Substrate storage pod and lid member thereof, and processing apparatus for a substrate

A substrate storage pod, comprising:

• a pod case which comprises an opening and a hollow inner space for housing one or more substrates in a state where surfaces of the one or more substrates are positioned in a direction perpendicular to the opening;
• a lid member which is fit-inserted to the opening so as to be capable of sealing the opening, the lid member having inner and outer plates, the inner plate facing to an atmosphere in the hollow inner space in the pod case and the outer plate facing to an exterior atmosphere when the lid member is fit-inserted to the opening;
• a buffer space having a certain volume defined between the inner and outer plates in the lid member between the inner and outer plates;
• an air-supply port provided on the outer plate of said lid member, for supplying a replacement gas into the buffer space;
• and
• a plurality of holes provided on a whole area of the inner plate of said lid member so as to establish fluidically communication between said buffer space and the hollow inner space in a state where said lid member is fit-inserted into the opening of said pod case, for flowing the replacement gas supplied in the buffer space, into the hollow inner space from the buffer space along the surfaces of the one or more substrates,
• wherein the certain volume of the buffer space is sufficiently large to reduce fluctuation of an internal pressure of the buffer space, and
• wherein the air-supply port includes an air-supply valve member capable of introducing the replacement gas into the buffer space at an angle with respect to directions toward the plurality of holes.