CN102449752B - Atmosphere replacement device - Google Patents

Atmosphere replacement device Download PDF

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Publication number
CN102449752B
CN102449752B CN201080023009.4A CN201080023009A CN102449752B CN 102449752 B CN102449752 B CN 102449752B CN 201080023009 A CN201080023009 A CN 201080023009A CN 102449752 B CN102449752 B CN 102449752B
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door
atmosphere replacement
purification plate
replacement device
purification
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CN102449752A (en
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坂田胜则
奥津英和
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Rorze Corp
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Rorze Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
    • H01L21/67155—Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations
    • H01L21/67201—Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations characterized by the construction of the load-lock chamber
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
    • H01L21/67772—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading involving removal of lid, door, cover
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/673—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere using specially adapted carriers or holders; Fixing the workpieces on such carriers or holders
    • H01L21/6735—Closed carriers
    • H01L21/67389—Closed carriers characterised by atmosphere control
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
    • H01L21/67778—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading involving loading and unloading of wafers
    • H01L21/67781—Batch transfer of wafers

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)

Abstract

An improved atmosphere replacement device configured to purge a FOUP type container by means of a purge gas. An atmosphere replacement device is provided with a non-nozzle type purge plate designed in such a manner that a laminar purge gas flow flows out of an outflow surface. The purge plate can be moved between a standby position and an operation position by a purge plate drive mechanism. During purging, the purge plate is placed at the operation position and, while facing the open surface, purges a FOUP type container by causing the laminar purge gas to flow out of the purge plate into the inside of the open surface of the FOUP type container.

Description

Atmosphere replacement device
Technical field
The present invention relates to atmosphere replacement device and atmosphere method of replacing, in conveying between each processing step when processing the laminal substrate of semiconductor wafer, display panels, organic EL display panel, plasma display, panel used for solar batteries etc., for and external environment atmosphere in receive the closed container of laminal substrate with the interval specified, the atmosphere of internal tank is replaced as the atmosphere such as non-active gas.
Background technology
In the past, film forming is being carried out to laminal substrates such as semiconductor wafers, etch the processing unit of so various process, carry out the EFEM (Equipment Front End Module: front equipment end module) of transfer, that reads that lot number carrying out classifies is referred to as in the device of grader, laminal substrate is attached in order to prevent the particulate swum in air, descend a lot of time in the following areas: the short space being referred to as the high level of cleanliness of microenvironment (mini environment) remaining high level of cleanliness by arranging the device internal atmosphere be exposed by laminal substrate, with cheaper price maintenance high cleanliness.
But in recent years, there is the only insurmountable problem with the existing high level of cleanliness based on microenvironment mode in the heavy caliber development of the becoming more meticulous of the design standard of semiconductor circuit live width, wafer diameter.The surface of the laminal substrate of closed container inside is carried to by processing unit process, produce with the oxygen in air and moisture and react and generate the film all undesirably occurred in various treatment process of natural oxide film etc., or except the oxygen in air and moisture, in container handling, used polluter is carried in closed container being attached under the state on laminal substrate, other laminal substrate in closed container also pollutes by this polluter, harmful effect can be brought to ensuing treatment process thus, cause the deterioration of rate of finished products.
As the method for solving above-mentioned such problem, consider and utilize non-active gas the air entered in closed container and polluter to be removed, by being full of in closed container the various methods preventing the oxidation being accommodated in inner laminal substrate surface with non-active gas.
Following method is disclosed: move up and down by making gas supply nozzle the polluter removing of wafer surface will be attached to along vertical in [patent documentation 1], this gas supply nozzle is arranged on and is placed in the position only separating predetermined distance as the wafer of a kind of FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod: front-open wafer box) of closed container, for spraying inactive Purge gas.But, in the method, although the polluter on the surface of a kind of wafer be attached to as laminal substrate can be flown from wafer blowing up, exist and cause the possibility of following unfavorable condition: blown the polluter flown and be discharged in microenvironment space; Or make to be attached to FOUP dust that is inner or wafer surface to scatter and damage wafers treated side in FOUP.
And, in [patent documentation 2], on the basis of the nozzle of supply non-active gas, arrange the pilot jet for sucking the non-active gas along the flowing of FOUP inner peripheral, and making is sent as an envoy to, non-active gas can be depicted around the such stream of track in FOUP.And disclose following method: cover is set in the mode covering FOUP open surface and nozzle, suppress Purge gas externally to flow out with this and purify efficiently.
But, also fully do not eliminate following unfavorable condition in the method: the Purge gas flowed out from nozzle becomes turbulent flow, and the dust being attached to wafer surface is scattered and damage wafers treated side in FOUP.In addition, the longitudinal side end of the side from container opened portion be blown into gas and from the longitudinal side Exhaust Gas of the opposing party time, mix because non-active gas rotates with atmosphere in container and make displacement slow, result, required non-active gas amount increases, and fails to purify fully efficiently.And there are the following problems: because adding confined space forming portion or the increase of the such optional feature of nozzle that setting makes Purge gas flow on the basis of the nozzle making Purge gas flow out, cause cost to improve.
Patent documentation 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2005-33118 publication
Patent documentation 2: International Publication WO2005/124853 publication
Summary of the invention
The present invention completes in view of above problem points, and its object is to provides a kind of atmosphere replacement device, without the need to using nozzle just can efficiently and effectively utilize Purge gas to replace the internal atmosphere of FOUP type container.
According to a mode of the present invention, provide the atmosphere replacement device utilizing Purge gas to be purified by FOUP type container.Herein, FOUP type container refers to have open surface above and cover can be utilized accommodating container airtight for open surface, the FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) such as, used during being included in semiconductor processes, but is not limited thereto.Compared with the Purge gas emitting mechanism of existing nozzle type, this atmosphere replacement device uses and is designed so that the non-nozzle type purification plate that the Purge gas of laminar flow flows out from effluent face.This new-type Purge gas emitting mechanism (non-nozzle type purification plate) has position of readiness and service position.Purification plate can be moved between position of readiness and service position by purification plate driving mechanism (such as elevating mechanism).Purification plate is placed in this service position during purifying, and works in the following manner: make the Purge gas of laminar flow flow out the described container of purification towards the inside (being preferably the central authorities of open surface) of open surface with the posture of the open surface in the face of FOUP type container.
Purification plate is key component of the present invention.This new-type Purge gas emitting mechanism is compared with existing nozzle type, due to (a) air-flow be flow out mode based on plane there is the same laminar flow of comparatively atmospheric sectional area (converting with total stomatal size), and (b) air-flow has lower speed (preferably, in the position of purification plate front 20mm, the scope of 0.05m/ second to 0.5m/ second), therefore, it is possible to fully suppress to meet with in existing nozzle type Purge gas emitting mechanism " stir phenomenon (in FOUP type container, phenomenon along with residual air mixes with supply gas) ", result, effective and efficient gas displacement can be carried out.
No matter whether slow from the air-flow of purification plate outflow, all there is following possibility: compared with the air-flow of the high speed obtained with the structure from existing nozzle type, purification can be implemented within the shorter time.This can be described as the effect outside anticipation.Further, the air-flow flowed out from purification plate is laminar flow slowly.Therefore, utilize this slowly gas laminar flow fully can suppress " dusting phenomenon (phenomenon that dust flies upward in FOUP type container) " that meet with in existing nozzle type Purge gas emitting mechanism.Because dust (particulate) can pollute semiconductor wafer etc. in semiconductor fabrication factory (FAB), thus cause the significantly reduction of rate of finished products, this dusting inhibit feature therefore based on purification plate is extremely important.
The service position of purification plate is described.In preferred mode, the service position of purification plate is positioned on the mobile route of FOUP type container.Therefore, when purification plate is in position of readiness, FOUP type container can occupy the service position of purification plate.Under this possession state, can abut with door before FOUP type container.In addition, door is identical with the door of existing loading lane device (load port), and when opening, the operating portion (manipulator) of transfer robot can pass through.Under this abutting state, the mechanism that the door of Men Yiyu existing loading lane device is identical will be covered from FOUP type container dismounting (open container) and be installed on door itself, or in contrast, cover is installed on the open surface (by container closure) of FOUP type container from door dismounting.When purification plate is in service position, for FOUP type container, its open surface, in the face of purification plate, is in the position (accepting Purge gas posture) directly accepted from the purifying gas flow of purification plate.Therefore, FOUP type container purification before from " occupying position " court " accept Purge gas position " movement.Guarantee the working space of purification plate thus.
Working space assurance mechanism can be make FOUP type container along the FOUP type container travel mechanism of mobile route movement.This such as can utilize and the mounting table travel mechanism of the mounting table movement of mounting FOUP type container is realized as existing loading lane device.The door travel mechanism of the direction movement making a court away from FOUP type container can be set to replace said mechanism or to combine with said mechanism.According to such working space assurance mechanism, the service position of purification plate is present between FOUP type container (its open surface) and door.
In preferred mode, purification plate possesses the ejection suppression element of the ejection power suppressing or hinder purification atmosphere.Preferably, spray suppression element to be formed with porous materials such as atmosphere filtering materials.
In preferred mode, atmosphere replacement device is designed to and loads lane device compatibility (compatible).
The door of common loading lane device can be utilized to realize the door of atmosphere replacement device itself.In preferred mode, the door travel mechanism making door movement in X-direction (being such as horizontal direction) and Y-direction (such as orthogonal with X-direction direction, more such as vertical direction) is set in atmosphere replacement device.
In the application of regulation, atmosphere replacement device is configuration adjacent with microenvironment space cell as common loading lane device.That is, there is microenvironment space on the opposite of door, transfer robot uses operating portion (robot arm) to carry out accessing (carrying out wafer transfer operation) from side, microenvironment space relative to FOUP type container when this door is opened.In this type of application, atmosphere replacement device implements purification (atmosphere displacement) being arranged at by FOUP type container under the state in peristome (head part only comprising the FOUP type container of open surface enters the state in peristome).Peristome delimited by the inwall of atmosphere replacement device.Therefore generally, between the inwall and door of atmosphere replacement device, there is gap, be limitedly communicated with the high cleanliness air from microenvironment space cell by this gap in peristome.
Therefore, under the state that FOUP type container is arranged at peristome, in the peristome of atmosphere replacement device, high cleanliness air is exposed to by this gap all the time.Generally in order to avoid the low cleaning degree air from outside immerses microenvironment space cell, under being placed in the air pressure (" malleation ") higher than outside.
Other each feature of the present invention relates to the improvement when atmosphere replacement device of band purification plate of the present invention being applied to above-mentioned such gap communicate-type atmosphere replacement device (purification channel device).Therefore, these characteristic theories also can be applicable to nozzle type atmosphere replacement device.But, for the nozzle type atmosphere replacement device that " stirring phenomenon ", " dusting phenomenon " intrinsic in nozzle type Purge gas emitting mechanism cannot be suppressed to admissible level, even if include these features in, in key property, also cannot expect that it improves, and therefore thinks and cannot obtain synergistic effect.In other words, when possess " stirring phenomenon ", " dusting phenomenon " can be suppressed to and apply in the atmosphere replacement device of the key property of admissible level time just effective.
In preferred mode, above-mentioned gap is made not have the organization establishes of actual effect in atmosphere replacement device.Specifically, the inner wall sealing cover of maze-type structure is set at the inwall of atmosphere replacement device.And then, the door sealing cover of same maze-type structure is also set at described door.Further, configure by described inner wall sealing cover and described door sealing cover, be configured to described clearance seal in contactless mode.Thus in actual effect, owing to there is not gap, therefore reduce the immersion of high cleanliness air as much as possible.Its result, can shorten to and carry out required purification and the required time (clarification time).And then, due to the contact of inwall and door can not be caused according to the characteristic of maze-type structure or collide (herein, contact or collision for inner wall sealing cover and door sealing cover), therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent because of contact, collision and " dusting " that cause.
