Lid opening/closing system for closed container, and substrate processing method using the same

Abstract

The partial pressure of an oxidizing gas within a FOUP fixed to a FIMS system and placed in an open state is prevented from increasing with the lapse of time. To that end, a gas supply port is arranged in the bottom face of the FOUP to enable nitrogen supply into the FOUP through the gas supply port with a pod mounted on the FIMS system. A nitrogen supply system for supplying nitrogen with the FOUP mounted is controlled so as to make a nitrogen supply at such a low flow rate and pressure as to be able to prevent dust or the like having such sizes as to possibly cause problems in wiring lines to be formed on a wafer from being stirred up from the gas supply port or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lid opening/closing system including a container, the container being provided with: a substantially box-shaped main body capable of containing an object to be housed and having an aperture in one face of the container main body; a lid separable from the container main body and adapted to cover the aperture to form an enclosed space along with the container main body; and at least one supply port provided on a wall surface of the container main body and capable of supplying a gas from the outside, wherein the object to be housed is allowed to be taken in and out of the container by removing the lid from the container to open the aperture, the system comprising:
 a mounting stage on which the container is placed;   a minute space located adjacent to the mounting stage to contain a mechanism for transporting the object to be housed with particles controlled;   a substantially rectangular first aperture formed in a wall located adjacent to the mounting stage to define part of the minute space, the first aperture being provided in a position where the first aperture is able to face the aperture of the container placed on the mounting stage;   a door capable of holding the lid and substantially closing the first aperture, and capable of causing the aperture and the first aperture to be communicated with each other by holding the lid and opening the first aperture;   a supply valve for supplying a gas into the container in conjunction with the supply port; and   a gas supply system for supplying a predetermined gas through the supply port and the supply valve at a total flow rate of 1 to 60 L/min with the container placed on the mounting stage.   
     
     
         2 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: opening/closing detection means for detecting the opening/closing of the aperture by the door using the lid; and control means for starting the supply of the predetermined gas to the gas supply system in response to the closure of the aperture detected by the opening/closing detection means. 
     
     
         3 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a purge nozzle capable of supplying the predetermined gas to the container through the aperture of the container, wherein the control means performs the start and stop of the supply of the predetermined gas by the purge nozzle in response to the detection of the opening/closing of the lid by the detection means. 
     
     
         4 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the container further includes at least one discharge port provided on a wall surface of the container main body and capable of discharging gases to the outside, and the system further comprises a discharge valve for discharging gases from within the container in conjunction with the discharge port. 
     
     
         5 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an enclosure arranged in the minute space in series with the first aperture to cover the moving space of the door and constitute a second minute space, the enclosure having a second aperture through which the first aperture and the minute space communicate with each other and the mechanism for transporting the object to be housed is allowed to pass along with the object to be housed; and   a curtain nozzle located in a portion above the upper edge of the first aperture inside the enclosure and capable of supplying the predetermined gas along a direction from the upper edge toward the lower edge of the first aperture,   wherein the enclosure includes a gas outlet port from which the gas is allowed to flow out into the minute space along a direction in which the gas flows.   
     
     
         6 . A lid opening/closing system including a container, the container being provided with: a substantially box-shaped main body capable of containing an object to be housed and having an aperture in one face of the container main body; a lid separable from the container main body and adapted to cover the aperture to form an enclosed space along with the container main body; and a plurality of supply ports provided on a wall surface of the container main body and capable of supplying a gas from the outside, wherein the object to be housed is allowed to be taken in and out of the container by removing the lid from the container to open the aperture, the system comprising:
 a mounting stage on which the container is placed;   a minute space located adjacent to the mounting stage to contain a mechanism for transporting the object to be housed with particles controlled;   a substantially rectangular first aperture formed in a wall located adjacent to the mounting stage to define part of the minute space, the first aperture being provided in a position where the first aperture is able to face the aperture of the container placed on the mounting stage;   a door capable of holding the lid and substantially closing the first aperture, and capable of causing the aperture and the first aperture to be communicated with each other by holding the lid and opening the first aperture;   a plurality of supply valves for each supplying a gas into the container in conjunction with each of the plurality of supply ports; and   a gas supply system for supplying a predetermined gas through one unit of the supply port and the supply valve at a flow rate of 1 to 20 L/min with the container placed on the mounting stage.   
     
     
         7 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 6 , further comprising: opening/closing detection means for detecting the opening/closing of the aperture by the door using the lid; and control means for starting the supply of the predetermined gas to the gas supply system in response to the closure of the aperture detected by the opening/closing detection means. 
     
     
         8 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a purge nozzle capable of supplying the predetermined gas to the container through the aperture of the container, wherein the control means performs the start and stop of the supply of the predetermined gas by the purge nozzle in response to the detection of the opening/closing of the lid by the detection means. 
     
     
         9 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 6 , wherein the container further includes at least one discharge port provided on a wall surface of the container main body and capable of discharging gases to the outside, and the system further comprises a discharge valve for discharging gases from within the container in conjunction with the discharge port. 
     
     
         10 . The lid opening/closing system according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an enclosure arranged in the minute space in series with the first aperture to cover the moving space of the door and constitute a second minute space, the enclosure having a second aperture through which the first aperture and the minute space communicate with each other and the mechanism for transporting the object to be housed is allowed to pass along with the object to be housed; and   a curtain nozzle located in a portion above the upper edge of the first aperture inside the enclosure and capable of supplying the predetermined gas along a direction from the upper edge toward the lower edge of the first aperture,   wherein the enclosure includes a gas outlet port from which the gas is allowed to flow out into the minute space along a direction in which the gas flows.