Proposed is an EFEM configured to perform wafer transfer between a wafer storage device and process equipment. More particularly, proposed is an EFEM that prevents harmful gases inside a transfer chamber in which wafer transfer is performed from escaping out of the EFEM.

A wafer storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a main body which includes an opening part at the front side thereof, and in which a wafer is accommodated; and an air current control part provided at one side of the main body, and the air current control part comprises a body the inside of which is empty; a compressed gas injection part provided at one side of the body and injecting a compressed gas into the body; and a compressed gas discharge part for discharging the compressed gas inside the body into the outside of the body, wherein the body extends by a predetermined length in a vertical or horizontal direction of the main body, and the main body includes a plurality of spray parts for spraying a purge gas into the inside thereof.

Systems and methods are described for integrated decomposition and scanning of a semiconducting wafer, where a single chamber is utilized for decomposition and scanning of the wafer of interest.

There is provided an exhaust nozzle unit capable of discharging a gas atmosphere in a substrate storage container having a loading/unloading opening from the container to an outside of the container through a port formed on a bottom surface of the container. The exhausted nozzle includes a nozzle capable of switching the port from a closed state to an open state by pressing a valve of the port; and a housing configured to hold the nozzle so as to be movable up and down between a use posture in which the port is in the open state and a standby posture in which the port is in the closed state.

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.

An embodiment is a processing system for processing a substrate. The processing system includes a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) load lock (FLL) and a vacuum system. The FLL has walls defining an interior space therein. The FLL includes load lock isolation and tunnel isolation doors. The load lock isolation door is operable to close a first opening in a first sidewall of the FLL. The first opening is sized so that a FOUP is capable of passing therethrough. The tunnel isolation door is operable to close a second opening in a second sidewall of the FLL. The second opening is sized so that a substrate is capable of passing therethrough. The vacuum system is fluidly connected to the interior space of the FLL and is operable to pump down a pressure of the interior space of the FLL.

Disclosed are implementations for efficient purging of substrate carriers (and content held therein) and preventing external contaminants from entering a gas purge apparatus by coupling the gas purge apparatus to a substrate carrier, performing a first gas purging session of an environment of the substrate carrier, receiving a first signal of a first signal type, responsive to receiving the first signal, keeping the gas purge apparatus coupled to the substrate carrier, performing a second gas purging session of the environment of the substrate carrier, receiving a second signal of a second signal type, and, responsive to receiving the second signal, decoupling the purge apparatus from the substrate carrier.

Systems and methods are described for integrated decomposition and scanning of a semiconducting wafer, where a single chamber is utilized for decomposition and scanning of the wafer of interest.

A side storage pod includes an outer enclosure having a sealing surface configured to couple to an EFEM and a side storage pod chamber having a body coupled to vertically-spaced storage members. Each of the vertically-spaced storage members is configured to support a corresponding substrate within the body. The side storage pod further includes a removable door. The removable door and the body are to seal relative to each other responsive to the removable door being in a closed position. A load-unload robot of the EFEM is to access the vertically-spaced storage members responsive to the removable door being in an open position. An environment within the side storage pod chamber is to be controlled to be one or more of: at first environmental conditions responsive to the removable door being in the closed position; or at second environmental conditions responsive to the removable door being in the open position.

Proposed is an EFEM configured to perform wafer transfer between a wafer storage device and process equipment. More particularly, proposed is an EFEM that prevents harmful gases inside a transfer chamber in which wafer transfer is performed from escaping out of the EFEM.