Selectable-rate bottom purge apparatus and methods

US11061417B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Dean C. Hruzek · Cedar Park, US
• Paul B. Reuter · Austin, US
• Devendra Channappa Holeyannavar · Bengaluru, IN
• Srinivas Poshatrahalli Gopalakrishna · Kanchinakote, IN
• Lakshmikantha K. Shirahatti · Bengaluru, IN
• Babu Chinnasamy · Bengaluru, IN
• Douglas B. Baumgarten · Round Rock, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 19, 2018
• Grant date: Jul 13, 2021
• Expiry date: Jun 4, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01F15/02
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Electronic device manufacturing systems may include an equipment front end module (EFEM) having a load port assembly configured to receiving a substrate carrier, which may be a front opening unified pod (FOUP). The load port assembly may have a receiving plate upon which the substrate carrier may be received. The receiving plate may have a plurality of gas nozzles that can be coupled to purge ports in a bottom of the substrate carrier and to a purge apparatus of the load port assembly. The purge apparatus is configured to provide a gas to the substrate carrier at a selectable gas flow rate and, in some embodiments, to provide a gas to different portions of the substrate carrier each at a selectable gas flow rate. Methods of providing selectable gas flow rates for purging a substrate carrier coupled to a load port assembly are also provided, as are other aspects.