Reticle Storage Assembly With Diffusion Paths for Internal Contaminant Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Container systems for storing and transporting fragile objects like reticles in the semiconductor industry face challenges with particulate and gas-phase contaminants, which can lead to contamination and distortion during the lithography process.
Innovation Solution
The container system incorporates a seat member and seat cover with diffuse inducing components, including channels and filters, to reduce gas-phase contaminants and airborne molecular contaminants, while also providing electromagnetic interference shielding and static charge dissipation properties to protect the reticle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the storage assembly is completely sealed to prevent contamination, then protection from external contaminants is improved, but moisture and gas-phase contaminants generated inside cannot be removed
Solution Approach 1:
The storage assembly incorporates passive contamination control materials that automatically perform their function without external intervention. The desiccant and adsorbent materials continuously absorb and adsorb moisture and gas-phase contaminants as they are generated inside the sealed assembly, providing self-sustaining contamination control throughout the storage period.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes chemical adsorption and absorption processes where the desiccant and adsorbent materials chemically interact with moisture and gas-phase contaminants, binding them through strong molecular interactions that effectively remove these contaminants from the internal atmosphere.
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 system effectively reduces contamination, prevents distortion, and maintains the integrity of the reticle by efficiently removing moisture and other gases, ensuring the precision required for semiconductor fabrication.
Implementation Method 1
a desiccant and/or adsorbent material arranged within the interior volume of the storage assembly to reduce airborne molecular contaminants inside the storage assembly
Implementation Method 2
a desiccant and/or adsorbent material arranged within the interior volume of the storage assembly to reduce airborne molecular contaminants inside the storage assembly
Data Source
AI summary
The instant disclosure discloses a workpiece container system comprising a storage assembly. The storage assembly comprises a seat member and a seat cover. The seat member defines a workpiece receiving region that encompasses a geometric center region thereof, configured to receive a workpiece; wherein a lower diffuse inducing component is provided on the seat member within a planar projection of the workpiece yet offsets the geometric center region. The seat cover is configured to engage the seat member at a periphery region around the workpiece receiving region thereof, so as to cooperatively form an enclosure for housing the workpiece; wherein an upper diffuse inducing component is provided on the seat cover over the planar projection of the workpiece and protectively overlaps the geometric center region of the seat member.