Wafer carrier (FOUP) and load port handling equipment represent the major combination of wafer handling in the fab. It is mainly composed of FOUP, load port and minienvironment. The FOUP separates wafer from the external environment and prevents wafer to be contaminated by particles in the clean room during the process of unloading, transportation and storage. The key to the success of this function lies on the efficiency of the pod latch and the assistance of nitrogen purging. Load port plays the role to open FOUP in which the stored wafer can be loaded into the process equipment by a robotic arm. Through the robotic arm in minienvironment, each wafer will be loaded into the process equipment. As industries enter the 10 nanometer manufacturing generation, current carriers and equipment hardly satisfy process requirements. To increase wafer production yield, the FOUP is then improved with additional features such as the diffuser to enhance purging performance and reduce the exposure of contaminants. Load ports, on the other hand, are upgraded with curtains which blow dry air or nitrogen gas to hinder pollutants in the environment and prevent the wafer surface to be exposed in humidity and AMC contamination. Extreme Ultraviolet Pod, integrated with higher cleanliness materials and filtration technology, will barely be threatened by particle pollution during handling and storage. EUV Pods possess the advantage in the production of smaller size and greater performance nano IC chips. Gudeng has successfully launched this advanced technology to global industries and this handling solution can be considered as the beginning of the semiconductor’s development.
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