Abstract: A system for transporting articles. The transport system includes a conveyor system which includes a transport device for carrying articles between workstations and a drive rail and a support rail for supporting the transport device. The drive rail includes a drive system for propelling the transport device between workstations. At least one shoe carried by the transport device rides on the support rail for movably supporting the transport device on the support rail. The transport system also includes a protective container including a housing having an interior compartment for supporting a plurality of articles. The bottom surface of the housing is configured to engage the drive system such that actuation of the drive system propels the housing along the drive and support rails. At least one shoe carried by the housing is configured to ride on the support rail of the conveyor system to movably support the housing on the support rail.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for retaining a pod door on a port door at a load port, and for removing contaminants, particulates and/or gasses from between the pod and port door surfaces and from within the interior of the pod door. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum source may be provided within, adjacent to, or remote from a process tool, which vacuum source is connected to a vacuum port in the front surface of a port door. The vacuum is provided to produce a negative pressure between juxtaposed surfaces of the port and pod doors. The negative pressure accomplishes two functions. First, the negative pressure serves to hold the pod door firmly against the port door to prevent vibration, tilting and/or movement of the pod door with respect to the port door while the pod and port doors are stowed within the process tool.

Abstract: A system for transporting articles. The transport system includes a conveyor system which includes a transport device for carrying articles between workstations and a drive rail and a support rail for supporting the transport device. The drive rail includes a drive system for propelling the transport device between workstations. At least one shoe carried by the transport device rides on the support rail for movably supporting the transport device on the support rail. The transport system also includes a protective container including a housing having an interior compartment for supporting a plurality of articles. The bottom surface of the housing is configured to engage the drive system such that actuation of the drive system propels the housing along the drive and support rails. At least one shoe carried by the housing is configured to ride on the support rail of the conveyor system to movably support the housing on the support rail.

Abstract: A pod having a novel manual pivoting handle assembly for transporting the pod to and from processing tools in a semiconductor wafer fab. The handle assembly comprises a bracket, a pivoting handle and a spindle. The bracket is a Z-shaped member and includes two D-shaped cut-outs at the top of the bracket and two circular cut-outs at the bottom of the bracket which are placed over T-shaped protrusions and aligned with mounting sleeves located on a recessed area on a pod cover, respectively. Screws fit through the circular cut-outs on the bottom of the bracket and may be threaded into the mounting sleeves on the pod. The bracket includes a mounting boss which is provided for mounting the pivoting handle and includes a notch on the lower portion. The pivoting handle is contoured and held in a manner similar to holding a pistol. The pivoting handle includes grooves on one side for placement of the fingers which facilitates a better grip for the user when transporting the pod.

Abstract: A system is described herein including a load port which allows various pod sizes, including 200 mm and 300 mm, add various configurations, including front opening and bottom opening, to operate with a BOLTS interface, or simply with a vertical port on the front end of a process tool in configurations not including the BOLTS interface.

Abstract: A reticle support mechanism is disclosed in which a reticle may be quickly and easily located and removed, and which is capable of securely supporting a reticle for storage and/or transport. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of reticle supports mounted to a door of a container, and a pair of reticle retainers mounted to a shell of the container. When the container shell is coupled with the container door, sections of the reticle support and reticle retainer engage chamfered edges of the reticle and sandwich the reticle in a secure position within the container. As a result of engaging the reticle at its chamfered edges, potentially harmful contact with the upper and lower surfaces and vertical edges of the reticle is avoided.

Abstract: A wafer mapping system is disclosed mounted to the port door of a process tool. As the port door is lowered away from the access port of the process tool in order to allow wafer transfer through the port, the wafer mapping system according to the present invention detects the presence and position of the various wafers in the pod shell, which information may then be stored in memory for later use. As such, wafer mapping according to this system occurs without additional processing steps or time. The port door is lowered by a servo drive which allows the precise position of the port door to be identified at any given time. As such, the position of a wafer within the pod shell may be precisely identified by the wafer mapping system mounted on the port door as the door is lowered.

