Abstract: A curtain nozzle is located above an opening portion (10) in a FIMS. A gas curtain formed of inert gas for closing the opening portion is formed. A cover is so provided as to cover a part of the curtain nozzle so as to prevent peripheral gas around an opening of the curtain nozzle from being involved in the gas curtain of the inert gas emitted from the curtain nozzle.

Abstract: A curtain nozzle is located above an opening portion (10) in a FIMS. A gas curtain formed of inert gas for closing the opening portion is formed, and at the same time, the inert gas is also supplied to an inside of a FOUP. Here, the direction of supply of the inert gas supplied to the inside of the FOUP is such that it does not have a flow component directing toward the gas flow forming the gas curtain. The above-mentioned structure prevents increase over time in a partial pressure of oxidizing gas in the FOUP fixed by a FIMS system in an open state.

Abstract: For the purpose of preventing a pressure difference from occurring between an interior of an FOUP and an exterior at the time of purging the interior of the FOUP, a communication path that communicates with the exterior of the FOUP and the interior of an outlet path is provided with respect to the outlet path that extends from a table side outlet port which is disposed on a table on which the FOUP is placed, and an external atmosphere is introduced to the outlet path through the communication path when a pressure difference starts occurring between the interior and the exterior of the FOUP.

Abstract: Provided is a detecting device for an FIMS system, for easily and simply detecting a slip-out of a glass wafer from an FOUP or detective storage thereof. The detecting device includes a light transmission sensor and a light reflection sensor. A light emitting portion of the light reflection sensor, a light receiving portion thereof, and one of a light emitting portion of the light transmission sensor and a light receiving portion thereof are disposed on one surface side of a substrate to be detected in a position in which the substrate is located. The other of the light emitting portion of the light transmission sensor and the light receiving portion thereof is disposed on the other surface side of the substrate to be detected in the position in which the substrate is located.

Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus on which a pod having an opening is detachably mounted is provided with a door unit and a mapping unit provided with a transmitting type sensor having an emitter and a detector forming a slot therebetween. The emitter and the detector are moved toward the opening in the pod and are plunged into the interior of the pod after a door is opened by the door unit, and the slot between the emitter and the detector crosses an end portion of a wafer to thereby detect the presence or absence of the wafer. Thereby, a mechanism portion liable to produce dust which may adhere to the wafer and cause the contamination thereof can be disposed separately from the pod.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to reduce a possibility that clean space at the so-called door being opened in the FIMS system is polluted. In order to achieve the object concerned, as a driving mechanism for driving a load port door in the FIMS system, mechanisms different in driving speed are used between during the early stage of driving and any other state than it. Particularly, during the early stage of driving, it is made possible to drive the door at exceedingly low speed, and after the door is opened by a predetermined amount, the door will be driven at high speed that has been usually controlled.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a clamping mechanism and the like, which have no likelihood of contacting the under surface of a pod when the pod is mounted on a mounting board at a loading port. To achieve the object, as an unit for clamping the pod, it is configured to comprise a clamp arm capable of nipping a clamped portion of the pod in its top end portion, a clamp member drive mechanism for performing the nipping and releasing operations of the clamp arm, and a lifting mechanism for moving up and down each clamp arm together the clamp member drive mechanism for the mounting board surface. At that time, an inclined surface having a predetermined angle for up and down directions is formed in the lower part end portion of the top end in at least one from among the clamp arms.

Abstract: A positioning member and a movable member that is to be brought into contact with the positioning member are arranged in one and the other of the load port and the semiconductor manufacture apparatus, respectively. Two pairs of such positioning members and movable members are provided. A groove (preferably V-shaped) into which the movable member is to be fitted is provided in a surface of one of the positioning member that contacts with the movable member. Furthermore, a mechanism for making it possible to adjust the position by moving the movable member in an up-and-down direction is provided to adjust the position of the movable member to thereby make it possible to perform the positional adjustment between the semiconductor manufacture apparatus and the load port. In a preferred embodiment, the positioning member is a roller which may rotate about its own shaft.

Abstract: The wafer processing apparatus includes a chamber that is pressurized to a pressure that is higher than the pressure of the exterior thereof, an opening portion through which the interior and the exterior of the chamber are in communication with each other, and a door that closes the opening portion. When the opening portion is closed by the door, a portion of the opening remains as an aperture uncovered by the door. In conventional semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, the interior of the apparatus is sealed and pressurized in order to keep a high degree of cleanness in the wafer processing portion, and therefore airflow is generated due to a pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the apparatus. With the above feature of the invention, it is possible to suppress creation of such airflow and prevent dust from entering the wafer processing apparatus to eliminate wafer contamination.

Abstract: A clean box is composed of a box body having an opening in one surface thereof and a lid member for closing the opening. An annular groove is formed so as to surround the opening on one of the box body or the lid member for defining a suction space sealed between the lid member and the box body under the condition that the lid member is mounted on the box body. Furthermore, intake/exhaust ports are provided for vacuum exhaust/release from the outside.

