Systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsLuke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port that includes a frame supporting a dock and a carrier opener; an elevator operable to raise and lower the carrier opener; an isolation compartment within which the elevator is operable to move, the isolation compartment including a volume isolated from a volume of an equipment front end module (EFEM); and a purge supply within the isolation compartment operable to purge the isolation compartment of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- flooding an equipment front end module (EFEM) with a non-reactive gas that is non-reactive to substrates to be passed through the EFEM;
- and
- purging an isolation compartment of a load port coupled to the EFEM of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment using a non-reactive purge gas, wherein an elevator disposed within the isolation compartment is coupled to an elevator arm that extends from the isolation compartment into the EFEM through an opening to raise and lower a carrier arm within the EFEM.
A method comprising:
- providing a non-reactive gas into an equipment front end module (EFEM), wherein the non-reactive gas is non-reactive to substrates to be passed through the EFEM;
- and
- removing reactive gas from an isolation compartment of a load port coupled to the EFEM, wherein an elevator disposed within the isolation compartment is coupled to an elevator arm that extends from the isolation compartment into the EFEM through an opening to raise and lower a carrier arm within the EFEM.
A method comprising:
- removing reactive gas from an isolation compartment of a load port coupled to an equipment front end module (EFEM);
- and
- actuating an elevator disposed in the isolation compartment, wherein the elevator is coupled to an elevator arm that extends from the isolation compartment into the EFEM through an opening to raise and lower a carrier arm within the EFEM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.