U.S. patent application number 12/307896 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-06 for wafer cassette.
This patent application is currently assigned to ENTEGRIS, INC.. Invention is credited to John Burns, Matthew A. Fuller.
Application Number | 20090194456 12/307896 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38923798 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090194456 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fuller; Matthew A. ; et
al. |
August 6, 2009 |
WAFER CASSETTE
Abstract
A front opening wafer container including an enclosure portion
and a door. A wafer support system is provided including a pair of
spaced apart cantilever wafer shelves, each wafer shelf including a
pair of opposing inclined ramp portions. The ramp portions are
cooperatively positioned and configured so that when the wafer is
received on the shelves, the wafer is supported on the ramps at a
lower peripheral corner of the wafer, all other portions of the
wafer being free from contact with the wafer support system. Each
wafer shelf may have a generally concave upper surface and the
incline of the ramps is continuous with the concave upper surfaces
of the wafer shelves.
Inventors: |
Fuller; Matthew A.;
(Colorado Springs, CO) ; Burns; John; (Colorado
Springs, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATTERSON, THUENTE, SKAAR & CHRISTENSEN, P.A.
4800 IDS CENTER, 80 SOUTH 8TH STREET
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-2100
US
|
Assignee: |
ENTEGRIS, INC.
Chaska
MN
|
Family ID: |
38923798 |
Appl. No.: |
12/307896 |
Filed: |
July 6, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
July 6, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US07/15523 |
371 Date: |
April 3, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/711 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/67383
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/711 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/30 20060101
B65D085/30; B65D 85/90 20060101 B65D085/90 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 7, 2006 |
US |
60819208 |
Claims
1. A wafer container comprising: a plurality of wafers; an
enclosure portion including a top, a bottom, opposing sides, a back
and an open front defined by a door frame; a door selectively
receivable in the door frame to sealingly close the open front; and
a wafer support system in the enclosure for receiving and
supporting the wafer, the wafer support system including a pair of
spaced apart cantilever wafer shelves, each wafer shelf including a
pair of separated and opposing arcuate inclined ramp portions, one
of the pair facing radially inwardly and forwardly, the other of
the pair facing radially inwardly and rearwardly, the ramp portions
cooperatively positioned and configured so that when the wafer is
received on the shelves, the wafer is supported on the ramps at a
lower peripheral corner of the wafer and partially down said ramps,
all other portions of the wafer being free from contact with the
wafer support system.
2. The wafer container of claim 1, wherein the ramps are inclined
at between one degree and nine degrees with respect to the
horizontal.
3. The wafer container of claim 1, wherein the ramps are inclined
at between three degree and seven degrees with respect to the
horizontal.
4. The wafer container of claim 1, wherein the ramps are inclined
at about five degrees with respect to the horizontal.
5. The wafer container of claim 1, wherein each wafer shelf has a
generally concave upper surface.
6. The wafer container of claim 5, wherein the plurality of wafers
each have a pair of lateral edge portions, each intermediate one of
the pairs of opposing arcuate inclined ramp portions, said lateral
edge portions not being supported by or in vertical alignment with
the respective opposing arcuate inclined ramp portions.
7. The wafer container of claim 1, wherein the wafer support system
comprises a pair of wafer support structures, and wherein each
wafer support structure includes a column with one of the pair of
wafer shelves extending therefrom.
8. The wafer container of claim 7, wherein each of the wafer
support structures is secured in the enclosure portion with a
plurality of fasteners.
9. The wafer container of claim 7, wherein the wafer support
structures are integrally molded with the enclosure portion using
an overmolding process.
10. The wafer container of claim 7, wherein the column and wafer
shelves are integrally formed in one piece.
11. A wafer comprising: a plurality of wafers; an enclosure portion
including a top, a bottom, opposing sides, a back and an open front
defined by a door frame; a door selectively receivable in the door
frame to sealingly close the open front; and a wafer support system
in the enclosure for receiving and supporting the plurality of
wafers in a horizontally oriented, spaced apart, axially aligned
arrangement, the wafer support system including a pair of spaced
apart opposing wafer support structures positioned and attached to
the enclosure portion at the back of the enclosure portion, each
wafer support structure including a column with a plurality of
spaced apart cantilever wafer shelves extending therefrom toward
the open front, each of the wafer shelves of a first one of the
wafer support structures horizontally registered with one of the
wafer shelves of the other wafer support structure to define a
plurality of horizontally oriented slots, each for receiving one of
the plurality of wafers, each wafer shelf including a pair of
opposing and separated inclined ramp portions for contacting the
wafer, the ramp portions cooperatively positioned and configured so
that when the wafer is received in the slot, the wafer is supported
on the ramps at a lower peripheral corner of the wafer, all other
portions of the wafer being free from contact with the wafer
support system.
