# US 12,193,164 B2 · Oxygen and humidity control in storage device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,193,164 B2 - Document ID: US12193164B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/338,679 - Filed: 2023-06-21 - Published: 2023-10-19 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-24 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shen-Min Yang; Pu Kuan Fang; Jyh-Shiou Hsu; Mu-Tsang Lin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12193164B2 ## CPC - H05K 3/0055: {After-treatment, e.g. cleaning or desmearing of holes} - H10P 72/1924: {characterised by atmosphere control} - H10P 72/1926: {characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrier} - H05K 2203/085: Using vacuum or low pressure - H05K 2203/1178: Means for venting or for letting gases escape - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract The present disclosure describes a storage device including a top panel, a bottom panel, a back panel, a front panel, and two side panels configured to form an enclosed volume. The storage device further includes multiple slots disposed at inner surfaces of the two side panels and configured to hold a substrate, a gas diffuser disposed at an inner surface of the back panel and configured to provide a purge gas to the enclosed volume, an isolation gas device disposed on an inner surface of the top panel and adjacent to a top portion of the front panel, and an isolation gas line configured to connect the isolation gas device to the gas diffuser. The isolation gas device is configured to inject the purge gas into a front portion of the storage device and in a direction from the top panel toward the bottom panel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: providing a purge gas from a gas supply system to a storage device via an inlet on a bottom panel of the storage device, wherein the storage device comprises a top panel opposite to the bottom panel; injecting the purge gas in a direction from the top panel to the bottom panel and into a front portion of the storage device using an isolation gas device, wherein the isolation gas device is disposed on an inner surface of the top panel of the storage device, and wherein the purge gas flows from the isolation gas device to a vacuum device on the bottom panel; and venting the purge gas out of the storage device by the vacuum device on the bottom panel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing the purge gas in the storage device by a gas diffuser connected to the gas supply system via the inlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising directing the purge gas from the gas diffuser to the isolation gas device by an isolation gas line on an inner surface of the top panel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the purge gas comprises one of oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and air. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the venting the purge gas out of the storage device comprises venting the purge gas via an outlet port on the bottom panel connected to the vacuum device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the injecting the purge gas into the front portion of the storage device comprises: providing the purge gas into the isolation gas device through an inlet on a first side of the isolation gas device; and injecting the purge gas into the front portion of the storage device through one or more openings on a second side of the isolation gas device adjacent to the first side, wherein the one or more openings are distributed evenly on the second side. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein a shape of the one or more openings comprises one of a rectangular shape, a square shape, a circular shape, and an elliptical shape. ### Claim 8 A method, comprising: forming an enclosed volume in a storage device with a top panel, a bottom panel, a back panel, a front panel, and two side panels; holding a substrate in the enclosed volume with a plurality of protrusions disposed at inner surfaces of the two side panels; providing a purge gas from a gas supply system to the enclosed volume via an inlet on the bottom panel; injecting the purge gas into a front portion of the storage device using an isolation gas device, wherein the isolation gas device is disposed on an inner surface of the top panel above the enclosed volume and adjacent to the front panel, and wherein the purge gas flows in a direction from the top panel to the bottom panel of the storage device; and venting the purge gas out of the storage device through the bottom panel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising distributing the purge gas in the storage device by a gas diffuser connected to the gas supply system via the inlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising directing the purge gas from the gas diffuser to the isolation gas device by an isolation gas line on an inner surface of the top panel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the purge gas comprises one of oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and air. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the venting the purge gas out of the storage device comprises venting the purge gas with a vacuum device via an outlet port on the bottom panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the injecting the purge gas into the front portion of the storage device comprises: providing the purge gas into the isolation gas device through an inlet on a first side of the isolation gas device; and injecting the purge gas into the front portion of the storage device through one or more openings on a second side of the isolation gas device adjacent to the first side, wherein the one or more openings are distributed evenly on the second side. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the injecting the purge gas into the front portion of the storage device comprises forming an isolation gas flow uniformly distributed in the front portion. ### Claim 15 A method, comprising: providing a purge gas from a gas supply system to a storage device, wherein the storage device comprises a top panel and a bottom panel; directing the purge gas to an isolation gas device on an inner surface of the top panel, wherein the isolation gas device is connected to the gas supply system through a gas diffuser and an isolation gas line; forming an isolation gas flow with the isolation gas device in a front portion of the storage device, wherein the isolation gas flow is in a direction from the top panel to the bottom panel of the storage device; and venting the purge gas out of the storage device through the bottom panel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising distributing the purge gas in the storage device by the gas diffuser. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the purge gas comprises one of oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and air. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the venting the purge gas out of the storage device comprises venting the purge gas with a vacuum device on the bottom panel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the forming the isolation gas flow comprises: providing the purge gas into the isolation gas device through an inlet on a first side of the isolation gas device; and injecting the purge gas into the front portion of the storage device through one or more openings on a second side of the isolation gas device adjacent to the first side, wherein the one or more openings are distributed evenly on the second side. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the forming the isolation gas flow comprises distributing the purge gas uniformly in the front portion of the storage device.