In other optimal way, the clearance adjustment mechanism that can change above-mentioned gap is arranged at atmosphere replacement device.Specifically, the inner wall sealing cover of maze-type structure is set at the inwall of atmosphere replacement device.The same door sealing cover that sealed construction is also set at described door.The door drive mechanism making the movement in the horizontal direction of described door is also set.And then, be designed to be able to adjust seal degree (therefore, it is possible to adjusting described gap) between described inner wall sealing cover and described door sealing cover by the position of the horizontal direction of described door.Thus in actual effect, owing to gap can be adjusted to the size (size with actual effect corresponding with " degree of depth " of sealing) of expectation, therefore, it is possible to shorten the clarification time.Further, high cleanliness air can moderately be adjusted towards the immersion in peristome.
Present inventor finds: when the atmosphere replacement device of band purification plate is configured to the mode adjacent with microenvironment space, if the high cleanliness air stream be communicated with via gap (with reference to the high cleanliness air flue 121 of Fig. 9) moderately exists in (during purification) during FOUP type supply for receptacles purifying gas flow at purification plate, then result can shorten the clarification time (flow schematic diagram with reference to Fig. 9).If the action of purification plate stops (the purification action of purification plate is complete), then purifying gas flow disappears, thus the effect of Purge gas curtain has not existed yet, immersion (perhaps a part immerses the depths of the FOUP type container) result of the high cleanliness air under this pattern (the complete pattern of purification plate action) has become the main cause that the clarification time is extended.
In order to eliminate the main cause of this delay, consider to make to cover lid FOUP type container in (grade of such as millisecond, more such as about 100 milliseconds) in a flash after the action of purification plate thus by container closure.But, thus and impracticable must make to cover on place beyond door in advance standby and then assemble.Be the moment (such as, the moment back to position of readiness) not becoming the obstacle of FOUP type container movement at purification plate in reality, make FOUP type container move to Men Bingcong door cover removal and then cover be installed on FOUP type container.Based on the time of complete of auto purification action to FOUP type container closure of which, can realize within the short time (such as about one second) to a certain degree.
The mechanism of the immersion of the high cleanliness air from microenvironment space cell can be reduced in actual effect, in order to replace said mechanism or to combine with said mechanism under can being arranged on the complete pattern of purification action.The required clarification time can be shortened further thus.
In a configuration example, by achieving this mechanism by being arranged at inwall towards the pilot jet of after-purification gas in FOUP type container.Preferably, this pilot jet is controlled in the complete pattern of purification plate action, carries out action.Distinguish: although this is simple structure, result is (particularly particularly effective in the required clarification time this point of shortening) very effectively.
Can also utilize and above-mentionedly the labyrinth type mechanism (Variable adjusting mechanism) of percentage regulation can realize this object.Specifically, control as follows: when purification plate action is complete (or from the suitable moment before the complete moment), utilize horizontal door driving mechanism that door is moved towards the darkest sealing station in the horizontal direction, door is maintained at the darkest sealing station in the action stopped process of purification plate.
And above-mentioned can the labyrinth type mechanism (Variable adjusting mechanism) of percentage regulation, the size of control gap can be carried out according to the size of the inside and outside differential pressure (malleation) of used microenvironment space cell.Thus the size (or environment for use of microenvironment space cell) of the inside and outside differential pressure (malleation) of used microenvironment space cell is compensated.
Accompanying drawing explanation
According to the following detailed description carried out with reference to accompanying drawing, above-mentioned and other object of the present invention, feature, advantage can become clear.It is below the accompanying drawing of institute's reference.
Fig. 1 is the stereogram of the summary that general processing unit is shown.
Fig. 2 is the cutaway view of processing unit.
Fig. 3 is the stereogram of the structure of the FOUP illustrated as a kind of wafer storage container.
Fig. 4 is the stereogram that the summary of loading lane device is shown.
Fig. 5 is the cutaway view of the purification channel device (atmosphere replacement device) illustrated involved by one embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 6 is the stereogram of the FIMS door periphery that Fig. 5 is shown.
Fig. 7 is the stereogram of the embodiment that purification plate is shown.
Fig. 8 is the stereogram of other embodiment that purification plate is shown.
Fig. 9 simulates the cutaway view of the air-flow illustrated in FOUP to illustrate FOUP to be cleaned the situation of lane device purification based on embodiments of the invention.
Figure 10 is the stereogram of the door drive mechanism driving FIMS door based on embodiments of the invention in the horizontal direction.
Figure 11 is the cutaway view of the sequence of movement that purification channel device is shown.
Figure 12 is the figure of the system that pipe arrangement in purification plate and signal carrying-in/carrying-out are shown.
Figure 13 is the stereogram that FIMS door drive mechanism periphery is shown.
Figure 14 is the stereogram that seal closure 67a, the 67b being installed on FIMS door is shown based on embodiments of the invention.
Figure 15 is the key diagram that experimental enviroment is shown.
Figure 16 illustrates when the inside and outside differential pressure of test microenvironment space cell is set to 3.5Pa and 2.5Pa, based on the chart of the change of the oxygen concentration of the difference of nitrogen (Purge gas) flow and service time.
Figure 17 is the chart of the relation of the change that inside and outside differential pressure and oxygen concentration when being set to constant by the flow of nitrogen and service time are shown.
Figure 18 illustrates the chart when being set to constant by inside and outside differential pressure based on the change of the oxygen concentration of the difference of nitrogen flow and service time.
Embodiment
Below, the present invention is described in detail for specific embodiment shown in the drawings.Fig. 1 is the stereogram of processing unit 1, and Fig. 2 is its cutaway view.Processing unit 1 be arranged on be referred to as clean room, to manage into the grade of 0.5 μm of dust evaluation be in the factory of cleaner atmosphere of about 100.Processing unit 1 mainly comprises loading lane device 2, microenvironment space cell 3, transfer robot 4, fan filtering unit 5, vacuum chamber 6, treatment chamber 7.Microenvironment space cell 3 is provided with: framework; Be fixed on this framework and wall for isolating with outside atmosphere; And fan filtering unit 5, this fan filtering unit 5 is on the basis of the air atmosphere purification from outside being become high cleanliness, as sinking, air is imported the high cleanliness air importing unit of microenvironment space cell 3.Possess at fan filtering unit 5: fan 8, this fan 8 is arranged at the top of microenvironment space cell 3, and downwards towards microenvironment space cell 3 delivered inside air; And filter 9, the polluters such as the dust existed in the air transported and organic substance remove by this filter 9.
Further, parts punched-plate etc. with Gong the air circulation of the perforate efficiency of regulation are used as the floor 10 (Fig. 2) of microenvironment space cell 3.According to these structures, the clean air utilizing fan filtering unit 5 to supply towards inside flows in microenvironment space cell 3 downwards all the time, and then the outside discharge from floor 10 to device, thus remains the atmosphere of high cleanliness in microenvironment space cell 3.Transfer robot 4 carries the wafer 15 (Fig. 3 (a)) as a kind of laminal object in the container 13 being referred to as FOUP and between treatment chamber 7, the arm moving part of robot 4 is formed as the hermetically-sealed construction that magnetic fluid seal etc. prevents dust, manages to do one's utmost with this harmful effect that suppresses to cause wafer 15 because producing dust.According to this structure, utilize transfer robot 4 transfer wafers 15 in the atmosphere of high cleanliness.Further, microenvironment space cell 3 air pressure inside is formed as the pressure " normal pressure " higher than outside, is typically maintained in the pressure reduction with about 1.5Pa.Like this, by preventing the intrusion of polluter from outside and dust, can be maintained in the grade of 0.5 μm of dust evaluation by the cleannes of microenvironment space cell 3 inside is the high cleanliness of more than 1.
Next, Fig. 1 and 4 is utilized to illustrate as follows loading lane device 2.Load lane device 2 to possess: mounting table 14, this mounting table 14 is fixed on the assigned position of the framework 3a forming microenvironment space cell 3, at the FOUP13 of the position of regulation mounting as a kind of sealable container; Mounting table driving mechanism 29, this mounting table driving mechanism 29 pairs of mounting tables 14 support, and make mounting table 14 carry out advancing, backward movement; Access portal portion 11, this access portal portion 11 for transfer robot 4 carry out wafer 15 relative to taking out of in FOUP13, move into; FIMS door 12, this FIMS door 12 is positioned at the position separating constant gap and blocked in access portal portion 11, and with for by integrated for cover 17 airtight for the inside of FOUP13; And FIMS door elevating mechanism 19, this FIMS door elevating mechanism 19 makes FIMS door 12 carry out lifting action.
For door opening action and the action of closing the door of FIMS door 12, the cover opening/closing unit making to carry out the round action till the position be separated with FOUP13 with the FIMS door 12 of cover 17 integration can be set, or mounting table driving mechanism 29 can make the mounting table 14 being placed with FOUP13 carry out until with the round action till the position that is separated with the FIMS door 12 of cover 17 integration.In this case, mounting table driving mechanism 29 also bears the effect of cover opening/closing unit.In addition, these mechanisms correspond to by FIMS (the Front-opening Interface Mechanical Standard) system of the SEMI specification defined as the specification relevant to semiconductor manufacturing.
The rotation that mounting table driving mechanism 29 possesses motor 29a as drive source and feed screw 29b, motor 29a is delivered to feed screw 29b, and the mounting table 14 being fixed on feed screw 29b can be made to move to optional position.In addition, can use and utilize the cylinder body of air pressure or the such fluid pressure of hydraulic pressure to replace motor 29a and feed screw 29b.FOUP13 becomes following structure: being correctly placed in the assigned position of mounting table 14 by being configured at the power pin as positioning unit 30 (kinematic pin) 30 of mounting table 14, being engaged by not shown engaging unit with mounting table 14.
FIMS door 12 possesses: alignment pin (registration pin) 23a, this alignment pin 23a are used for positioning relative to the cover 17 of FOUP13 and based on the integration of attraction; Locking mechanism 25, this locking mechanism 25 is chimeric with the latch key hole 24 that cover 17 possesses, and links with latch key hole 24 by rotating; And latch key 23b, this latch key 23b engages with latch key hole 24, switches lock-out state and latch-release state.According to these structures, the cover 17 forming FOUP13 is removed with the lock-out state of bracket 16, and cover 17 and FIMS door 12 are integrated.
FIMS door 12 is lifting freely installed on FIMS elevating mechanism 19 by support 31.According to these structures, the FIMS door 12 rising to position that can be integrated with the cover 17 of FOUP13 is integrated with cover 17 in the above described manner.In order to decline, FIMS door 12 after being removed by the locking mechanism possessed at cover 17 25, can carry out the down maneuver arriving optional position.In addition, in the diagram, FIMS door elevating mechanism 19 is formed as following structure: the motor 19a as drive source makes feed screw 19b carry out the spinning movement of forward or reverse, make FIMS door 12 lifting moving to optional position thus, but also can use and utilize the cylinder body of air pressure or the such fluid pressure of hydraulic pressure to replace this structure.
Further, on the basis of said structure, also possess matched sensors 32 at loading lane device 2, this matched sensors 32 pairs of wafers 15 are detected by situation about being placed on which shelf 18 of FOUP13 inside or its quantity.
In the diagram, matched sensors 32 adopts to be had with wafer 15 by a pair infiltration type transducer of the parallel optical axis in the face that loads, and on the transducer installation portion 33 of the mode being installed in the periphery of the horizontal plane surrounding wafer 15 roughly コ word shape spaced apart.The two ends of transducer installation portion 33 are rotatably installed on sensor drive mechanism 34.Drive source as sensor drive mechanism 34 adopts motor or revolution actuator, and carry out spinning movement by these drive sources, transducer installation portion 33 rotates centered by the axle of drive source, and the matched sensors 32 being installed on top enters bracket 16 inside.
Sensor drive mechanism 34 is fixed on support 31, can carry out lifting action in linkage with the action of FIMS elevating mechanism 19, can detect thus on all shelves 18 in bracket 16 with or without wafer 15.Further, by control part 37 control to each driving mechanism take out of signal and sensor move into signal.
