JPH0810196Y2 - Wafer carrier - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a box-shaped wafer carrier having an open upper surface, and more particularly, a wafer support rod for supporting a lower end portion of an inserted wafer is provided at a lower portion between two side surfaces. The present invention relates to a device that prevents the wafers stored in the carrier from being displaced in a direction parallel to the wafer surface, ensures the positioning during the automatic wafer transfer, and prevents the generation of dust on the wafer when the wafer carrier is carried. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a wafer carrier 1 is provided with side wall members 2 provided opposite to each other, as shown in FIGS.
2 and a wafer supporting member 6, 6 provided under the side wall members 2, 2 and an end face member 3, 3 for connecting both end portions of the side wall members 2, 2 to each other It was formed in. A large number of grooves 5 for supporting the wafers 4, 4 are provided on the inner surfaces of the side wall members 2, 2 and the upper surfaces of the wafer supporting members 6, 6, and the wafer 4 comes into surface contact with the inside of the groove 5 from above. The wafer is accommodated in the state of being held and is supported by the wafer supporting members 6, 6.

By the way, the wafer carrier 1 is a wafer 4
In terms of preventing metal, organic compounds and other contaminants to, and having excellent corrosion resistance to chemicals,
It is molded using a fluorine resin.

[0004]

However, as shown in FIG. 6, the wafer carrier 1 made of the fluorine-based resin was deformed during molding while the resin was removed from the mold and completely solidified. . This amount of deformation also differs depending on the position of the wafer supporting portion 6 and the individual difference of the wafer carrier 1. Therefore, in most of the wafer carriers 1, the amount of deformation was largest in the central portion of the wafer supporting portion 6.

Due to the deformation of the wafer support portion 6, it was not possible to accurately position the wafer 4 in the wafer carrier 1. In addition, since the wafer 4 cannot be accurately positioned within the wafer carrier 1, a problem occurs during wafer transfer.

When a wafer transfer machine of the type in which the wafers 4 are taken out one by one from the wafer carrier 1 and transferred to the data base or another wafer carrier 1, the wafer 4 is used.
However, since the accurate positioning cannot be performed within the wafer carrier 1, a centering process is always required during transfer,
In addition, since it is necessary to perform centering on all wafers, there is a drawback that throughput is reduced.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a transfer state when a wafer transfer machine 21 of the type in which a plurality of wafers 4 are collectively transferred to a material table 20 or another wafer carrier is used (this figure is shown. , In a state of being transferred from the plurality of wafer carriers 1 to the material table 20). The wafer 4 which is not accurately positioned in the wafer carrier 1, that is, the wafer 4 which is displaced in the A direction is transferred while being displaced.
The wafer 4 is placed in the wafer holding portion 22 (not shown in the drawing, a groove for holding the wafer is provided) of the material table 20.
In some cases, the wafer 4 falls without being delivered, and the wafer 4 is damaged, or the wafer 4 collides with the data base 20 and the wafer 4 is damaged.

Such an accident is seriously damaged, and even the undamaged wafer 4 becomes unusable because it is contaminated by the debris and dust generated from the damaged wafer 4 and the peripherals such as the material table 20 and the transfer device. There was a serious drawback that cleaning and adjustment were required.

Further, in the conventional wafer carrier 1, the distance between the wafer supporting portions 6 is small and the element for supporting the wafer 4 from the bottom is large. When the wafer carrier 1 is tilted, the wafer 4 rolls in the B direction, and the wafer carrier 1 and the wafer 4 There was a risk of rubbing and dusting.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and eliminates the deviation of the wafers accommodated in the wafer carrier in the direction parallel to the wafer surface, thereby ensuring the positioning during the automatic wafer transfer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wafer carrier that is tight and that prevents the generation of dust on the wafer when the wafer carrier is carried.

A wafer carrier according to a first aspect of the present invention is a box-shaped wafer carrier having an open upper surface in which a wafer is inserted from one direction and a large number of grooves for supporting the peripheral edge of the wafer are provided on two opposite side surfaces. A surface supporting a lower part of the inserted wafer at a lower part between the two side surfaces, each surface having a groove for supporting an end portion of the peripheral surface of the wafer, the surface facing the lower part of the two side surfaces. And a wafer support rod is provided on each of the protrusions, and the distance between the wafer support rods is larger than the distance between the protrusions.

The wafer carrier according to claim 2 is
The wafer support rod is provided with a positioning groove wider than the wafer thickness.

