Front-ducted equipment front end modules, side storage pods, and methods of operating the same

Abstract

An equipment front end module, including: an equipment front end module chamber. An upper plenum at a top of the equipment front end module and including an opening into the equipment front end module chamber. A plurality of return ducts that are coupled between a bottom of the equipment front end module chamber and the upper plenum, the plurality of return ducts providing a return gas flow path enabling recirculation of gas from the equipment front end module chamber to the upper plenum.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An equipment front end module, comprising:
 an equipment front end module chamber;   an upper plenum at a top of the equipment front end module and including an opening into the equipment front end module chamber; and   a plurality of return ducts that are coupled between a bottom of the equipment front end module chamber and the upper plenum, the plurality of return ducts providing a return gas flow path enabling recirculation of gas from the equipment front end module chamber to the upper plenum.   
     
     
         2 . The equipment front end module of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of return ducts comprise at least three return ducts providing the return gas flow path. 
     
     
         3 . The equipment front end module of  claim 1 , further comprising a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls, the front wall including a plurality of load ports, and the rear wall configured to couple to a load lock apparatus, wherein the equipment front end module chamber is formed between the front wall, the rear wall, and the two side walls. 
     
     
         4 . The equipment front end module of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of return ducts extend alongside of the front wall. 
     
     
         5 . The equipment front end module of  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts are configured to extend upward between sides of two adjacent carrier door openers. 
     
     
         6 . The equipment front end module of  claim 3 , wherein a first side storage pod is coupled to at least one of the two side walls, further comprising a series of fans positioned within the upper plenum to draw exhaust from the first side storage pod into the plurality of return ducts. 
     
     
         7 . The equipment front end module of  claim 6 , wherein the first side storage pod comprises an exhaust channel coupled to the upper plenum by a side return duct. 
     
     
         8 . The equipment front end module of  claim 3 , further comprising a first side storage pod coupled to a first side wall of the two side walls, and a second side storage pod coupled to a second side wall of the two side walls. 
     
     
         9 . An electronic device manufacturing assembly comprising:
 an equipment front end module comprising:
 an equipment front end module chamber; 
 an upper plenum at a top of the equipment front end module and including an opening into the equipment front end module chamber, the upper plenum to provide gas into the equipment front end module chamber; and 
 a plurality of return ducts that are coupled between a bottom of the equipment front end module chamber and the upper plenum, the plurality of return ducts providing a return gas flow path enabling recirculation of gas from the equipment front end module chamber to the upper plenum. 
   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts are configured to extend upward along an inside surface of a front wall of the equipment front end module. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of the plurality of return ducts are configured to extend upward along an outside surface of a front wall of the equipment front end module. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising
 a first side storage pod coupled to the equipment front end module via an interface opening of the equipment front end module, the first side storage pod comprising:
 a mounting plate having a first side attached, and providing a hermetically-sealed interface, to the equipment front end module, the mounting plate including a panel opening adjacent to the interface opening; and 
 a side storage container sealingly attached to a second side of the mounting plate, the side storage container having a pod opening corresponding to the panel opening, wherein the gas flows into the side storage container through the interface opening, the panel opening, and the pod opening. 
   
     
     
         13 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the mounting plate comprises a recess that extends around a periphery of the mounting plate, further comprising a panel seal located with the recess to prevent an exchange of gas between the mounting plate and a side wall of the equipment front end module. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a series of fans positioned within the upper plenum to draw exhaust from the first side storage pod into the plurality of return ducts. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first side storage pod further comprises:
 one or more chambers, each of the one or more chambers having a chamber opening located adjacent to the interface opening;   at least two side storage containers, to include the side storage container, located in the one or more chambers, each of the one or more side storage containers configured to receive one or more substrates from the equipment front end module chamber; and   a common plenum into which exhaust gas is fed by the one or more side storage containers.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a second side storage pod coupled to the equipment front end module via a second interface opening of the equipment front end module, the second side storage pod configured to receive one or more substrates from the equipment front end module chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device manufacturing assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a controller configured to control a flow rate of gas being introduced into the equipment front end module chamber to achieve a predetermined environmental condition of the equipment front end module chamber, wherein the flow rate of the gas is higher into the first side storage pod than into the equipment front end module chamber. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating an equipment front end module, comprising:
 providing the equipment front end module with an upper plenum connected to an equipment front end module chamber via an opening between the upper plenum and the equipment front end module chamber;   flowing gas from the upper plenum to the equipment front end module chamber; and   recirculating at least some of the gas from the equipment front end module chamber to the upper plenum through a plurality of return ducts that are routed between a bottom of the equipment front end module chamber and the upper plenum.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising flowing some of the gas from the equipment front end module chamber into a first side storage pod at a higher rate than the gas enters the equipment front end module chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising exhausting gas from the first side storage pod through a first side return duct to the upper plenum.