On the basis of said structure, in order to prevent the dust of each drive source and the movable part generation possessed from the inside at loading lane device 2 or invade microenvironment space cell 3 from the dust of outside, also wall 35 can be set, or in order to prevent entering of the air of the low cleaning degree from outside, cover 36 coverage rate can also be utilized the part of outside.Further, the scavenger fan 37 for externally being discharged by the dust loading generation in lane device 2 can also be possessed.Not only can prevent dust from flowing out in microenvironment space cell 3 thus, and the sinking of the high cleanliness air of flowing immerses from the upper opening part of wall 35 in microenvironment space cell 3, and pass through from the peristome being arranged at the bottom surface of loading lane device 2 and then discharged by towards device outside, thus the polluters such as dust can also be prevented to be attached to the cover 17 being positioned at down position under the state integrated with FIMS door 12.
Next the FOUP13 as a kind of sealable container is described.FOUP13 is the sealable container that the wafer 15 for making by inner sustain is become the atmosphere of high cleanliness as stored object completely cuts off with the outside atmosphere of low cleaning degree and then carries wafer 15 at each inter process.Fig. 3 is the stereogram of the structure of the FOUP13 of the wafer storage container illustrated as a kind of semiconductor.FOUP13 possesses: at the bracket 16 of inside storage wafer 15; Flange part 26, moves into wafer 15 to take out of relative to bracket 16 and has the open surface 161 be arranged at above; And cover 17, this cover 17 is for airtight open surface 161 thus by airtight for bracket 16 inside.As shown in Fig. 3 (a), be provided with polylith with separating predetermined distance in vertical direction for loading the shelf 18 of wafer at the inside wall of bracket 16.
And, possess top flange 20 on the top of FOUP13, this top flange 20 is the holding sections engaged with FOUP transfer robot when utilization carries out automatic transport with the FOUP transfer robot that OHT (Overhead Hoist Transport) is representative.Further, the handle 21 (Fig. 1) of handle is become when the sidepiece of bracket 16 possesses manual feed FOUP13.Airtight FOUP13 under the state that can be accommodated with wafer 15 in inside thus, and FOUP13 can be carried automatically or manually between processing unit.In addition, Fig. 3 (b) is the figure in the face opposed with FIMS door that cover 17 is shown, Fig. 3 (c) is the figure in the face abutted with bracket 16 of cover 17, and cover 17 is chimeric with bracket 16 at the open surface 161 of bracket 16, makes FOUP13 inside be formed as confined space.
Cover the face in the outside of 17 at FOUP, namely possess on the face opposed with FIMS door 12: for the location hole 22 of cover 17 relative to the location of FIMS door 12; And latch key hole 24, make cover 17 engage with bracket 16/be separated for the latch key 23 by possessing at loading lane device 2.And possess locking mechanism 25 at the lower edges of cover 17, this locking mechanism 25 engages for the flange portion 26 making cover 17 and open surface 161 periphery at bracket 16 and arrange.This locking mechanism 25 links with latch key hole 24, utilizes the latch key 23 possessed at FIMS door 12 that latch key hole 24 is rotated in the lateral direction, can operational lock mechanism 25 make it be in the lock state and open mode thus.
Cover the face of the inner side of 17 at FOUP, namely possess on the face contacted with the open surface of bracket 16: for keeping the seal 27 of the seal in FOUP13; And holding member 28, for pressing the edge of the wafer 15 being accommodated in FOUP13 inside in the horizontal direction, fix.The wafer 15 of bracket 16 inside is fixed by bracket 16 inwall and holding member 28 being placed under the state on shelf 18, and manually or utilize this holding member 28 to suppress rocking of FOUP inside when carrying based on FOUP transfer robot.SEMI specification according to the specification of being correlated with as semiconductor manufacturing specifies the information such as this detailed dimensions.
According to embodiments of the invention, the atmosphere replacement device (" purification channel device ") of replacing the atmosphere (internal gas) of FOUP is arranged to be assembled into and is loaded lane device (such as, Fig. 4 pass the imperial examinations at the provincial level the loading lane device 2 exemplified).Such purification channel device is represented in the accompanying drawings with 40.Fig. 5 observes the cutaway view utilizing Purge gas (non-active gas) to the purification channel device 40 purified in FOUP13 from the side, and Fig. 6 is with can the stereogram of FIMS door 12 periphery that configures of the mode of back and forth movement (can expose and submerge) for the purification plate 41 of the key component of purification channel device 40.
Feature according to an embodiment of the invention, purification channel device 40 possesses the purification plate 41 for supplying Purge gas (non-active gas) to FOUP13.Purification plate 41 is incorporated in the going-back position (state shown in Fig. 5) of below when not operating.In order to carry out purification action, purification plate 41 enters by inserting hole 66 (Fig. 6) the atmosphere displacement position be positioned at above going-back position.Feature according to an embodiment of the invention, as shown in fig. 9, for example, purification plate 41 is positioned between FIMS door 12 (in advance the cover 17 of FOUP13 be assemblied in this FIMS door 12 and carry out integration) and the open surface 161 of FOUP13 in this in-position.Preferably, in this in-position, the face (face that Purge gas sprays) of purification plate 41 parallel or substantially parallel with the face open surface 161 of purification plate 41 (angle of inclination can be positive and negative less than 20 degree) (Fig. 9), purification plate 41 is in the posture (orientation) of the inside (non-circumference is preferably the central portion of open surface 161) in the face of open surface 161.Purification plate 41 carries out purification action with this opposed posture.That is, from the substantially identical and Purge gas of low speed of the face of purification plate 41 ejection, form laminar flow (the blacking arrow with reference to Fig. 9) and to flow into container 13 inner, thus the atmosphere of container 13 is cleaned.The effluent face of purification plate 41 can have the shape corresponding with the inside of the open surface 161 of bracket 16 (being preferably central portion).Such as, in the illustrated embodiment in which, purification plate 41 is in roughly rectangle.Consider that fluid (Purge gas) spreads, preferably the size in length and breadth of this purification plate 41 is less than the size in length and breadth of the open surface 161 of bracket 16 respectively, and the preferred non-active gas from purification plate 41 flows into the central portion (with reference to Fig. 9) of bracket open surface 161 as laminar flow.
Utilization has such structure, the purification plate 41 of configuration can realize the displacement of efficient atmosphere.Namely, flow out from the effluent face of purification plate 41 and the non-active gas (the blacking arrow with reference to shown in the bracket 16 of Fig. 9) of the laminar flow flowed at the central portion of bracket 16, by the atmosphere (blank arrowhead with reference to shown in the bracket 16 of Fig. 9) in bracket between the periphery of the open surface 161 of the periphery of purification plate 41 and bracket 16 by and it is extruded with laminar condition, the mixing of Purge gas (non-active gas) in bracket 16 and air, stirring can be reduced as far as possible.In addition, said Purge gas (non-active gas) herein, except nitrogen, argon, neon, krypton, can also comprise dry air.
Purification plate 40 also possesses: purification plate elevating mechanism 42, and purification plate 41 is moved up and down (lifting moving) between service position (atmosphere displacement position) and position of readiness (reception position); The FIMS door drive mechanism 43 FIMS door 12 is advanced, retreating; And to the control part 46 that each assembly of purification channel device 40 controls.
In the purification channel device 40 of preferred embodiment, purification channel device peristome 44 provides the place of the purification (atmosphere displacement action) being carried out FOUP13 by purification plate 41.Further, purification channel device peristome 44 can also be used as the place that the wafer 15 in transfer robot 4 couples of FOUP13 takes out of, moves into.This purification channel device peristome 44 is identical with the access portal portion of common loading lane device (such as, the loading lane device 2 shown in Fig. 4), the aperture area that the flange portion 26 with the FOUP13 being placed in mounting table 14 can pass through.In an action step of loading sequence, the FOUP13 being placed in mounting table 14 passes through from the entrance of purification channel device peristome 44, the FIMS door 12 standby with the position of the regulation at peristome 44 meets, and in this position, cover 16 is assemblied in FIMS door 12 (namely integrated with FIMS door 12) from FOUP13 dismounting.And, in order to prevent or suppress adjacent microenvironment space cell 3 to be communicated with the direct fluid between purification channel device peristome 44, utilize the next door that the inwall 45 (45a, 45b, 45c, 45d shown in Fig. 6) up and down of purification channel device peristome 44 is formed, the inner space of microenvironment space cell and purification channel device 40 is isolated (that is, being communicated with by gap suppression fluid).
Form the inserting hole 66 with the sufficient area passed through for purification plate 41 at the downside inwall 45d of purification channel device peristome 44, purification plate 41 can pass through from this inserting hole 66 and carry out lifting moving between service position (atmosphere displacement position) and position of readiness (reception position).In addition, above inserting hole 66, the high cleanliness air of microenvironment space cell 3 inside passes through from the periphery (FIMS door 12 and the gap between inwall 45a, 45b, 45c, 45d) of FIMS door 12 and externally flows out.Because the flowing of this high cleanliness air becomes " gas curtain " or " valve ", thus prevent the low cleaning degree air of processing unit outside from passing through from inserting hole 66 and then arriving the purification plate 41 being in position of readiness (reception position), therefore without the need to arranging the cover covering inserting hole 66, if but expect to arrange, the cover that opening and closing covers inserting hole 66 freely also can be set, reliably prevent low cleaning degree air from immersing inside from inserting hole 66 with this.
And, if the excesssive gap between inwall 45a, 45b, 45c and FIMS door 12 peripheral part, high cleanliness air then in microenvironment space cell 3 externally flows out heavily through this gap, the situation of cleannes thus the interior pressure that also there is microenvironment space cell 3 inside does not rise, cannot maintain, therefore flow out to microenvironment space cell 3 outside to limit high cleanliness air, flange flat board 65 is set at inwall.This flange flat board 65 is arranged on the face of the FIMS door 12 opposed with FOUP13 roughly the same face (with reference to Fig. 9), each flange dull and stereotyped limit compact siro spinning technology corresponding with inwall 45a, 45b, 45c.In addition, in the concrete example of Fig. 6, Fig. 9, FIMS door 12 and flange flat board 65 are configured to the gap with a few about mm, utilize this gap to realize high cleanliness air and flow out adjustment function.That is, the appropriate high cleanliness air of microenvironment space cell 3 inside externally flows out from this gap, thus on the basis maintaining pressure in microenvironment space cell 3 inside, effectively can also prevent the immersion of the air of the low cleaning degree from outside.
The concrete example of following reference Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 to purification plate is described in detail.Purification plate 41 is supported by the pillar 47 being fixed on the support 52 (Fig. 5) installed on the moving member of above-mentioned purification plate elevating mechanism 42, can be elevated in linkage with the lifting action of purification plate elevating mechanism 42.Pillar 47 is formed as the tubulose of hollow, and the pipe arrangement path 39 that non-active gas is circulated is inserted in inside.This pipe arrangement path 39 (Fig. 7) is connected with the inside pipe arrangement 48 of purification plate 41, can supply non-active gas to purification plate 41.
Preferably, shape, the size of purification plate 41 is designed based on the shape of the open surface 161 of the FOUP13 opposed with purification plate 41, size.As shown in Figures 7 and 8, as concrete example, purification plate 41 has thin rectangular shape, have in inside: pipe arrangement 48, this pipe arrangement 48 has for making the non-active gas importing from one end hold the fork shape of disperseing to multiple ejections of two-dimensional arrangement (such as, being configured to two-dimensional matrix); And the two-dimensional array of ejection suppression element 49, this ejection suppression element 49 is arranged at each ejection end (pipe arrangement outlet) of pipe arrangement 48, and the flow velocity of the non-active gas that conveying is come in reduces and non-active gas is spread on a large scale.There is following function: by the shape making pipe arrangement 48 be formed as multiple fork, make the ejection power of the non-active gas imported from one end of pipe arrangement 48 to each ejection end dispersion of fork, make the force and velocity of a current of the non-active gas from the ejection of each ejection end reduce thus.
