Lateral storage pod, equipment front end module, and method for processing substrates

Abstract

To provide an improved system, apparatus and method for controlling the environmental conditions of a substrate during processing.SOLUTION: An electronic device processing system with a side storage pod 144, comprises chambers 302 and 304 housing side storage containers 310 and 312, a panel 216 having a panel opening and coupled between the side storage containers and equipment front-end module EFEM 114, side storage container housed in the chamber, and exhaust conduits 230 and 234 coupled to the housed side storage container and extending out of the chamber.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3B

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 15 / 632,074 (Attorney Docket No. 25135 / USA), filed June 23, 2017, entitled "SIDE STORAGE PODS, EQUIPMENT FRONT END MODULES, AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING SUBSTRATES," which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to electronic device manufacturing, and more particularly to systems and methods for processing substrates. [Background technology]

[0003] Electronic device manufacturing systems can include multiple processing chambers arranged around a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber and one or more load lock chambers configured to deliver substrates into the transfer chamber. These systems can employ, for example, a transfer robot that can be housed within the transfer chamber. The transfer robot can be a selectively compliant articulated robot arm (SCARA) robot or the like and can be adapted to transfer substrates between various chambers and one or more load lock chambers. For example, the transfer robot can transfer substrates from processing chamber to processing chamber, from the load lock chamber to processing chamber, or vice versa.

[0004] Processing of substrates in the manufacture of semiconductor components is performed in multiple tools, where the substrates are moved between tools in substrate carriers (e.g., Front Opening Unified Pods, or FOUPs). Exposure of the substrates to certain environmental conditions during processing can damage the substrates. For example, exposure to moisture during substrate processing can cause acid to form on the substrate, which can degrade or destroy parts fabricated on the substrate.

[0005] Therefore, improved systems, apparatus, and methods for controlling the environmental conditions of a substrate during processing are desirable. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one aspect, a lateral storage pod is provided. The lateral storage pod comprises: a first chamber configured to receive the lateral storage bin; a panel having a panel first side, a panel second side, and a panel opening extending between the panel first side and the panel second side, the panel first side configured to be coupled to the first chamber, the panel opening being adjacent to the first chamber, and the second panel second side configured to be coupled to an equipment front end module; a side enclosure housed in the first chamber, the side enclosure having a plurality of vertically spaced substrate holders, each configured to support a substrate; an exhaust conduit configured to be coupled to the housed side housing and extending out of the first chamber; Equipped with.

[0007] In another aspect, an electronic device processing system is provided, comprising: an instrument front end module including an instrument front end module chamber having one or more boundary openings; a side storage pod having one or more chambers, each of the one or more chambers configured to receive a side storage container; Each of the one or more chambers comprises: a panel opening located adjacent to one boundary opening of the one or more boundary openings; an interior door having an open state that allows gas flow through the boundary opening and the panel opening, and a closed state that prevents gas flow through the boundary opening and the panel opening; an exhaust conduit configured to be coupled to a side enclosure housed in one or more chambers; a lateral storage pod having one or more chambers, Equipped with.

[0008] In yet another aspect, a lateral storage bin is provided, the lateral storage bin comprising: an interior configured to house one or more substrates; a pod opening through which one or more substrates can be received; an exhaust duct coupled thereto; an exhaust port coupled to an exhaust duct; Equipped with The pod opening is configured to align with a panel opening in a panel coupled to the side storage bin, and the interior door is receivable in the panel opening.

[0009] Numerous other aspects are provided by these and other embodiments of the present disclosure. Other features and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the claims, and the accompanying drawings.

[0010] The drawings described below are for illustrative purposes and are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic top view of an electronic device processing system including a lateral storage pod, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2A] 1 illustrates a front view of an equipment front end module (hereinafter EFEM) including a side storage pod coupled to the EFEM, according to an embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 10 illustrates an isometric view of a side storage pod coupled to an EFEM, according to an embodiment. [Figure 3A] FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of a side storage pod coupled to an EFEM with a side wall of the side storage pod removed, according to an embodiment. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1 illustrates a partial isometric view of a side storage pod coupled to an EFEM with the side walls, top wall, and door of the side storage pod removed, according to an embodiment. [Figure 3C] 10 illustrates a partial isometric view of a securing arrangement configured to retain a side storage container within a chamber of a side storage pod, according to an embodiment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the interface between an EFEM and a side storage pod, according to an embodiment. [Figure 4B] 10 shows a cross-sectional side view of a seal between a door and a chamber according to an embodiment. [Figure 5A] 10 illustrates a top view of a platform that holds a side storage bin inside a chamber of a side storage pod, according to an embodiment. [Figure 5B] 5B shows a side view of the platform of FIG. 5A, according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exhaust conduit and an exhaust control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 illustrates an isometric view of a side storage pod coupled to an EFEM with the upper interior door in an open position and the lower interior door in a closed position, according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views. Unless otherwise stated, the features of the various embodiments described herein may be combined with each other.

[0013] Electronic device manufacturing can involve highly precise processing of substrates and very rapid transfer of substrates between various locations. Specifically, existing systems can transfer substrates between substrate carriers and load locks and then into processing chambers, or vice versa. However, there can be periods during or after processing when the substrates are idle. During these idle periods, the substrates can be exposed to relatively high humidity, high oxygen (O) levels, and / or other environmental conditions that can adversely affect the substrates.

[0014] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, electronic device processing systems and methods are provided that are adapted to provide improved substrate processing. The systems and methods described herein may provide improved efficiency and / or processing during substrate processing by controlling the exposure of substrates to the environment, specifically, the conditions inside a side storage pod coupled to an EFEM. One or more side storage pods are configured to be accommodated within the side storage pod and include substrate holders (e.g., shelves) that accommodate substrates during processing periods, such as idle periods, before substrate processing, and / or after substrate processing. Gas can flow from the EFEM into the side storage pods, where the gas passes over the substrates. Thus, the substrates are exposed to gas inside the EFEM, which may have certain environmental conditions, such as being relatively dry and / or having relatively low O2 levels. After passing by the substrates, the gas is exhausted from the side storage pods.

