Transfer chamber

{
  "publication_number": "US2022344182A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Transfer chamber",
  "abstract": "To provide a transfer chamber capable of replacing a chemical filter without affecting an internal atmosphere, and shortening or eliminating stop time of a transfer process of a wafer (W) associated with replacement of the chemical filter. The transfer chamber transfers the wafer (W) to or from a processing device (6) by using a transfer robot (2) provided thereinside, and includes a circulation path (CL 1) formed inside of a transfer chamber (1) to circulate gas, a chemical filter unit (7) provided in the midstream of the circulation path (CL 1), and a connecting and disconnecting means (8) which switches connection and disconnection of the chemical filter unit (7) to and from the circulation path (CL 1).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A transport chamber for transferring a transferred object to or from a processing device by using a transfer robot disposed in a transfer space inside of a housing, comprising: a front wall to which the load port is connected, a rear wall with the opening to which the processing device is connected, a first fan that forms a downward air flow in the transport space, a gas return space that is placed close to the rear wall and circulates the air flow flowing downward in the transport space above the first fan. 2. The transport chamber according to claim 1, wherein the transport chamber has two gas return spaces and the two gas return spaces are arranged on both sides of the opening. 3. The transfer chamber according to claim 1, comprising a second fan that is arranged in the lower part of the gas return space and forms an upward air flow in the gas return space. 4. The transfer chamber according to claim 2, comprising a second fan that is arranged in the lower part of the gas return space and forms an upward air flow in the gas return space. 5. The transport chamber according to claim 2, wherein the transport chamber has a plurality of second fans and the plurality of second fans are separately arranged for each gas return space. 6. The transport chamber according to claim 4, wherein the transport chamber has a plurality of second fans and the plurality of second fans are separately arranged for each gas return space. 7. The transport chamber according to claim 2, wherein the gas which flows in the two gas return spaces join above the first fan. 8. The transport chamber according to claim 4, wherein the gas which flows in the two gas return spaces join above the first fan. 9. The transport chamber according to claim 6, wherein the gas which flows in the two gas return spaces join above the first fan. 10. The transport chamber according to claim 1, wherein the suction port of the gas return space is arranged above the bottom surface of the transport chamber. 11. The transport chamber according to claim 2, wherein the suction port of the gas return space is arranged above the bottom surface of the transport chamber. 12. The transport chamber according to claim 3, wherein the suction port of the gas return space is arranged above the bottom surface of the transport chamber. 13. The transport chamber according to claim 4, wherein the suction port of the gas return space is arranged above the bottom surface of the transport chamber. 14. The transport chamber according to claim 1, comprising a gas processing box that purifies the gas circulating in the transport chamber, wherein the gas in the transfer space enters the gas return space from the suction port of the gas return space, becomes an updraft by the second fan, passes through the gas processing box, and is circulated to the transport space as a downdraft by the first fan. 15. The transport chamber according to claim 2, comprising a gas processing box that purifies the gas circulating in the transport chamber, wherein the gas in the transfer space enters the gas return space from the suction port of the gas return space, becomes an updraft by the second fan, passes through the gas processing box, and is circulated to the transport space as a downdraft by the first fan. 16. The transport chamber according to claim 3, comprising a gas processing box that purifies the gas circulating in the transport chamber, wherein the gas in the transfer space enters the gas return space from the suction port of the gas return space, becomes an updraft by the second fan, passes through the gas processing box, and is circulated to the transport space as a downdraft by the first fan. 17. The transport chamber according to claim 4, comprising a gas processing box that purifies the gas circulating in the transport chamber, wherein the gas in the transfer space enters the gas return space from the suction port of the gas return space, becomes an updraft by the second fan, passes through the gas processing box, and is circulated to the transport space as a downdraft by the first fan. 18. The transport chamber according to claim 1, comprising a chemical filter that purifies the gas circulating in the transport chamber and a gas processing box that contains the chemical filter, wherein a gas processing box has an opening for replacing the chemical filter, the chemical filter inside the gas treatment box can be replaced from outside the transport chamber. 19. The transport chamber according to claim 2, comprising a chemical filter that purifies the gas circulating in the transport chamber and a gas processing box that contains the chemical filter, wherein a gas processing box has an opening for replacing the chemical filter, the chemical filter inside the gas treatment box can be replaced from outside the transport chamber. 20. The transport chamber according to claim 3, comprising a chemical filter that purifies the gas circulating in the transport chamber and a gas processing box that contains the chemical filter, wherein a gas processing box has an opening for replacing the chemical filter, the chemical filter inside the gas treatment box can be replaced from outside the transport chamber."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a transfer chamber capable of transferring a transferred object in a clean state without exposing to the outside air.\n\nIn the field of semiconductor, a semiconductor device is conventionally manufactured by applying various processing steps to a wafer. In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a particle-less and chemical component-less transfer environment of a wafer has been required, and a closed type container called an FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) and a transfer chamber generally called an EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) which transfers a wafer to or from a processing device are used (see the following Patent Literature 1). In the transfer chamber, usually, fresh outside air in a clean room is taken into an FFU (Fun Filter Unit) installed in an upper part, and the air is made to flow downward inside of the transfer chamber and exhausted to the outside from a floor surface, so as to stably obtain a constant clean atmosphere. Further, as the semiconductor device structure decreases in size recently, influences caused by the moisture content, oxygen, chemical components, and so forth affecting the semiconductor device structure are becoming a more serious problem. To address this problem, replacing the inside of the transfer chamber with N2 (nitrogen) gas which is inactive gas, and transferring a wafer under an N2 atmosphere have been proposed.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10P 72/0464",
    "B01D 2258/02",
    "B01D 53/04",
    "B01D 53/40",
    "B01D 53/42",
    "B65G 49/07",
    "C12M 37/00",
    "F24F 13/28",
    "F24F 3/167",
    "F24F 6/00",
    "F24F 7/00",
    "F24F 7/003",
    "F24F 7/06",
    "F24F 7/065",
    "F24F 7/08",
    "H01L 21/67017",
    "H01L 21/67196",
    "H01L 21/67389",
    "H01L 21/67393",
    "H01L 21/67766",
    "H01L 21/68707",
    "H10P 72/0402",
    "H10P 72/1924",
    "H10P 72/1926",
    "H10P 72/3302",
    "H10P 72/3402",
    "H10P 72/7602"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B01D 53/04",
    "B01D 53/40",
    "B01D 53/42",
    "B65G 49/07",
    "C12M 1/12",
    "F24F 13/28",
    "F24F 3/167",
    "F24F 6/00",
    "F24F 7/003",
    "F24F 7/06",
    "F24F 7/08",
    "H01L 21/67",
    "H01L 21/673",
    "H01L 21/677",
    "H01L 21/687"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO LTD"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "KAWAI TOSHIHIRO",
    "SHIGETA TAKASHI",
    "KOMIYA MUNEKAZU",
    "TANIYAMA YASUSHI"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-07-08",
  "publication_date": "2022-10-27",
  "priority_date": "2015-02-27",
  "application_number": "US-202217860202-A",
  "family_id": "56788303",
  "citations": [
    "KR20130019416A",
    "US5565034A",
    "US5997399A"
  ]
}