12. The wafer container of claim 11, wherein the ramps are inclined
at between one degree and nine degrees with respect to the
horizontal.
13. The wafer container of claim 11, wherein the ramps are inclined
at between three degree and seven degrees with respect to the
horizontal.
14. The wafer container of claim 11, wherein the ramps are inclined
at about five degrees with respect to the horizontal.
15. The wafer container of claim 11, wherein each wafer shelf has a
generally concave upper surface.
16. The wafer container of claim 15, wherein the incline of the
ramps is continuous with the concave upper surfaces of the wafer
shelves.
17. A wafer container comprising: at least one wafer; an enclosure
portion including a top, a bottom, opposing sides, a back and an
open front defined by a door frame; a door selectively receivable
in the door frame to sealingly close the open front; and means for
supporting the wafer in the enclosure, said means attached at the
back of the enclosure portion and cantilevered toward the open
front, said means supporting the wafer at a plurality of spaced
apart locations along lower peripheral corner of the wafer, all
other portions of the wafer being free from contact with the
container.
18. The wafer container of claim 17, wherein said means for
supporting the wafer in the enclosure includes a plurality of wafer
support structures spaced inwardly from the most lateral points of
the wafer.
19. The wafer container of claim 18, wherein each wafer support
structure includes a column with a plurality of spaced apart
cantilever wafer shelves extending therefrom, each wafer shelf
including a pair of opposing inclined ramp portions for contacting
the wafer.
20. The wafer container of claim 19, wherein the ramps are inclined
at about five degrees with respect to the horizontal.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 60/819,208 entitled WAFER CASSETTE and filed
Jul. 7, 2006, said application being hereby fully incorporated
herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to wafer containers and, in
particular, to systems for supporting wafers in wafer
containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Semiconductor and magnetic components used in electronic
devices are typically manufactured from "wafers," meaning silicon
wafers, magnetic substrates or the like. In the processing of these
wafers into finished devices, numerous steps must be performed and
the wafers must often be transported facility to facility and
internally within a facility. The wafers are generally very
sensitive to physical and electrical shock. Additionally, the
wafers may be quite valuable, particularly after processing steps
have been completed.
[0004] Specialized carriers have been developed for transporting
and storing batches of wafers before, during, and after processing
in order to provide protection. Two types of specialized wafer
containers in common usage are known as FOUPs (front opening
unified pod) and FOSBs (front opening shipping boxes). These
containers have a container portion with interior wafer supports
for holding a stack of wafers in a horizontal axially spaced
arrangement in the interior of the container. The container has a
front door that allows insertion and removal of the wafers and a
door sealingly engages onto the wafer container and may be latched
in place. Such boxes are, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,216,874; 6,206,196; 6,010,008; 5,944,194, all of which are owned
by the owner of this application and are hereby fully incorporated
herein by reference.
[0005] A generic prior art front opening carrier is depicted in
FIG. 1. The wafer container is shown seated on automatic processing
equipment 25, and generally includes enclosure portion 20 and door
22. Enclosure portion 20 has open front 24, top 23, a pair of sides
28, 29, back side 32, and bottom 34. Door frame 36 defines open
front 24 and is configured for receiving door 22. Enclosure portion
20 may have robotic handling flange 42. Wafer supports 46 in the
interior of enclosure portion 20 support wafers (not shown) that
are aligned in a horizontal orientation in a stacked space array.
Door 22 has outwardly facing side 50, inwardly facing side 52 and
periphery 54. Periphery 54 has latch slots 58 on the outwardly
facing side. Exterior panel 62, which may be the principal
structural panel of the door, covers latch mechanisms (not shown)
associated with keyholes 68 and that have latch members (not
shown), which extend out of the latch slots 58.
[0006] During transport, wafers may shift in response to physical
shocks to the container. The shifting of the wafers upon the wafer
supports may cause particles to be abraded from the wafer or the
supports upon which the wafer rests. Such particles, even if they
are very tiny, may cause defects to occur in photolithography and
other processing steps. Accordingly, formation of particles is
desirably avoided.
