EFEM
An EFEM includes a wafer transportation part having a wafer transportation room passed by a wafer transported to a processing room and a load port part airtightly connecting a main opening formed on a container housing the wafer to the room. The transportation part includes a downward current forming device for forming a downward current in the room and a current plate arranged in the room and partly introducing the current into the container connected to the room via the opening. The load port part includes an installation stand for installing the container, a bottom nozzle for communicating with a bottom hole formed at a position distant from the opening more than a bottom surface middle on a bottom surface of the container, and a gas discharge passage for discharging a gas in the container to an outside thereof via the nozzle.
1. An EFEM comprising:
a load port part configured to connect, in an airtight manner, a main opening formed on a container to a wafer transportation room, the container housing a wafer, and the wafer transportation room being passed by the wafer as it is transported to a processing room;
a wafer transportation part disposed in the wafer transportation room, the wafer transportation part comprising:
a downward current generator configured to form a downward current in the wafer transportation room;
a current plate arranged in the wafer transportation room and configured to introduce a part of the downward current into the container connected to the wafer transportation room via the main opening;
a circulating passage where gas from the wafer transportation room detours and rises so as to form the downward current once again in the wafer transportation room; and
a circulating gas cleaner configured to clean gas circulating in the wafer transportation room and the circulating passage,
wherein the load port part comprises:
an installation stand configured to install the container;
a bottom nozzle configured to be capable of communicating with a bottom hole formed at a position distant from the main opening more than a bottom surface middle on a bottom surface of the container; and
a gas discharge passage configured to be capable of discharging gas in the container to an outside of the container via the bottom nozzle.
2. The EFEM according to claim 1 , wherein
the load port part comprises a forcible discharger arranged in the gas discharge passage and configured to forcibly discharge the gas in the container.
3. The EFEM according to claim 1 , further comprising a gas blower arranged in the wafer transportation room and configured to blow the gas from the wafer transportation room to the main opening.
4. The EFEM according to claim 2 , further comprising a gas blower arranged in the wafer transportation room and configured to blow the gas from the wafer transportation room to the main opening.
5. The EFEM according to claim 1 , wherein
the gas discharge passage is connected to the wafer transportation room.
6. The EFEM according to claim 2 , wherein
the gas discharge passage is connected to the wafer transportation room.
7. The EFEM according to claim 1 , wherein
the load port part comprises a discharge gas cleaner configured to clean the gas flowing in the gas discharge passage.
8. The EFEM according to claim 2 , wherein
the load port part comprises a discharge gas cleaner configured to clean the gas flowing in the gas discharge passage.
9. The EFEM according to claim 1 , wherein
the wafer transportation part comprises a circulating passage where the gas from the wafer transportation room detours and rises so as to form the downward current once again in the wafer transportation room, and
the gas discharge passage is connected to the circulating passage.
10. The EFEM according to claim 2 , wherein
the wafer transportation part comprises a circulating passage where the gas from the wafer transportation room detours and rises so as to form the downward current once again in the wafer transportation room, and
the gas discharge passage is connected to the circulating passage.
11. An EFEM system, comprising:
the EFEM according to claim 1 ;
the container; and
a container inner nozzle standing upright inside the container, the container inner nozzle comprising:
a container inner passage formed inside the container inner nozzle and configured to communicate with the bottom nozzle via the bottom hole; and
a passage opening formed intermittently or continuously in an up and down direction on the container inner nozzle and configured to connect to the container inner passage.
12. An EFEM system, comprising:
the EFEM according to claim 2 ;
the container; and
a container inner nozzle standing upright inside the container, the container inner nozzle comprising:
a container inner passage formed inside the container inner nozzle and configured to communicate with the bottom nozzle via the bottom hole; and
a passage opening formed intermittently or continuously in an up and down direction on the container inner nozzle and configured to connect to the container inner passage.
13. The EFEM system according to claim 11 , wherein the container inner nozzle comprises a plurality of opening arrays consisting of the passage opening, which is formed intermittently or continuously in the up and down direction on a surface of the container inner nozzle.
14. The EFEM system according to claim 12 , wherein the container inner nozzle comprises a plurality of opening arrays consisting of the passage opening, which is formed intermittently or continuously in the up and down direction on a surface of the container inner nozzle.