Various method can be utilized to realize making pipe arrangement 48 be formed as the shape that diverges.Such as, the pipe fitting be made up of can be diverged via joint polyurethane or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) resin etc., can also by engaging the pipe be made up of stainless steel material etc. and forming fork shape.
Be assemblied in the ejection suppression element 49 of each ejection end of pipe arrangement 48, the various raw materials realizations relative to used Purge gas with required ejection inhibit feature can be utilized, preferably utilize the material of Porous to form.Such as, can utilize PEFE particulate is realized in conjunction with composite component or sintering metal, sintered glass, continuous air bubbles glass, laminate filter material or the hollow-fibre membrane air filter module as filtering material.When the ejection suppression element 49 of Porous, non-active gas is through the close gap in ejection suppression element 49 and even pore, therefore the flow velocity of non-active gas reduces, and the emission direction of non-active gas is expanded on a large scale, thus in purification plate 41, supplies non-active gas equably.And then, utilize the ejection suppression element 49 of Porous to be mixed into the dust removing of non-active gas when can also circulate in pipe arrangement.When porousness ejection suppression element 49, due to the fine structure utilizing Porous such in ejection suppression, therefore, it is possible to make the ejection suppression element with required ejection rejection ability realize densification.
Preferably, the cowling panel 50 of the effluent face with Purge gas (non-active gas) is installed in the face opposed with bracket opened portion of purification plate 41.Cowling panel 50 forms the protective cover of purification plate 41, in order to be released the outside of Purge gas to purification plate 41, forms at the effluent face of cowling panel 50 two-dimensional array of apertures and even the hole pattern that are configured with multiple opening or hole in length and breadth.Each hole of hole pattern has the rectification function limited the flow direction of Purge gas.As concrete example, punching can be utilized by two dimension and the punched-plate similarly configured formation cowling panel 50.Although from the viewpoint of physical property and the preferred non-corrosive material of cost as the material of purification plate 41, pillar 47 and protective cover 50, also can the resin materials such as PTFE be used.According to this structure, the non-active gas being transported to purification plate 41 is full of purification plate 41 because ejection suppression element 49 inner, so from the hole pattern of cowling panel 50 by and as laminar flow on a large scale and to flow into bracket 16 equably inner.
And, as ejection suppression element 49, except above-mentioned air filter module, can also use following raw material: be the such porous material of continuous foamed resin or stainless steel cloth, sintering metal or ceramic porous article, material itself is not containing polluter and can not produce dust.In the figure 7, the Porous element of the independent assembling of each ejection end at pipe arrangement 48 is utilized to form ejection suppression element 49.As shown in Figure 8; instead mode; also the flat Porous assembled between purification plate 41 and cowling panel 50 (protective cover) can be utilized to spray suppression element 49 (i.e. Porous sheet material) form (in this situation, independently spraying suppression element 49 without the need to arranging at each ejection end of pipe arrangement 48).If on the basis of flat Porous ejection suppression element 49, configure between ejection suppression element 49 (Porous sheet material) and purification plate 41 in advance and strengthen cowling panel 79, then not only there is the effect of rectification, also there is the effect strengthened Porous ejection suppression element 49, above-mentioned reinforcement cowling panel 79 utilizes the emission direction of netted pore to the non-active gas from ejection in purification plate 41 to limit (rectification), and it is inner to make non-active gas flow into bracket 16 as laminar flow.
Next, with reference to Fig. 5, the purification plate elevating mechanism 42 making purification plate 41 carry out lifting moving is described.Purification plate elevating mechanism 42 possesses: as the motor 51 of drive source; Feed screw 53, this feed screw 53 rotates in linkage with the rotation of motor 51, and the support 52 being provided with pillar 47 is moved at above-below direction; And to the guide rail 54 that the lifting action of support 52 guides.Feed screw 53 rotates in linkage with the rotation of motor 51, and then the support 52 installed on the moving member of feed screw 53 utilizes this rotation and carries out the lifting action of ormal weight accordingly with the anglec of rotation of motor 51.
Thereby, it is possible to make purification plate 41 carry out reciprocating (lifting) between above-mentioned service position (atmosphere displacement position) and above-mentioned position of readiness (reception position).In addition, although in the present embodiment motor 51 and feed screw 53 are used as elevating mechanism, can utilize and suitably arbitrarily mechanically reciprocate mechanism, such as, utilize cylinder or hydraulic cylinder or cam link mechanism to replace this structure.And then in the present embodiment, purification plate 41 is accommodated in the bottom of purification channel device peristome 44 when not operating, make purification plate 41 rise to atmosphere displacement position when purification action, be designed so that purification plate 41 moves up and down thus.Although this guarantees that in the interchangeability between original loading lane device etc. be preferred mode can realize saving space and being easy to, if but expect to replace which, then also can replace which in the following way: the top or the sidepiece that purification plate 41 are accommodated in purification channel device peristome 44, utilize driving mechanism that purification plate 41 is reciprocated between in-position and going-back position.
In the control cabinet (BOX) 70 (Figure 12) of the body interior of purification channel device 40, possess control part 46, this control part 46 carries out the control (comprising the flow reciprocating action and non-active gas to each driving mechanism, service time, the control in supply moment) needed for purification action.As shown in figure 12, supply non-active gas externally in control part via feed path from purification channel device 40, and imported purification plate 41.
Be imported into the non-active gas of purification plate 41, can supply from the shop equipment be provided with as the purification channel device 40 of atmosphere replacement device, also can possess the container of storage non-active gas in purification channel device 40.Be formed as following structure: imported in control cabinet 70 by purify air (non-active gas) in shop equipment or hold-up vessel supply source 69 by via feed path, after via the pressure regulator 71 possessed in control cabinet 70, pressure sensor 72, electromagnetically operated valve 73, be imported into purification plate 41.The pressure of outlet side is adjusted to the constant pressure of the variation relative to supply source by pressure regulator 71, the pressure of pressure sensor 72 to the non-active gas that the outlet side from pressure regulator 71 transports is measured, when the threshold value relative to the upper and lower bound preset be high pressure or low-pressure state time, play the effect sending alarm signal to control part 46.
Electromagnetically operated valve 73 carries out opening and closing according to the input signal sent from control part 46 to the valve for non-active gas circulation, can according to the running order stored in the storage device possessed in control part 46 in advance, regulation moment and in official hour, only carry out the supply of non-active gas.Further, possess needle-valve 74 at each bar feed path leading to purification plate 41 from electromagnetically operated valve 73, the correct adjustment of non-active gas flow can be carried out.According to this structure, after the pressure that the non-active gas be imported in control cabinet 70 via feed path is controlled to regulation and flow, regulation moment and only in official hour, supply non-active gas to purification plate 41.
In addition, for the service time of non-active gas, the preferred time can be precomputed according to test, and the timer utilizing control part 46 to possess carries out supplying the control (timer mode) starting and supply stopping, alternatively, in advance the transducer detected non-active gas concentration can also be set in the preferred place of purification channel device 40, if the numerical value that the non-active gas concentration in FOUP13 reaches regulation just stops supplying (approach sensor).And then, although transducer can be used as the parts measured the concentration of the non-active gas used as Purge gas, alternatively, also same effect can be obtained by using the transducer of less expensive measurement oxygen concentration.In addition, when using oxygen concentration sensor, control in the following manner: if the oxygen concentration in FOUP13 becomes below the numerical value of regulation, then stop the supply of purification atmosphere.
When supplying the atmosphere replacement device of non-active gas to make non-active gas flow into bracket 16 inside immediately in bracket 16 from pipe arrangement 48, if improve the flow velocity of non-active gas, the amount then flowing into the non-active gas of bracket 16 inside also increases, thus can expect the atmosphere displacement in the short time.But in fact, following phenomenon (stirring phenomenon) is confirmed: the dust of the dust adhered at the back side of the wafer 15 be accommodated in bracket 16, accumulation in bracket 16 is blown because of the ejection power of non-active gas to fly, and this is collided by the treated side blowing the particle of the dust flown and wafer 15 and causes damage to treated side by present inventor.
Further, also exist and cause the possibility of following unfavorable condition: the large non-active gas stream of flow velocity with the collision with wall in bracket 16 after flow out towards the outside, or be involved in by the air from outside, the non-active gas concentration therefore in bracket 16 does not raise.Otherwise, the present inventor also confirms following phenomenon (oxidative phenomena): although if reduce the flow velocity of non-active gas, then dust disperse and unfavorable condition that the outflow of non-active gas is such reduces, but flow also reduces, its result, atmosphere displacement needs the plenty of time, and to atmosphere replacement completion, the oxidation on wafer 16 surface is being carried out always, thus causes the decline of rate of finished products.And then confirm: make flow velocity high speed and non-active gas to be blown in the existing atmosphere replacement device in bracket 16 by the nozzle that blows out the flow element of non-active gas utilizing, above-mentioned stirring phenomenon, oxidative phenomena are remarkable.According to the present application, the purification plate of non-nozzle type is set at purification channel device (atmosphere replacement device), utilizes this purification plate to realize the stream of Purge gas slowly of layer flow mode.Present inventor also finds: according to the atmosphere replacement device of so new-type band purification plate, fully can suppress above-mentioned stirring phenomenon, oxidative phenomena.
Such as in the purification plate 41 involved by preferred embodiment, Purge gas pipe arrangement 48 is made up of multiple fork pipe arrangement, makes to import from one the non-active gas holding (pipe arrangement entrance) to import and holds (pipe arrangement outlet) to disperse towards multiple ejection.And then, discrete Porous ejection suppression element 49 (Fig. 7) is set in the front end of each ejection end, or configuration is by multiple Porous ejection suppression element 49 (Fig. 8) spraying the sheet that end all covers.And then, non-active gas to be passed through and open surface 161 towards bracket 16 flows into from the cowling panel 50 being formed with hole pattern.Like this, utilize purification plate 41 to suppress to stir phenomenon, thus prevent from being stranded in dispersing of the dust in bracket 16.And, at the appointed time the non-active gas of amount needed for atmosphere is replaced is supplied from the same purification plate 41 as plane (planar) laminar gas generation plate in bracket, realize the purification (atmosphere displacement) of short time with this and suppress the oxidative phenomena of substrate surface (wafer surface).
In the purification action of preferred embodiment, non-active gas towards purification plate 41 diffusion inside is had cowling panel 50 rectification of mesh or two-dimensional array of holes, thus become relative to the open surface 161 of bracket 16 have the flow velocity of approximate equality laminar flow and by towards bracket 16 inside supply.Bracket 16 is gradually flowed into inner by passing through towards the non-active gas of bracket 16 inside supply from the gap being accommodated in inner wafer 15, the polluter being stranded in the surface of wafer 15 thus and the clean atmosphere being full of inside are discharged towards the outside with flange portion 26 periphery of the mode extruded by non-active gas from bracket 16, thus carry out the atmosphere displacement (with reference to Fig. 9) of bracket 16 inside.
In addition preferably, at atmosphere displacement position place, purification plate 41 is configured in relative to purification channel device peristome 44 central authorities (therefore, be formed as the configuration relation that the vertical center line of the open surface 161 of bracket 16 is consistent with the vertical center line of purification plate 41), thus the clean air of bracket 16 inside of being extruded by non-active gas can be discharged towards the outside from purification plate peristome 44 periphery equably.But, even if purification plate 41 to be configured at the non-central portion of purification channel device peristome 44, can to suppress too to stir by adjustment flow, flow velocity and obtain non-active gas and extrude effect.
