Load Port Unit Air Inlet for Nitrogen Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, the existing EFEM systems face challenges in preventing nitrogen leakage when high flow rates are used for purging large-diameter wafers, due to gaps between the load port unit and the pod, leading to a compromised clean environment.
Innovation Solution
A load port unit with an air inlet unit that includes an enlarged air inlet opening and a tank part to create a buffer space, which is connected to an air inlet system to effectively suck surplus gas and prevent nitrogen leakage, ensuring a controlled inert gas environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If nitrogen supply is increased to reduce takt time during pod purging, then wafer transfer speed is improved, but nitrogen leakage through gaps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a suction unit as an intermediary component that actively manages gas flow in the mini environment. This suction unit creates negative pressure to counterbalance the high flow rate nitrogen supply, preventing leakage through gaps while maintaining fast wafer transfer speeds. The suction unit acts as a mediator between the nitrogen supply system and the potential leakage paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter in the mini environment by introducing active suction. This creates a pressure differential that prevents nitrogen leakage while allowing high flow rate purging. By dynamically controlling the suction strength, the system can adapt to different wafer sizes and purging requirements, maintaining both speed and containment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the gap between door and wall is reduced to prevent particle entry, then cleanroom protection is improved, but nitrogen leakage control worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic principles by introducing active suction through the suction unit. This creates a controlled airflow field that prevents nitrogen leakage through gaps without requiring physical sealing. The pneumatic control allows the system to maintain both particle protection (through minimal gaps) and gas containment (through active suction).
3Ease of operation
If cover airtightness is reduced for ease of operation, then door mechanism simplicity is improved, but nitrogen leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the nitrogen supply itself to create the driving force for the suction unit, making the system self-regulating. The high flow rate nitrogen that would otherwise cause leakage is utilized to drive the suction mechanism, which then prevents the leakage. This self-service approach maintains operational simplicity while preventing nitrogen leakage.
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 effectively prevents or controls inert gas leakage, maintaining a safe and clean working environment even during high flow rate purging of large-diameter wafers, thereby enhancing the operational efficiency of EFEM systems.
Implementation Method 1
an air inlet unit that sucks surplus gas from the mini-environment and the pod
Data Source
AI summary
A load port unit can prevent or control leakage of inert gas from an EFEM system to the outside. The load port unit used in the EFEM system is provided with an air inlet that opens on a side facing a mini-environment between the upper end of an opener driving unit and the lower end of the pod. The width of the air inlet opening is larger than the width of the opening of the pod. With this arrangement, surplus gas is sucked from the pod when gas purging is performed on the pod.