JPH11191589A - Clean box for semiconductor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent attachment of dust or the like on a wafer substrate, when a cover is opened. SOLUTION: This semiconductor clean box comprise a box body 1 and a cover and a constitution, such that a plurality of wafer substrates 3 are overlapped and contained in the box body 1 under the state in which a space is provided, the cover is attached to the front surface of the box body 1, and the sealed state is maintained. Furthermore, at a back surface 1B of the box body 1, a gas blow-out mechanism, for blowing out a gas into the box body 1 at the required time, is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor clean box for storing and transporting a wafer substrate, a liquid crystal display panel, and the like in a semiconductor device manufacturing process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a semiconductor device manufacturing process, a wafer substrate to be processed is stored in a semiconductor clean box, and the semiconductor clean box is transported from one process to the next process. FIG. 2 shows an example of a semiconductor clean box.
A plurality of slide base members 2 are provided on both side surfaces 1L, 1R and the back surface 1B of the box body 1. The slide base members 2 are bar-shaped members having a triangular cross section, and are fixed along the depth direction and the width direction of the box body 1.

A wafer substrate 3 to be processed is inserted along the upper surface 2a of the oblique side of the slide base member 2 while sliding. Therefore, the wafer substrate 3 is supported by each slide base member 2, and a plurality of wafer substrates 3 are stored in the box body 1 in a stacked state with a space therebetween. A lid (not shown) is attached to a front surface of the box body 1, that is, a front side of the drawing. Then, the inside of the box body 1 is filled with a clean and dry inert gas, a lid is attached, and a sealed state is maintained.

In a manufacturing process using such a semiconductor clean box, in a certain process, the lid is opened, the wafer substrate 3 is taken out of the box body 1, and the wafer substrate 3 is processed. After processing the wafer substrate 3, the wafer substrate 3 is returned into the box body 1 again. Then, while being filled with a clean and dry inert gas, a lid is attached and the container is sealed to be transported to the next step.

[0005]

However, when the lid is opened, turbulence occurs due to the flow of air generated by the movement of the lid and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the semiconductor clean box. As a result, external dust and the like may get caught in the turbulent flow and enter the box body 1.

When dust or the like enters the box body 1 in this way, it adheres to the wafer substrate 3. If dust or the like remains on the wafer substrate 3, the processing may be hindered. For example, in the process of forming a thin film on the wafer substrate 3, if dust is left attached, pinholes may be formed in the thin film.

In particular, as the number of processing steps for the wafer substrate 3 increases, since the lid is opened and closed for each processing step, the possibility that dust and the like adhere to the wafer substrate 3 increases. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor clean box that can prevent dust and the like from adhering to a wafer substrate when the lid is opened.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a box body and a lid, in which a plurality of wafer substrates and the like are stored in the box body with a space therebetween, and are placed on the front surface of the box body. It is assumed that a semiconductor clean box is configured so that a lid is attached and a sealed state is maintained. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clean box for a semiconductor, wherein a gas ejection mechanism for ejecting gas into the box body when necessary is provided on a back surface of the box body.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the gas ejecting mechanism is configured to eject a gas between overlapping wafer substrates or the like with an interval. Third
According to the invention of the first and second aspects, the gas ejection mechanism is
An inner wall that forms the inside of the back of the box body, an outer wall that forms the outside of the back of the box body, a gas circulation chamber formed by combining the inner wall and the outer wall, and a gas jet formed on the inner wall, It is normally closed, but is characterized in that it comprises a valve for supplying gas to the gas flow chamber when necessary.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a semiconductor clean box according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the back surface 1B of the box body 1. As shown in this figure, the back surface 1B has a double wall structure composed of an inner wall 4 and an outer wall 5. The inner wall 4 has a gas outlet that penetrates the lower surface 2b of the oblique side of each slide base member 2. 6 are formed.
Therefore, when the wafer substrate 3 is placed on the slide base member 2, the gas ejection ports 6 are located exactly between the wafer substrates 3.

Further, although not specifically shown, a valve is attached to the box body 1. This valve is
Usually, it is in a closed state, and maintains the airtightness in the semiconductor clean box. The gas flow chamber 7 is opened when necessary, and is formed by the inner wall 4 and the outer wall 5 combined.
And clean and dry air.