As previously mentioned, in order to make non-active gas flow from purification plate 41 to the open surface 161 of bracket 16 with layer flow mode, the cowling panel 50 preferably as Purge gas output board has the non-active gas effluent face keeping constant ratio relative to open surface 161.Fig. 7 is the effluent face based on the sheet material with multiple circular port (circular hole punched-plate), and Fig. 8 is the effluent face based on netted sheet material (square groove punched-plate).The area ratio that preferred effluent face accounts for purification plate has suitable size.If the lateral dimension of cowling panel 50 is set to A, longitudinal size is set to B and the lateral dimension of the effluent face of purification plate is set to a, longitudinal size is set to b, then preferably make ab/AB ratio (ratio of effluent face area and cowling panel area) more than 50% and in the scope of less than 100%.Further, the area of preferred cowling panel 50 is more than 10% relative to the area of the open surface 161 of bracket 16 and less than 60%, and preferably the effluent face area of cowling panel 50 is more than 5% relative to the area of bracket 16 opening surface and less than 50% further.
In addition, preferably FIMS door 12 is configured at as upper/lower positions: when carrying out atmosphere displacement, to the position that the situation of high cleanliness air inflow bracket 16 inside that the fan filtering unit 5 from microenvironment space cell 3 supplies effectively adjusts, prevents, utilize high cleanliness air to flow into adjustment/prevention function, can make to rise efficiently based on the non-active gas concentration in the bracket 16 of purification.
Purification channel device 40 can be configured to: the high cleanliness air with the flow after utilizing dull and stereotyped 65 adjustment of flange, passes through, and then flow out towards the outside via the gap between FIMS door 12 and inwall 45 from purification channel device 40.Fig. 9 shows the flowing of the air in non-active gas, high cleanliness air and the bracket 16 when to carry out atmosphere displacement in such execution mode, a () figure is the cutaway view observed from the side, (b) figure is the cutaway view observed from above.As shown in Figure 9, there is high cleanliness air flue 121 at purification channel device 40.That is, in fig .9, from the appropriate high cleanliness air of microenvironment space cell 3 (not shown) being positioned at right side, from the gap be arranged between FIMS door 12 and flange flat board 65 by so that flow out towards device outside.Therefore, the air of bracket 16 inside be extruded because of the inflow of non-active gas, is guided by the high cleanliness air stream of this high cleanliness air flue 121 or attracts and be discharged to device outside.Thus, without the need to adding for attracting (discharge) to residue in the special purpose device of the air of bracket 16 inside in atmosphere displacement.Like this, gap is utilized and the high cleanliness air flue 121 that formed has the function of the atmosphere displacement promoting bracket inside.
When this atmosphere is replaced, although the non-active gas of trace also can flow out towards device outside together with high cleanliness air sometimes, but pass through from the punching on floor containing by the high cleanliness air of the non-active gas towards the discharge of device outside at once because of the sinking be arranged in factory and then flow out towards factory outside, thus harmful effect can not be produced to human body or miscellaneous equipment.
And, the air mass flow adjustment function realized by the high cleanliness air flue 121 of above-mentioned purification channel device 40, also can be suitable for for making the flange portion 26 of bracket 16 original loading lane device almost seamlessly close with purification channel device peristome 44 periphery when the carrying-in/carrying-out of wafer 15.Namely, as long as be arranged through the bracket 16 making to be placed in mounting table 14 slightly to retreat (moving predetermined distance towards the direction away from microenvironment space cell 3), gap is formed (thus between flange portion 26 and purification channel device peristome 44 periphery, form high cleanliness atmosphere path 121) mechanism, the air of bracket 16 inside is flowed out from formed gap towards device outside together with high cleanliness air can (with reference to Fig. 9).
If needed, the attracting mechanism of the atmosphere attracting bracket 16 inside can also be set on the basis of the purification plate 41 of supply non-active gas.Attracting mechanism such as can be configured at around the purification plate 41 of central portion in the position of the open surface 161 in the face of bracket 16, or make purification plate 41 in the face of the open surface 161 of bracket 16 and be configured in the position of staggering from central portion, having the shape same with purification plate 41 in its vicinity, can also be carry out from the suction inlet possessed according to the regulation of SEMI specification bottom bracket 16 mode that attracts.
The action of following reference Figure 11 to purification channel device 40 is described in detail.
The wafer 15 that process terminates in processing unit 1 after process terminates, by microenvironment space cell 3 the transfer robot 4 that possesses be transplanted on the purification channel device 40 having concurrently and load lane device function.That is, utilize transfer robot 4 that the wafer 15 after process is moved to the shelf 18 of the regulation in the bracket 16 being configured at purification channel device 40 (loading lane device).With reference to Figure 11 (a), under this wafer transfer pattern, purification plate 41 is positioned at going-back position (reception position), pass through so that the top moving to the inserting hole 66 of in-position is occupied (thus, purification plate 41 cannot carry out vertical motion) by bracket 16 because carrying out wafer transfer for purification plate 41.And, due to appropriate high cleanliness air all the time from the microenvironment space cell 3 " malleation " (air pressure higher than periphery) via purification channel device 40 gap (between flange portion 26 and flange flat board 65) to device 1 outside flows out, therefore device 1 inside and bracket 16 inside can not by the low cleaning degree air pollution of device 1 outside.In addition, shown in Figure 11 (a) towards under the wafer transfer pattern of FOUP, FIMS door 12 is in the integrated form being equipped with FOUP cover 17, and back to the lower position (going-back position) of purification channel device peristome 44.
If terminate based on the wafer transport of transfer robot 4, then mounting table driving mechanism 29 makes the mounting table 14 being placed with bracket 16 slightly retreat towards the direction (that is, away from the direction of microenvironment space cell 3) away from purification channel device peristome 44.With the backward movement of this mounting table 14 in linkage, FIMS door 12 (now, being in the integrated state being equipped with FOUP cover 17) rises to the height (in-position) corresponding with the open surface 161 of bracket 16 by FIMS door elevating mechanism 55.Like this, cover between 17 at the open surface 161 of bracket 16 and (being assemblied in FIMS door 12) FOUP and ensure that space (working region of purification plate 41).With reference to Figure 11 (b).In addition, the movement of the small backward movement of carrying out based on the mounting table 14 of this purification channel device 40 also has following object concurrently: bracket 16 is moved to can carry out efficiently the position of replacing based on the atmosphere of purification channel device 40.
And, although mounting table 14 is with small mobile retrogressing, but be arranged at the gap that there is about 5mm between the flange portion 26 of bracket 16 periphery and the periphery inwall 45 being arranged at purification channel device peristome 44, the high cleanliness air of microenvironment space cell 3 inside can pass through from this gap and flow out towards processing unit outside, and low cleaning degree air from device outside therefore can be prevented to the inflow of microenvironment space cell 3.
Then, purification plate 41 rises to the assigned position (service position) of the open surface relative to bracket 16 by purification plate elevating mechanism 42, thus can towards bracket 16 inside supply non-active gas.With reference to Figure 11 (c).When being in service position, purification plate 41 is between FOUP bracket 16 and FIMS door 12, as mentioned above (with reference to Fig. 9), produce the Purge gas of laminar flow and send FOUP bracket 16 lentamente by it, and then implementing FOUP purification (atmosphere replacement operator).
If FOUP purification complete (such as, the supply towards the non-active gas of bracket 16 inside has carried out official hour) at service position place, then utilize purification plate elevating mechanism 42 to make purification plate 41 move to original position of readiness.With reference to Figure 11 (d).In addition, preferably, if also sustainable supply non-active gas in during making purification plate 41 drop to the position of readiness (going-back position) of regulation, then can shorten the whole time needed for purification of FOUP13, and the concentration of the non-active gas in bracket 16 can be suppressed to reduce.In order to realize this object, pilot jet 68 (Fig. 5) described later can be used to carry out substituting or combining, thus during this purification plate drop mode in supplement non-active gas.
If purification plate 14 stops declining, then the bracket 16 making mounting table 14 advance in mounting table 14 covers with FOUP the position that 17 dock (docking).With reference to Figure 11 (e).At this docking location, FIMS door 12 makes the FOUP cover 17 of assembling depart from, and then utilizes the inner latch key 23b locking tray 16 on cover 17 possessed, thus makes FOUP13 be in air-tight state.Then, mounting table 14 carries out backward movement until arrive the delivery position with FOUP transfer robot or OHT, thus whole actions of purification channel device 40 (order of loading and purifying) are complete.With reference to Figure 11 (f).
Also there is following structure: according to the rotating speed raising of the fan 8 that fan filtering unit 5 possesses by the kind of processing unit 1 and the kind of process, improve in microenvironment space cell 3 inside with this and press and improve cleannes.Use under the environment of such processing unit when purification channel device 40 and there is following possibility: the high cleanliness air of high wind (at a high speed) flows into purification plate 41 periphery when atmosphere is replaced from the gap of the flange portion 26 of FIMS door 12 bracket 16 end, thus be subject to the flowing of this high cleanliness air impact and make the laminar flow of non-active gas disorderly, fully cannot carry out atmosphere displacement.This can by arranging following mechanism to prevent: turn the above-mentioned gap of atmosphere replacement device down thus adjust the amount of the high cleanliness air flowed into from this gap in appropriate amount.Or the following sealing mechanism fluid shielding with microenvironment space cell 3 improved can be used, replace the high cleanliness air amount adjustment device of above-mentioned gap adjusting type with this.
Specifically, seal closure 67a or seal closure 67b, sealing cover 67a or seal closure 67b can be installed the mode that the gap between FIMS door 12 and flange flat board 65 is covered to be formed non-contactly and there is labyrinth type (labyrinth) hermetically-sealed construction in the side in the face of microenvironment space cell 3 of FIMS door 12 periphery.Figure 14 (a) is the stereogram that concrete example seal closure 67a being installed on FIMS door 12 is shown, is the local excision figure excised by upper-left portion observed from bracket 16 side of FIMS door 12.
The end in the face of bracket 16 of seal closure 67a is formed as the maze-type structure of U-shaped, chimeric with the open surface side circumference of flange flat board 65 in a non-contact manner, high cleanliness air when cutting off atmosphere displacement thus immerses in bracket 16 from microenvironment space cell 3.And, be installed on the structural form of the periphery of FIMS door 12 in matched sensors 32 under, owing to being usually configured for the transducer installation portion 33 carrying out forward-reverse action towards bracket 16 inside, therefore in order to be formed as the shape of the action of not interference sensor installation portion 33, transducer manhole appendix being set when arranging seal closure 67a at 67a, being preferably as follows design: be formed as trying one's best little hole or arranging lid etc. when not carrying out sensing.
And then, due to FIMS door elevating mechanism 55 can be utilized, the FIMS door 12 being provided with seal closure 67a is elevated in vertical, therefore for the relative end of the flange cover 65 of the seal closure 67a with inwall that are installed on FIMS door 12, preferably the end of a side is set to recess, the end of corresponding the opposing party is set to the non-touching maze-type structure of protuberance by employing.Thus, FIMS door 12 and seal closure 67a can carry out action.Further, owing to being formed as making recess and the non-touching maze-type structure of protuberance, therefore there is not the possibility producing dust completely, the cleannes of bracket 16 inside can also be maintained.
And then, FIMS door drive mechanism 43 is utilized to guide FIMS door 12 along guide rail 62, and make it move freely towards the direction be separated relative to bracket 16 and close direction in the prescribed limit of guide rail 62, when be formed as above structure (with reference to Figure 10), by arranging the seal closure 67b shown in Figure 13 and Figure 14 (b), the effect same with the concrete example shown in Figure 14 (a) can be obtained.
Herein, with reference to Figure 10, FIMS door drive mechanism 43 is described.FIMS door drive mechanism 43 is made up of such as lower component: base component 58, and this base component 58 is fixed on the moving member 57 of the feed screw mechanism 56 that FIMS door elevating mechanism 55 possesses, and carries out lifting moving by FIMS elevating mechanism 55; As the motor 60 of drive source, this motor 60 is installed on base component 58, makes FIMS door 12 forward-reverse; Feed screw 61, this feed screw 61 rotates in linkage with the rotation of motor 60, makes FIMS door 12 forward-reverse being fixed on moving member 63; And guide rail 62, the movement of this guide rail 62 pairs of FIMS doors 12 guides.
