A substrate storage apparatus includes a stage on which a cassette that has a lid detachably mounted to an opening is disposed, a lid attaching/detaching plate that performs attaching/detaching of the lid to/from the opening of the cassette disposed on the stage, and is provided to be movable between a mounting position in contact with the lid disposed at a position of the opening and a retracted position not in contact with the lid disposed at the position of the opening, a lid holding sensor that detects whether the lid is being held by the lid attaching/detaching plate, and a controller that determines presence/absence of abnormality related to attachment/detachment of the lid based on a detection result of the lid holding sensor.

An apparatus for automatically cleaning a nozzle of a gas supply system is provided. The apparatus includes a carrier with a gas inlet that is adapted to sealingly mate with the nozzle of the gas supply system and an automated nozzle cleaning system in the carrier. The automated nozzle cleaning system includes a first nozzle cleaning device, a second nozzle cleaning device, and a function switching plate. The function switching plate comprises a plurality of through holes, a first through hole of the plurality of through holes is configured to engage the first nozzle cleaning device with the gas inlet when the function switching plate is positioned at a first position, and a second through hole of the plurality of through holes is configured to engage the second nozzle cleaning device with the gas inlet when the function switching plate is positioned at a second position.

A substrate container including a plate, a shell, a connector, and a seal, where the connector is threaded and secured via a nut, and the seal contacts each of the shell, plate, and connector. The plate has a recess accommodating an end of the connector and the nut. Field-serviceable, removable purge modules including check valves may be used with the substrate container, and may be secured to the substrate container in the recess in the plate. Filters may be secured to the connector or included in the purge modules. These filters may have diameters larger than an internal diameter of the connector.

A stocker for holding a plurality of reticle pods is provided. Each of the reticle pods is configured to accommodate a reticle assembly. The reticle assembly includes a reticle and a pellicle covering the reticle. The stocker includes a main frame and an electrostatic generator. The main frame has an inner space and at least one pod support disposed in the inner space. The pod support divides the inner space into a plurality of chambers configured to respectively accommodate the plurality of reticle pods. The electrostatic generator is coupled to the reticle assembly and configured to generate static electricity to the reticle assembly. The static electricity alternates between positive electricity and negative electricity.

A storage device includes a pair of supports each extending in an up-and-down direction and spaced apart in a first direction; a pair of attachments each attached to a side surface by a fixing member having a shaft part, the side surface being a surface of each of the pair of supports and facing the first direction; and a platform supported by the pair of attachments and on which an article is to be placed, wherein each of the pair of attachments has a hole through which the shaft part is disposed, and an area of the hole is larger than an area of a cross-section of the shaft part orthogonal to an axial direction of the shaft part to such an extent that the pair of attachments are rotatable along the side surfaces of the pair of supports.

A ventilated puck is provided. The ventilated puck includes an upper box, a spider plate, and a lower box. In particular, the upper box is fitted on the lower box to form a hollow structure, in which the spider plate is disposed. A ventilation channel for communicating the hollow structure with an external environment is provided in the upper box, or in the lower box or at interface between the upper box and the lower box. The ventilated puck of the present application may ensure gas exchange during the gas protection process conducted on semiconductor wafers, thereby preventing deformation of the puck due to pressure differences. Optionally, the interior of the ventilation channel is provided with a dustproof labyrinth structure, thereby preventing the entry of dust.

In a wafer container, diffusers are positioned such that they are closer to a center line of the wafer container. This improves the distribution of purge gas within the wafer container. The diffusers can be positioned such that their position corresponds to a recessed central panel of the back wall. The diffusers can be positioned such that an angle between the diffusers relative to a center of a wafer contained within the wafer container is 60 degrees or less. The diffusers can be joined to purge ports by offset connectors oriented such that the diffusers are closer to the center line of the wafer container than the purge ports. The distance from each of the diffusers to the center line of the wafer container can be less than one fourth of a diameter of the wafer that the wafer container is configured to accommodate.

Provided is a load port apparatus including: a mounting unit on which a pod housing a housed object is mounted; a frame portion provided to stand adjacent to the mounting unit and having a frame opening to which a main opening of the pod is connected; a door engageable with a lid for the main opening of the pod for opening and closing the frame opening and the main opening; a door drive mechanism which drives the door; an inner gas exhaust unit provided below an inner side of the frame opening to exhaust a gas from an inside of a mini environment connected to the pod through the main opening and the frame opening; and a corrosive gas detection sensor arranged between the frame opening and the inner gas exhaust unit or in an exhaust flow path of the inner gas exhaust unit.

A semiconductor substrate carrying container that includes one or more enlarged purge ports extending through the bottom wall. The purge port(s) permits a purge fluid conditioning element to be inserted into the interior space of the container by installing the purge fluid conditioning element from outside the container through the purge port. The purge port(s) is sized and positioned such that at least a portion of a rear wall of the container is positioned forwardly of a portion of the purge port(s). In addition, a portion of the rear wall is contiguous with a portion of the perimeter of the purge port(s).

An overhead transport vehicle system includes a travel rail, an overhead transport vehicle, and a gas supplier. The overhead transport vehicle travels on the travel rail to transport a FOUP, includes a tank to store inactive gas, and supplies the inactive gas into the FOUP from the tank during transport of the FOUP. The gas supplier is provided along the travel rail to supply inactive gas into the tank of the overhead transport vehicle.