[0013]

[0014]

In the wafer carrier according to the first aspect of the invention, the wafer is supported by the wafer support rod, so that the wafer can be accurately positioned within the wafer carrier regardless of the deformation of the wafer carrier. Further, since the protrusions are provided on the lower portions of the two side surfaces having the groove for supporting the wafer peripheral end face, the rigidity of the wafer carrier is improved. Since the wafer support rod is provided on the protrusion, the wafer can be more accurately positioned in the wafer carrier. Further, since the distance between the wafer support rods is formed larger than the distance between the protrusions, the wafer is stably stored even when the wafer carrier moves, and dust generation due to the wafer rubbing against the wafer carrier is prevented.

In the wafer carrier according to the second aspect, since the positioning groove is formed in the wafer support rod, the positioning accuracy is improved.

[0016]

[0017]

EXAMPLES Examples of the wafer carrier of the present invention,
Description will be made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The same components as those described in FIGS. 4 and 6 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The wafer carrier 10 of the present invention is provided with two wafer support rods 11, 11. The wafer support rods 11 and 11 are made of a fluororesin which is the same material as the wafer carrier 10, and the side wall member 2 and
2, the side wall member 2, on the protrusions 16 provided at the bottom of the
It is arranged below the end surface members 3, 3 so as to be parallel to 2. The distance between the wafer support rods 11 is 11
Greater than 16 distances. In addition, on the upper surface portion of the wafer support rod 11 that comes into contact with the wafer 4, a positioning groove 12 that is set to be slightly wider than the thickness of the wafer 4 is provided at a position that substantially matches the grooves 5 and 5 provided in the side surface members 2 and 2. Are formed with high precision.

The wafer carrier 10 having the above structure is
By disposing the support rods 11, 11, the support rods 11,
Since the wafer 4 is held by 12, the wafer 4 does not shift in the A direction shown in FIG. That is, since the wafer 4 is held at the correct position in the wafer carrier 10, it is suitable for the automatic transfer work.

Further, the wafer carrier 4 is the wafer support rod 1.
Since it is inserted into and supported by the first positioning groove 12, the positioning of the wafer 4 becomes more accurate.

Furthermore, since the distance between the wafer support rods 11 and 11 is formed to be larger than the distance between the protrusions 6 and 6, the wafer 4 is moved to the position B shown in FIG.
The wafer 4 is stably stored without rolling in the direction, and dust is prevented by rubbing the wafer 4 with the wafer carrier 10.

Even if the entire wafer carrier 10 does not have a highly accurate structure, only the shape accuracy of the wafer support bar 11, the formation position of the positioning groove 12, and the mounting accuracy of the wafer support bar 11, 11 are increased to support the wafer. Since it is sufficient to dispose the bar 11, it is possible to obtain a wafer carrier with high accuracy and at a reduced manufacturing cost.

[0023]

As described above, claim 1 of the present invention
According to the wafer carrier described, since the wafer is supported by the wafer support rod, regardless of the deformation of the wafer carrier,
The wafer can be accurately positioned within the wafer carrier, and normal automatic wafer transfer operation can be performed. Further, since the protrusions are provided on the lower portions of the two side surfaces having the groove for supporting the wafer peripheral end surface portion, the rigidity of the wafer carrier is improved. Since the wafer support rods are provided on the protrusions, the wafer can be more accurately positioned in the wafer carrier, and the distance between the wafer support rods is formed larger than the distance between the protrusions. Even when the wafer carrier moves, the wafer is stably stored, and it is possible to prevent dust generation due to the wafer rubbing against the wafer carrier.

Further, in the wafer carrier according to the second aspect, since the positioning groove is formed in the wafer supporting rod, the accuracy of positioning the wafer can be improved.

[0025]

[0026]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a wafer carrier of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a conventional wafer carrier.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a conventional wafer carrier.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional automatic wafer transfer operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Side wall members (two side surfaces), 4 ... Wafer, 5 ... Grooves provided on two side surfaces, 10 ... Wafer carrier, 11 ... Wafer carrier support rod, 12 ... Positioning groove, 16 ... Projection.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A box-shaped wafer carrier having an open upper surface in which a wafer is inserted from one direction and a large number of grooves for supporting the peripheral edge of the wafer are provided on two opposing side surfaces. A wafer supporting rod for supporting the lower portion is provided in the lower portion between the two side surfaces, and has a groove for supporting the end portion of the peripheral surface of the wafer. And a wafer support rod is provided on each of the protrusions, and the distance between the wafer support rods is larger than the distance between the protrusions. 2. The wafer carrier according to claim 1, wherein a positioning groove wider than the thickness of the wafer is formed on the wafer support rod.