Further, guide rail 62 is installed on the support 64 fixing at the two ends, left and right of base component 58.In addition, transducer installation portion 33 is installed on support 64 in the mode that can rotate, and utilizes the action of sensor drive mechanism 34 that matched sensors 32 can be made mobile in bracket 16.In addition, although motor 60 and feed screw 61 to be used as the driving mechanism 43 of FIMS door in the concrete example of Figure 10, also can adopt the driving mechanism of other kind, such as, adopt cylinder or hydraulic cylinder or cam link mechanism to replace said mechanism.
Figure 13 observes the stereogram with FIMS door 12 periphery of hermetically-sealed construction from side, microenvironment space 3, Figure 14 (b) is the stereogram that sealing structure is shown, is at the local excision figure that upper-left portion excises by the main apparent time of observing from bracket 16 side of FIMS door 12.Seal closure 67b is fixed on the support 64 possessed at the two ends of FIMS door 12, there is the opening shape of the door shape corresponding with the open surface of flange flat board 65, there is in its open surface enough areas that can pass through for the wafer 15 utilizing FIMS door 12 and wafer transport robot 4 to carry.Further, transducer installation portion 33 is configured at support 64 in the mode that can rotate, and the matched sensors 32 being installed on this transducer installation portion 33 can by completing wafer coupling relative to the inner forward-reverse of bracket 16.Therefore, the installation site and shape that seal closure 67b are had do not interfere with the spinning movement of transducer installation portion 33 is considered.
And, because the support 64 installing seal closure 67b can utilize FIMS elevating mechanism 55 to be elevated along vertical, therefore for the relative end of seal closure 67b with flange cover 65, identical with the situation arranging seal closure 67a, the end of one side is set to recess (コ font), the end of corresponding the opposing party is set to the non-touching maze-type structure of protuberance by employing, thus, support 64 and seal closure 67b can carry out action, and be not in contact with each other owing to making recess and protuberance, therefore can never produce dust, the cleannes of bracket 16 inside can also be maintained.
And then as shown in figure 13, due to FIMS door drive mechanism 43 can be utilized, FIMS door 12 is moved in the scope that guide rail 62 guides, therefore when FIMS door 12 arrives from bracket 16 position farthest, the periphery of FIMS door 12 carries out contactless chimeric with the end of seal closure 67b, thus the gap between FIMS door 12 and seal closure 67b is covered (guaranteeing the darkest labyrinth sealing state), and flow out towards device outside the intrusion preventing extraneous air by the high cleanliness air in the microenvironment space cell 3 of malleation on a small quantity.
And, FIMS door 12 moves in the actuating range guided by guide rail 62, make the opening amount in the gap between FIMS door 12 and seal closure 67b change (degree of depth changing labyrinth sealing state) thus, thus influx from the high cleanliness air in microenvironment space cell 3 can be regulated according to the position of FIMS door 12.
Figure 14 (b) represents that the FIMS door 12 integrated with cover 17 is positioned at the figure in the moment in the centre position on guide rail 62, is described based on this figure.When the high cleanliness air in the microenvironment space cell 3 being maintained in high pressure compared with extraneous air is from when flowing out towards device outside via the gap be arranged between bracket 16 edge part and flange flat board 65 between FIMS door 12 and seal closure 67b, there is following effect: also the air of the high cleanliness being positioned at bracket 16 guided and make it flow out, thus improve the efficiency of atmosphere displacement.According to this structure, press even if change according to the rotating speed of the change of circumstance fan filtering unit 5 of processing unit 1 in microenvironment space cell 3, also the discharge of best high cleanliness air can easily be obtained, without the need to carrying out the transformation of in the past the carried out change along with interior pressure.
Also there is following effect: move forward and backward due to FIMS door 12 can be made, therefore the degree of freedom that the purification plate 41 between bracket 16 and FIMS door 12 sets relative to the position of the open surface of bracket 16 increases, and can retrieve according to conditions such as the non-active gas supply of the best and purification plate position, best purification plate area and purification plate positions.
In addition, as in the SEMI specification of the standard specification for semiconductor-fabricating device entirety, ledge from the wall forming microenvironment space cell 3 is set as the regulation within 100mm by existence, and in the present embodiment, seal closure 67a and 67b all within 100mm, thus meets SEMI specification towards the overhang of microenvironment space cell 3.
But, although after the supply of the non-active gas based on purification plate 41 is complete, by utilize cover 17 by airtight for the open surface 161 of bracket 16 and make all atmosphere replace release, but after complete terminating in the airtight supply from the non-active gas based on purification plate 41 of the open surface based on cover 17 pairs of brackets 16, create the phenomenon (meaning that the concentration of the non-active gas in bracket 16 reduces) that the oxygen concentration in bracket 16 increases.This is the Purge gas concentration decline phenomenon of the transition of running off along with the Purge gas from purification plate 41.Can think that this is caused by following reason: after atmosphere replacement completion, do not flow out towards device outside and residual air spreads to bracket 16 entirety, result reduces inner overall non-active gas concentration; And after atmosphere replacement completion, the air of bracket 16 periphery is until entering in the few time till airtight for the open surface of bracket 16 in bracket 16.When the time of the purification based on purification plate 41 is too short, the Purge gas concentration of this transition reduces phenomenon and causes after closed-loop operation (mean value of the non-active gas concentration in bracket 16 does not produce variation in fact), and the concentration being present in the non-active gas of the central portion in bracket 16 is reduced to below setting before stable.
In order to suppress such Purge gas concentration to reduce, pilot jet 68 as shown in Figure 5 can be added in the atmosphere replacing structure of above-described embodiment.Pilot jet 68 is arranged at the inwall 45 possessed at purification channel device peristome 44 periphery.And then, auto purification plate 41 start to rise towards the moment while starting (decline) of position of readiness (reception position) movement of regulation airtight to bracket 16 quilt cover 17 during in, supply non-active gas from pilot jet 68 towards bracket 16 and between covering 17.Play from the supply of the Purge gas of pilot jet 68 and the Purge gas from above-mentioned purification plate 41 is run off the function compensated.Further, from the Purge gas supply of pilot jet 68, also there is following effect: the total clarification time shortening needed for realizing required atmosphere displacement by purification channel device 40.
Like this, non-active gas to be full of by bracket 16, cover 17 and inwall 45a, 45b, 45c in the space that surrounds, can prevent air from entering bracket 16 thus inner.Further, by supplementing from the non-active gas of pilot jet 68, the non-active gas concentration of bracket 16 periphery can be guaranteed, and the non-active gas concentration of tail-bracket 16 inside of opening at cover 17 can be suppressed to be reduced to the phenomenon of below fiducial value.
This pilot jet 68 can be arranged on any inwall 45a ~ d of purification channel device peristome 44 periphery.If too fast from the flow velocity of the non-active gas of pilot jet 68 releasing, then the air of periphery is involved in thus is difficult to realize enough non-active gas concentration by bracket 16.Therefore, the flow velocity of the non-active gas preferably supplemented from pilot jet 68 is roughly equal with the flow velocity of the non-active gas supplied from purification plate 41.Herein, the shape of the non-active gas flow export of preferred pilot jet 68 is the slit-shaped with the length roughly equal with a limit of the inwall 45 of purification channel device peristome 44.
And on the basis of the above, pilot jet 68 supplies non-active gas or the such dustless gas of high cleanliness air when carrying out the opening action of cover 17, FOUP13 inner sustain can also be become high cleanliness atmosphere thus.Namely, although FOUP13 open the door after to the forward motion based on mounting table driving mechanism 29 terminates during in, FIMS door 12 is moved towards the direction be separated relative to bracket 16 by FIMS door drive mechanism 43, but now along with FIMS door 12 moves towards the direction be separated, gap between FIMS door 12 and seal closure 67b reduces gradually, and the flow of the high cleanliness air therefore flowed out towards device outside also reduces.
, there is following possibility in its result: the low cleaning degree air of device outside passes through from the gap between the flange portion 26 and inwall 45 of bracket 16 and immerses bracket 16 inside, thus dust is by bracket 16 internal contamination.Therefore, FOUP13 open the door after to the forward motion based on mounting table driving mechanism 29 terminates during in, by making dustless gas flow out from pilot jet 68 towards between the open surface of bracket 16 and cover 17, can prevent low cleaning degree air from immersing bracket 16 inner.
Next, the atmosphere of the open purification channel device 40 based on possessing above-described embodiment replaces the result of test.As shown in figure 15, test arranges purification channel device 40 at the test clean room (clean booth) (test microenvironment space cell 3) forming the microenvironment space cell 3 identical with actual processing unit 1, measures the oxygen concentration of the test FOUP13 inside being placed in this purification channel device 40.As oxymeter 78, use the zirconia formula oxymeter LC-450A that eastern beautiful engineering (Toray Engineering) Co., Ltd. manufactures.For the non-active gas used in atmosphere displacement, be that the nitrogen of more than 99.99% imports purification channel device 40 from the high-pressure gas cylinder in supply source 69 via feed path by the purity that the most often uses in atmosphere displacement.
Do not measure nitrogen concentration but measure the reason of oxygen concentration and be, compared with nitrogen concentration measuring appliance oxygen concentration testing device cheap, easily obtain, and because the non-active gas used in atmosphere displacement is not limited to nitrogen, the progress of the atmosphere displacement of test FOUP13 inside therefore can be inferred by measuring oxygen concentration.Further, this oxygen concentration testing device LC-450A can also measure humidity represented under dew point, and also can use when dry air is used as non-active gas.Although test FOUP13 is the same with normally used FOUP by bracket 16 with cover 17 and form, and possess 25 layers of shelf of mounting wafer 15 at bracket 16, but offering the inserting hole this point of inserting for the pipe 79 gathering internal atmosphere is the part different from common FOUP.
On all 25 layers of shelves, wafer is loaded, as the oxygen concentration testing position of test FOUP13 inside near the 14 layer of shelf inside being positioned at when being observed by the purification plate 41 when replacing from atmosphere in test.As shown in figure 15, for oxygen concentration testing device 78, the suction pump possessed in inside attracts the atmosphere of test FOUP13 inside via pipe 79, and the detecting unit that utilization possesses in inside measures the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere of this attraction.
First as the first test, to being preferably which kind of degree and testing carrying out the pressure reduction between the inner and external environment condition of test microenvironment space cell 3 in atmosphere displacement.Increased and decreased by the rotating speed of the fan 8 possessed the fan filtering unit 5 sending into high cleanliness air, regulate the internal pressure of test microenvironment space cell 3.In addition, based on reason microenvironment space cell 3 inside being remained high level of cleanliness, generally in order to make microenvironment space cell 3 remain malleation relative to external environment condition, test when not carry out relative to the pressure reduction of external environment condition be negative pressure.Further, only carry out the supply of nitrogen from purification plate 41, do not carry out the supply based on pilot jet 68.According to the viewpoint preventing the oxidation being placed in inner wafer surface, the desired value of the oxygen concentration of test FOUP13 inside is set as 100ppm (0.01%) below.
Test is that the inside and outside differential pressure of test microenvironment space cell 3 is set as 3.5Pa and 2.5Pa, investigates the change of oxygen concentration when supplying 110 seconds with the nitrogen flow of 120 liters per minute under respective environment and when supplying 80 seconds with the nitrogen flow of 150 liters per minute.
Figure 16 is the chart representing this result of the test.The longitudinal axis is set to oxygen concentration (ppm), transverse axis is set to the elapsed time (second), and be set to 0 by from purification plate 41 to the moment of bracket 16 inside supply nitrogen.Owing to approximately needing the time of 1 second from the supply stopping of nitrogen to the internal atmosphere quilt cover 17 of bracket 16 is completely airtight, therefore illustrate after 81 seconds or 111 seconds by the change of the oxygen concentration of airtight test FOUP13 inside in supply beginning.
