Sealed Substrate Carriers With Pressure Equalization Docking
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electronic device manufacturing, substrates are often exposed to contaminants and reactive species during transport and processing due to the lack of a sealed environment, which can affect the quality and integrity of the devices being produced.
Innovation Solution
The development of sealed substrate carriers that create and maintain a hermetic or vacuum-sealed environment, using resilient sealing members and gas equalization techniques to ensure substrates are protected from contaminants and reactive species during transport and processing, by coupling with processing tools and load ports to equalize the sealed environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If substrates are transported in conventional open carriers, then ease of operation and accessibility are improved, but substrates are exposed to contaminants and reactive species during transport and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate carrier creates a sealed environment that can be filled with inert gas or maintained at vacuum conditions, isolating substrates from harmful contaminants and reactive species during transport and processing operations
Solution Approach 2:
A sealed carrier acts as an intermediary between the external contaminated environment and the substrates, providing physical isolation while still allowing for controlled access and processing through docking mechanisms with processing tools
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealed environment is created around the substrate carrier, then substrate protection from contaminants is improved, but environment equalization and docking complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed carrier with standardized docking interfaces serves as an intermediary that can be transferred between different processing locations while maintaining its sealed environment, with the docking component providing the interface for environment equalization without requiring complex modifications to the carrier itself
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed carrier design with universal docking interfaces allows the same carrier to be used across multiple processing locations and tool types, standardizing the sealing and equalization process while reducing overall system complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If substrates are transported between multiple processing locations, then manufacturing versatility is improved, but exposure to harmful factors during transport increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed carrier maintains a protected inert or vacuum environment throughout transport between multiple processing locations, enabling versatile manufacturing operations while continuously protecting substrates from harmful factors during transit
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed environment is maintained continuously throughout the entire transport and processing sequence, ensuring uninterrupted protection of substrates from contaminants while enabling multiple processing steps at different locations
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
This solution effectively prevents exposure to particulates and reactive substances, ensuring the substrates remain clean and stable throughout the manufacturing process, enhancing the quality and reliability of electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient sealing member on at least one of the carrier door and main body
Implementation Method 2
substantially equalize the sealed environment at the component with the sealed environment within the substrate carrier
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor processing system includes a first component forming a first chamber. A first sealed environment in the first chamber is at a first state prior to a door being opened. A load port structure is disposed between the first component and a second component. The load port structure includes walls disposed around an opening of the load port structure. The load port structure is separate from the first component and the second component. A third component is configured to change at least one of the first state of the first sealed environment within the first chamber or a second state of a second sealed environment within a second chamber formed by the second component to cause the first state and the second state to be substantially similar before the door between the first sealed environment and the second sealed environment is opened.