Load port device, gas gate and gas-providing method
AssigneeNanya Technology Corporation
InventorsJih-Cheng HUANG, Sun-Fu CHOU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a load port device, a gas gate and a gas-providing method. The load port device includes a gas-providing nozzle and the gas gate. The gas-providing nozzle is used for providing gas to a wafer container. The gas gate includes a plurality of gas inlet ports, a gas-providing port and a controller. Each gas inlet port connects to a gas source. The gas-providing port connects to the gas-providing nozzle. The controller is configured to: select one of the plurality of gas inlet ports; and connect the selected gas inlet port to the gas-providing port.
Claims20
A load port device, comprising:
- a gas-providing nozzle for providing gas to a wafer container;
- a gas gate, comprising:
- a plurality of gas inlet ports, wherein each gas inlet port connects to a gas source;
- a gas-providing port, connecting with the gas providing nozzle;
- and
- a controller, being configured to:
- select one of the plurality of gas inlet ports;
- and
- connect the selected gas inlet port to the gas-providing port;
- and
- a sensor connected with an interior space of the wafer container to sense a humidity or a concentration of oxygen in the wafer container, and the sensor electrically coupled to the controller;
- wherein the controller is further configured to:
- determine whether the humidity or the concentration of oxygen in the wafer container is greater than a threshold;
- wherein the selected gas inlet port is selected according to a gas control configuration when the humidity or the concentration of oxygen is greater than the threshold.
(canceled)
A gas gate for use in a load port device loaded with a wafer container, comprising:
- a plurality of gas inlet ports, wherein each gas inlet port connects to a gas source;
- a gas-providing port, connecting to a gas-providing nozzle of the load port device;
- and
- a controller, being configured to:
- select one of the plurality of gas inlet ports;
- connect the selected gas inlet port to the gas providing port;
- and
- determine whether a humidity or a concentration of oxygen in the wafer container is greater than a threshold, wherein the humidity or the concentration of oxygen is sensed by a sensor of the load port device, the sensor connected with an interior space of the wafer container;
- wherein the selected gas inlet port is selected according to a gas control configuration when the humidity or the concentration of oxygen is greater than the threshold.
(canceled)
A gas-providing method for a gas gate of a load port device loaded with a wafer container, comprising:
- selecting, by a controller of the gas gate, one of a plurality of gas inlet ports of the gas gate, wherein each gas inlet port connects to a gas source;
- connecting, by the controller, the selected gas inlet port to a gas providing port of the gas gate, wherein the gas-providing port connects to a gas-providing nozzle of the load port device;
- and
- determining, by the controller, whether a humidity or a concentration of oxygen in a wafer container is greater than a threshold, wherein the humidity or the concentration of oxygen is sensed by a sensor of the load port device, the sensor connected with an interior space of the wafer container;
- wherein the selected gas inlet port is selected according to a gas control configuration when the humidity or the concentration of oxygen is greater than the threshold.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.