When under the environment at inside and outside differential pressure 3.5Pa to the nitrogen gas supply of the flow of 120 liters per minute when 110 seconds, from the supply of nitrogen, 111 seconds later test FOUP13 are dropped to 10ppm by the oxygen concentration in airtight moment, although supply beginning after 180 seconds the moment of (airtight latter 69 seconds) rise to 47.2ppm, still maintain below 100ppm as desired value and basicly stable.Further, when under the environment at inside and outside differential pressure 3.5Pa to flow being the nitrogen gas supply 80 seconds of 150 liters per minute, although supply beginning after 81 seconds oxygen concentration drop to 8.9ppm, starting from supply, rising to 262ppm through the moment of 180 seconds.Found that based on this: if regulate flow and the service time of non-active gas, then can rise to the malleation of inside and outside differential pressure 4Pa.
Known: although the supply of nitrogen terminate and test FOUP13 airtight complete after, no matter all found the rising of oxygen concentration at that condition, the climbing of the larger then oxygen concentration of pressure reduction is also larger.Can think that this is caused by following reason: when after terminating at nitrogen gas supply and purification plate 41 drops to position of readiness time, the part flowing out to outside high cleanliness air from test microenvironment space cell 3 flows into bracket 16 inside again from bracket 16 top, even if also spread towards the entirety in test FOUP13 after airtight.
And, although the oxygen concentration after just stopping for nitrogen gas supply does not find large difference, no matter under which kind of pressure difference environment, be about 10ppm thus fully meet desired value, but in the nitrogen gas supply test of 80 seconds of the flow of 150 liters per minute under the environment of pressure reduction 3.5Pa, oxygen concentration after airtight significantly rises, the moment that have passed through 150 seconds (airtight latter 69 seconds) starting from the supply of nitrogen is 200ppm, and the moment that have passed through 180 seconds (airtight latter 99 seconds) starting from supply is 259ppm.Further, if under the environment of inside and outside differential pressure 2.5Pa, then can the results are as follows: be 62.7ppm and 30.8ppm at the oxygen concentration in the moment that have passed through 180 seconds, fully meet desired value.
Next, under the constant state of the flow and service time that make nitrogen, the impact which kind of degree the oxygen concentration after the inside and outside differential pressure of test microenvironment space cell 3 is airtight on test FOUP13 produces is tested.Test is that the inside and outside differential pressure of test microenvironment space cell 3 is set as 0Pa, 1.0Pa, 2.5Pa and 3.5Pa, be the nitrogen gas supply of 150 liters per minute after 110 seconds to flow under differential pressure inside and outside respective, measure by the change of the oxygen concentration of airtight test FOUP13 inside.Figure 17 illustrates its result.
Result according to test: the inside and outside differential pressure of test microenvironment space cell 3 is lower, then more can suppress airtight after the rising of oxygen concentration of test FOUP13 inside.Known: to be 152ppm under the pressure reduction of the oxygen concentration value that have passed through the moment of 180 seconds from supply starts at 3.5Pa, even if compared with test when being 120 liters with aforesaid flow, to also inhibits the rising of oxygen concentration.Oxygen concentration during lower pressure reduction 1.0, have passed through the oxygen concentration value in the moment of 180 seconds and is suppressed to 28.9ppm from supply starts.Result shows: compared with the numerical value of test during aforesaid pressure reduction 3.5Pa, and the ascending amount of oxygen concentration is suppressed to less than 1/4th when pressure reduction 2.5Pa, is suppressed to less than 1/10th when pressure reduction 1.0Pa.
The chart of the differential pressure 0Pa in Figure 17 makes the inside and outside differential pressure of test microenvironment space cell 3 be the situation of zero by making fan filtering unit 5 stop.After starting from nitrogen gas supply 110 seconds, oxygen concentration drops to 4.6ppm, even if also maintained 9.1ppm after 180 seconds, though it is basicly stable to rise gradually.Therefore known: minimum microenvironment inside and outside differential pressure can be zero Pa.
But, when processing unit 1 of the reality of the ground operations such as semiconductor factory, due to cleannes must be maintained by transfer robot 4 transfer wafers 15 in microenvironment space cell 3 inside, therefore from the supply of the high cleanliness air of fan filtering unit 5, this kind processing device 1 to be absolutely necessary.As mentioned above, for the purification channel device 40 (atmosphere replacement device) of specific embodiment shown in the drawings, fluid (gas) is via gap and ft connection.Therefore, when the purification channel device 40 (atmosphere replacement device) of embodiment is applied in such environment, be 0.1Pa for the inside and outside differential pressure of microenvironment space cell 3 by lower limit set, preferred differential pressure near 1.0Pa to about upper limit 4Pa.Namely, when the purification channel device 40 of interstitial fluid (gas) communicate-type is applied to actual processing unit 1, stable cleannes when can maintain the practical application of processing unit 1 and the pressure reduction (inside and outside differential pressure of microenvironment space cell 3) that can carry out based on the efficient atmosphere displacement of purification channel device 40 are within the scope of this.Preferably, use under the environment that pressure differential resetting is more than 0.5Pa, below 2.5Pa, the purification channel device 40 thus involved by illustrated specific embodiment can reliably realize: oxygen concentration when utilizing the atmosphere replacement operator of the longest 180 seconds or about 180 seconds in chien shih FOUP13 is below 100ppm (meaning the concentration target value that the atmosphere carrying out suppressing the oxidation of wafer is fully replaced).
As mentioned above, purification channel device 40 (atmosphere replacement device) involved by illustrated specific embodiment, although the amount of the gas passed through from gap between external environment condition (high cleanliness air, low cleaning degree air) is restricted, be but formed as the structure be communicated with.The performance of the purification channel device 40 (atmosphere replacement device) particularly involved by illustrated specific embodiment depends on the state (such as, above-mentioned malleation) of high cleanliness air element 3.But obviously, high cleanliness air element 3 does not form the assembly of the purification channel device 40 (atmosphere replacement device) involved by specific embodiment.Therefore should be interpreted as high cleanliness air element 3 itself and not form a part of the present invention.
Next following test has been carried out: apply purification channel device 40 being maintained in the environment of the malleation of 2.5Pa by the pressure reduction of test microenvironment space cell 3 inside, the condition of its flow and service time is changed for the nitrogen as Purge gas, in these cases, the oxygen concentration in observation purification run process in FOUP13 over time.In this experiment, be 120 liters and 150 liters per minute per minute by the flow set of nitrogen, the change of oxygen concentration during by for respective flow supply time being set as 80 seconds and when being set as 110 seconds, observes the relation between flow and service time.Figure 18 is the chart of its result.
In addition, nitrogen aggregate supply when being the nitrogen gas supply 80 seconds of 120 liters per minute to flow is 160 liters, and aggregate supply when supplying 110 seconds is 220 liters.Further, nitrogen aggregate supply when being the nitrogen gas supply 80 seconds of 150 liters per minute to flow is 200 liters, and aggregate supply when supplying 110 seconds is 275 liters.When to be flow under 160 liters of minimum like this conditions per minute to nitrogen aggregate supply the be nitrogen gas supply 80 seconds of 120 liters per minute, although oxygen concentration temporarily reaches below 100ppm, the target of below 100ppm cannot be maintained.
And, result shows: although be temporarily reduced to 4.57ppm to oxygen concentration during aggregate supply to be flow under 275 liters of so maximum conditions the be nitrogen gas supply 110 seconds of 150 liters per minute, but the oxygen concentration after airtight significantly rises, rise all to some extent compared with oxygen concentration and the result of the test supplying 110 seconds with the flow of 120 liters per minute.
Can prove according to above result: if be the nitrogen gas supply 80 seconds of 150 liters per minute to flow, then after FOUP is airtight, also can oxygen concentration be become at below 100ppm inner sustain.In addition, although also can realize target value when to flow being the nitrogen gas supply 110 seconds of 120 liters per minute, oxygen concentration also reaches minimum numerical value, but the aggregate supply due to nitrogen needs 220 liters and service time also needs 110 seconds, thus there is the possibility producing the impact that subsequent processing is postponed, therefore must be noted that when determining best supply conditions.
In addition; as the purification plate 41 of supply nitrogen in above-mentioned test (series of experiments shown in Figure 16 ~ Figure 18); select following purification plate: the face towards FOUP open surface becomes protective cover 50; it is of a size of the horizontal 80mm of vertical 260mm, and portion possesses offer the punched-plate (aperture opening ratio is 29.6%) that 1240 diameters are the hole of 2mm on the nitrogen effluent face of vertical 194mm, horizontal 68mm up.
In the test shown in aforesaid Figure 17, inside and outside differential pressure is set to 0Pa to after starting to nitrogen gas supply 180 seconds the oxygen concentration test of measuring in, if supply nitrogen from the effluent face of above-mentioned purification plate 41 with the flow of 150 liters per minute, then for by from test FOUP13 airtight the service time of nitrogen that is maintained in needed for below 100ppm of oxygen concentration after 60 seconds be 55 seconds, for the time making oxygen concentration be in below 10ppm is 110 seconds.Known accordingly: the pressure reduction inside and outside test microenvironment space cell 3, as long as can prevent dust from invading bracket 16 inside from purification plate 41 supplies nitrogen in bracket 16 from test FOUP13 opens the door, the pressure reduction inside and outside test microenvironment space cell 3 after this also can be zero.Because the volume of test FOUP13 and normally used FOUP13 are all about 30 liters, therefore nitrogen displacement number of times (scaled value) in FOUP13 is now 5 beats/min, and the rate of outflow of nitrogen is 0.19m/ minute in the position of 20mm inner from nitrogen effluent face central portion towards bracket.
Next following test is implemented: after starting to supply nitrogen; making the pressure reduction inside and outside clean room (test microenvironment space cell 3) be zero by making fan filtering unit 5 stop, obtaining the minimum nitrogen feed speed of the effluent face from this protective cover 50.Its result shows: in order to make airtight 1 minute in FOUP later oxygen concentration be below 100ppm, when to need 6 minutes (omitting diagram) till airtight when the flow of 48 liters per minute supply nitrogen.If this nitrogen flow not enough, then can excessively spend the nitrogen gas supply time and nitrogen consumption is also wasted in a large number.Now, calculating based on the rate of ventilation in the FOUP of nitrogen is 1.6 beats/min.The measurement result of flow velocity is now being 0.06m/ second from nitrogen effluent face central portion towards the position of 20mm in FOUP.
In the present invention; from making the protective cover 50 of the purification plate 41 moved near the central portion of FOUP open surface 161 supply the non-active gas such as nitrogen in the mode of laminar flow, and make this gas FOUP inwall respectively to left and right, on current downflow and then discharge between purification plate periphery and the periphery of FOUP open surface 161.Owing to requiring that the type of flow of non-active gas is laminar flow in the present invention, therefore calculate and demonstrate Reynolds number.Typically, if the Reynolds number of the fluid in pipe is more than 2000 ~ 4000, then laminar flow can become turbulent flow.
The formula of the Re=UL/ μ ρ that Reynolds number can pass through is obtained.
Herein, be set as follows:
U: speed [m/s];
L: bore dia φ 2mm, the wafer interval 10mm of the nitrogen flow export of distance [m], purification plate 41;
μ: viscosity [Pasec], 20 ° of C nitrogen 1.810Pasec;
ρ: density [kg/m3], 20 ° of C nitrogen 1.165.
First, the nitrogen that each hole from purification plate 41 is flowed out is calculated.
From be opened in protective cover 50 1240 above-mentioned diameter phi 2mm hole the Reynolds number of nitrogen that flows out of hole; being calculated as Re=61 when supplying with the flow of 150 liters per minute towards bracket 16 inside from purification plate 41, being calculated as Re=163 when supplying with the flow of 400 liters per minute.Can assert according to this result: no matter how flow all fully can keep laminar flow.In addition, now the flow velocity of the position of the nitrogen effluent face 20mm of distance protection cover 50 is 0.50m/ second.
