Indexable side storage pod apparatus, heated side storage pod apparatus, systems, and methods

An electronic device processing system comprising:

• an equipment front end module (EFEM) comprising an EFEM chamber;
• one or more load ports coupled to a front of the EFEM, wherein each of the one or more load ports is configured to support a substrate carrier;
• and
• a side storage pod coupled to a side of the EFEM, the side storage pod comprising:
• an outer enclosure having a sealing surface configured to couple to the EFEM;
• a side storage pod chamber having a body coupled to a plurality of vertically-spaced storage members, wherein each of the plurality of vertically-spaced storage members is configured to support a corresponding substrate within the body;
• and
• a removable door, wherein the removable door and the body are to seal relative to each other responsive to the removable door being in a closed position, wherein a load-unload robot of the EFEM is to access the plurality of vertically-spaced storage members responsive to the removable door being in an open position, wherein an environment within the side storage pod chamber is to be controlled to be one or more of:
• at first environmental conditions responsive to the removable door being in the closed position;
• or at second environmental conditions responsive to the removable door being in the open position.

A method for transferring substrates in an electronic device processing system, the method comprising:

• causing a removable door of a side storage pod to be in an open position, wherein the side storage pod is coupled to a side of an equipment front end module (EFEM), wherein one or more load ports are coupled to a front of the EFEM, wherein each of the one or more load ports is configured to support a substrate carrier, wherein the side storage pod comprises an outer enclosure having a sealing surface configured to couple to the EFEM, wherein the side storage pod comprises a side storage pod chamber having a body coupled to a plurality of vertically-spaced storage members, wherein each of the plurality of vertically-spaced storage members is configured to support a corresponding substrate within the body;
• controlling environment within the side storage pod chamber to be one or more of:
• at first environmental conditions responsive to the removable door being in a closed position;
• or at second environmental conditions responsive to the removable door being in the open position;
• responsive to the removable door being in the open position, retrieving, using a load-unload robot of the EFEM, a substrate positioned on a first vertically-spaced storage member of the plurality of vertically-spaced storage members of the side storage pod chamber, wherein the removable door and the body of the side storage pod are to seal relative to each other responsive to the removable door being in the closed position;
• and
• transferring, using the load-unload robot, the substrate from the side storage pod chamber to an EFEM chamber of the EFEM.