[0015] Further details of exemplary embodiments of lateral storage pods, systems including lateral storage pods, and methods of processing substrates within lateral storage pods are described with reference to Figures 1-7 herein.

[0016] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an electronic device processing system 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The electronic device processing system 100 may include a mainframe housing 101 having housing walls defining a transfer chamber 102. A transfer robot 103 (shown as a dotted circle) may be housed at least partially within the transfer chamber 102. The transfer robot 103 may be configured to place or remove a substrate at a target location via manipulation of an arm (not shown) of the transfer robot 103. As used herein, a substrate may refer to an article used to make electronic devices or circuit components, such as a semiconductor wafer, a silicon-containing wafer, a patterned wafer, a glass plate, etc.

[0017] Movement of the various arm components of the transfer robot 103 may be controlled by appropriate commands to a drive assembly (not shown) including multiple drive motors of the transfer robot 103, as commanded by the controller 106. Signals from the controller 106 may cause movement of the various components of the transfer robot 103. An appropriate feedback mechanism may be provided to one or more of the above components by various sensors, such as position encoders, etc.

[0018] The transfer robot 103 may include an arm rotatable about a shoulder axis that may be approximately centered within the transfer chamber 102. The transfer robot 103 may include a base configured to be attached to a housing wall (e.g., floor) that forms the bottom of the transfer chamber 102. However, in some embodiments, the transfer robot 103 may be ceiling-mounted. The transfer robot 103 may be a dual-type robot configured to serve twin chambers (e.g., side-by-side chambers) when the tool includes twin process chambers (as shown). Other types of process chamber orientations and transfer robots may be used.

[0019] The transfer chamber 102 in the illustrated embodiment may be square or slightly rectangular in shape and may include a first facet 102A, a second facet 102B opposite the first facet 102A, a third facet 102C, and a fourth facet 102D opposite the third facet 102C. The transfer robot 103 may be adapted to simultaneously transfer and / or withdraw dual substrates into and from the set of chambers. The first facet 102A, the second facet 102B, the third facet 102C, and the fourth facet 102D may be planar, with an entrance to the set of chambers along each facet. However, other suitable shapes of the mainframe housing 101 and other suitable numbers of facets and processing chambers are possible.

[0020] The target location of the transfer robot 103 may be a first set of processing chambers 108A, 108B coupled to the first facet 102A, which may be configured and operable to perform a process on a substrate provided therein. The process may be any suitable process, such as plasma vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etch, annealing, pre-cleaning, metal or metal oxide removal, etc. Other processes may also be performed on the substrate therein.

[0021] The target position of the transfer robot 103 may be the second set of processing chambers 108C, 108D, which may be opposite the first set of processing chambers 108A, 108B. The second set of processing chambers 108C, 108D may be coupled to the second facet 102B and may be configured to perform any suitable process on the substrate, such as any of the processes described above. Similarly, the target position of the transfer robot 103 may be the third set of processing chambers 108E, 108F, which may be opposite the load lock apparatus 112 coupled to the third facet 102C. The third set of processing chambers 108E, 108F may be configured to perform any suitable process on the substrate, such as any of the processes described above.

[0022] Substrates can be received in the transfer chamber 102 from the EFEM 114 and can also exit the transfer chamber 102 to reach the EFEM 114 through a load lock apparatus 112 coupled to a surface (such as a back wall) of the EFEM 114. The load lock apparatus 112 can include one or more load lock chambers (e.g., load lock chambers 112A, 112B). The load lock chambers 112A, 112B included in the load lock apparatus 112 can be single wafer load lock (SWLL) chambers, multi-wafer chambers, or a combination thereof.

[0023] The EFEM 114 may be any enclosure having sidewall surfaces (e.g., front wall, back wall, sidewalls, top and bottom) that form the EFEM 114C. One or more load ports may be provided on a surface (e.g., front) of the EFEM 114 and configured to receive one or more substrate carriers 116 (e.g., FOUPs) therein. Although three substrate carriers 116 are shown, more or fewer substrate carriers 116 may be docked with the EFEM 114.

[0024] The EFEM 114 may include within its EFEM chamber 114C a suitable load / unload robot 117 (shown in dotted lines) of conventional construction. The load / unload robot 117 may be configured and operable to remove a substrate from the substrate carrier 116 once its door is open and deliver the substrate through the EFEM chamber 114C and into one or more load lock chambers 112A, 112B of the load lock apparatus 112. Optionally, the load / unload robot 117 may be configured and operable to remove a substrate from the substrate carrier 116 once its door is open and deliver the substrate to a lateral storage pod 144 while the substrate is idle awaiting processing. The lateral storage pod 144 is coupled to a sidewall of the EFEM 114. The load / unload robot 117 may be configured to remove and place substrates from and into the lateral storage pods 144 before and after processing in one or more of the processing chambers 108A-108F. In some embodiments, the load / unload robot 117 is a high-Z robot configured to access substrates stacked greater than 26, or even 52 or more, substrates high in the lateral storage pods 144. Any suitable configuration of the load lock apparatus 112 may be used that allows for the transfer of substrates between the transfer chamber 102 and the EFEM chamber 114C.

[0025] In the illustrated embodiment, the EFEM chamber 114C may be provided with environmental controls to provide an environmentally controlled atmosphere therein. Specifically, an environmental control system 118 is coupled to the EFEM 114 and is operable to monitor and / or control environmental conditions within the EFEM chamber 114C. In some embodiments, at certain times, the EFEM chamber 114C may receive therein an inert and / or non-reactive gas, such as argon (Ar), nitrogen (N), or helium (He), from an inert gas supply 118A. In other embodiments, or at other times, air (e.g., filtered, dry air) may be provided from an air supply 118B. The environmental conditions within the EFEM chamber 114C may exist within a side storage pod 144, within a side storage container (310 and 312 in FIG. 3A) located as part of the side storage pod 144.

[0026] More specifically, the environmental control system 118 may control 1) the relative humidity (RH), 2) the temperature (T), 3) the amount of O2, or 4) the amount of inert gas inside the EFEM chamber 114C. Other environmental conditions of the EFEM 114 may be monitored and / or controlled, such as the gas flow rate to the EFEM 114, or the pressure within the EFEM 114, or both.

