Substrate transport apparatus, pod and method

Abstract

A method of using a substrate transport pod is suitable for manufacturing semiconductor devices with copper wiring and low dielectric insulating film having dielectric constants of less than 3. The method is based on loading the substrates into a pod from an atmosphere of a first process, and circulating a gaseous atmosphere through interior of the pod in such a way to selectively remove at least one contaminant including moisture, particulate substances or chemical substances, and to expose the substrates to a controlled atmosphere intermittently or continually while the substrates are held in the pod before they are unloaded from the pod and introduced into a second process. For a pod that is used to house the substrates for the purpose of retaining or transporting, the pod has a pod main body and a door that provides a hermetic seal, the pod is made primarily of a materiel that has moisture absorption factor of less than 0.1 %, the pod can contact the substrates directly or indirectly and has a conductive area so as to enable static charges to be guided out of the pod.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A substrate transport apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate transport pod that can be sealed hermetically for holding substrates therein, which are taken out from a processing apparatus;    at least one of a particle filter, a chemical filter, and a dehumidifying apparatus for removing, respectively, particulate substances, chemical substances, and moisture from a gas circulated inside the pod;    a gas circulation apparatus for circulating a purified gas or purge means;    a holding apparatus for holding the substrates;    data storing means; and    a power supply for driving the dehumidifying apparatus and/or the circulation apparatus and the data storing means.    
     
     
         2 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said data storing means is provided for controlling an operation of the dehumidifying apparatus and/or the circulation apparatus.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an identifier ID for distinguishing individual pods; and    means for sending and receiving control information with outside data storing means.    
     
     
         4 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pod has means for receiving external signals, and controls internal environment in the pod according to the external signals.  
     
     
         5 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an internal environment of the pod is controlled by sending and receiving information between the pod and a processing apparatus.  
     
     
         6 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pod is provided with processing history management information on substrates in said data storing means.  
     
     
         7 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the processing history management information is transferred from one pod to other pod.  
     
     
         8 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the processing history management information is communicated by way of a host computer network.  
     
     
         9 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the processing history management information is transferred from one pod to other pod by a controller provided on a processing apparatus.  
     
     
         10 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the processing history management information is transferred from a pod used in a preceding step to a pod to be used in a succeeding step.  
     
     
         11 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an information on a pod to be washed is stored in the data storing means.  
     
     
         12 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said information is sent to a pod washing machine so that the pod can be selected and subjected to washing.  
     
     
         13 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a change of information stored in said data storing means is conducted by communication with outside data storing means by signal input/output portion.  
     
     
         14 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a change of the processing history management information is conducted by signal input/output portion by sending and receiving information with outside data storing means.  
     
     
         15 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a change of lot processing history management information is conducted by signal input/output portion by sending and receiving information with outside data storing means.  
     
     
         16 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a washing interval information of the pod is stored in said data storing means.  
     
     
         17 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a filter change interval information, or an information of a secondary battery is stored in said data storing means.  
     
     
         18 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the filter change interval information of a pod is managed from a product of a processed gas volume and an operation time of the circulation apparatus or the dehumidifying apparatus.  
     
     
         19 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the washing interval information is estimated from an operation time of the gas circulation apparatus.  
     
     
         20 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein residual power of a secondary battery provided for the pod is measured, and charged to a necessary level of power.  
     
     
         21 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the processing management history information on individual pod is communicated by wire or radio transmission through a network.  
     
     
         22 . A substrate transport apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein an information on the pod to be washed is sent to a pod washing machine so that the pod can be selected and subjected to washing.  
     
     
         23 . A substrate transport pod for containing, storing or transporting substrates, comprising: 
 a pod main body and a door for hermetic sealing of the pod main body, which is formed primarily of a material having moisture absorption coefficient of not more than 0.1%, wherein the pod main body is in contact with the substrates directly or indirectly and has a conductive part so as to enable static charges to be drained from the pod main body; and    a sensor provided for detecting whether the door is opened or closed;    wherein a gas circulation apparatus and/or a dehumidifying apparatus is installed in said pod main body, and is controlled to operate by detecting that the door is closed or opened.    
     
     
         24 . A substrate transport pod for containing, storing or transporting substrates, comprising: 
 a pod main body and a door for hermetic sealing of the pod main body, which is formed primarily of a material having moisture absorption coefficient of not more than 0.1%, wherein the pod main body is in contact with the substrates directly or indirectly and has a conductive part so as to enable static charges to be drained from the pod main body; and    a sensor provided for detecting presence of the substrates;    wherein a gas circulation apparatus and/or dehumidifying apparatus is controlled to operate in accordance with detection signal of the sensor for detecting the presence of the substrates.