KR20080102893A

KR20080102893A - Fosb and methods for inspecting the wafer using the same

Info

Publication number: KR20080102893A
Application number: KR1020070049938A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 고정식
Original assignee: 삼성전자주식회사
Priority date: 2007-05-22
Filing date: 2007-05-22
Publication date: 2008-11-26

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wafer carrier used to load and transport a wafer, and more particularly, to a front opening shipping box (FOSB) and a wafer inspection method using the same.

In the FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem, a sorter holder (SORTER HOLDER) is formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the FOSB, respectively.

According to the present invention, the back side of the wafer can be inspected without using a tweezer, so that an accurate inspection can be performed.

Description

FOSB and methods for inspecting the wafer using the same}

1 is a front view of a FOSB according to the prior art.

2 shows the backside of a wafer handled with a tweezer;

3 is a front view of a FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a plan view of a FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a bottom view of a FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention.

100: FOSB W: Wafer

110a: first sorter holder

110b: second sorter holder

In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a number of unit processes are performed on a wafer including exposure, etching, diffusion, and deposition processes. In performing the unit process, a wafer is stored, moved or directly put into a production process using a wafer carrier having a plurality of wafers loaded thereon.

As the wafer is gradually enlarged in size to increase the yield of semiconductor devices, the wafer carrier is also changing. For example, 200 mm (8 inch) wafers were used and wafer cassettes were used as wafer carriers, while gradually using 300 mm (12 inch) wafers, front open unified pods (FOUP) and front opening shipping (FOSB) as wafer carriers. It is a trend to manufacture and use boxes. FOUPs are used to feed directly into the production process. In the FOUP, a plurality of wafers are horizontally loaded and consist of a FOUP cell and a FOUP door. The wafer enters and exits through the FOUP door. When using a cassette, the loaded wafer is exposed and a separate cassette carrier box is required, whereas the FOUP has excellent sealing properties for the loaded wafer and does not require a separate auxiliary device such as a carrier box. It has a packing on the FOUP door to maintain the seal and a clamping mechanism on the FOUP door side to secure the FOUP door to the FOUP cell. The FOSB is mainly used for shipping or storage of wafers. The FOSB is similar in structure to the FOUP, but has a configuration in which an operator can easily open a door. 300mm standard FOUP and FOSB dimensions are 343mm x 430mm x 334mm.

1 is a front view of a FOSB according to the prior art.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the FOSB 10, the wafers W are sequentially arranged between slots. A sorter holder 11 is attached to the lower end of the FOSB 10 to be docked with a sorter. In the current 300mm semiconductor process, the backside inspection of the test wafer is being inverted using a tweezer. Handling with a tweezer creates a risk of scratches and cracks on the test wafer, particularly leaving traces of the tweezer on the back of the test wafer, making it impossible to conduct precise inspections.

2 shows the backside of a wafer handled with a tweezer;

Referring to FIG. 2, when the backside of the wafer W is inspected with a tweezer, strong adsorption occurs between the tweezer and the backside of the wafer W. FIG. As a result, the tweezers marks 20 remain on the back surface of the wafer (W). Such tweezers marks 20 may lead to undesirable results when, for example, foreign material inspection on the back surface of the wafer W is performed.

Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method that does not use a tweezer when conducting a backside inspection of a test wafer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a FOSB configured to perform backside inspection of a test wafer without using a tweezer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wafer inspection method using the FOSB as described above.

In the FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem, a sorter holder (SORTER HOLDER) is formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the FOSB, respectively. The wafer may have a diameter of 300 mm or 200 mm.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for inspecting a wafer using a FOSB, in which a first sorter holder is formed on a lower surface, a second sorter holder is formed on an upper surface, and one or more wafers are loaded. Preparing; Flipping the FOSB up and down so that the first sorter holder faces upward; Docking the second sorter holder in the sorter; And the robot arm of the sorter inspecting the wafer. Preparing the FOSB includes loading the back surface of the wafer toward the ground. The inverting of the FOSB up and down may include inverting the top surface of the wafer toward the ground, and the inspecting the wafer may be performed by drawing out the wafer by contacting the top surface of the wafer with the robot arm. Examining the back of the.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a method of providing image data using a microscope and a microscope will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed subject matter is thorough and complete, and that the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art will fully convey. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Throughout the specification, when referring to one component, such as a film, region, or substrate, being "on" another component, the component is in direct contact with or intervening with another component. It can be interpreted that elements may exist. Also, relative terms such as "lower" or "bottom" and "upper" or "top" may be used to describe certain elements for other elements as illustrated in the figures. It can be used here to describe a relationship. It may be understood that relative terms are intended to include other directions of the device in addition to the direction depicted in the figures. For example, if the device is turned over in the figures, elements depicted as being on the bottom side of the other elements will be oriented on the top side of the other elements. Thus, the example "lower" may include both "lower" and "upper" directions, depending on the particular direction of the figure. Similarly, if an element is flipped in one of the figures, elements described as "below or beneath" of the other elements will have the "above" direction of the other elements. Thus, the example "below" may encompass both up and down directions.

