Dual-Pod Reticle Container for Larger Non-Equilateral Reticles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of semiconductor reticles requires larger non-equilateral rectangular reticles, necessitating a redesign of reticle containers to accommodate and protect these larger reticles effectively, while maintaining precise handling and environmental control.
Innovation Solution
A non-equilateral rectangular reticle container with a dual or single pod design, featuring adjustable dimensions and enhanced gas diffusion, observation windows, and support mechanisms to securely hold and observe the reticles, ensuring hermetic sealing and efficient environmental control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the reticle size is enlarged to non-equilateral rectangular shape to accommodate High-NA EUV lithography, then the imaging resolution and production capacity are improved, but the container design complexity and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into an outer pod and an inner pod, each serving distinct functions. The outer pod provides structural support and hermetic sealing, while the inner pod specifically accommodates the non-equilateral rectangular reticle with customized dimensions. This segmentation allows the container to handle the complex reticle shape while maintaining manageable structural components.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner pod is nested within the outer pod, creating a hierarchical structure. The inner pod with dimensions tailored to the non-equilateral rectangular reticle fits inside the larger outer pod, allowing efficient space utilization and protected transport of the enlarged reticle while maintaining standard container external dimensions for facility compatibility.
2Volume of moving object
If the outer pod dimensions are increased to 1.25 to 2.5 times the reticle dimensions to accommodate larger non-equilateral rectangular reticles, then the reticle capacity is improved, but the handling and transportation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inner pod containing the large non-equilateral rectangular reticle is nested within the outer pod. This nested structure allows the combined container to be handled as a single unit through standard overhead hoist transport systems, despite the enlarged reticle capacity, thereby maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the container into outer and inner pods, the system can accommodate larger reticle volumes while the modular structure enables standardized handling interfaces. The outer pod provides uniform external dimensions for standardized transport, while the inner pod is optimized for the specific reticle size.
3Reliability
If the inner pod dimensions are increased to 1.05 to 2.0 times the reticle dimensions for secure reticle reception, then the reticle protection is improved, but the gas diffusion efficiency and environmental control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
A gas diffusion device is introduced as an intermediary component between the outer pod environment and the inner pod containing the reticle. This device facilitates controlled gas diffusion to maintain the required environmental conditions (such as inert atmosphere) within the inner pod, ensuring reticle protection while simplifying environmental control.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas diffusion device utilizes pneumatic principles to control the atmosphere within the inner pod. By regulating gas flow and pressure, the system maintains proper environmental conditions for reticle protection without requiring complex mechanical or manual intervention, thereby managing environmental control complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides secure, efficient handling and protection of larger reticles, maintaining precise observation and environmental control, addressing the challenges of handling and transporting non-equilateral rectangular reticles in semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a gas diffusion device disposed inside the outer pod and comprising a flow path and a gas diffusion component in communication with each other and disposed between the shell and the door, allowing the flow path to deliver gas to the gas diffusion component to blow the gas toward the cover of the inner pod
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a non-equilateral reticle container which can be a dual pod, especially an outer pod of the dual pod whose length and width are 1.25 to 2.5 times of a length and a width of a non-equilateral reticle. An inner pod of the dual pod has a length and a width that are 10.5 to 2.0 times of the length and the width of a non-equilateral reticle. The outer pod includes a gas diffusion device having a flow path and a gas diffusor component. The flow path delivers the gas to the gas diffusor component to blow the gas toward a lid of the inner pod. The outer pod and the inner pod, within a center area thereof, have corresponding windows for observation so as to provide a partial observation for a non-equilateral reticle and a pellicle in the container.