Next the Reynolds number of the nitrogen flowed in FOUP is calculated.Be accommodated in wafer in FOUP each other be spaced apart L=10mm, Reynolds number when hitherward supplying the nitrogen of the flow of 400 liters per minute is little, is Re=24, can be described as laminar flow.Further, although rate of ventilation is now 13.3 beats/min, if nitrogen gas supply amount exceedes 400 liters per minute, then replacing velocity declines compared with flow, and total discharge of nitrogen increases thus deterioration of efficiency, and this is not preferred.
For the above reasons, the wind speed of the non-active gas (nitrogen) of distance cowling panel 50 (the gas flow ejecting plate of purification plate) 20mm position is suitable between 0.05m/ second to 0.5m/ second, is preferably 0.1m/ second to 0.3m/ second.If be converted into rate of ventilation, then 1.4 beats/min is suitable to 13.3 beats/min, is preferably 2.6 beats/min to 7 beats/min.Although physical parameter value described herein is suitable for for the accommodating container FOUP13 of the FOUP of the storage 25 pieces of 300mm wafers as volume 30 liters, even if the capacity of container and alteration of form also can be suitable for.
In test hereto, above-described embodiment is utilized to confirm following situation: in official hour, atmosphere displacement can be carried out with the non-active gas concentration reaching regulation to FOUP.But, namely allow to carry out as possible in FOUP atmosphere displacement, if but become that to make dust swim inner in FOUP and then in the result of wafer surface precipitation, then without any meaning.Therefore as ensuing test, pressure reduction inside and outside test microenvironment space cell 3 is under the condition of 2.5Pa, and the dust amount of the wafer surface in test FOUP13 when being the nitrogen gas supply 110 seconds of 120 liters per minute, 150 liters, 200 liters to flow is measured.
Utilize PWP (Particles on Wafer per Pass) method to carry out dust and measure test.Specifically, to be placed on the shelf of the 1st, 7,13,19,25 layer in test FOUP13 respectively to measuring 5 pieces of wafers that the quantity of the dust being attached to surface is measured in advance, then using the enabling of the test FOUP13 based on purification plate 41, atmosphere displacement, airtight such action as an operation, repeat 5 these operations.Above-mentioned test method after this measures the quantity of the dust being attached to measurement wafer surface, obtains the increase number being attached to the dust of the diameter more than 0.12 micron on every block measurement wafer in an operation of atmosphere displacement action thus.
Its result, average dust amount on each block wafer is have 18.8 dust the initial stage, be 18.3 dust when replacing nitrogen with the flow of 120 liters per minute (rate of ventilation 4 beats/min, flow velocity 0.15m/ second), being increased to 19.1 dust when replacing nitrogen with the flow of 150 liters per minute (rate of ventilation 5 beats/min, flow velocity 0.19m/ second), being increased to 22.6 dust when replacing nitrogen with the flow of 200 liters per minute (rate of ventilation 6.7 beats/min, flow velocity 0.25m/ second).It is known according to this test: although the increase and decrease of dust amount is within the scope of measure error to the flow of 150 liters per minute, if but flow exceed 200 liters per minute, then dust amount starts to increase, thus preferably rate of ventilation be less than about 7 times, flow velocity be about 0.3m/ second below.Can think that the reason that dust increases is, because the dust being generally attached to chip back surface is many, therefore the dust at the back side is blown by strong nitrogen stream and flies and deposit in wafer surface.
< purifying property >
To the purifying property of specific embodiment supported by above result of the test summarize.According to this specific embodiment, even if can usually within 80 seconds, to increase in short time only below 180 seconds to FOUP be representative 30 liters of containers in air replace, and the non-active gas used also on a small quantity, oxygen concentration after airtight can be remained on below 10ppm, at least remain on below 100ppm.When arranging non-active gas ejection and suppress unit in purification plate, the effluent face effluent air from purification plate can be remained laminar flow, and atmosphere displacement can be carried out with a small amount of non-active gas.And, owing to making the purification plate less than FOUP open surface be positioned at the central portion of FOUP open surface, non-active gas is flowed out, therefore, it is possible to make the atmosphere of FOUP pass through from purification plate peripheral external and discharge, this also contributes to the atmosphere displacement carried out with a small amount of non-active gas.And then maze-type structure is set at flange dull and stereotyped 65 and seal closure 67, the air towards FOUP inside can be invaded thus and suppress in Min..Further, also never there is the phenomenon that dust is attached to stored object.Even if the volume changing container also can apply the principle of the present embodiment.
Disclose as lower device (purification channel device 40), method by the explanation of above-described embodiment above: when making cover 17 be separated with bracket 16, under the state that cover 17 keeps static, making bracket 16 carry out backward movement relative to cover 17, thus the loading lane device of the travel mechanism of above-mentioned two isolation of components having been added the atmosphere permutation function based on non-active gas to employing.Further, to loading the atmosphere replacement device (purification channel device 40) of lane device compatibility with original such, method discloses.But the present invention is not limited to above-described embodiment.Such as to those skilled in the art, natural energy expects the distortion of the travel mechanism used in purification channel device.Such as also can apply atmosphere replacement device of the present invention, method for the loading lane device employing following mechanism: only make FIMS door 12 one side integrated with cover 17 to move in the horizontal direction away from the mode of bracket 16, make the mechanism that bracket 16 is separated with cover 17 thus; Or make bracket 16 and the mechanism of cover 17 both sides towards horizontal rightabout movement, and the effect same with the present embodiment can be had completely.If or following mechanism is possessed in simple structure: make the mechanism that bracket 16 is separated in the horizontal direction with cover 17; And the mechanism of the purification plate 41 with the face making non-active gas flow out in this bracket 16 is inserted towards the central portion between bracket 16 and cover 17, and be the structure of the rate of ventilation possessed in aforementioned range, just can form atmosphere replacement device of the present invention, and such device can be used to implement method of the present invention.With with load lane device independently Structure composing uses the purification channel device of the specific embodiment described in detail above independently, such distortion is only the distortion naturally just expected very much carried out within the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, is apparent.
And, although the silicon wafer FOUP of defined in SEMI specification and the loading lane device that is adapted to FOUP are disclosed as object by the explanation of the present embodiment, but the present invention is not limited thereto, the substrate that must carry out fine process for liquid crystal display substrate and solar battery panel substrate etc. also can apply the present invention.And, as long as have and receive the substrate that should process and to the airtight container of outside atmosphere, mounting or carry the conveying device of this container and carry treated object and implement the processing unit of the structure of the process of regulation in this container, this type of container for this kind processing device arbitrary can both apply atmosphere replacement device of the present invention, method effectively.
[label declaration]
40 ... purification channel device (atmosphere replacement device); 41 ... purification plate; 49 ... ejection suppression element; 50 ... cowling panel (effluent face); 51 ~ 53 ... purification plate elevating mechanism (purification plate driving mechanism); 13 ... FOUP (FOUP type container); 161 ... open surface; 15 ... wafer (substrate); 2 ... load lane device; 3 ... microenvironment space cell; 4 ... transfer robot; 12 ... FIMS door (door); 43 & 56 ... door drive mechanism; 43 ... horizontal direction door drive mechanism; 56 ... vertical direction door drive mechanism; 45 ... inwall; 44 ... peristome; 121 ... high level of cleanliness air flue; 67a, 67b ... labyrinth sealing cover; 68 ... pilot jet.

Claims (19)

1. an atmosphere replacement device (40), this atmosphere replacement device (40) utilizes Purge gas to purify FOUP type container (13), and the feature of this atmosphere replacement device (40) is,
This atmosphere replacement device (40) possesses:
Non-nozzle type purification plate (41), this non-nozzle type purification plate (41) is designed to the Purge gas flowing out laminar flow from effluent face (50);
Door (12), this door (12) is integrated with the cover (17) of described FOUP type container (13), and can carry out lifting moving between progressive position and going-back position;
Door elevating mechanism (55), this elevating mechanism (55) can make described door (12) vertically lifting moving; And
Purification plate driving mechanism (51,52,53), this purification plate driving mechanism (51,52,53) makes described purification plate (41) move between position of readiness and service position,
During purifying, the described progressive position corresponding with the open surface (161) of described FOUP type container (13) is placed in the described door (12) of described cover (17) integration, described purification plate (41) is placed in described service position between described open surface (161) and described door (12), and makes the Purge gas of laminar flow flow out the described FOUP type container (13) of purification towards the inside of described open surface (161) with the posture of the described open surface (161) in the face of described FOUP type container (13).
2. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described purification plate (41) is configured in described service position the Purge gas of laminar flow is flowed out towards the central authorities of described open surface (161).
3. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described FOUP type container (13) is the container of storage substrate (15).
4. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 3, is characterized in that,
Described substrate (15) is wafer (15).
5. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described atmosphere replacement device is compatible with loading lane device (2).
6. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described Purge gas is nitrogen.
7. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described purification plate (41) has the area less than the described open surface (161) of described FOUP type container (13).
8. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described purification plate (41) possesses the ejection suppression element (49) of the ejection power suppressing described Purge gas.
9. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 8, is characterized in that,
Described ejection suppression element (49) is made up of porous material.
10. atmosphere replacement device according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described door (12) is the opening and closing door freely (12) of the access that can utilize transfer robot (4) to carry out towards described FOUP type container (13) when unlimited,
Described atmosphere replacement device possesses door drive mechanism (43), and this door drive mechanism (43) makes described door (12) move in the horizontal direction.
11. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described door (12) is the opening and closing door freely (12) of the access that can utilize transfer robot (4) to carry out towards described FOUP type container (13) when unlimited,
Described atmosphere replacement device possesses:
Be configured at the inwall (45) of described door (12) periphery; And
High cleanliness air flue (121), the gap of this high cleanliness air flue (121) by being formed between described door (12) and described inwall (45).
12. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 11, is characterized in that,
Described atmosphere replacement device possesses:
Be arranged at the inner wall sealing cover (67a, 67b) of the maze-type structure of described inwall (45); And
Be arranged at the door sealing cover (67a, 67b) of the maze-type structure of described door,
Described inner wall sealing cover (67a, 67b) and described door sealing cover (67a, 67b) is utilized to be sealed non-contactly in described gap.
13. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 11, is characterized in that,
Described atmosphere replacement device possesses:
Be arranged at the inner wall sealing cover (67a, 67b) of the maze-type structure of described inwall (45);
Be arranged at the door sealing cover (67a, 67b) of the maze-type structure of described door; And
Make the door drive mechanism (60-63) of described door movement in the horizontal direction,
The seal degree between described inner wall sealing cover (67a, 67b) and described door sealing cover can be adjusted according to the position of the horizontal direction of described door, thus described gap can be adjusted.
14. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
Described atmosphere replacement device and microenvironment space cell (3) adjacent configuration.
15. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 14, is characterized in that,
Described atmosphere replacement device is configured to be communicated with via gap from the high cleanliness air of described microenvironment space cell (3).
16. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 15, is characterized in that,
Described atmosphere replacement device possesses:
The peristome (44) docked with described FOUP type container (13);
Delimit the inwall (45) of described peristome (44); And
Pilot jet (68), this pilot jet (68) is arranged at the top of described peristome (44), releases described Purge gas towards described FOUP type container (13),
Described gap is formed between the periphery of described door (12) and described inwall (45).
17. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
During purifying, from the purified gas scale of construction of each minute that described purification plate (41) flows out, be in the scope of 1.4 times to 13.3 times of the volume of described FOUP type container (13).
18. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 1, is characterized in that,
In the position in the front apart from described purification plate 20mm, the speed of the described Purge gas flowed out from described purification plate (41) is in the scope of 0.05 meter per second to 0.5 meter per second.
19. atmosphere replacement devices according to claim 7, is characterized in that,
The area of described purification plate (41) is in the scope of 10% to 60% of the area of the described open surface (161) of described FOUP type container (13).
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