors 21 and 22 on the cushion room 20 side of the first air shower room 40 are opened from the cushion room 20 side. The transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) that has been moved to the cushion room 20 is brought into close contact with the open parts of the cushion room side doors 21 and 22 of the first air shower room 40 as shown in FIG. 3. In this state, the open surfaces of the doors 21 and 22 on the cushion room 20 side of the first air shower room 40 are in close contact with the surface of the packaging material 1 of the transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) where the fastener 2 is located. In this state, the fastener 2 of the transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) is opened, and the FOSB 3 is transferred to the intra-clean room transport cart 5 prepared in the clean room B10. After the transfer of the FOSB 3 is completed, the fastener 2 of the transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) is closed, and the transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) is evacuated from the vicinity of the cushion room side doors 21 and 22 of the first air shower room 40 to the vicinity of the center of the cushion room 20.

[0064] Next, the open doors 21 and 22 on the cushion room 20 side of the first air shower room 40 are closed. In the first air shower room 40, only the intra-cleanroom transport cart 5 after transfer is present, and as soon as the doors 21 and 22 are closed, the air shower is activated and the air inside the first air shower room 40 is replaced with air of the same cleanliness as that of the clean room B10.

[0065] After the air shower operation is completed, the clean room side doors 11 and 12 of the first air shower room 40 open, and the intra-clean room transport cart 5 is moved from the first air shower room 40 into the clean room B10, and the clean room side doors 11 and 12 of the first shower room 40 are closed.

[0066] This completes the transfer of the FOSB 3 to the clean room transport cart 5. In the cushion room 20, there is the transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) that has been emptied after the FOSB was transported, and this transport cart 4 with packaging material (cover) is moved to the clean room A to transport another FOSB.

[0067] (Comparative Example) The process proceeds based on the flow in Fig. 6. In the FOSB packaging process in Fig. 6, the FOSB 3 is packaged twice in a polyethylene bag 6 as shown in Fig. 4, and in the FOSB packaging removal process, the outer packaging is torn and removed in the cushion room 20 in Fig. 3, and the inner packaging is torn and removed in the clean room B10. The transportation between the clean rooms A and B was also performed according to the same flow as in the embodiment, except that the transport cart 5 without the packaging material (cover) in Fig. 4 was used.

[0068] (result) Based on the above-described transfer methods of the embodiment and the comparative example, 25 300 mmφ polished wafers were prepared for transfer evaluation, and the particle levels before and after transfer were measured using a KLA particle counter S. P2, the average number of particles of 46 nm or more per wafer was calculated, and the difference in the number of particles before and after transportation was normalized and compared between the embodiment and the comparative example. FIG. 5 shows the increase in the number of particles in the embodiment and the comparative example when the increase in the number of particles in the comparative example is set to 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the embodiment had the same results as the comparative example, and was at an acceptable level. In addition, as shown in Table 1 below, a surface inspection was performed on the wafer surface for stains, cloudiness, and haze, but no abnormalities such as stains, cloudiness, and haze on the wafer surface due to changes in temperature and humidity in the outside air environment were confirmed in either the embodiment or the comparative example.

[0069] [Table 1]

[0070] From the above results, it can be seen that in the Example in which packaging and transportation were performed using the packaging material of the present invention, the FOSBs could be transported while maintaining a high level of cleanliness, similar to the Comparative Example in which the conventional packaging and transportation method was used, without the need to provide an additional highly clean space to connect clean rooms A and B. Also, in the Comparative Example, the FOSBs were transported in double polyethylene bags, and the bags had to be torn and discarded after transportation, which resulted in a higher cost than in the Example.

[0071] In addition, packaging and transportation were performed in the same manner as in the above embodiment, except that the transported object was changed from a FOSB to a FOUP. As a result, even if the transported object was a FOUP, by using the packaging material of the present invention for packaging and transportation, the FOUP could be transported while maintaining a high level of cleanliness.

[0072] These facts show that by using the packaging material of the present invention to pack and transport a FOUP or FOSB, the FOUP or FOSB can be transported between clean rooms easily and at low cost while maintaining a high level of cleanliness of the FOUP or FOSB.

[0073] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and anything that has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea described in the claims of the present invention and exhibits similar effects is included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS: 1...packaging material, 2...fastening member (fastener), 3...transported item (FOSB), 4...transport cart with packaging material (cover), 5...transport cart without packaging material (transport cart inside clean room), 6...plastic bag, 10...clean room (clean rooms A and B), 11 and 12...clean room side door, 20...cushion room, 21 and 22...cushion room side door of first air shower room, 23 and 24...cushion room side door of second air shower room, 30...general work room, 31 and 32...general work room side door, 40...first air shower room, 50...second air shower room.

Claims

1. A packaging material for packaging an object to be transported between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory, such as a FOUP or FOSB, together with a part of a movable transport cart while the object is placed on the transport cart, the packaging material comprising a dust-free cloth that is dust-proof and moisture-proof.

2. A method for packaging an object to be transported between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory, the method comprising the steps of: transporting an object, such as a FOUP or FOSB, between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory, the method comprising the steps of placing the object on a movable transport cart and packaging the object together with a part of the transport cart using packaging material including a dust-proof and moisture-proof dust-free cloth.

3. A method for transporting an object between clean rooms in a semiconductor factory, the method comprising the steps of: A method for transporting an article between clean rooms, comprising packaging the article by the packaging method according to claim 2, and transporting the packaged article between the clean rooms.

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