Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with factory interface environmental controls

Abstract

An electronic device processing system includes a factory interface (FI), substrate carrier(s), a humidity sensor, an oxygen sensor, and an environmental control system coupled to the FI. A processor of the environmental control system is to cause inert gas to be provided to an FI chamber and inert gas exhausted from the FI chamber to be circulated back into the FI chamber. The processor is also to identify conditions to be satisfied before opening a door of the substrate carriers. The processor is to control the humidity level based on detection by the humidity sensor or the oxygen level based on detection by the oxygen sensor. If the one or more conditions are satisfied, the processor is to open the carrier door to enable passing of substrates between the FI chamber and the substrate carriers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device processing system, comprising:
 a factory interface including a factory interface chamber and one or more load ports;   one or more substrate carriers coupled to the factory interface at the one or more load ports, wherein the one or more substrate carriers comprise a carrier door;   a first sensor to detect a humidity level in the factory interface chamber;   a second sensor to detect an oxygen level in the factory interface chamber; and   an environmental control system coupled to the factory interface, the environmental control system comprising a processor and a memory, the processor to:
 cause an inert gas to be provided into the factory interface chamber; 
 cause the inert gas exhausted from the factory interface chamber to be circulated back into the factory interface chamber; 
 identify one or more conditions to be satisfied before opening the carrier door, the one or more conditions related to one or more of the humidity level and the oxygen level; 
 control at least one of:
 the humidity level in the factory interface chamber based on detection by the first sensor; or 
 the oxygen level in the factory interface chamber based on detection by the second sensor; and 
 
 responsive to determining that the identified one or more conditions are satisfied, open the carrier door of the one or more substrate carriers to enable passing of substrates between the factory interface chamber and the substrate carriers. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third sensor to detect a flow rate of inert gas flowed into the factory interface chamber, wherein the processor is further to monitor a consumption of the inert gas at the factory interface chamber based on detection by the third sensor of the flow rate of the inert gas provided into the factory interface chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust conduit, wherein the inert gas is at least partially circulated by way of the exhaust conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 3 , further comprising a filter in series with the exhaust conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 4 , wherein the filter is configured to filter particulates. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 4 , wherein the filter is a moisture-reducing filter. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 4 , wherein the filter is a moisture absorbent filter. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 4 , wherein the filter is within the factory interface chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a chamber door on the factory interface chamber; and   a channel in the chamber door, the channel having an entrance from the factory interface chamber and the channel being coupled to the exhaust conduit.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 9 , wherein the chamber door has a bottom and wherein the entrance of the channel is at the bottom of the chamber door. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 10 , further comprising a filter in series with the exhaust conduit, wherein the exhaust conduit is between the chamber door and the filter and progresses above the filter. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third sensor to detect a temperature in the factory interface. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is to control the temperature in the factory interface chamber based on detection by the third sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device processing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more conditions are associated with a type of substrate process to be performed. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 causing an inert gas to be provided into a factory interface chamber of a factory interface;   causing the inert gas exhausted from the factory interface chamber to be circulated back into the factory interface chamber;   identifying one or more conditions to be satisfied before opening a carrier door of one or more substrate carriers coupled to the factory interface, the one or more conditions related to one or more of a humidity level in the factory interface chamber and an oxygen level in the factory interface chamber;   controlling at least one of:
 the humidity level in the factory interface chamber based on detection by a humidity sensor; or 
 the oxygen level in the factory interface chamber based on detection by an oxygen sensor; and 
   responsive to determining that the identified one or more conditions are satisfied, causing the carrier door of the one or more substrate carriers to enable passing of substrates between the factory interface chamber and the substrate carriers.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 monitoring a consumption of the inert gas at the factory interface chamber based on detection by a flow rate sensor of a flow rate of the inert gas provided into the factory interface chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 controlling a temperature in the factory interface chamber based on detection by a temperature sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more conditions are associated with a type of substrate process to be performed. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the factory interface is coupled to an exhaust conduit, wherein the inert gas is at least partially circulated by way of the exhaust conduit. 
     
     
         20 . An environmental control system comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor coupled to the memory, the processor to:
 cause an inert gas to be provided into a factory interface chamber of a factory interface; 
 cause the inert gas exhausted from the factory interface chamber to be circulated back into the factory interface chamber; 
 identify one or more conditions to be satisfied before opening a carrier door of one or more substrate carriers coupled to the factory interface, the one or more conditions related to one or more of a humidity level in the factory interface chamber and an oxygen level in the factory interface chamber; 
 control at least one of:
 the humidity level in the factory interface chamber based on detection by a humidity sensor; or 
 the oxygen level in the factory interface chamber based on detection by an oxygen sensor; and 
 
   responsive to determining that the identified one or more conditions are satisfied, open the carrier door of the one or more substrate carriers to enable passing of substrates between the factory interface chamber and the substrate carriers.