Abstract: An interface seal between a gas flow line within a support surface for a pod and a flow valve mounted within the pod. The kinematic coupling between a pod and support surface aligns a pair of inlet and outlet valves on a bottom surface of the pod with a corresponding pair of inlet and outlet holes in the support surface, through which gas may be injected into and removed from the pod, respectively. The interface according to the various embodiments of the invention provides a durable seal substantially preventing leakage between the pod and support surface while at the same time being compatible with kinematic couplings. In embodiments of the invention, the seal is thin and flexible, and expands into engagement with the pod to establish the seal. This type of interface seal will not interfere with the proper seating of the pod on the kinematic pins.

Abstract: A tilt and go assembly included as part of a load port interface assembly is disclosed for providing quick and easy attachment and adjustment of the load port interface assembly to a BOLTS interface. When a load port interface assembly according to the present invention is positioned adjacent to a BOLTS interface, the assembly is tilted away from the BOLTS interface, so that a socket in the load port interface assembly may raise upward slightly and be seated on the ball joint. Thereafter, the upper portions of the load port interface assembly may be tilted upward so that the assembly is roughly parallel and adjacent to the BOLTS interface. Once the load port interface assembly is seated on the ball joint of the BOLTS interface, the vertical and lateral positions of the load port interface assembly may be adjusted as desired with respect to the BOLTS interface.

Abstract: A universal interface and transfer apparatus is disclosed which may be configured either as an indexer or a load port opener. In each configuration, the universal interface and transfer apparatus includes a port plate having a central opening, and a port door fitting within and sealing the central opening when no pod is present on the apparatus. The apparatus further includes a base and a frame mounted on and extending up from a front of the base. A modular drive assembly is mounted within an exterior side of the frame, which drive assembly includes a linear drive screw, and a motor and torque transmission mechanism for rotating the linear drive screw. A carriage is mounted on the linear drive screw such that rotation of the linear drive screw results in vertical translation of the carriage.

Abstract: A load port opener for separating a pod top from a pod door so that a wafer-carrying cassette may be accessed and/or transferred from the pod into a semiconductor processing station, to which the load port opener is attached. The load port opener comprises a base, an inner support plate seated on the base, an outer support plate surrounding the inner support plate, and mechanisms for raising the outer support plate away from the inner support plate. Initially, a sealed SMIF pod having a wafer-carrying cassette therein is located on top of the load port opener, such that the pod door is supported on the inner support plate, and the pod top is supported on the outer support plate. Once located on the load port opener, the pod top is decoupled from the pod door by mechanisms within the inner support plate, and thereafter the outer support plate is raised upward with the top supported thereon.

Abstract: A valve seated within a SMIF pod support platform is disclosed for activating and deactivating the flow of gas to a pod on the platform. In preferred embodiments, the valve includes a central poppet capable of moving between a first, closed position where the poppet blocks the flow of gas through the valve, and a second, open position where the poppet allows gas flow through the valve. In the absence of a pod on the support platform, pressurized gas from the gas source downstream of the valve biases the poppet into the first position to thereby block gas flow. In this first position, a top portion of the poppet extends slightly above the upper surface of the pod support platform. When a pod is seated on the support platform, the weight of the pod moves the poppet from its first position to its second position where gas is allowed to flow through the valve and into the pod to allow purging of the pod.

Abstract: A system for providing uniform, controlled and efficient purge gas flow rates and gas flow patterns for removing contaminants and/or particulates from wafers within a pod. The purge system includes seals at the interfaces between the gas inlet and removal lines to substantially prevent leakage at the interfaces. The system may establish seals at the inlet and outlet without having to use conventional fluid flow pins extending above the support surface. The negative pressure applied at the outlet controls the flow rate through the pod, and the rate at which gas leaves the pod will limit the rate at which gas may enter the pod. In a preferred embodiment, the inlet flow is approximately equal to the outlet flow. With substantially equal inlet and outlet pressures, the purging gas flows through the upper and lower portions of the pod in a substantially uniform flow pattern so that contaminants and particulates are removed evenly from wafers throughout the pod.

Abstract: An integrated intrabay buffer, delivery, and stocker system including a pair of shuttles, capable, by themselves, of transferring a pod in an X-Z plane between the interbay transport system, the I/O ports of various process tools and a plurality of storage shelves provided along the wall of the tool bay. Advantageously, the present invention integrates together the process tools within a tool bay by providing a single transport mechanism shared by each tool, and by providing a single, large storage and buffer area for pods that is shared by each tool. This increases reliability and flexibility, and simplifies the hardware and software control. Additionally, the storage shelves may be provided above some or all of the process tools within the tool bay. Such an arrangement offers a substantially greater number of spaces to store a pod as compared to conventional tool bays.

