Storage system for storing photoresist coated substrates
A storage system for storing photoresist coated semiconductor substrates includes a semiconductor substrate container configured to store a plurality of semiconductor substrates. The storage system further includes a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a sensor coupled to the gas outlet and configured to measure a humidity of a gas exiting the semiconductor substrate container through the gas outlet. The storage system also includes a source of an inert gas or an extreme clean dry air connected via a gas purifier to the gas inlet. The storage system further includes a controller configured to control the gas purifier and the sensor to purge a humidity inside the semiconductor substrate container with the inert gas or the extreme clean dry air such that a relative humidity of the gas exiting the semiconductor substrate container is below a threshold relative humidity.
1 . A storage system for storing photoresist coated semiconductor substrates, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate container configured to store a plurality of semiconductor substrates, wherein the semiconductor substrate container includes an upper space for storing the plurality of semiconductor substrates and a lower space connected to the upper space, and a width of the lower space is greater than a width of the upper space, wherein the semiconductor substrate container is configured so that all the semiconductor substrates are stored above the lower space;
a platform supporting and storing the semiconductor substrate container;
a gas inlet;
a gas outlet, wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet pass through an upper surface of the platform and a bottom wall of the lower space;
a door positioned on a side of the upper space of the semiconductor substrate container;
a sensor coupled to the gas outlet and configured to measure a humidity of a gas exiting the semiconductor substrate container through the gas outlet;
a source of an inert gas or an extreme clean dry air connected via a gas purifier to the gas inlet; and
a controller configured to control the gas purifier and the sensor to purge a humidity inside the semiconductor substrate container with the inert gas or the extreme clean dry air such that a relative humidity of the gas exiting the semiconductor substrate container is below a threshold relative humidity, wherein the controller is further configured to turn on the gas inlet and the gas outlet in response to the relative humidity of the gas exiting the semiconductor substrate container increasing to above the threshold relative humidity, such that the inert gas or the extreme clean dry air flows into the lower space of the semiconductor substrate container and from the lower space into the upper space of the semiconductor substrate container.
2 . The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate container is a front opening unified pod.
3 . The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold relative humidity is between 0.1% relative humidity and 1% relative humidity.
4 . The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the gas purifier is an automatically regenerable purifier.
5 . The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the gas purifier is configured to provide purified gas containing less than 1 ppb impurities and less than 1% relative humidity.
6 . The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate container is configured to maintain an internal pressure of 130 kPa.
7 . The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the door is configured to be sealed when the relative humidity of the gas exiting the semiconductor substrate container is below the threshold relative humidity.
8 . The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet are coupled to the lower space of the semiconductor substrate container.
9 . A storage system, comprising:
a front opening unified pod, wherein the front opening unified pod includes an upper space for storing a plurality of semiconductor substrates and a lower space connected the upper space, and a width of the lower space is greater than a width of the upper space, wherein the front opening unified pod is configured so that all the semiconductor substrates are stored above the lower space;
a platform supporting and storing the front opening unified pod;
an inert gas source or an extreme clean dry air source coupled to the front opening unified pod via a gas inlet;
a gas outlet coupled to the front opening unified pod, wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet pass through an upper surface of the platform and a bottom wall of the lower space;
a door positioned on a side of the upper space of the front opening unified pod;
a humidity sensor coupled to the gas outlet; and
a controller configured to monitor a relative humidity of a gas exiting the front opening unified pod and control the relative humidity of the gas exiting the front opening unified pod to below a threshold relative humidity, wherein the controller is further configured to turn on the gas inlet and the gas outlet in response to the relative humidity of the gas exiting the front opening unified pod increasing to above the threshold relative humidity, such that the gas flows through the gas inlet, into the lower space of the front opening unified pod, and into the upper space of the front opening unified pod.
10 . The storage system of claim 9 , wherein the threshold relative humidity is between 0.1% relative humidity and 1% relative humidity.
11 . The storage system of claim 9 , further comprising a gas purifier coupled to the gas inlet.
12 . The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the gas purifier is an automatically regenerable purifier.
13 . The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the gas purifier is configured to provide purified gas to the gas inlet containing less than 1 ppb impurities and less than 1% relative humidity.
14 . The storage system of claim 9 , wherein the front opening unified pod is configured to maintain an internal pressure of 130 kPa.
15 . The storage system of claim 9 , wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet are coupled to the lower space of the front opening unified pod.
16 . A storage system, comprising:
a front opening unified pod, wherein the front opening unified pod includes an upper space for storing a plurality of semiconductor substrates and a lower space connected to the upper space, and a width of the lower space is greater than a width of the upper space, wherein the front opening unified pod is configured so that all the semiconductor substrates are stored above the lower space;
a platform supporting and storing the front opening unified pod;
a gas inlet coupled to the front opening unified pod;
a gas purifier coupled to the gas inlet;
an inert gas source or an extreme clean dry air source coupled to the front opening unified pod via the gas purifier and the gas inlet;
a gas outlet coupled to the front opening unified pod, wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet pass through an upper surface of the platform and a bottom wall of the lower space;
a door positioned on a side of the upper space of the front opening unified pod;
a humidity sensor coupled to the gas outlet; and
a controller configured to monitor a relative humidity of a gas exiting the gas outlet and configured to control the inert gas source or extreme dry air source, the gas purifier, the gas inlet, and the gas outlet to maintain the relative humidity of the gas exiting the gas outlet to below a threshold relative humidity, wherein the controller is further configured to turn on the gas inlet and the gas outlet in response to the relative humidity of the gas exiting the gas outlet increasing to above the threshold relative humidity, such that the gas flows into lower space of the front opening unified pod, and from the lower space to the upper space of the front opening unified pod.
17 . The storage system of claim 16 , wherein the gas inlet and the gas outlet are coupled to the lower space of the front opening unified pod.
18 . The storage system of claim 17 , wherein the threshold relative humidity is between 0.1% relative humidity and 1% relative humidity.
19 . The storage system of claim 17 , wherein the gas purifier is configured to provide purified gas to the gas inlet containing less than 1 ppb impurities and less than 1% relative humidity.
20 . The storage system of claim 17 , wherein the door is configured to be sealed when the relative humidity of the gas exiting the gas outlet is below the threshold relative humidity.