Abstract: The wafer processing apparatus includes a chamber that is pressurized to a pressure that is higher than the pressure of the exterior thereof, an opening portion through which the interior and the exterior of the chamber are in communication with each other, and a door that closes the opening portion. When the opening portion is closed by the door, a portion of the opening remains as an aperture uncovered by the door. In conventional semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, the interior of the apparatus is sealed and pressurized in order to keep a high degree of cleanness in the wafer processing portion, and therefore airflow is generated due to a pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the apparatus. With the above feature of the invention, it is possible to suppress creation of such airflow and prevent dust from entering the wafer processing apparatus to eliminate wafer contamination.

Abstract: The wafer processing apparatus includes a chamber that is pressurized to a pressure that is higher than the pressure of the exterior thereof, an opening portion through which the interior and the exterior of the chamber are in communication with each other, and a door that closes the opening portion. When the opening portion is closed by the door, a portion of the opening remains as an aperture uncovered by the door. In conventional semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, the interior of the apparatus is sealed and pressurized in order to keep a high degree of cleanness in the wafer processing portion, and therefore airflow is generated due to a pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the apparatus. With the above feature of the invention, it is possible to suppress creation of such airflow and prevent dust from entering the wafer processing apparatus to eliminate wafer contamination.

Abstract: The semiconductor wafer processing apparatus includes a clean box having an opening, a lid for closing the opening, a door to be in contact with the lid and to detach the lid from the clean box, a first stopper adapted to move in conjunction with movement of the clean box without a change in its relative positional relationship with the clean box, and an unmoved second stopper. With this structure, it is possible to prevent the clean box moved on the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus from colliding with the apparatus, even if the clean box manufactured by molding using a reinforced plastic in accordance with a prescribed standard includes a manufacturing error in its size.

Abstract: The wafer processing apparatus includes a chamber that is pressurized to a pressure that is higher than the pressure of the exterior thereof, an opening portion through which the interior and the exterior of the chamber are in communication with each other, and a door that closes the opening portion. When the opening portion is closed by the door, a portion of the opening remains as an aperture uncovered by the door. In conventional semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, the interior of the apparatus is sealed and pressurized in order to keep a high degree of cleanness in the wafer processing portion, and therefore airflow is generated due to a pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the apparatus. With the above feature of the invention, it is possible to suppress creation of such airflow and prevent dust from entering the wafer processing apparatus to eliminate wafer contamination.

Abstract: The semiconductor wafer processing apparatus includes a clean box having an opening, a lid for closing the opening, a door to be in contact with the lid and to detach the lid from the clean box, a first stopper adapted to move in conjunction with movement of the clean box without a change in its relative positional relationship with the clean box, and an unmoved second stopper. With this structure, it is possible to prevent the clean box moved on the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus from colliding with the apparatus, even if the clean box manufactured by molding using a reinforced plastic in accordance with a prescribed standard includes a manufacturing error in its size.

Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus on which a pod having an opening is detachably mounted is provided with a door unit and a mapping unit provided with a transmitting type sensor having an emitter and a detector forming a slot therebetween. The emitter and the detector are moved toward the opening in the pod and are plunged into the interior of the pod after a door is opened by the door unit, and the slot between the emitter and the detector crosses an end portion of a wafer to thereby detect the presence or absence of the wafer. Thereby, a mechanism portion liable to produce dust which may adhere to the wafer and cause the contamination thereof can be disposed separately from the pod.

Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus on which a pod having an opening is detachably mounted is provided with a door unit and a mapping unit provided with a transmitting type sensor having an emitter and a detector forming a slot therebetween. The emitter and the detector are moved toward the opening in the pod and are plunged into the interior of the pod after a door is opened by the door unit, and the slot between the emitter and the detector crosses an end portion of a wafer to thereby detect the presence or absence of the wafer. Thereby, a mechanism portion liable to produce dust which may adhere to the wafer and cause the contamination thereof can be disposed separately from the pod.

Abstract: A clean box is composed of a box body having an opening in one surface thereof and a lid member for closing the opening. An annular groove is formed so as to surround the opening on one of the box body or the lid member for defining a suction space sealed between the lid member and the box body under the condition that the lid member is mounted on the box body. Furthermore, intake/exhaust ports are provided for vacuum exhaust/release from the outside.

Abstract: A clean box is composed of a box body having an opening in one surface thereof and a lid member for closing the opening. An annular groove is formed so as to surround the opening on one of the box body or the lid member for defining a suction space sealed between the lid member and the box body under the condition that the lid member is mounted on the box body. Furthermore, intake/exhaust ports are provided for vacuum exhaust/release from the outside.

Abstract: The present invention provides data analysis stations respectively for a probing tester and an automatic particle inspection machine. And, in the data analysis station, the coordinates on which the disposition of the chips are described on a product basis are equal to those on which the locations of the defects are described. Further, the station provides a function of determining which of the chips each defect belongs to. These data analysis stations are connected through a communication line. The present invention is capable of analyzing the data on a chip basis, resulting in being able to grasp the relation between how the defects are caused on each chip and the product character of the chip.