US 12,406,869 B2
Systems and methods for humidity control of FOUP during semiconductor fabrication
Sung-Ju Huang, Taipei (TW); Kuang-Wei Cheng, Hsinchu (TW); Cheng-Lung Wu, Zhunan (TW); Yi-Fam Shiu, Toufen (TW); and Chyi-Tsong Ni, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jun. 24, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/752,315.
Application 18/752,315 is a continuation of application No. 17/687,844, filed on Mar. 7, 2022, granted, now 12,051,609.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/279,870, filed on Nov. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0347363 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
Int. Cl. H01L 21/677 (2006.01); H01L 21/673 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67742 (2013.01) [H01L 21/67389 (2013.01); H01L 21/67766 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for transferring a semiconductor wafer substrate to a process module, comprising:
an equipment front end module (EFEM) having at least one load port in a side thereof and a fan filter unit (FFU) in a top thereof that creates downward laminar air flow within the EFEM;
at least one deflector located on an interior surface of the EFEM above the at least one load port and below the FFU for directing laminar air flow away from the at least one load port, wherein the at least one deflector comprises a solid body having a sloped or curved front surface that joins an upper surface to a lower surface, a height being constant between the upper surface and the lower surface, a rear surface abutting the interior surface of the EFEM, and a plurality of parallel passages running through the solid body from the upper surface to the lower surface which are angled away from the rear surface; and
a process module configured to receive the semiconductor wafer substrate from the EFEM when a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) containing the semiconductor wafer substrate is loaded at the at least one load port.