公开(公告)号：US11640915B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-02

申请号：US17532954

申请日：2021-11-22

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Paul B. Reuter ,  Dean C. Hruzek ,  Nir Merry ,  John C. Menk ,  Douglas B. Baumgarten

IPC: H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Electronic device processing systems including an equipment front end module (EFEM) with a side storage pod are described. The EFEM includes an EFEM chamber and a recirculation duct. The side storage pod is fluidly coupled to the recirculation duct. The side storage pod includes an interior chamber and a side storage container disposed within the interior chamber. The side storage container is configured to receive one or more substrates from the EFEM chamber. The electronic device processing system further includes an environmental control system. The environmental control system is configured to circulate a purge gas between the EFEM chamber and the side storage pod via the recirculation duct.

公开(公告)号：US10192765B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-29

申请号：US14456631

申请日：2014-08-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Sushant S. Koshti ,  Dean C. Hruzek ,  Ayan Majumdar ,  John C. Menk ,  Helder T. Lee ,  Sangram Patil ,  Sanjay Rajaram ,  Douglas Baumgarten ,  Nir Merry

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: Electronic device processing systems including environmental control of the factory interface are described. One electronic device processing system has a factory interface having a factory interface chamber, a load lock apparatus coupled to the factory interface, one or more substrate carriers coupled to the factory interface, and an environmental control system coupled to the factory interface and operational to monitor or control one of: relative humidity, temperature, an amount of oxygen, or an amount of inert gas within the factory interface chamber. In another aspect, purge of a carrier purge chamber within the factory interface chamber is provided. Methods for processing substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

公开(公告)号：US11610794B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-21

申请号：US16656191

申请日：2019-10-17

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Paul Reuter ,  Dean C. Hruzek ,  Nir Merry ,  John C. Menk ,  Douglas B. Baumgarten

IPC: H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/67 ,  B01D53/04

Abstract: Electronic device processing assemblies including an equipment front end module (EFEM) with at least one side storage pod attached thereto are described. The side storage pod has a side storage container. In some embodiments, an exhaust conduit extends between the chamber and a pod plenum that can contain a chemical filter proximate thereto. A supplemental fan may draw purge gas from the pod plenum through the chemical filter and route the gas through a return duct to an upper plenum of the EFEM. Methods and side storage pods in accordance with these and other embodiments are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20220084860A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-17

申请号：US17532954

申请日：2021-11-22

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Paul B. Reuter ,  Dean C. Hruzek ,  Nir Merry ,  John C. Menk ,  Douglas B. Baumgarten

IPC: H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Electronic device processing systems including an equipment front end module (EFEM) with a side storage pod are described. The EFEM includes an EFEM chamber and a recirculation duct. The side storage pod is fluidly coupled to the recirculation duct. The side storage pod includes an interior chamber and a side storage container disposed within the interior chamber. The side storage container is configured to receive one or more substrates from the EFEM chamber. The electronic device processing system further includes an environmental control system. The environmental control system is configured to circulate a purge gas between the EFEM chamber and the side storage pod via the recirculation duct.

公开(公告)号：US20240429079A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-26

申请号：US18759704

申请日：2024-06-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Aaron Green ,  Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  John C. Menk

IPC: H01L21/673

Abstract: A shelf system includes a first distal portion configured to be fastened to a first surface of an enclosure system. The first distal portion includes a first carrier alignment feature and a first process kit ring alignment feature. The shelf system further includes a second distal portion configured to be fastened to a second surface of the enclosure system. The second distal portion includes a second carrier alignment feature and a second process kit ring alignment feature. The first carrier alignment feature and the second carrier alignment feature are configured to be disposed proximate outer surfaces of a carrier to align the carrier in the enclosure system. The first process kit ring alignment feature and the second process kit ring alignment feature are configured to be proximate inner surfaces of a process kit ring to align the process kit ring on the carrier in the enclosure system.

公开(公告)号：US11450539B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-20

申请号：US16112197

申请日：2018-08-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Sushant S. Koshti ,  Dean C. Hruzek ,  Ayan Majumdar ,  John C. Menk ,  Helder T. Lee ,  Sangram Patil ,  Sanjay Rajaram ,  Douglas B. Baumgarten ,  Nir Merry

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: Electronic device processing systems including environmental control of the factory interface are described. One electronic device processing system has a factory interface having a factory interface chamber, a load lock apparatus coupled to the factory interface, one or more substrate carriers coupled to the factory interface, and an environmental control system coupled to the factory interface and operational to monitor or control one of: relative humidity, temperature, an amount of oxygen, or an amount of inert gas within the factory interface chamber. In another aspect, purge of a carrier purge chamber within the factory interface chamber is provided. Methods for processing substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

公开(公告)号：US11282724B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-22

申请号：US16534948

申请日：2019-08-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Sushant S. Koshti ,  Dean C. Hruzek ,  Ayan Majumdar ,  John C. Menk ,  Helder T. Lee ,  Sangram Patil ,  Sanjay Rajaram ,  Douglas Baumgarten ,  Nir Merry

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: A factory interface for an electronic device processing system includes a factory interface chamber, an inert gas supply conduit, an exhaust conduit and an inert gas recirculation system. The inert gas supply conduit supplies an inert gas into the factory interface chamber. The exhaust conduit exhausts the inert gas from the factory interface chamber. The inert gas recirculation system recirculates the inert gas exhausted from the factory interface chamber back into the factory interface chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20210296149A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-23

申请号：US17206036

申请日：2021-03-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Aaron Green ,  Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  John C. Menk

IPC: H01L21/673

Abstract: A set of one or more shelves is configured to be disposed within an enclosure system of a substrate processing system. The set of one or more shelves includes first upper surfaces disposed substantially in a first plane, carrier alignment features configured to align a carrier on the first upper surfaces, second upper surfaces disposed substantially in a second plane that is above the first plane, and process kit ring alignment features configured to align a process kit ring on the carrier above the second upper surfaces.

公开(公告)号：US12027397B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-02

申请号：US17206036

申请日：2021-03-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Aaron Green ,  Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  John C. Menk

IPC: H01L21/673

CPC classification number: H01L21/67383

Abstract: A set of one or more shelves is configured to be disposed within an enclosure system of a substrate processing system. The set of one or more shelves includes first upper surfaces disposed substantially in a first plane, carrier alignment features configured to align a carrier on the first upper surfaces, second upper surfaces disposed substantially in a second plane that is above the first plane, and process kit ring alignment features configured to align a process kit ring on the carrier above the second upper surfaces.

公开(公告)号：US20220392789A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-08

申请号：US17821073

申请日：2022-08-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Sushant S. Koshti ,  Dean C. Hruzek ,  Ayan Majumdar ,  John C. Menk ,  Helder T. Lee ,  Sangram Patil ,  Sanjay Rajaram ,  Douglas Baumgarten ,  Nir Merry

IPC: H01L21/67

Abstract: An electronic device processing system includes a factory interface (FI), substrate carrier(s), a humidity sensor, an oxygen sensor, and an environmental control system coupled to the FI. A processor of the environmental control system is to cause inert gas to be provided to an FI chamber and inert gas exhausted from the FI chamber to be circulated back into the FI chamber. The processor is also to identify conditions to be satisfied before opening a door of the substrate carriers. The processor is to control the humidity level based on detection by the humidity sensor or the oxygen level based on detection by the oxygen sensor. If the one or more conditions are satisfied, the processor is to open the carrier door to enable passing of substrates between the FI chamber and the substrate carriers.