A substrate container includes a shell defining an interior space and a purge flow distribution system. The shell includes a front opening, a bottom wall, and a rear wall. The purge flow distribution system receives a stream of purge gas and includes an inlet and a network of separate gas distributing devices configured to distribute the stream of purge gas into the interior space. A supply line is also included that is connected to the inlet and configured to divide the supply of purge gas to the network of separate gas distributing devices. A method of purging an open substrate container includes supplying a stream of purge gas to an inlet of a purge flow distribution system and dividing the purge gas to supply a network of separate gas distributing devices to distribute the stream of purge gas into the interior space.

A substrate loading device including a frame adapted to connect to a substrate processing apparatus, the frame having a transport opening through which substrates are transported to the processing apparatus, a cassette support connected to the frame for holding at least one substrate cassette container proximate the transport opening, the support configured so that a sealed internal atmosphere of the container is accessed from the support at predetermined access locations of the container, and the cassette support has a predetermined continuous steady state differential pressure plenum region, determined at least in part by boundaries of fluid flow generating differential pressure, so that the predetermined continuous steady state differential pressure plenum region defines a continuously steady state fluidic flow isolation barrier disposed on the support between the predetermined access locations of the container and another predetermined section of the support isolating the other predetermined section from the predetermined access locations.

Methods and systems for improving the efficiency of an automated material handling system (AMHS) include providing an apparatus operatively coupled to a load port of a processing apparatus, where the apparatus is configured to remove a first work-in-process from the load port and to move the first work-in-process along a first direction to displace the first work-in-progress from the load port while a second work-in-progress is transferred to the load port from an AMHS vehicle along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and transferring the first work-in-progress to an AMHS vehicle along the second direction. The methods and systems may be used for loading and unloading wafer storage containers, such as front opening unified pods (FOUPs), in a semiconductor fabrication facility.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a substrate transfer device having a contactless latch and contactless coupling providing the ability to lock and unlock the substrate transfer device at atmospheric and vacuum pressure with without particle generation at a base of the substrate transfer device, the contactless latch, and the contactless coupling. The substrate transfer device includes a lid having one or more lid grooves, a base having one or more base grooves, and a rotation member rotatably coupled to the lid. Each flange of one or more flanges of the substrate transfer device is rotatable in aligned lid grooves and base grooves, and each flange of the one or more flanges has an arm with a ferromagnetic material coupled thereto. The base is coupled to the lid when the ferromagnetic material of the arm is aligned and spaced from a magnetic material of a slot of the one or more base grooves.

Disclosed is a semiconductor transfer device comprising a housing having a surface that has an opening through which a substrate is introduced, and a substrate hold structure that fixes the substrate in the housing. The substrate hold structure includes a lower support that extends onto a bottom surface of the substrate from one of inner surfaces of the housing, and an upper support that extends toward a side of the substrate from one of the inner surfaces of the housing and includes a second hold member. An operation of the upper support causes the second hold member to move onto the substrate such that the second hold member contacts a top surface of the substrate and overlaps the first hold member. An extension part penetrates the housing and protrudes onto an outer surface of the housing.

An equipment front end module (EFEM) includes sidewalls forming an EFEM chamber configured to receive inert gas from an inert gas supply. The sidewalls include a first sidewall configured to attach to a panel first side of a panel. The panel forms a panel opening extending between the panel first side and a panel second side. The panel second side is configured to attach to a side storage pod. The EFEM further includes a robot disposed in the EFEM chamber. The robot is configured to transfer substrates from the EFEM chamber into the side storage pod via the panel opening. An exhaust conduit is coupled to the side storage pod to exhaust gas from the side storage pod to an exterior of the side storage pod.

The container main body includes a tubular wall portion having an opening circumferential portion provided at one end portion and the other end portion being closed, the opening circumferential portion having a container main body opening portion formed therein. The substrate storing space can store a substrate and communicates with the container main body opening portion. A central fixed member is provided to the wall portion of the container main body so as to be removably attached to the wall portion of the container main body. The central fixed member is configured to be locked and fixed to an alignment portion provided at a load port for conveying the substrate stored in the substrate storing space to a processing apparatus.

A substrate storage container comprises a container body capable of containing a plurality of substrates, and an air supply member capable of supplying gas from outside of the container body to an internal space, wherein for the substrate storage container the container body is formed in a front open box and the air supply member is attached to the bottom surface, and wherein a functional unit that changes the environment of the internal space to different states are connected with the air supply member so as to be able to be exchanged.

A gripper device includes a pair of engaging portions attached to an elevating section capable of lifting and lowering above an article and respectively engageable with the pair of held portions, and a driver to move the pair of engaging portions from a standby position where a distance between the pair of engaging portions is shorter than an interval between the pair of held portions, to an engaging position where the pair of engaging portions is capable of engaging with the pair of held portions, such that the pair of engaging portions separate from one another.

A platform is of a side storage pod. The platform includes an upper surface and kinematic pins extending from the upper surface within a chamber of the side storage pod to engage a lower surface of a side storage container in the chamber to level the side storage container in the chamber.