[0027] In some embodiments, the environmental control system 118 includes a controller 106. The controller 106 may include a processor, memory, and / or electronic components suitable for receiving inputs from various sensors and controlling one or more values ​​to control environmental conditions within the EFEM chamber 114C. In one or more embodiments, the environmental control system 118 may monitor relative humidity (RH) by sensing RH within the EFEM 114 with a relative humidity sensor 130 configured to sense RH. Any suitable type of relative humidity sensor 130 may be used, such as a capacitive sensor. RH may be lowered by flowing an appropriate amount of inert gas into the EFEM chamber 114C from an inert gas supply 118A of the environmental control system 118. As described herein, the inert and / or non-reactive gas from the inert gas supply 118A may be argon, N2, helium, other non-reactive gases, or mixtures thereof. Compressed bulk inert gas with low HO levels (e.g., purity >= 99.9995%, HO < 5 ppm) may be used, for example, as inert gas supply 118A of environmental control system 118. Other HO levels may also be used.

[0028] In other aspects, the environmental control system 118 measures the relative humidity value via the relative humidity sensor 130. As mentioned above, the RH may be lowered by a control signal from the controller 106 to the environmental control system 118 that initiates the flow of an appropriate amount of inert and / or non-reactive gas from the inert gas supply 118A into the EFEM chamber 114C. In one or more embodiments, the predetermined reference relative humidity value may be less than 1000 ppm moisture, less than 500 ppm moisture, or even less than 100 ppm moisture, depending on the level of moisture that is acceptable for the particular process being performed in the electronic device processing system 100 or for the particular substrate being exposed to the environment of the EFEM 114.

[0029] In some embodiments, the environmental control system 118 of the electronic device processing system 100 may include an air supply 118B coupled to the EFEM 114. The air supply 118B may be coupled to the EFEM 114 by appropriate conduits and one or more valves. The environmental control system 118 may include an oxygen sensor 132 configured and adapted to sense the level of oxygen (O) inside the EFEM 114. In some embodiments, a control signal from the controller 106 to the environmental control system 118 causing a flow of inert gas from the inert gas supply 118A into the EFEM chamber 114C in an appropriate amount may occur to control the level of oxygen (O) below a threshold O value. In one or more embodiments, the threshold O value may be less than 50 ppm O, less than 10 ppm O, or even less than 5 ppm O, depending on the O level acceptable (non-quality-affecting) for a particular process being performed in the electronic device processing system 100 or for a particular substrate exposed to the environment of the EFEM 114. The environmental control system 118 may further include a pressure sensor 133 that measures the absolute or relative pressure inside the EFEM 114. In some embodiments, the controller 106 may control the flow of inert gas from the inert gas supply 118A to the EFEM chamber 114C to control the pressure within the EFEM chamber 114C. In some embodiments, an oxygen sensor 132 may sense the oxygen level within the EFEM chamber 114C to ensure that it is above a safety threshold level that allows entry into the EFEM chamber 114C.

[0030] In the embodiments illustrated herein, the controller 106 may be any suitable controller having a suitable processor, memory, and peripheral components adapted to receive control inputs from various sensors (e.g., the relative humidity sensor 130 and / or the oxygen sensor 132) and implement a closed-loop or other suitable control scheme. In one embodiment, the control scheme may vary the flow rate of gas introduced into the EFEM 114 to achieve predetermined environmental conditions therein. In another embodiment, the control scheme may determine when to transfer a substrate into the EFEM 114.

[0031] The lateral storage pod 144 attached to the EFEM 114 may store substrates under specific environmental conditions. For example, the lateral storage pod 144 may store substrates in the same environmental conditions that exist within the EFEM chamber 114C. The lateral storage pod 144 may be fluidly coupled to the EFEM chamber 114C and may receive inert gas from the EFEM 114. Thus, substrates stored within the lateral storage pod 144 are exposed to the same environmental conditions as the EFEM 114. The lateral storage pod 144 may include an exhaust conduit to exhaust gases from the lateral storage pod 144, further enabling substrates stored within the lateral storage pod 144 to be constantly exposed to the same environmental conditions as the EFEM 114. Thus, controlling the environment of the EFEM chamber 114C also controls the environment within the lateral storage pod 144.

[0032] FIG. 2A shows a front view of the EFEM 114 and a side view of one embodiment of a lateral storage pod 144. FIG. 2B shows an isometric view of the lateral storage pod 144. The lateral storage pod 144 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B includes a first wall 200, a second wall 202 opposite the first wall 200, a top wall 204, and a bottom wall 206. The front of the lateral storage pod 144 may include an upper door 210 and a lower door 212. The upper door 210 and the lower door 212 may form seals with the edges of the first wall 200, the second wall 202, the top wall 204, and the bottom wall 206. The upper door 210 and the lower door 212 may be hinged doors including hinges 213 or removable panel doors (e.g., screw-mounted sealed panel doors) that allow access to the interior of the lateral storage pod 144 but are sealed when closed. In some embodiments, a single door may be used in place of the upper door 210 and the lower door 212. Appropriate O-rings, gaskets, or other seals on the upper door 210 and the lower door 212 or their edges may form a hermetic seal for the lateral storage pod 144. In some embodiments, the upper door 210 may form a first sealed compartment that is separate from and sealed separately from a second sealed compartment sealed by the lower door 212. Other types of doors may be used to access the interior of the lateral storage pod 144.

[0033] The lateral storage pod 144 may have a boundary side 215 located opposite the upper door 210 and the lower door 212. A panel 216 having a first side 217 and a second side 218 may be attached to the boundary side 215 of the lateral storage pod 144. In particular, the first side 217 of the panel 216 may be attached to the boundary side 215 of the lateral storage pod 144. The second side 218 of the panel 216 may be attached to a surface 220 located on the exterior of the EFEM 114. The panel 216 may form a sealed interface between the interior of the EFEM 114 and the interior of the lateral storage pod 144, as described below. In some embodiments, the panel 216 may be integrally formed with the lateral storage pod 144 or the EFEM 114.