Abstract: A rotating and translating support assembly for receiving a front-opening pod according to applicable SEMI standards, and thereafter rotating the pod to a desired orientation. In this way, a number of pods may be received at interface ports of a minienvironment, and each of the pods and ports may be angled toward and aligned with a single, 2-arm pick and place robot. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotating and translating support assembly comprises a plate rotationally and translationally mounted on a shelf extending from the minienvironment adjacent to a front-opening interface port. In one embodiment, the support plate may be mounted on a shaft attached to a rotating assembly, such as for example a worm and drive gear. The rotating assembly may in turn be mounted on a translating assembly, such as for example a carriage riding on a lead screw.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing a semiconductor wafer cassette from a SMIF pod and for transferring the cassette along a vertical axis to a platform of a wafer processing station. The apparatus is comprised of a transfer device that includes a pair of gripping arms for gripping the wafer cassette from the sides of the cassette. Once gripped, the cassette moves with the transfer device upward along a vertical axis to make room for the platform to be extended from within the processing station to a position under the cassette. Thereafter, the direction of motion of the transfer device is reversed and the cassette is lowered onto the platform. Once seated on the platform, the gripping arms retract from the cassette, and the cassette is carried on the platform into the processing station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry cleaning a semiconductor wafer storage and transport pod. After the pod is located with respect to the cleaning chamber and opened to expose the interior surfaces of the pod to the cleaning chamber, the pod is conditioned in preparation for the cleaning process. The conditioning of the pod includes purging the pod and cleaning chamber with an ionized nitrogen gas to rid the pod and cleaning chamber of airborne contaminants and to neutralize static electrical charges on the pod surfaces. The conditioning process further includes heating the pod surfaces to prevent condensation of moisture and organic contaminants thereon. After the conditioning process, the pod is cleaned with a dry aerosol sprayed onto the pod surfaces. The aerosol spray is comprised of an ionized carbon dioxide/nitrogen (CO.sub.2 /N.sub.2) gas and fine particles of CO.sub.2.

Abstract: A valve mounted in pod door of a SMIF pod for allowing gas flow to and from the sealed pod while the pod is seated on a SMIF port. The valve is provided to allow fluid flow to or from the pod upon the valve be actuated by either a standard registration pin or a specially adapted fluid flow pin. The valve includes a body and a valve stem capable of vertical translation within the valve body. A spring biases the valve stem downward with respect to the valve body such that a top of the valve stem lies in sealing engagement with a O-ring 54. When not engaged by a registration pin or fluid flow pin, the engagement between the valve top and the O-ring prevents passage of fluid into or out of the pod.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing a semiconductor wafer cassette from a SMIF pod and for transferring the cassette along a vertical axis to a platform of a wafer processing station. The apparatus is comprised of a transfer device that includes a pair of gripping arms for gripping the wafer cassette from the sides of the cassette. Once gripped, the cassette moves with the transfer device upward along a vertical axis to make room for the platform to be extended from within the processing station to a position under the cassette. Thereafter, the direction of motion of the transfer device is reversed and the cassette is lowered onto the platform. Once seated on the platform, the gripping arms retract from the cassette, and the cassette is carried on the platform into the processing station.

Abstract: An adaptor plate for allowing 200 mm SMIF pods carrying one or more semiconductor wafers to be used on an access port of a wafer processing station configured to accept a 300 mm SMIF pod. The adaptor plate has a substantially circular outer circumference conforming substantially in size and shape to the outer circumference of a conventional 300 mm SMIF pod, and a central opening conforming substantially in size and shape to a conventional rectangular 200 mm SMIF pod. The one or more semiconductor wafers are supported on pod door of the pod, and the semiconductor wafers and pod door are lowered through the central opening in the adaptor plate into the wafer processing station. With the adaptor plate supported on the access port, and a cover of the 200 mm SMIF pod supported around the central opening, the access port is entirely covered and entry of contaminants into the processing station through the access port is prevented.