JP6486257B2 - Substrate storage container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate storage container in which an RF-ID holding member to which an RF-ID tag is attached is movably connected.

  The semiconductor wafer must be prevented from being contaminated by ions and the like and adhering to dust throughout its manufacturing process, and must be stored in a hermetically sealed container with cleanliness for storage and transportation. As such a container for storing a semiconductor wafer, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate storage container having a container body having an opening and arranging and storing substrates, and a lid that can seal the opening. It is disclosed.

  By the way, when the substrate storage container of Patent Document 1 is used in an actual semiconductor manufacturing process, the types, quantities, characteristics, and the like of the substrates stored in the substrate storage container are identified by various devices in the semiconductor manufacturing process. It is necessary to perform process management of the semiconductor manufacturing process, and an identification component such as a barcode, an RF-ID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag, an infopad is attached to the substrate storage container, and the substrate stored in these identification components Information was kept and used. Among these identification parts, the RF-ID tag can read and write information in a non-contact state, is useful for efficient process management, and is currently widely used in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

  As a substrate storage container for holding an identification component used in a semiconductor manufacturing process, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a substrate having an identification component holding member having a base portion, a back wall portion and a side wall portion rising from the base portion. A storage container is disclosed, wherein a wall surface for displaying a barcode and a card case holding portion for holding a card case are provided on the back wall portion, and a base portion and / or a back wall portion are provided with necessary Accordingly, it is described that at least one RF-ID holding unit for holding the RF-ID tag is formed.

Patent No. 5253410 JP 2008-068888 A

  However, conventionally, when an identification component holding member capable of reading and writing such as an RF-ID tag is attached to a substrate storage container and used, the RF- is placed at a position where reading and writing can be performed by an interrogator (reader / writer). The ID tag must be held, and a part of the RF-ID holding member protrudes from the outer edge of the substrate storage container, and when the substrate storage container is packaged, the RF-ID holding member and the packaging material interfere with each other. In addition to the risk of damaging the packaging material, the RF-ID holding member that protrudes from the outer edge of the substrate storage container may also interfere with the secondary packaging material, etc., causing damage to the secondary packaging material. . As described above, if the packaging material or the secondary packaging material is damaged, it may cause the contamination of the semiconductor wafer during transportation. Therefore, it is required to provide a substrate storage container that does not interfere with the packaging material or the secondary packaging material. It was.

  In addition, when reading / writing the RF-ID tag in the actual semiconductor manufacturing process, the position of the interrogator (reader / writer) varies depending on the factory and the manufacturing apparatus. It was necessary to attach a different RF-ID holding member for each factory.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can efficiently read and write an RF-ID tag, while not damaging a packaging material or a secondary packaging material during transportation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate storage container having an RF-ID holding member that can efficiently read and write an RF-ID tag regardless of the apparatus.

  The inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive research in view of the above problems. As a result, the RF-ID holding member is connected to the bottom surface of the container main body or a plate-like member attached to the bottom surface of the container main body, and the RF-ID holding member is connected to the first position and the second position. According to the substrate storage container which can be moved between the two, it has been found that the above problems can be solved, and the present invention has been solved. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

  (1) The first aspect of the present invention is capable of storing a plurality of substrates, and is attached to a container body having an opening on one surface, a lid capable of sealing the opening, and a bottom surface of the container body. A substrate storage container having a plate-like member having a container identification portion and an RF-ID holding member to which an RF-ID tag is attached, wherein the RF-ID holding member is attached to a bottom surface or a plate-like member of the container main body. The substrate storage container is connected and movable between a first position located inside the outer edge of the container body and a second position located outside the first position.

  (2) A second aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to (1), wherein the RF-ID holding member can be held at the first position when the substrate storage container is transported. It is characterized by.

  (3) A third aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to (1) or (2), wherein the second position is a state in which the substrate storage container is disposed on a substrate processing apparatus. In the above, the substrate processing apparatus is a position where the RF-ID can be read and written.

  (4) A fourth aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the bottom surface of the container body or the plate-like member, and the RF-ID holding member One of them is provided with a slide rail, and the other is provided with an engaged portion to which the slide rail is slidably engaged.

  (5) A fifth aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the bottom surface of the container body or the plate-like member, and the RF-ID holding member are The RF-ID holding member has a lock mechanism that can fix the RF-ID holding member in the first position and / or the second position.

  (6) A sixth aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the RF-ID holding member is connected to the plate-like member, and the plate The member and the RF-ID holding member are detachable.

  (7) A seventh aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to any one of (1) to (5), in which the RF-ID holding member is connected to a bottom surface of the container body, The plate-like member and the RF-ID holding member are integrated.