[0034] As best seen in FIG. 2B , the lateral storage pod 144 can include an upper interior door 222 and a lower interior door 224 that allow or prevent gas flow between the EFEM chamber 114C of the EFEM 114 and the interior of the lateral storage pod 144. The upper interior door 222 and the lower interior door 224 can be panels that slide into and out of a wall (e.g., the second wall 202 as shown or another wall) and / or can be panels 216, described in more detail below. When in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 2B , the upper interior door 222 and the lower interior door 224 can seal the EFEM chamber 114C from the interior of the lateral storage pod 144. The upper and lower interior doors 222, 224, when in the open position, may allow gas flow from the EFEM chamber 114C to the interior of the side enclosures 310, 312 (FIG. 3A) housed within the side storage pod 144. Other configurations of the upper and lower interior doors 222, 224 may be utilized within the side storage pod 144 to provide for selective opening and closing of the side enclosures 310, 312.

[0035] The side storage pod 144 may include an upper interlock 225 and a lower interlock 226 that engage the upper interior door 222 and the lower interior door 224, respectively. The upper interlock 225 may include a latch 227 that can be moved to engage or disengage the upper interior door 222. For example, the latch 227 may normally be in a position that prevents the upper interior door 222 from opening. When certain interlocking conditions, as described herein, are met, the latch 227 is movable or can be moved by a user to allow the upper interior door 222 to open. The lower interlock 226 may include a latch 228 that moves in the same manner as the latch 227. Other interlocking devices may be used to prevent the upper interior door 222 and the lower interior door 224 from opening unless certain conditions are met.

[0036] The side storage pod 144 can include an upper chamber 302 and a lower chamber 304 (FIG. 3A) located therein, which include side enclosures 310, 312, each of which can have an exhaust conduit extending therethrough. The conduits can be coupled to the side enclosures 310, 312 housed therein to exhaust gases from the interiors of the side enclosures 310, 312. The side storage pod 144 illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 3B includes an upper exhaust conduit 230 and a lower exhaust conduit 234. The upper exhaust conduit 230 and the lower exhaust conduit 234 are coupleable to quick connects 301U, 301L (FIG. 3B), allowing the upper side housing 310 and the lower side housing 312 to be quickly removed or housed by the upper chamber 302 and the lower chamber 304, respectively. In some embodiments, the quick connects 301U, 301L may each include a valve (e.g., a check valve or other suitable control valve) capable of regulating gas flow from and quickly shutting off the side housings 310, 312 housed in the side storage pod 144. Optionally, valves configured to regulate gas flow may be located elsewhere downstream from the quick connects 301U, 301L. The side storage pods 144 may have seals 240 (e.g., grommet seals or other suitable seals) positioned between the exhaust conduits 230, 234 and a wall (e.g., second wall 202) to prevent gas from leaking into or out of the side storage pod 144 adjacent the conduits. The exhaust conduits 230, 234 may be routed in other configurations, such as through other walls.

[0037] Reference is now made to Figures 3A and 3B to illustrate one embodiment of the interior of the lateral storage pod 144. Figure 3A illustrates a front view of the EFEM 114 and lateral storage pod 144, with the first wall 200 (Figure 2A) removed to illustrate one embodiment of the interior of the lateral storage pod 144. Figure 3B illustrates an isometric view of the lateral storage pod 144, with the top wall 204, first wall 200, upper door 210, and lower door 212 removed to illustrate one embodiment of the interior of the lateral storage pod 144.

[0038] As shown, the side storage pod 144 includes an upper chamber 302 and a lower chamber 304. However, other embodiments of side storage pods may include a greater number of chambers, e.g., three or more vertically stacked chambers. The upper chamber 302 is configured to receive an upper side storage bin 310, e.g., via an upper door 210. The lower chamber 304 is configured to receive a lower side storage bin 312, e.g., via a lower door 212. A plurality of substrates 335 (shown as breakouts in FIG. 3B ) may be transferred between the upper side storage bin 310 and the EFEM 114, and between the lower side storage bin 312 and the EFEM 114. For example, the load / unload robot 117 may transfer substrates 335 between the EFEM 114 and the upper side housing 310 and between the EFEM 114 and the lower side housing 312 before and / or after processing in one or more of the processing chambers 108A-108F. In some embodiments, the upper side housing 310 and the lower side housing 312 may each accommodate 26 substrates 335. While housing the substrates, the upper side housing 310 and the lower side housing 312 may maintain the substrates under specific environmental conditions. For example, the substrates 335 may be exposed to an inert gas or other gas present within the EFEM 114, as described above. The environmental conditions may be controlled to provide exposure below preselected moisture and / or O2 thresholds or other conditions, as identified above.

[0039] The upper side housing 310 has a front portion 316 and a rear portion 318. The lower side housing 312 has a front portion 320 and a rear portion 322. The front portion 316 of the upper side housing 310 can have an upper flange 324. The front portion 320 of the lower side housing 312 can have a lower flange 326. The upper flange 324 and the lower flange 326 can have seals 327 (e.g., gaskets, O-rings, etc., see FIG. 3C ) around their outer edges that prevent gas from the EFEM 114, the interior of the upper side housing 310, and the interior of the lower side housing 312 from entering the upper chamber 302 and the lower chamber 304.

[0040] The upper flange 324 of the upper side housing 310 and the lower flange 326 of the lower side housing 312 may be secured (e.g., fastened) to the first side 217 of the panel 216 via a securing arrangement 330. Additionally, refer to FIG. 3C for a close-up view of one embodiment of the securing arrangement 330 securing the upper flange 324 of the upper side housing 310 to the first side 217 of the panel 216. The following description of the securing arrangement 330 may apply to all of the securing arrangements 330. The securing arrangement 330 may include a stop 332 and a lip 334. The lip 334 is configured to engage the upper flange 324 of the upper side housing 310. A fastener 336 may pass through a slot 337 in the stop 332 and may be threaded into the panel 216. While the fasteners 336 are tightened, the fasteners 336 may press the upper flange 324 against the first side 217 of the panel 216, thereby securing and sealing the upper side housing 310 to the panel 216.

