Wafer atmospheric transport module having a controlled mini-environment

Abstract

An atmospheric transport module is provided. The module includes an enclosed housing having a top region, a central region, a bottom region, and a load cell region. A blower is located in the top region of the enclosed housing and is configured to generate a flow of air downward into the central region. A shelf in the load cell region defines a separation between the central region and the bottom region of the enclosed housing. The shelf is at least partially spaced apart from a wall of the load cell region to thereby define a slot behind the shelf. A perforated sheet is configured to extend horizontally from the shelf and further define the separation between the central region and the bottom region. In this example, air flow generated by the blower is restricted from freely flowing through the perforated sheet and is partially caused to be redirected toward the shelf of the load cell, through the slot and into the bottom region of the enclosure housing. A cassette having one or more wafers is configured to sit on the shelf in the load cell and thus be subjected to the redirected air flow. This redirected air flow will thus gently flow over the surfaces of the wafers and assist in removing post-process gases and particles from over the wafer surfaces while the wafers temporarily sit in the atmospheric transport module.