Newport Announces Patent Award for Load Port Latch Key Design on Automatic Door Opener
Irvine, California, USA -- Newport Corporation announced that the company has been awarded U.S. patent no. 6,501,070 B1, for its 300mm Front-Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) Load Port Latch Key design. This mechanism performs the semiconductor fabrication industry's best door open, close, and retention of 300mm FOUP pod wafer carriers in use. The patented Latch Key design is available on the company's Automatic Door Opener (ADO) 300-millimeter Load Port Front Opening Interface Mechanical Standard (FIMS) product, currently shipping to customers and in operation worldwide.
Newport's ADO patented latchkey opening mechanism completely eliminates the need for vacuum cups, ensuring reliable and repeatable pod door opening, minimizing errors and particulate contamination, and providing the highest industry throughput performance under Class 1 clean room conditions. This design feature also eliminates the preventive maintenance cycles associated with keeping vacuum cups clean, traditional areas of weakness in competing products.
FOUP interoperability, defined as the ability to reliably open various models of FOUPs, and repeatedly open the same FOUP model among the possibly thousands of FOUPs in a typical semiconductor fabrication facility, has become a significant challenge in the semiconductor industry today. When a FOUP to Load Port interface jams, associated capital equipment and wafer processing can grind to a halt. Restarting the production line may require hours of clearing and down time. Such down time and potential loss of wafer product can lead to tens of thousands of dollars of product and revenue loss.
Newport's patented ADO latch key profile is optimized for faultless engagement and disengagement operation to prevent such jams. Additionally, the two keys operate synchronously, but independently, and feature a compliant second axis of freedom allowing the keys to positively engage under the most difficult FOUP latch position conditions without damage to the FOUP or Load Port. The keys feature an innovative "twist and pull" motion design to secure the FOUP door to the opening, maintaining both a smooth particle free door opening and a proper registration of the door during the replace and close operation to prevent contamination and the attendant cleaning and downtime associated therewith.
In making the announcement, Kevin Crofton, Vice President and General Manager of Newport's Advanced Packaging and Automation Systems (APAS) Division, said, "Maintaining error free operation of the ADO Load Port on our customer's process and lithography capital equipment tools pays big dividends in tool availability at semiconductor Fabs. This trouble-free operation combined with our ADO's zero preventive maintenance requirements makes it the superior choice for front end automation."
Newport Corporation is a leading global supplier of advanced technology products and systems to the semiconductor, communications, electronics and research markets. The company provides components and integrated subsystems to manufacturers of semiconductor processing equipment, advanced automated assembly and test systems to manufacturers of communications and electronics devices, and a broad array of high-precision components and instruments to commercial, academic and government customers worldwide. Newport's innovative solutions leverage its expertise in precision robotics and automation, sub-micron positioning systems, vibration isolation and optical subsystems to enhance the capabilities and productivity of its customers' manufacturing, engineering and research applications. Newport is part of the Standard & Poor's Midcap 400 Index and the Russell 2000 Index. For more information, visit www.newport.com.