[0041] When fasteners 336 are loosened, slots 337 allow locking mechanism 330 to move toward and away from upper flange 324. This movement allows locking mechanism 330 to engage upper flange 324 when upper flange 324 is in a different position relative to panel 216. This movement also allows locking mechanism 330 to slide away from upper flange 324, thereby not engaging upper flange 324 and thereby not disengaging fasteners 336. Thus, upper side housing 310 may be moved from panel 216 without removing fasteners 336. Other mechanisms may be used to secure upper side housing 310 and lower side housing 312 to panel 216. In the illustrated embodiment, four securing mechanisms 330 (two per side) may be utilized to secure each of the upper and lower side bins 310, 312. However, other numbers and locations of securing mechanisms 330 may be utilized.

[0042] The upper chamber 302 and the lower chamber 304 may be individually sealed. In particular, the upper chamber 302 may be sealed to prevent gas exchange between the interior of the upper chamber 302 and the exterior of the side storage pod 144. The interior of the upper chamber 302 may also be sealed so that there is no gas exchange with the EFEM chamber 114C. This sealing may further prevent gas exchange between the upper chamber 302 and the lower chamber 304. However, gas may flow from the EFEM chamber 114C into the upper side enclosure 310 and out the upper exhaust conduit 230. Similarly, gas may flow from the EFEM chamber 114C into the lower side enclosure 312 and out the lower exhaust conduit 234.

[0043] FIG. 4A shows a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of an interface between the EFEM 114 and the side storage pod 144. In particular, FIG. 4A shows the interface between the upper side storage bin 310 and the EFEM 114, which may be the same interface as the interface between the lower side storage bin 312 (FIG. 3B) and the EFEM 114. The panel 216 includes a border 400 extending from the first side 217 to engage the front 316 of the upper side storage bin 310. The border 400 extends around the outer edge of a panel opening 402 formed in the panel 216. The panel opening 402 is located adjacent to a border opening 404 provided in the EFEM 114. The upper chamber 302 is shown in a closed state in FIG. 4A, where the upper interior door 222 is positioned adjacent the panel opening 402 to block gas flow between the EFEM chamber 114C and the upper side enclosure 310.

[0044] The boundary 400 can include a door recess 406 extending around the outer edge of the panel opening 402, which receives the upper interior door 222, a door seal 410, and a door guide 412. In other embodiments, the upper interior door 222, the door seal 410, and the door guide 412 can be received in separate recesses. The door seal 410 can be a resilient material that prevents gas from leaking through the upper interior door 222 and / or through any remaining voids when the upper interior door 222 is removed. Thus, the door seal 410 can prevent gas from leaking into the upper chamber 302 and out of the side storage pod 144. The door guide 412 can be made of a material and / or structure that supports the upper interior door 222 in place and presses the upper interior door 222 against the door seal 410. Other seals and door guides may be utilized within the side storage pods 144.

[0045] The upper side housing 310 may have a pod opening 416 located adjacent the panel opening 402, forming a single door to the interior of the upper side housing 310 when the upper interior door 222 is in the open position. The panel opening 402 may be approximately the same size as the pod opening 416. A pod recess 418 may be formed in the upper flange 324 and may extend around the outer edge of the pod opening 416. A pod seal 420 may be housed within the pod recess 418. The pod seal 420 prevents gas from leaking through the boundary of the front 316 of the upper side housing 310 and the boundary 400 of the panel 216. The pod seal 420 may be a flexible material, such as an elastomeric material, that interfaces between the pod recess 418 and the boundary 400. In some embodiments, the pod seal 420 is a flexible tube that can be deformed to form a seal between the pod recess 418 and the interface 400. Other types of seals can be used to seal the upper side bin 310 and the interface 400.

[0046] The second side 218 of the panel 216 may have a panel recess 424 formed in the second side 218 and extending around the outer edge of the panel opening 402. A panel seal 426 may be received in the panel recess 424 to prevent gas exchange between the panel 216 and the surface 220 of the EFEM 114. The panel seal 426 may be a flat seal and may be made of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber. In some embodiments, the panel seal 426 is approximately 11 mm deep and compresses approximately 5.8 mm. Other types of sealing mechanisms and sealing materials may be used to form the seal between the surface 220 and the panel 216.

[0047] The interior of the upper side enclosure 310 may include a plurality of substrate holders 430 configured to support substrates 335 ( FIG. 3B ) thereon. The substrate holders 430 may be vertically stacked shelves formed on the lateral sides of the upper side enclosure 310 and may include a top substrate holder 432 and a bottom substrate holder 434. The substrate holders 430 are spaced apart from one another at regular intervals to allow gas flow around the substrates 335 (e.g., above and below the substrate 325) contained and supported by the substrate holders 430. In particular, gas entering the interior of the upper side enclosure 310 from the EFEM chamber 114 through the panel openings 402, boundary openings 404, and pod openings 416 may flow around the substrates 335 contained by the substrate holders 430. Thus, the substrates 335 are maintained at the same environmental conditions as those present within the EFEM 114.

[0048] The rear 318 of the upper side housing 310 may include an opening 436 connecting the interior of the upper side housing 310 to an exhaust duct 338. The exhaust duct 338 may be configured to provide the above-mentioned gas flow around the substrates 335 housed in the substrate holders 430. The exhaust duct 338 may have a height extending vertically between the top substrate holder 432 and the bottom substrate holder 434. The exhaust duct 338 may have a width corresponding approximately to the width of the substrates 335. For example, the width may be approximately 250 mm to 350 mm for a 300 mm wafer. The exhaust duct 338 may include an exhaust port 440 configured to be coupled to the upper exhaust conduit 230 (FIG. 2B). Thus, gas flow through the interior of the upper side enclosure 310 enters the pod opening 416, passes around the substrate 335 supported by the substrate holder 430, enters the exhaust duct 338 through the opening 436, and is exhausted through the exhaust port 440 and the upper exhaust conduit 230. This airflow configuration allows the substrate 335 housed by the substrate holder 430 to be exposed to the same environmental conditions as the EFEM 114. In some embodiments, the exhaust port 440 is located near the lowest portion of the exhaust duct 338 shown in FIG. 4A.

