US 12,283,506 B2
Humidity control device for equipment front end module of semiconductor processing or characterization tool
Ren-Hau Wu, New Taipei (TW); Cheng-Kang Hu, Kaohsiung (TW); Yi-Fam Shiu, Toufen (TW); Cheng-Lung Wu, Zhunan Township (TW); and Hsu-Shui Liu, Pingjhen (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Feb. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/679,223.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/299,574, filed on Jan. 14, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/293,465, filed on Dec. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0207359 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/673 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67389 (2013.01) [H01L 21/67766 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wafer handling apparatus comprising:
a load port configured to receive an associated wafer carrier;
an equipment front end module (EFEM) having a housing and configured to transfer semiconductor wafers to and from the associated wafer carrier received at the load port via an access opening of the housing of the EFEM and configured to transfer the semiconductor wafers to and from an associated semiconductor processing or characterization tool; and
a gas flow device disposed inside the housing of the EFEM, the gas flow device including:
at least one saturated pressure layer having a gas inlet surface, a gas outlet surface, and holes passing through the saturated pressure layer from the gas inlet surface to the gas outlet surface;
one or more gas nozzles arranged to flow a gas over the gas inlet surface of the saturated pressure layer from a gas inlet edge of the saturated pressure layer;
a gas entry layer disposed at the gas inlet surface of the saturated pressure layer; and
at least one uniform layer disposed at the gas outlet surface of the saturated pressure layer;
wherein at least one of (i) a size of the holes passing through the saturated pressure layer increases with increasing distance from the gas inlet edge of the saturated pressure layer and/or (ii) a density of the holes passing through the saturated pressure layer increases with increasing distance from the gas inlet edge of the saturated pressure layer.