Apparatus and method for manufacturing semiconductor devices

Abstract

In an apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices, a container is disposable on a load port and is adapted to accommodate one or more wafers. A transfer robot is installed at a frame and the frame is located between the load port and processing equipment. The transfer robot moves the one or more wafers between the processing equipment and the container. A gas supplying part blows a more desirable gas, e.g., a nitrogen gas or an inert gas, into the container through opening holes formed through a wall of the container. The more desirable gas flows (due to a pressure gradient) from the container to the frame to substantially (if not completely) prevent a less desirable gas (e.g., contaminated air) in the frame from entering the container as the one or more wafers are moved between the container and the processing chamber.

1 . A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising: 
 a load port on which a container is disposable, the container being adapted to accommodate one or more wafers;    a frame, in which less desirable gas is present, located between the load port and processing equipment, the frame being adapted to accommodate a transfer robot that can move the one or more wafers between the processing equipment and the container on the load port; and    a gas supplying part for supplying a more desirable gas into the container through an opening hole formed in a wall thereof such that the more desirable gas flows from the container toward the frame.    
   
   
       2 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening hole is formed through a bottom wall of the container, and the gas supplying part includes a gas line for supplying the more desirable gas through the opening hole of the container mounted on the load port, the gas line being installed within the load port.  
   
   
       3 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a closing device for closing or opening the opening hole of the container, wherein the closing device comprises: 
 a support plate installed on the container;    a blocking plate installed on the container to open or close the opening hole;    an elastic member for connecting the support plate and the blocking plate such that the blocking plate closes the opening hole of the container by an elastic force from the elastic body; and    a protrusion formed on the load port, the protrusion for being arranged to displace the blocking plate allowing the opening hole to be open when the container is mounted on the load port.    
   
   
       4 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein an injecting hole is formed through a portion of a sidewall of the protrusion, the portion is insertable into the container when the container is disposed on the load port, and the gas line is connected to the injecting hole.  
   
   
       5 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the container comprises a body that provides a space with a front opening into which the wafers are received, and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus further comprises a door actuator installed in the frame and a door for closing or opening the front opening of the body by the door actuator.  
   
   
       6 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a sensor for detecting whether the container is disposed on the load port; and    a controller for opening or closing a valve on the gas line through which the more desirable gas is supplied in response to a signal from the sensor.    
   
   
       7 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein one or more opening holes are formed through a peripheral region of the bottom wall.  
   
   
       8 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using an apparatus having a load port on which a container is disposable and a frame positioned between the load port and processing equipment, the container being adapted to accommodate one or more wafers and the frame being adapted to accommodate a robot to transfer a wafer between the load port and the processing equipment, the method comprising: 
 supplying a more desirable gas into the container while the one or more wafers is transferred between the container and the processing equipment, wherein the more desirable gas is blown into the container through opening hole formed in a wall of the container such that the more desirable gas is maintained at a positive pressure relative to a less desirable gas in the frame.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 starting a flow of the more desirable gas into the container before a door of the container is opened; and    stopping the flow of the more desirable gas after the door of the container is closed.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the opening hole is formed through a bottom wall of the container.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the container includes a blocking plate for opening and closing the opening hole, the opening hole is closed by the blocking plate due to an elastic force of an elastic member coupled to the blocking plate before the container is disposed on the load port or after the container is moved from the load port, the opening hole is open when the container is disposed on the load port due to the blocking plate pushed by protrusions formed on the load port, and the gas line for blowing the nitrogen gas or the inert gas into the container are installed in the load port.  
   
   
       12 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using an apparatus having a load port on which a container is disposed and a frame positioned between the load port and a processing equipment, the container being adapted to accommodate one or more wafers and the frame being adapted to accommodate a robot to transfer the one or more wafers between the load port and the processing equipment, the method comprising: 
 starting a flow of a more desirable gas into the container;    opening a door of the container;    transferring the one or more wafers between the container and the processing equipment using the robot;    closing the door of the container; and    stopping the flow of the more desirable gas into the container;    wherein the more desirable gas is supplied to the container via one or more opening holes formed in the container such that the more desirable gas flows from the container to the frame so as to at least substantially prevent less desirable gas in the frame from entering the container.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising detecting whether the container is disposed on the load port.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the starting of the flow of the more desirable gas into the container is carried out after the container is disposed on the load port.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the stopping of the flow of the more desirable gas into the container is carried out after the container is removed from the load port.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more opening holes are formed through a bottom wall of the container.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the container includes a blocking plate for opening and closing a corresponding instance of the one or more opening holes, the opening hole is closed by the blocking plate due to an elastic force of an elastic member coupled to the blocking plate before the container is mounted on the load port or after the container is moved from the load port, the opening hole is open when the container is mounted on the load port due to the blocking plate pushed by protrusion formed on the load port, and the gas line for blowing the nitrogen gas or the inert gas into the container are installed in the load port.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein an injecting hole is formed through a portion of a sidewall of the protrusion, the portion is insertable into the container when the container is disposed on the load port, and the gas line is connected to the injecting hole.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more opening holes are formed through a peripheral region of the bottom wall.  
   
   
       20 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the more desirable gas includes at least one of substantially contaminant-free nitrogen gas and substantially contaminant-free inert gas.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the more desirable gas includes at least one of substantially contaminant-free nitrogen gas and substantially contaminant-free inert gas.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the more desirable gas includes at least one of substantially contaminant-free nitrogen gas and substantially contaminant-free inert gas.