[0049] The upper side storage bin 310 may rest on a platform 444. The platform 444 may include securing and leveling features coupled thereto. The lower side storage bin 312 (FIG. 3A) may rest on a platform identical to or similar to the platform 444. In some embodiments, the platform 444 is integral with the side storage pod 144, while in other embodiments, the platform 444 is a separate unit attached to some structure within the side storage pod 144. Additional reference is now made to FIG. 5A, which shows a top view of one embodiment of the platform 444, and FIG. 5B, which shows a side view of the platform 444. The platform 444 may include an upper surface 500 on which the upper side storage bin 310 may be placed, and a lower surface 502.

[0050] The platform 444 may include multiple kinematic pins 508 configured to assist in aligning the height of the upper side bins 310. The embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B includes three kinematic pins 508 extending from the top surface 500 to engage the upper side bins 310. Other embodiments may include more than three kinematic pins 508. In some embodiments, the height of the engagement edges of the kinematic pins 508 are adjustable, and thus the height of the engagement edges of the kinematic pins 508 extending from the top surface 500 may be adjusted. Adjusting the height of the three kinematic pins 508 allows for repositioning (e.g., leveling and / or adjusting the height) of the upper side bins 310 relative to the platform 444, and more specifically, relative to the load / unload robot 117 within the EFEM chamber 114C. Each of the kinematic pins 508 may provide height adjustment of approximately 0 mm to 5 mm, or even 0 mm to 2 mm. The kinematic pins 508 may be received in recesses 545 formed in the underside of the upper side bin 310. The kinematic pins 508 may include any suitable edge shape, including tapered, domed, and combinations thereof. Other devices may be utilized to align and / or adjust the height of the upper side bin 310 relative to the platform 444.

[0051] The platform 444 may further include a plurality of platform sensors 514 that generate an electrical signal in response to the seating of the upper side bin 310 on the platform 444. The platform sensors 514 may be any suitable proximity sensor, such as a contact sensor or a non-contact sensor (e.g., a reed sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a force sensitive resistor (FSR) sensor, a magnetic sensor, a micro-contact switch, a roller lever microswitch, a push button switch, etc.). In the embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B, three platform sensors 514 are included, one located near each kinematic pin 508. The platform sensors 514 may be switches that change state when the upper side bin 310 is properly seated on the platform 444 and / or the kinematic pins 508. The state of the platform sensors 514 may be used to provide an engagement signal that determines whether the upper interior door 222 (FIG. 4A) may be opened. Other sensor elements may be utilized to determine whether the upper side bin 310 is properly seated on the platform 444 .

[0052] A securing device 520 may be configured to secure the upper side housing 310 to the platform 444. The securing device 520 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B may include an air cylinder 523 that presses the upper side housing 310 against the upper surface 500 of the platform 444. The securing device 520 may extend through a hole 522 in the platform 444. A tab 526 may engage with an engagement portion 527 formed on the underside of the upper side housing 310. In this case, the air cylinder presses the tab 526 toward the upper surface 500, thereby securing the upper side housing 310 to the platform 444. In some embodiments, the tab 526 is normally in a position that presses the upper side housing 310 against the platform 444 and is disengaged in response to an increase in air pressure on the securing device 520. In some embodiments, a recess 545 on the underside of the upper side housing 310 is forced into contact with the engaging edge of the kinematic pin 508 while the air cylinder 523 is actuated to apply a force to the tab 526 against the engaging portion 527.

[0053] 4A , seal 450 may be disposed between upper door 210 and the wall of upper chamber 302. Similarly, seal 452 may be disposed between lower door 212 and the wall of lower chamber 304. Seal 450 may serve to seal upper door 210 to upper chamber 302, and seal 452 may serve to seal lower door 212 to lower chamber 304. Seal 450 may have the same physical configuration as seal 452.

[0054] 4B, which shows an enlarged, cross-sectional side view of seal 450. Seal 450 may be a valve-type seal and may include an annular portion 453 configured to contact the wall of upper chamber 302. Such contact may compress or deform annular portion 453 to form an airtight seal between the wall and upper door 210. Legs 454 may couple annular portion 453 to a base portion 456, which may be fixed (e.g., glued) to upper door 210. Seal 452 (FIG. 4A) may be of the same configuration as seal 450 and may be fixed to lower door 212. Annular portion 453 may have a diameter of approximately 12 mm and may be compressed to approximately 6 mm. Seals 450 and 452 may be made of EPDM rubber. Other sealing configurations and materials may be used.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an exhaust conduit and an exhaust control device coupled to the exhaust conduit. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 6 depicts the upper and lower chambers 302 and 304 in a side-by-side arrangement. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper exhaust conduit 230 may include a first valve 600 connected in series, and the lower exhaust conduit 234 may include a second valve 602 connected in series. The upper and lower exhaust conduits 230 and 234 may be connectable to a main exhaust conduit 610, which may have a main valve 612 connected in series. The first valve 600 controls gas flow through the upper exhaust conduit 230, and the second valve 602 controls gas flow through the lower exhaust conduit 234. The main valve 612 controls gas flow through the main exhaust conduit 610. A pump 620 may be coupled to the main exhaust conduit 610 for passing gas through the upper exhaust conduit 230 and the lower exhaust conduit 234. The pump 620 may be a vacuum pump that draws gas from the upper exhaust conduit 230 and the lower exhaust conduit 234, and thus the exhaust duct 338. In some embodiments, the controller 106 (FIG. 1) sets the gas flow through the main valve 612 in conjunction with the inlet from the inert gas supply 118A to control the pressure of the gas inside the EFEM chamber 114C. In some embodiments, the absolute pressure inside the EFEM chamber 114C may be, for example, about 1" of HO (250 pa), or up to about 2.5" of HO (625 pa).

[0056] The first valve 600, the second valve 602, the main valve 612, and the pump 620 may be operated by a controller, such as the controller 106, which may open or close the valves and set the absolute pressure of the pump 620. Other exhaust configurations and exhaust controls may be used.