  (8) An eighth aspect of the present invention is the substrate storage container according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the plate-like member is a container identification member to which an infopad plug can be attached. It is characterized by being.

  In the substrate storage container of the present invention, the RF-ID holding member is attached to the bottom surface of the container body or the plate-like member attached to the bottom surface of the container body so that the RF-ID holding member can move between the first position and the second position. It is connected. Here, since the first position is located on the inner side of the outer edge of the container main body, when the substrate storage container is moved, the RF-ID holding member is held in the first position, so that the packaging material The next packing material will not be damaged. Further, when the substrate storage container is used in the semiconductor manufacturing process, the RF-ID holding member is held at any position between the first position and the second position, thereby efficiently performing the RF-ID. In addition, by changing the position where the RF-ID holding member is held, it is possible to efficiently read and write RF-ID regardless of the factory or the apparatus.

It is drawing which shows the container main body in the substrate storage container of one Embodiment of this invention. It is drawing which shows the bottom face of the container main body in the substrate storage container of one Embodiment of this invention. It is drawing which shows the state by which the RF-ID holding member was hold | maintained in the 2nd position in the substrate storage container of one Embodiment of this invention. It is drawing which shows the aspect in which the RF-ID holding member was connected with the plate-shaped member so that movement was possible in the substrate storage container of one Embodiment of this invention.

<< Explanation of terms >>
In this specification, RF-ID is an abbreviation for Radio Frequency IDentification, and is an electronic device for reading and writing data using radio waves. In the system using RF-ID, an RF-ID tag is individually attached to the substrate storage container as a responder, and a host computer, workstation, interrogator (reader / writer), etc. are arranged in the semiconductor manufacturing process. It is constituted by doing. The interrogator is composed of a controller, a transceiver, and an antenna, and exchanges information with the host computer or workstation under the control of the host computer or workstation. This interrogator has a function of reading and confirming or writing information on the responder, and is installed in a predetermined apparatus in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

  An RF-ID tag (responder) includes an antenna, a transceiver, and a memory, and is attached to a substrate storage container via an RF-ID holding member. For example, a lot of semiconductor wafers, a process in process or The progress of processing is recorded. In the RF-ID system, it is possible to manage the process while reading the data of the RF-ID tag and performing confirmation and rewriting. Specific examples of the RF-ID tag include an antenna, a transmitter / receiver, and a memory sealed in a cylindrical housing such as glass or resin, or a structure in which these are sandwiched between double films.

  The infopad is for detecting the type of substrate storage container, the number of stored substrates, etc. when the substrate storage container is mounted on a substrate processing apparatus. Is there a through hole or recess that is a recess and does not detect the plug located at a predetermined position of the substrate processing device, or the sensor detects the plug by closing the through hole or recess with an infopad plug The ON / OFF result is returned depending on whether or not the specification of the substrate storage container can be confirmed by the combination of the ON / OFF result. Here, the info pad plug only needs to have a surface to be detected that can be locked to the periphery or the vicinity of the through hole or the recess and is detected by the sensor.

<< Embodiment of the Present Invention >>
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments of the present specification, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout. In the present embodiment, the Z direction is a vertical direction in the substrate storage container 1 and refers to a direction from the bottom surface of the substrate storage container 1 toward the ceiling surface.

<Substrate storage container>
FIG. 1 is a view showing a container body 2 in a substrate storage container 1 of the present embodiment. The substrate storage container 1 of the present invention has an opening (not shown) on one surface such as a front surface, for example, and holds a plurality of substrates (not shown) horizontally and can be stored in a vertical alignment. A container main body 2, a lid 11 capable of sealing the opening, a plate-like member 3 (not shown in FIG. 1, which will be described later) mounted on the bottom surface of the container main body 2 and having a container identification portion, an RF-ID An RF-ID holding member 4 (not shown in FIG. 1 described later) for attaching the tag 5 is provided. The RF-ID holding member 4 is generally connected to the plate-like member 3 and attached to the back surface 2b of the container body 2. However, the RF-ID holding member 4 is not limited to the form attached to the back surface 2b of the container body 2. Moreover, you may attach to surfaces other than the surface in which the opening part of the container main body 2 was formed, such as the side surface of the container main body 2. FIG.

[Container body and lid]
The container body 2 is provided with a pair of support members 8 on the inner surfaces facing each other, and the support members 8 are formed with support portions for horizontally holding the peripheral portion of the substrate at regular intervals in the Z direction. A holding member that holds the peripheral edge of the substrate is also attached to the back surface of the lid 11. As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of protrusions 22 are formed on the back surface 2b of the container body 2 from the bottom surface 2d to the ceiling surface 2a. In the present invention, the pair of projecting portions 22 are the outer edges of the container body 2 on the back surface 2b side. A robotic flange may be detachably mounted on the ceiling surface 2 a of the container body 2. When this robotic flange is mounted on the ceiling surface 2a of the container body 2, the substrate storage container 1 is transported within and between processes by the robotic flange being held by an automatic ceiling conveyor.

  FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the bottom surface 2d of the container body 2 in the substrate storage container 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, a plate-like member 3 having a container identification portion (for example, a container identification member such as an infopad) can be attached to the bottom surface 2d of the container body 2, and the plate-like member 3 is a container. It can function as an identification member. Specifically, a pair of locking grooves 21 for fixing the plate-like member 3 is formed on the bottom surface of the container body 2.

  The lid 11 has, for example, a lid body and a cover member that covers the container body 2 side of the lid body, and the lid 11 is attached to the container body 2 in a state where the lid 11 is engaged with the container body 2. A locking mechanism for fixing may be provided. By providing the locking mechanism, when it is necessary to take out the semiconductor wafer from the container body 2 in the semiconductor manufacturing process, the lid 11 is removed and the opening of the container body 2 is opened. When it is necessary to seal the substrate storage container 1 during transportation or the like, the lid 11 can be fixed to the opening of the container body 2 to prevent contamination of the semiconductor wafer.

[Plate-shaped member]
FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which the RF-ID holding member 4 is held at the second position in the substrate storage container 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. It is drawing which shows the aspect with which the RF-ID holding member 4 was connected with the plate-shaped member 3 so that a movement was possible. The plate-like member 3 is attached to the bottom surface 2d of the container body 2 and has a container identification part such as an info pad plug attachment part. The plate-like member 3 includes, for example, a base 31 attached in parallel to the bottom surface 2d of the container body 2 and a pair of side wall portions 32. The side wall 32 has a locking claw 33 that protrudes from the end of the base 31 in an L-shaped cross section and engages with the locking groove 21 of the container body 2 described above. Is fixed to the container body 2.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, the RF-ID holding member 4 is connected to the plate-like member 3, but the connecting portion 34 of the base 31 of the plate-like member 3 to the RF-ID holding member 4 and On the opposite side, a U-shaped notch 36 having a substantially U shape is formed along the center line in the width direction of the plate-like member 3. A plurality of through holes 37 having different radii are formed symmetrically about the center line in the width direction in the base 31 of the plate-like member 3 separated left and right by the U-shaped notch 36, and if necessary, An info pad plug (not shown) is attached so as to close these through holes 37. The through-hole 37 has a concentric outer circle with a large diameter and an inner circle with a small diameter. A step is formed between the outer circle and the inner circle. A locking claw provided on the pad plug is adapted to fit into this stepped portion.

  In the present invention, the plate member 3 may be configured as a bottom plate having a container fixing portion, a container positioning portion, and the like. In that case, the plate member serving as the bottom plate is a container fixing portion. As a substantially Y-shaped member having a through hole in the center and a plurality of V grooves serving as container positioning portions, the center of the container body 2 is substantially the center and the RF-ID holding member 4 side is the bottom. Good.

[RF-ID holding member]
As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the plate-like member 3 and the RF-ID holding member 4 are manufactured from different molds, and the RF-ID holding member 4 is attached to and detached from the plate-like member 3. Used freely connected. The RF-ID holding member 4 is parallel to the bottom surface 2d of the container main body 2 and is connected to the base portion 42 connected to the connecting portion 34 of the plate-like member 3 and to the side wall of the container main body 2 on the back surface 2b side. 42, and a back wall portion 41 on the opposite side of the connecting portion 44 to the plate-like member 3 of the base portion 42 and the back wall portion 41 straddling the center line in the left-right direction. A holding portion 43 for holding the RF-ID tag 5 is formed along. As shown in FIG. 4, the RF-ID holding member 4 is connected to the plate-like member 3 at the connecting portion 34, but at least two slide rails 45 are provided at the connecting portion 44 on the RF-ID holding member 4 side. The connecting portion 34 on the plate-like member 3 side is provided with an engaged portion 35 slidably engaged with the slide rail 45. Thus, since the RF-ID holding member 4 and the plate-like member 3 are coupled via the slide rail 45, the RF-ID holding member 4 is a pair of outer edges on the back surface 2b side of the container body 2. It becomes possible to slide and move between a first position located inside the projecting portion 22 and a second position located outside the first position (see arrows A and (See also FIG. 3 showing the second position). In the present invention, the RF-ID holding member 4 and the plate-like member 3 may have a lock mechanism that can fix the RF-ID holding member 4 to the first position and / or the second position. Good (not shown).

