A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a loadlock module including a loadlock chamber in which a substrate container is received, wherein the loadlock module is configured to switch an internal pressure of the loadlock chamber between atmospheric pressure and a vacuum; and a transfer module configured to transfer a substrate between the substrate container received in the loadlock chamber and a process module for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process on the substrate, wherein the loadlock module includes a purge gas supply unit configured to supply a purge gas into the substrate container through a gas supply line connected to the substrate container; and an exhaust unit configured to discharge a gas in the substrate container through an exhaust line connected to the substrate container.

The disclosure describes devices and systems for a two-sided seal for a load port, and methods for using said seal. A factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system can include a load port for receiving a substrate carrier. The load port can include a frame adapted for connecting the load port to a factory interface, the frame comprising a transport opening. The load port can also include a seal coupled to the frame. The seal can include a first contact point configured to engage with a load port door when the load port door is in a first position, and configured to disengage with the load port door when the load port door is in a second position and a second contact point configured to engage with a front of a substrate carrier when the substrate carrier is docked on the load port.

A loadlock apparatus includes a loadlock chamber including a first opening and a second opening separated in a vertical direction; a first slit valve including a first valve plate configured to move between a first open position where the first opening is open and a first closed position where the first opening is closed, the first open position being a position moved downward from the first closed position; and a second slit valve including a second valve plate configured to move between a second open position where the second opening is open and a second closed position where the second opening is closed, the second open position being a position moved upward from the second closed position.

A portable robotic semiconductor pod loader may detect, with at least one sensor, receipt of a semiconductor pod on a load port of the portable robotic semiconductor pod loader. The at least one sensor is supported by the load port. The portable robotic semiconductor pod loader may cause a robot, of the portable robotic semiconductor pod loader, to align with the semiconductor pod provided on the load port. The portable robotic semiconductor pod loader may cause the robot to attach to the semiconductor pod, and may cause the robot to provide the semiconductor pod from the load port to a staging area of a semiconductor processing tool.

The application discloses a placement system for a door of a wafer pod, including a loadport. A docking interface is formed in the loadport, a placement mechanism is arranged on one side surface of the loadport, and includes a swing component, a follower component, and a docking plate. The swing component and the follower component are respectively connected to the docking plate, and the swing component can drive the docking plate to place the docking plate obliquely above the docking interface. By utilizing the space at the top of the loadport, the structural layout of the loadport is more reasonable; and the docking plate is placed nearly horizontally after the door is placed at a designated position, and provides a supporting force to the door, so that dependence on the vacuum suction is decreased, thereby avoiding the influences due to fluctuations of air pressure.

An EFEM includes a circulation path including a transfer chamber configured to form a transfer space where a substrate is transferred and a return path configured to return a gas flowing from one side to the other side of the transfer chamber, the EFEM including: a capture part provided in the return path and configured to electrically capture particles contained in the gas flowing through the return path, wherein the return path and the transfer chamber are provided such that a partition wall is interposed therebetween, and a differential pressure is generated on both sides of the partition wall such that a pressure on the side of the return path becomes higher than a pressure on the side of the transfer chamber in a state in which the gas circulates through the circulation path.

A calibration pod for calibrating a robotic wafer pod handling apparatus includes a pod body configured for handling by the robotic pod handling apparatus, at least one laser disposed on a bottom of the pod body, and a power module disposed on or in the pod body and operatively connected to power the at least one laser. In a manufacturing method, the pod body comprises a wafer carrier for carrying a cassette of semiconductor wafers, which has a bottom with a plurality of holes for aligning placement of the wafer carrier in a load port of a semiconductor device fabrication facility. The at least one laser here includes a plurality of lasers corresponding to the plurality of holes in the bottom of the wafer carrier, and each laser is mounted in a respective hole of the bottom of the wafer carrier.

Substrate loading device including a frame adapted to connect the substrate loading device to a substrate processing apparatus, the frame having a transport opening through which substrates are transported between the substrate loading device and the substrate processing apparatus, a cassette support connected to the frame for holding at least one substrate cassette container for transfer of substrates to and from the at least one substrate cassette container through the transport opening, and selectably variable cassette support purge ports with a variable purge port nozzle outlet, variable between more than one selectable predetermined purge port nozzle characteristics, disposed on the cassette support, each of the more than one purge port nozzle characteristics being configured so that the purge port nozzle outlet with each selected predetermined purge port nozzle characteristic complements and couples to at least one purge port of the at least one substrate cassette container.

A load port of a factory interface of an electronic device manufacturing system can include a purge apparats, a docking tray configured to receive a substrate carrier including a substrate carrier door and a substrate carrier housing, a backplane located adjacent to the docking tray, and a carrier door configured to seal an opening in the backplane when the carrier door opener is closed. The carrier door opener can include an inlet gas line therethrough that is coupled to one or more components of the purge apparatus. The load port can also include a controller that is configured to detect that the substrate carrier is placed in a docking position on the docking tray. The substrate carrier placed in the docking position on the docking tray can form a gap between the substrate carrier housing and the backplane. The controller can also purge a space between the carrier door and the carrier housing and/or an area between the carrier door and the carrier door opener via the inlet gas line and the gap between the substrate carrier housing and the backplane. The controller can cause the purge apparatus to stop the purge and close the gap between the substrate carrier housing and the backplane.

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.