Side Storage Pod Gas Flow Layout for Substrate Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic device manufacturing systems face challenges in controlling environmental conditions during processing, leading to substrate degradation due to exposure to humidity and corrosive gases, which can result in defects and damage.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a side storage pod system with a first chamber and storage container configuration that includes substrate holders and an exhaust plenum, where an inert gas flows past substrates, and an exhaust port is positioned to ensure even gas flow and minimize exposure to harmful gases, maintaining controlled environmental conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If substrates are exposed to environmental conditions during processing, then processing can be performed, but substrate degradation occurs due to humidity and corrosive gases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidsubstrate degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the substrate handling environment into separate zones: a processing chamber where substrates are treated, and a storage pod with controlled atmosphere where substrates are stored between processes. This segmentation allows substrates to be protected from harmful environmental conditions during storage while enabling continuous processing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The storage pod maintains an inert or controlled atmosphere environment to prevent substrate degradation from humidity and corrosive gases. By controlling the atmospheric composition in the storage pod, substrates are protected from harmful environmental factors while allowing processing to occur in the separate processing chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

2Reliability

If gas flow is used to protect substrates, then substrate integrity is maintained, but uneven gas flow can cause inconsistent protection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate integrityVSAvoidgas flow consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust plenum is positioned and designed to create equipotential gas flow distribution across all substrate holders. The plenum's location and structure ensure that gas flows uniformly through the storage pod, providing consistent protection to all substrates regardless of their position, thereby eliminating hot spots or dead zones in the gas flow pattern.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates gas flow monitoring and control mechanisms that respond to flow conditions within the storage pod. By monitoring gas flow patterns and adjusting control parameters, the system maintains consistent gas distribution across all substrate positions, ensuring uniform protective atmosphere delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If multiple substrate holders are stacked vertically, then storage capacity increases, but gas flow distribution becomes difficult to control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate storage capacityVSAvoidgas flow distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust plenum is strategically positioned in the vertical dimension to optimize gas flow distribution across multiple stacked substrate holders. By locating the plenum at a specific height and orientation, the system achieves uniform gas distribution throughout the vertical stack, enabling high storage capacity while maintaining consistent protective atmosphere delivery to all substrate levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 controls environmental exposure, reducing substrate degradation and defects by ensuring consistent and controlled gas flow, thereby improving processing efficiency and substrate integrity.

Implementation Method 1

flowing a gas from the EFEM opening, through the storage container opening, into the storage container chamber, past the one or more substrates, and out an exhaust plenum

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas flow: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11791185B2Side storage pods, electronic device processing systems, and methods for operating the same

Publication Date: 2023.10.17 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

Electronic device processing systems including an equipment front end module (EFEM) with at least one side storage pod are described. The side storage pod has a chamber including a storage container. The storage container includes at least a top substrate holder and a bottom substrate holder. In some embodiments, an exhaust port is located at a midpoint between the top substrate holder and the bottom substrate holder. A gas flow component is configured to provide a gas flow between the EFEM body and the storage container. A gas flow temperature component is configured to modify the temperature of the gas flow to a particular temperature.