[0057] Having described many of the components of the EFEM 114 and the side storage pod 144, their operation will now be described. The second side 218 of the panel 216 may be secured to the surface 220 of the EFEM 114. This securement causes the panel seal 426 to seal against the sidewall surface 220 of the EFEM 114, preventing gas from escaping from the EFEM chamber 114C. The upper interior door 222 and the lower interior door 224 may be inserted into the panel 216 to prevent gas flow from the EFEM chamber 114C from entering the upper chamber 302 and the lower chamber 304. The EFEM 114 may then be operational, having been sealed from the factory environment outside the upper chamber 302, the lower chamber 304, and the EFEM chamber 114C.

[0058] The following description describes mounting the upper side storage bin 310 within the upper chamber 302 and may also apply to mounting the lower side storage bin 312 within the lower chamber 304. The upper side storage bin 310 may be received within the upper chamber 302 via opening or removing the upper door 210. The upper side storage bin 310 may then be placed adjacent to the upper surface 500 of the platform 444. The kinematic pins 508 may be received within recesses 545 formed in the underside of the upper side storage bin 310. The height of the kinematic pins 508 may be adjusted to raise, lower, and / or align the upper side storage bin 310 with a horizontal surface or the plane of the end effector of the load / unload robot 117. When the upper side housing 310 is properly seated on the platform 444, the upper side housing 310 can toggle the platform sensor 514. The upper flange 324 can be secured to the first side 217 of the panel 216 via a securing mechanism 330. This securement can cause the pod seal 420 to seal against the interface 400, thereby preventing gas from the EFEM chamber 114C from entering the upper chamber 302. The upper exhaust conduit 230 can be secured to the exhaust port 440, such as by a quick connect 301U, and the upper door 210 can be closed. The upper door 210 is now in a closed configuration, and a latch (not shown) or the like can prevent the upper door 210 from being unintentionally opened.

[0059] A controller, such as controller 106, may check for certain interlocks before allowing movement of latch 227 and for upper interior door 222 to be positioned in an open state. The interlocks ensure that platform sensor 514 is in the correct state and that upper door 210 is closed and / or latched. Other interlocks may ensure that upper side bin 310 is adjacent to first side 217 of panel 216, which in turn is adjacent to surface 220 of EFEM 114. Other interlocks may ensure that upper exhaust conduit 230 is coupled to quick connect member 301U. More, fewer, or different interlocks may be utilized. When all interlocks are met, latch 227 is moved or otherwise disengaged to allow removal of upper interior door 222. At or before this time, the controller 106 can open the first valve 600 and the main valve 612 and activate the pump 620. Similarly, the inert gas supply 118A can begin supplying inert gas to the EFEM chamber 114C. In some embodiments, movement of the upper interior door 222 locks the upper door 210 so that the upper door 210 cannot be opened when the upper interior door 222 is in the open position.

[0060] A load / unload robot 117 may move substrates 335 into and out of the substrate holders 430. The load / unload robot 117 may be a high-Z robot that is vertically accessible, high enough to access substrates in the top substrate holder 432 of the upper side storage bin 310 and low enough to access substrates in the bottom substrate holder 434 of the lower side storage bin 312. In some embodiments, substrates 335 are positioned in the upper side storage bin 310 and the lower side storage bin 312 during idle periods of processing.

[0061] Gases from the EFEM chamber 114C flow through the boundary opening 404, the panel opening 402, and the pod opening 416 into the interior of the upper side enclosure 310. Thus, the substrate 335 housed in the substrate holder 430 is exposed to the environmental conditions of the EFEM 114, which are set by the controller 106 as described above. The gases continue to flow into the exhaust duct 338 and out the exhaust ports 440. The gases are exhausted through the upper exhaust conduit 230 and reach the main exhaust conduit 610 via at least the pump 620. In some embodiments, gases passing through the substrate 335 may be contaminated after contacting the substrate 335; therefore, the gases cannot be recirculated into the EFEM 114, but may be diverted to a suitable scrubber.

[0062] At some point, the upper side housing 310, the lower side housing 312, or both may be removed for cleaning, etc. The following description describes removal of the upper side housing 310 and may also apply to removal of the lower side housing 312. The upper interior door 222 is replaced within the panel 216, preventing gas flow from the EFEM 114 from entering the interior of the upper side housing 310. Other removal techniques may be used to remove residual gas from the upper side housing 310. The first valve 600 in series with the upper exhaust conduit 230 may be closed. Replacing the upper interior door 222 allows the upper door 210 to be opened. The upper exhaust conduit 230 may be disconnected from the quick connect 301U, and the locking mechanism 330 may be removed from the upper flange 324. The locking device 520 can be actuated to release the tab 526, and the upper side housing 310 can be removed from the upper chamber 302. A latch 227 can be engaged to prevent the upper interior door 222 from opening during the time that the upper side housing 310 is being removed from the upper chamber 302. For example, the latch 227 can be engaged on the upper interior door 222 in response to the opening of the upper door 210.

[0063] The EFEM 114 may remain operational during removal and replacement of the upper side housing 310. In particular, the upper interior door 222 remains in place, thereby sealing the EFEM 114 from the interior of the upper chamber 302. Similarly, the upper side housing 310 may be operational and accessible by the load / unload robot 117 during removal and replacement of the lower side housing 312.

[0064] 7, which illustrates an isometric view of another embodiment of a side storage pod 144 coupled to an EFEM 114, where an upper interior door 222 is in a partially open position and a lower interior door 224 is in a closed position. Although reference is made to the upper interior door 222, the upper interior door 222 may be identical to the lower interior door 224. The upper interior door 222 may include a handle 700 and an opening 702 that allow a user to grasp the upper interior door 222 and move it into or out of the panel 216.

[0065] The handle 700 may have an internally located recess 710 that receives an upper latch 716 to prevent the upper interior door 222 from being removed from the panel 216 unless certain interlocking conditions are met. The side storage pod 144 may include a lower latch 718 that can be received in a similar recess (not shown) in the lower interior door 224. The lower latch 718 shown in FIG. 7 is received in a recess in the lower interior door 224, thus preventing the lower interior door from being removed from the panel 216 and locking it closed. The upper latch 716 is not received in the recess 710, so the upper interior door 222 is open and can be removed from the panel 216. After the upper interior door 222 is removed, the port 719 is resealed by the door seal 410 and door guide 412 (FIG. 4A). Similarly, in the closed position, port 721, which receives lower interior door 224, is sealed by operation of door seal portion 410 and door guide portion 412 (FIG. 4A).