[0007] Some prior attempts at alleviating particulate formation
have focused on the plastic materials used in the container. For
instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,780,127 and 6,808,668 disclose various
polymer materials and methods to be used in making wafer supports
with reduced potential for particulate formation. Said patents are
hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.
[0008] Other attempts at reducing particulate formation in wafer
containers have been directed at the physical configuration of the
wafer supports and cushioning. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,267,245 and 6,644,477 disclose such support and cushioning
systems, and are hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.
[0009] These prior attempts, however, have not been fully
successful at eliminating particulate formation within wafer
containers. Accordingly, what is needed in the industry is a wafer
container having features for further limiting particulate
formation.
[0010] Another trend in the industry has been toward ever larger
diameter and thinner wafers. While 150, 200, and 300 mm
semiconductor wafers have been generally standard in the industry,
larger wafer diameters such as 450 mm and larger are now
contemplated and used. A drawback of the larger wafer sizes,
however, is gravitational deflection or sag occurring in the wafer
when supported on shelves at the outer periphery of the wafer as in
prior wafer containers. This wafer sag may reduce clearance between
wafers at the centers of the wafers and make it difficult to access
the wafers for insertion and removal from the container with
standard robotic tools inserted between wafers proximate the
center. Accordingly, what is further needed in the industry is a
wafer container that accommodates larger diameter wafers while
reducing gravitational sag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention substantially meets the aforementioned
need of the industry by providing containers, wafer support
systems, and methods that further limit particulate contamination
within wafer containers and reduce gravitational sag of larger
diameter wafers.
[0012] Embodiments of the invention further provide wafer support
surfaces having sloped wafer support regions providing supporting
zones of contact only at the lower peripheral corner of the wafer,
reducing contact between the supported wafer and wafer support and
thereby minimizing damage and contamination to the wafer.
[0013] The wafer supports may be formed separately or integrally
with the wafer container. If formed separately, the wafer supports
may be snapped into pre-formed structure in the wafer container
and/or may be secured therein by connectors. If formed separately
from the container, the wafer supports of this invention may be
formed integrally by such processes as injection molding or
components thereof may be formed separately. If formed separately,
the components are assembled and may be secured in assembled form
by connectors. If formed integrally with the container, the wafer
supports may be formed by such known processes as overmolding.
[0014] According to an embodiment a wafer container includes an
enclosure portion with a top, a bottom, opposing sides, a back and
an open front defined by a door frame. A door is selectively
receivable in the door frame to sealingly close the open front. A
wafer support system is provided in the enclosure for receiving and
supporting at least one wafer, the wafer support system including a
pair of spaced apart cantilever wafer shelves, each wafer shelf
including a pair of opposing inclined ramp portions. The ramp
portions are cooperatively positioned and configured so that when
the wafer is received on the shelves, the wafer is supported on the
ramps at a lower peripheral corner of the wafer, all other portions
of the wafer being free from contact with the wafer support system.
The ramps may inclined at between one degree and nine degrees,
between three degree and seven degrees, or about five degrees with
respect to the horizontal. Each wafer shelf may have a generally
concave upper surface, and in some embodiments, the incline of the
ramps is continuous with the concave upper surfaces of the wafer
shelves.
[0015] In embodiments of the invention, the wafer support system
includes a pair of wafer support structures, wherein each wafer
support structure includes a column with one of the pair of wafer
shelves extending therefrom. The wafer support structures may be
secured in the enclosure portion with a plurality of fasteners, or
may be integrally molded with the enclosure portion using an
overmolding process. The column and wafer shelves may be integrally
formed in one piece or may be molded as separate pieces and later
assembled.
[0016] In an embodiment, a wafer container for supporting a
plurality of wafers in a horizontally oriented, spaced apart,
axially aligned arrangement includes an enclosure portion having a
top, a bottom, opposing sides, a back and an open front defined by
a door frame. A door is selectively receivable in the door frame to
sealingly close the open front. A wafer support system is provided
in the enclosure for receiving and supporting the wafers, the wafer
support system including a pair of spaced apart opposing wafer
support structures, each wafer support structure including a column
with a plurality of spaced apart cantilever wafer shelves extending
therefrom. Each of the wafer shelves of a first one of the wafer
support structures is horizontally registered with one of the wafer
shelves of the other wafer support structure to define a plurality
of horizontally oriented slots, each for receiving one of the
plurality of wafers. Each wafer shelf includes a pair of opposing
inclined ramp portions for contacting the wafer, the ramp portions
cooperatively positioned and configured so that when the wafer is
received in the slot, the wafer is supported on the ramps at a
lower peripheral corner of the wafer, all other portions of the
wafer being free from contact with the wafer support system.
