<s>
FOUP	B-Algorithm
is	O
an	O
acronym	O
for	O
Front	O
Opening	O
Unified	O
Pod	O
or	O
Front	O
Opening	O
Universal	O
Pod	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
are	O
a	O
specialized	O
plastic	O
carrier	O
designed	O
to	O
hold	O
silicon	B-Architecture
wafers	I-Architecture
securely	O
and	O
safely	O
in	O
a	O
controlled	O
environment	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
allow	O
the	O
wafers	B-Architecture
to	O
be	O
transferred	O
between	O
machines	O
for	O
processing	O
or	O
measurement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
began	O
to	O
appear	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
first	O
300	O
mm	O
wafer	B-Architecture
processing	O
tools	O
in	O
the	O
mid	O
1990s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
size	O
of	O
the	O
wafers	B-Architecture
and	O
their	O
comparative	O
lack	O
of	O
rigidity	O
meant	O
that	O
SMIF	B-Algorithm
pods	O
were	O
not	O
a	O
viable	O
form	O
factor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FOUP	B-Algorithm
standards	O
were	O
developed	O
by	O
SEMI	O
and	O
SEMI	O
members	O
to	O
ensure	O
that	O
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
and	O
all	O
equipment	O
that	O
interacts	O
with	O
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
work	O
together	O
seamlessly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Transitioning	O
from	O
a	O
SMIF	B-Algorithm
pod	O
to	O
a	O
FOUP	B-Algorithm
design	O
,	O
the	O
removable	O
cassette	O
used	O
to	O
hold	O
wafers	B-Architecture
was	O
replaced	O
by	O
fixed	O
wafer	B-Architecture
columns	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
door	O
was	O
relocated	O
from	O
a	O
bottom	O
orientation	O
to	O
a	O
front	O
orientation	O
,	O
where	O
automated	O
handling	O
equipment	O
can	O
access	O
the	O
wafers	B-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pitch	O
for	O
a	O
300	O
mm	O
FOUP	B-Algorithm
is	O
10	O
mm	O
,	O
while	O
13	O
slot	O
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
can	O
have	O
a	O
pitch	O
up	O
to	O
20	O
mm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
weight	O
of	O
a	O
fully	O
loaded	O
25	O
wafer	B-Architecture
FOUP	B-Algorithm
is	O
between	O
7	O
and	O
9	O
kilograms	O
which	O
means	O
that	O
automated	O
material	O
handling	O
systems	O
are	O
essential	O
for	O
all	O
but	O
the	O
smallest	O
of	O
fabrication	O
plants	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
allow	O
this	O
,	O
each	O
FOUP	B-Algorithm
has	O
coupling	O
plates	O
and	O
interface	O
holes	O
to	O
allow	O
the	O
FOUP	B-Algorithm
to	O
be	O
positioned	O
on	O
a	O
load	O
port	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
be	O
picked	O
up	O
and	O
transferred	O
by	O
the	O
AMHS	O
(	O
Automated	O
Material	O
Handling	O
System	O
)	O
to	O
other	O
process	O
tools	O
or	O
to	O
storage	O
locations	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
stocker	O
or	O
undertrack	O
storage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
may	O
use	O
RF	O
tags	O
that	O
allow	O
them	O
to	O
be	O
identified	O
by	O
RF	O
readers	O
on	O
tools	O
or	O
AMHS	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
are	O
available	O
in	O
several	O
colors	O
,	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
customer	O
's	O
wish	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FOUPs	B-Algorithm
have	O
begun	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
capability	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
purge	O
gas	O
applied	O
by	O
process	O
,	O
measurement	O
and	O
storage	O
tools	O
in	O
an	O
effort	O
to	O
increase	O
device	O
yield	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
FOSBs	O
are	O
used	O
for	O
transporting	O
wafers	B-Architecture
between	O
manufacturing	O
facilities	O
.	O
</s>