  As described above, since the RF-ID holding member 4 can be moved, the RF-ID holding member 4 can be held at the first position when the substrate storage container 1 is transported. The RF-ID holding member 4 is prevented from damaging the packaging material for transportation and the secondary packaging material because it is located inside the pair of protrusions 22 which are the outer edges on the back surface 2b side of the container body 2. can do. On the other hand, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, when the substrate storage container is arranged in the substrate processing apparatus and used, the substrate processing apparatus is provided with the RF-ID holding member 4 held in the second position. The interrogator can read and write the RF-ID.

  In the present invention, the slide rail 45 is provided on the connecting portion 44 on the RF-ID holding member 4 side, and the engaged portion 35 is provided on the connecting portion 34 on the plate-like member 3 side, but the RF-ID holding member 4 is provided. The engaged portion may be provided in the connecting portion 44 on the side, and the slide rail may be provided in the connecting portion 34 on the plate-like member 3 side, and the slide rail 45 and the engaged portion 35 are limited to a mode in which only two pairs are provided. 1 pair or 3 pairs or more may be provided. Further, the means for connecting the RF-ID holding member 4 and the plate-like member 3 is not limited to the means in which the slide rail 45 and the engaged portion 35 are combined, and the RF-ID holding member 4 is connected to the first member. Any conventionally known means that can be connected to the plate-like member 3 so as to be movable between the position and the second position can be employed.

  In the above description, the mode in which the RF-ID holding member 4 is coupled to the plate-like member 3 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a mode, and the RF-ID holding member 4 is not limited thereto. May be connected to the bottom surface 2 d of the container body 2. In this case, either one of the RF-ID holding member 4 and the bottom surface 2d of the container body 2 is provided with a slide rail, and the other is provided with an engaged portion to which the slide rail is slidably engaged. Alternatively, the RF-ID holding member 4 and the bottom surface 2d of the container body 2 may have a lock mechanism that can fix the RF-ID holding member 4 to the first position and / or the second position. . Moreover, in the aspect in which the RF-ID holding member 4 is connected to the bottom surface 2d of the container body 2, the RF-ID holding member 4 and the plate-like member are integrally molded and integrated, and the RF-ID holding member 4 is integrated. Along with the plate-like member, it may be movable between the first position and the second position.

<Manufacturing method of substrate storage container>
In addition, the container main body 2, the lid 11, the plate-like member 3, the RF-ID holding member 4 and the like may be formed using, for example, a polycarbonate molding technique, polycarbonate, polyether ketone, polyether imide, polybutylene terephthalate, It can be formed from conventionally known synthetic resins such as polyacetal, liquid crystal polymer, and cycloolefin polymer, and alloy resins thereof. Moreover, carbon powder, carbon fiber, carbon nanotube, or the like may be added to these resins to impart conductivity.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate storage container 11 Cover body 2 Container body 2a Ceiling surface of container body 2b Rear surface of container body 2d Bottom surface of container body 22 Projection portion 21 Locking groove 3 Plate member 31 Base portion of plate member 32 Side wall portion of plate member 33 engaging claw 34 plate-like member connecting portion 35 engaged portion 36 U-shaped cutout portion 37 through-hole 4 RF-ID holding member 41 back wall portion of RF-ID holding member 42 base portion of RF-ID holding member 43 Holding part 44 Connection part of RF-ID holding member 45 Slide rail 5 RF-ID tag

Claims (8)

A container main body capable of storing a plurality of substrates and having an opening on one surface;
A lid that can seal the opening;
A plate-like member attached to the bottom surface of the container body and having a container identification part;
A substrate storage container having an RF-ID holding member to which an RF-ID tag is attached,
The RF-ID holding member is connected to a bottom surface or a plate-like member of the container main body, and has a first position located inside the outer edge of the container main body and a first position located outside the first position. A substrate storage container that is movable between two positions.   The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the RF-ID holding member can be held in a first position during transportation of the substrate storage container.   3. The second position according to claim 1, wherein the second position is a position where RF-ID can be read and written by the substrate processing apparatus in a state where the substrate storage container is disposed on the substrate processing apparatus. Substrate storage container.   One of the bottom surface or plate-like member of the container body and the RF-ID holding member is provided with a slide rail, and the other is provided with an engaged portion for slidably engaging the slide rail. The substrate storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The bottom surface or plate-like member of the container body, and the RF-ID holding member have a lock mechanism that can fix the RF-ID holding member to a first position and / or a second position. Item 5. The substrate storage container according to any one of Items 1 to 4. The RF-ID holding member is connected to the plate-like member,
The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the plate-like member and the RF-ID holding member are detachable. The RF-ID holding member is connected to the bottom surface of the container body,
The substrate storage container according to claim 1, wherein the plate-like member and the RF-ID holding member are integrated.   The said plate-shaped member is a board | substrate storage container in any one of Claim 1 to 7 which is a container identification member which can attach an info pad plug.

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