[0066] The electronic device processing system 100 described herein provides an improved temporary storage location for substrates 335 housed during idle periods during processing. In particular, substrates 335 may be placed into the upper and lower side enclosures 310 and 312 during such idle periods. While the substrates 335 are housed, they are constantly exposed to the environmental conditions of the EFEM 114, as controlled by the controller 106. Gases from the EFEM 114 that enter the interior of the upper and lower side enclosures 310 and 312 can be exhausted and cannot be returned to the EFEM 114. Therefore, any contaminants released by the substrates 335 are not returned to the EFEM 114.

[0067] The side storage pod 144 allows either the upper side storage bin 310 or the lower side storage bin 312, or both, to be removed without disrupting the continued operation of the EFEM 114 or the electronic device processing system 100. For example, the upper interior door 222 may be located within the panel 216 and retained by the upper latch 716. Thus, the upper side storage bin 310 and the upper chamber 302 may be sealed from the EFEM chamber 114C. The upper side storage bin 310 may be removed in this case without disrupting the operation of the EFEM 114.

[0068] The foregoing description provides exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Modifications of the above-disclosed devices, systems, and methods that fall within the scope of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, while the present disclosure has been disclosed in connection with exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the scope of the present disclosure, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. a platform disposed within a lateral storage pod and configured to form a plurality of chambers in the lateral storage pod, the platform comprising: An upper surface; a plurality of kinematic pins extending from the upper surface within the interior space of the chamber and engaging a lower surface of the side storage pod within the interior space of the chamber to level the side storage pod within the interior space of the chamber; A platform that includes:

2. 10. The platform of claim 1, wherein a lateral storage pod comprises a plurality of walls including a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls, and wherein the platform is integral with the plurality of walls or is a separate unit coupled to at least one of the plurality of walls of the lateral storage pod.

3. The platform of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of kinematic pins is adjustable to adjust the height of a distal end of a corresponding kinematic pin above the upper surface of the platform.

4. 10. The platform of claim 1, wherein adjustment of the plurality of kinematic pins allows for one or more of horizontal placement or height adjustment of the lateral storage bin relative to the platform and relative to a robot of an Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) such that objects can be transferred by the robot from the lateral storage bin and through the robot to the EFEM.

5. 2. The platform of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of kinematic pins provides a height adjustment of 0 to 5 mm between a distal end of a corresponding kinematic pin and the upper surface of the platform, the distal end of the corresponding kinematic pin engaging the lower surface of the lateral housing.

6. The platform of claim 1 , wherein a corresponding distal end of each of the plurality of kinematic pins has one or more of a tapered or domed shape to engage a corresponding recess in the lower surface of the lateral housing.

7. 10. The platform of claim 1, wherein the lateral storage pod is configured to attach to a panel attached to an equipment front end module (EFEM), such that objects are transferred by a robot of the EFEM between the lateral storage pod and the EFEM through an opening formed by the panel, and wherein a substrate carrier is configured to removably attach to a load port attached to the EFEM, such that the objects are transferred by the robot between the substrate carrier and the EFEM.

8. The platform of claim 1 , wherein an exhaust conduit is coupled to the side storage pod for exhausting gases from the side storage pod to an exterior of the side storage pod.

9. 10. The platform of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of platform sensors disposed on the upper surface, the plurality of platform sensors configured to provide sensor data in response to the lateral storage bin being placed on the platform within the interior space.

10. 10. The platform of claim 9, wherein the plurality of platform sensors comprises one or more of proximity sensors, contact sensors, non-contact sensors, reed sensors, Hall effect sensors, force sensitive resistor (FSR) sensors, magnetic sensors, micro-contact switches, roller lever micro-switches, or push button switches.

11. A platform as described in claim 1, wherein a platform sensor is positioned on the upper surface of the platform adjacent to a corresponding kinematic pin of the plurality of kinematic pins, and the platform sensor is configured to provide sensor data in response to the lateral storage container being placed on the platform within the internal space.

12. The platform of claim 1 , further comprising a securing device configured to secure the lateral storage container within the chamber of the lateral storage pod.

13. The platform of claim 12 , wherein the securing device extends through an aperture formed by the platform.

14. The platform of claim 12 , wherein the securing device comprises an air cylinder configured to move the lateral storage bins toward the upper surface of the platform.

15. The platform of claim 14 , wherein the securing device comprises a tab configured to engage a mating portion formed on an underside of the side bin.

16. 16. The platform of claim 15, wherein the air cylinder is configured to bias the tab toward the top surface of the platform to secure the side bin to the platform.

17. a lateral storage pod configured to couple to an equipment front end module (EFEM), the lateral storage pod comprising: a plurality of walls including a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall, the walls defining an interior space; a platform disposed within the interior volume and configured to form a plurality of chambers in the side storage pod, the platform including a plurality of kinematic pins extending from an upper surface of the platform within the interior volume of the chamber and engaging a lower surface of the side storage pod within the interior volume to level the side storage pod within the interior volume of the chamber; Side storage pods.

18. The platform, a plurality of platform sensors disposed on the upper surface, the plurality of platform sensors configured to provide sensor data in response to the side bin being placed on the platform; or a securing device configured to secure the lateral housing to the platform within the interior space of the chamber; 20. The side storage pod of claim 17, further comprising one or more of:

19. 1. A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising: adjusting one or more of a plurality of kinematic pins to be approximately flush with a robot of an equipment front end module (EFEM), the plurality of kinematic pins being disposed within an interior space defined by a lateral storage pod and extending from a top surface of a platform configured to form a plurality of chambers in the lateral storage pod; engaging a lower surface of the side housing with the plurality of kinematic pins within the interior volume of the chamber to level the side housing within the interior volume of the chamber; A method comprising:

20. receiving sensor data from a plurality of platform sensors disposed on the top surface in response to the side bin being placed on the platform; or 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising one or more of: securing the lateral housing to the platform via a securing device within the interior space of the chamber.

Images