[0017] According to an embodiment, a wafer container includes an
enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, opposing sides, a back
and an open front defined by a door frame. A door is selectively
receivable in the door frame to sealingly close the open front. The
container further includes means for supporting at least one wafer
in the enclosure, wherein the means supports the wafer at a
plurality of spaced apart locations along lower peripheral corner
of the wafer, all other portions of the wafer being free from
contact with the container.
[0018] These and other objects, features, and advantages of this
invention will become apparent from the description which follows,
when considered in view of the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art wafer container
positioned on processing equipment;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wafer container according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a wafer container
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3a is a sectional side view of the wafer container and
wafer support system of FIG. 3 taken at section 3A-3A of FIG.
3;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a wafer support member
according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
wafer container of the invention formed by overmolding;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
wafer container of the invention wherein the wafer support members
are assembled from separately formed parts;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the wafer supports of the
embodiment of FIG. 6;
[0027] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the
wafer supports of FIG. 7;
[0028] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wafer support
ramp according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the wafer support ramp
of FIG. 9 taken at section 10-10 of FIG. 9; and
[0030] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a wafer
support ramp according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein
the ramp is continuous with a concave upper surface of the wafer
support member.
[0031] While the invention is amenable to various modifications and
alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of
example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should
be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the
invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary,
the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily
appreciate that individual components shown on various embodiments
of the present invention are interchangeable and may be added or
interchanged on other embodiments without departing from the spirit
and scope of this invention. General details of semiconductor wafer
containers and various components applicable to the present
invention are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,951,284; 6,955,382;
6,880,718; 6,811,029; 6,758,339; 6,736,268; RE 38,221; and
6,464,081, all owned by the owner of the present invention, and all
hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.
[0033] Wafer container 70 according to embodiments of the present
invention is depicted in FIGS. 2-10. Wafer container 70 generally
includes enclosure 72 and door 74. Enclosure 72 generally includes
unitary shell 76 having top wall 78, opposing bottom wall 80, side
walls 82, 84, back wall 86 and open front 88, which is defined by
door frame 90. Kinematic coupling 92 may be received on bottom wall
80 for positioning container 70 on processing equipment (not
shown), while robotic handling flange 94 may be received on top
wall 78 to enable automated handling of container 70.
[0034] Door 74 is receivable in door frame 90 to sealingly close
container 70, and generally includes outer wall 96 and inner wall
98 defining an enclosed space for latch mechanisms (not shown) for
latching door 74 in place. The latch mechanisms are operable
through keyholes 100 defined in outer wall 96.
[0035] Wafer support system 102 is provided in enclosure 72 for
receiving a plurality of wafers 104 in a horizontal, spaced apart,
axially aligned arrangement. Wafer support system 102 generally
includes a pair of wafer supports 106 positioned proximate, but
spaced apart from, each of side walls 82, 84. In an embodiment
depicted in FIGS. 3, 3a, 4, 9, and 10 wafer support 106 generally
includes rear column 108 having integral attachment beams 110, 112,
with cantilever shelves 114 spaced apart therebetween. Each
cantilever shelf 114 and lower attachment beam 112 defines a pair
of opposing wafer support ramps 116, 118. Moreover, as depicted in
FIG. 3a, upper surface 120 of cantilever shelves 114 and lower
attachment beam 112 is slightly concave, sloping upwardly in each
direction from low point 122 toward ramps 116, 118. As depicted in
FIG. 3, the cantilever shelves 114 of the pair of wafer supports
106 are horizontally registered so as to define a plurality of
horizontal slots 123, each for receiving a wafer 104. It will be
appreciated that enclosure 72 and wafer supports 106 may be
configured to provide any desired number of slots 123, from one up
to thirty or more.
[0036] In the embodiments depicted, ramps 116, 118, are inclined at
about five degrees from horizontal. Other angles of incline for
ramps 116, 118, however, may be suitable for other embodiments and
are within the scope of the present invention. For instance, in
some embodiments, ramps 116, 118, may be inclined at between about
three degrees and seven degrees from the horizontal, and in others
between about one degree and nine degrees from the horizontal.