First, the FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

3 is a front view of a FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a plan view of a FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the FOSB according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 to 5, the FOSB 100 is loaded with one or more wafers W sequentially arranged between slots. A first sorter holder 110a may be attached to a bottom surface of the FOSB 100 so that the FOSB 100 may be docked to a sorter (not shown). In addition, a second sorter holder 110b may be attached to an upper surface of the FOSB 100 to be docked to the sorter. However, in order for the second sorter holder 110b attached to the upper surface of the FOSB 100 to be docked to the sorter, the FOSB 100 should be turned upside down. The sorter holders 110b and 110a formed on the top and bottom surfaces of the FOSB 100 have a cross-sectional shape to be docked to the sorter. The upper and lower surfaces of the FOSB 100 mean upper and lower surfaces, respectively, as viewed from the side of the wafer W, as shown in FIG. 3. The wafer W loaded on the FOSB 100 is preferably 300 mm in diameter, but the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied even when the diameter of the wafer W is not 300 mm. For example, it may be applied even when the diameter of the wafer W is 200 mm. On the other hand, when the wafer W is loaded on the FOSB 100, it is preferable that the backside of the wafer W is loaded so as to face the ground.

Hereinafter, a wafer inspection method using FOSB according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

In the FOSB 100 described above, the sorter holders 110a and 110b are formed on the top and bottom surfaces of the FOSB 100, and one or more wafers W are mounted on the FOSB 100. At this time, the back surface of the wafer W is preferably loaded so as to face the ground. In order to inspect the back surface of the wafer W, first, it is necessary to turn the FOSB 100 loaded with the above-described wafer W up and down. When the FOSB 100 is turned upside down, the first sorter holder 110a faces upward, and the second sorter holder 110b faces downward. Then, the front side of the wafer W faces the ground. Subsequently, the second sorter holder 110b facing downward is docked to the sorter. The robot arm constituting the sorter is brought into contact with the upper surface of the wafer W facing the ground, and the wafer W is taken out and the rear surface of the wafer W is inspected. The wafer W loaded on the FOSB 100 is preferably 300 mm in diameter, but the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied even when the diameter of the wafer W is not 300 mm. For example, it may be applied even when the diameter of the wafer W is 200 mm.

The foregoing description of specific embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible in the technical spirit of the present invention by combining the above embodiments by those skilled in the art. It is obvious.

According to the FOSB and the wafer inspection method using the same, the back side of the wafer can be inspected without using a tweezer, so that accurate inspection can be performed.

Claims

In a FOSB that loads one or more wafers,

A sorter holder (SORTER HOLDER) is formed on the top and bottom of the FOSB, respectively.

The FOSB of claim 1, wherein the wafer has a diameter of 300 mm.

The FOSB of claim 1, wherein the wafer has a diameter of 200 mm.

Preparing a FOSB on which a first sorter holder is formed on a lower surface, and a second sorter holder is formed on an upper surface, and at least one wafer is loaded;

Flipping the FOSB up and down so that the first sorter holder faces upward;

Docking the second sorter holder in the sorter; And

The robot arm of the sorter inspecting the wafer; Wafer inspection method using a FOSB.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein preparing the FOSB comprises loading the back surface of the wafer toward the ground.

The method of claim 5, wherein the upside down of the FOSB comprises flipping the top surface of the wafer toward the ground.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inspecting the wafer comprises the robot arm contacting an upper surface of the wafer to draw the wafer and inspect a rear surface of the wafer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wafer has a diameter of 300 mm.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wafer has a diameter of 200 mm.