The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 13, 2021
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2018
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Dean C. Hruzek, Cedar Park, TX (US);
Paul B. Reuter, Austin, TX (US);
Devendra C. Holeyannavar, Bangalore, IN;
Srinivas P. Gopalakrishna, Bangalore, IN;
Lakshmikantha K. Shirahatti, Gadag, IN;
Babu Chinnasamy, Bangalore, IN;
Douglas B. Baumgarten, Round Rock, TX (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Electronic device manufacturing systems may include an equipment front end module (EFEM) having a load port assembly configured to receiving a substrate carrier, which may be a front opening unified pod (FOUP). The load port assembly may have a receiving plate upon which the substrate carrier may be received. The receiving plate may have a plurality of gas nozzles that can be coupled to purge ports in a bottom of the substrate carrier and to a purge apparatus of the load port assembly. The purge apparatus is configured to provide a gas to the substrate carrier at a selectable gas flow rate and, in some embodiments, to provide a gas to different portions of the substrate carrier each at a selectable gas flow rate. Methods of providing selectable gas flow rates for purging a substrate carrier coupled to a load port assembly are also provided, as are other aspects.