[0037] Attachment beams 110, 112, may include bosses 126, 128, 130,
for securing wafer support 106 in enclosure 72. In an embodiment,
each boss 126, 128, 130, defines a bore 132 that receives a
fastener (not depicted) extending through shell 76. To provide
electrical conductivity for static dissipation from the wafers 104,
the fasteners may be electrically conductive and may extend into or
through kinematic coupling 92 from bosses 128, 130. As known to
those of skill in the art, kinematic coupling 92 may be partially
or wholly made from electrically conductive or static dissipative
material so as to provide an electrical path to ground.
[0038] According to embodiments of the invention, lower peripheral
corner 124 of wafer 104 rests on ramps 116, 118, as depicted in
FIGS. 9 and 10, such that each wafer 104 is supported only at four
minimal zones 138 of contact, essentially a line defined by lower
peripheral corner 124 of wafer 104. This mode of support minimizes
contact between wafers 104 being stored in container 70 and the
wafer support system 102. Minimizing contact eliminates or greatly
minimizes wafer damage and particulate contamination that would
otherwise occur due to more extensive contact.
[0039] As can also be seen in FIG. 3a, concavity of upper surface
120 of cantilever shelves 114 and lower attachment beam 112 for a
gap or clearance 126 between wafer 104 and upper surface 120,
except for the two zones of contact 138. Clearance 126 enables a
slight amount of gravitationally induced sag to occur in wafer 104
without contact between wafer 104 and upper surface 120. It will of
course be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention,
the degree of concavity in upper surface 120 may be increased so
that ramps 116, 118, are defined by the concavity in upper surface
120. As depicted in FIG. 11, the slope of upper surface 120 may be
continuous so as to incorporate the ramps while still enabling line
contact between wafer 104 and cantilever shelves 114 and lower
attachment beam 112 at lower peripheral corner 124.
[0040] The wafer support 106 may be formed by several methods known
to persons of skill in the art. For instance, wafer support may be
formed from polymer material by injection molding, overmolding, or
the like. Suitable materials are any materials with suitable
abrasion resistance and chemical properties. In particular, PEEK or
PEI polymers may be used, and may be combined with other materials
such as carbon fiber to enable electrically conductive or static
dissipative properties in wafer support 106.
[0041] In another embodiment of the invention, wafer support
members 106 may be integrally formed with enclosure 72 by
overmolding as depicted in FIG. 5. In such embodiments, electrical
conductivity for grounding of wafer supports 106 through kinematic
coupling 92 may be accomplished by a portion of wafer support 106
extending through bottom wall 80 of enclosure 72 or through
conductive fasteners as disclosed above.
[0042] In a further embodiment of the invention, wafer support 106
may be formed in separate parts as depicted in FIGS. 6-8. In such
embodiments, wafer support 106 generally includes column 140
defining spaced apart notches 142 and separate cantilever shelves
144. Each cantilever shelf 144 defines a tab structure 146 that is
received in one of notches 142 to attach the cantilever shelf 144
to the column 140. Each column 140 in turn defines bores 148 at the
top and bottom thereof to receive fasteners 150 to secure wafer
support 106 in enclosure 72. Alternatively, columns 140 may be
secured in enclosure 72 by any other suitable means such as by
overmolding, adhesives, or the like. As previously described,
cantilever shelves 144 may have a slightly concave upper surface
152, and may define ramps 116, 118, to enable line contact with
wafer 104. For purposes of material reduction and lightness,
shelves 144 may be molded with recesses 153 or cores 153a as
depicted in FIG. 8.
[0043] Advantageously, wafer supports 106 are positioned inwardly
from sides 82, 84, such that a portion 154 of wafer 104 extends
outward beyond outer margin 156 of wafer support 106. This enables
a greater distance between zones of contact 138, thereby reducing
the amount of gravitational sag in wafer 104. Moreover, the space
between outer margins 156 and sides 82, 84, enables a robotic
pickup tool to be inserted in this space to insert and remove wafer
104 from enclosure 72 by lifting portion 154.
[0044] The embodiments above are intended to be illustrative and
not limiting. Additional embodiments are encompassed within the
scope of the claims. Although the present invention has been
described with reference to particular embodiments, those skilled
in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and
detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present
invention, it is expressly intended that the provisions of Section
112, sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the
specific terms "means for" or "step for" are recited in a
claim.
* * * * *