Next, the operation of the semiconductor clean box of this embodiment will be described. When the lid is opened in a certain processing step, the valve is opened to supply clean and dry air to the gas flow chamber 7 formed by the inner wall 4 and the outer wall 5 combined. Then, when air is supplied to the gas flow chamber 7, the air is jetted from each gas jet port 6 into the box body 1. The air ejected in this manner flows in the box body 1 in a layered form along both surfaces of each wafer substrate 3. Then, the air is discharged to the outside from the surface facing the air ejection port 6, that is, the front surface of the box body 1 that is opened by opening the lid.

In this state, external dust and the like move in a direction away from the box body 1 following the flow of air discharged from the front surface of the box body 1. Therefore,
Dust and the like cannot enter the box body 1 and will not adhere to the wafer substrate 3. Also, if the wafer substrate 3
Even if dust or the like adheres to the wafer, the air flows along both surfaces of the wafer substrate 3 and is discharged to the outside along the flow.

According to the semiconductor clean box of the embodiment described above, for example, when the lid is opened in the process of processing the wafer substrate 3, if air is blown out from the air blow-out port 6, dust and the like are removed from the box. It is possible to prevent dust or the like from adhering to the main body 1 and adhering to the wafer substrate 3. Therefore, it is not necessary to process the dust or the like while adhering to the wafer substrate 3.

The semiconductor clean box may be of a type other than that described in the above embodiment. For example, although not specifically shown, a type in which a plurality of wafer substrates are held by a wafer rack and the wafer rack is stored in a semiconductor clean box may be used.

In this embodiment, the gas flow chamber 7, the gas outlet 6 formed in the inner wall 4, the valve, and the like constitute a gas blowing mechanism according to the present invention. However, any gas ejection mechanism may be used as long as gas is ejected from the back surface 1B of the box body 1. For example, although not specifically shown, a gas distribution pipe may be installed on the back surface 1B side in the box main body 1 and gas may be ejected from gas ejection holes formed in the gas distribution pipe. However, the slide base member 2 and the like may be provided inside the back surface 1B of the box body 1 as in the above embodiment. Therefore, it is desirable that there be nothing near the inside of the back surface 1B. In this sense, if a double wall structure is adopted as in this embodiment, it is only necessary to form the gas ejection ports 6 on the inner wall 4, so that there is no problem in providing the slide base member 2 and the like.

[0017]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, if the gas is blown out when the lid is opened, the gas is directed to the surface facing the gas blowing mechanism, that is, the box with the lid opened and opened. It will be released to the outside from the front of the main body. Therefore, dust and the like cannot enter the box body, and the dust and the like can be prevented from adhering to the wafer substrate.

According to the second invention, in the first invention, the jetted gas flows in layers in the box body along both surfaces of each wafer substrate and the like. Therefore, even if dust adheres to the wafer substrate or the like, the dust can be released to the outside. According to the third invention, in the first and second inventions, it is only necessary to form the gas ejection port on the inner wall, so that the inside of the back surface can be made flat. Therefore, inside the back,
Even when a member for supporting a wafer substrate or the like is provided, there is no obstacle.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a back surface 1B of a box body 1 in a semiconductor clean box as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a semiconductor clean box in which a plurality of wafer substrates 3 are stored.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Box main body 1L, 1R side surface 1B back surface 2 Slide base member 3 Wafer substrate 4 Inner wall 5 Outer wall 6 Gas ejection port 7 Gas flow chamber

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A box body and a lid, a plurality of wafer substrates and the like are stacked and stored in the box body at an interval, and a lid is attached to a front surface of the box body to maintain a sealed state. A semiconductor clean box, wherein a gas ejection mechanism for ejecting gas into the box body when necessary is provided on a back surface of the box body. 2. The semiconductor clean box according to claim 1, wherein the gas ejection mechanism is configured to eject a gas between a plurality of overlapping wafer substrates or the like at intervals. 3. The gas ejection mechanism includes: an inner wall that forms the inside of the back surface of the box body; an outer wall that forms the outside of the back surface of the box body; and a gas flow chamber formed by combining the inner wall and the outer wall. A gas outlet formed in the inner wall and a valve which is normally closed but supplies gas to the gas flow chamber when necessary.
Or a clean box for a semiconductor according to 2.