TWM518214U - Cushioned wafer FOUP(Front Opening Unified Pod) - Google Patents

Description

Buffered wafer cassette

The present invention relates to a buffered wafer transfer cassette.

Conventional wafer cassettes are used to place a plurality of wafers and can be transferred between semiconductor processes in the plant. The conventional wafer cassette can be a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP). When the wafers are transferred in different factory sections, the conventional wafer cassettes are usually vacuum-packed in plastic bags and then transported. It is known that the vacuum packaging of plastic bags cannot provide the shockproof effect of the conventional wafer cassette during transmission, which may cause damage to the wafer in the conventional wafer cassette or cause the particles in the conventional wafer cassette to fall onto the wafer surface. Wafer yield is declining. Moreover, the above conventional methods cannot provide a good environment for the conventional wafer cassette to be transported, for example, the ambient temperature, humidity or special gas content of the conventional wafer cassette cannot be controlled, so that the wafer of the conventional wafer cassette is susceptible to changes in the surrounding environment. And damaged.

The present invention provides a buffered wafer transfer cassette. In one embodiment, the buffered wafer transfer cassette includes a casing, a carrier, a plurality of first cushioning members, and a cover. The box has an opening and a receiving space. The carrier is disposed in the receiving space, and the carrier is configured to carry a wafer cassette. The first cushioning elements are disposed on the carrier, and the first cushioning elements contact the casing. The cover covers the opening and contacts the top of one of the wafer cassettes.

The wafer transfer cassette of the present invention can be provided for the shock absorber buffer of the transport wafer cassette, and also provides a good surrounding environment to avoid damage of the wafer in the wafer cassette and reduce the wafer drop. The effect of the particle on the Fall causes the yield to drop.

10‧‧‧buffered wafer cassette

11‧‧‧ gas transfer device

12‧‧‧ gas transmission device

13‧‧‧ gas supply device

20‧‧‧Box

21‧‧‧ openings

22‧‧‧ accommodation space

25‧‧‧First gas input hole

26‧‧‧Second gas input hole

27‧‧‧First gas output hole

28‧‧‧Second gas output hole

30‧‧‧Hosting

31, 32‧‧‧ guide blocks

33, 34‧‧‧ holes

36‧‧‧First fixture

37‧‧‧Second fixture

40‧‧‧First cushioning element

41‧‧‧Horizontal cushioning element

42‧‧‧ longitudinal cushioning element

50‧‧‧ cover

51‧‧‧ Cover

52‧‧‧Fixed frame

53‧‧‧Battery board

54‧‧‧stop board

55‧‧‧Second cushioning element

56‧‧‧Horizontal cushioning element

57‧‧‧Longitudinal cushioning element

70‧‧‧wafer box

80‧‧‧Sensing device

121‧‧‧First transmission tube

122‧‧‧Second spacer

123‧‧‧First washer

131‧‧‧Second washer

132‧‧‧Second transmission tube

133‧‧‧pipe

311‧‧‧ Guided slope

312‧‧‧Clamped noodles

411‧‧‧External threaded tube

413‧‧‧ steel balls

421‧‧‧External threaded tube

423‧‧‧Positioning column

561‧‧‧External threaded tube

563‧‧‧ steel balls

571‧‧‧External threaded tube

573‧‧‧ steel balls

1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a wafer cassette accommodating wafer cassette of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a carrier and a gas transfer device of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention; A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a novel wafer transfer cassette; FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a gas transfer device and a gas transfer device of the present wafer transfer cassette; and FIG. 5 shows the wafer transfer of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a cover of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a view showing a cover and a wafer of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention; A schematic of one embodiment of a cartridge.

1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a wafer cassette accommodating wafer cassette of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a carrier and a gas transfer device of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention; A schematic diagram of one embodiment of a novel wafer cassette. Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 , in an embodiment, the buffered wafer transfer cassette 10 includes a case 20 , a carrier 30 , a plurality of first buffer elements 40 , and a cover 50 .

The casing 20 has an opening 21 and a receiving space 22. The opening 21 is facing upwards. The box body 20 can be made of acrylic material or plastic material, and can be transparent acrylic. The carrier 30 is disposed in the receiving space 22 for carrying a wafer cassette 70. The wafer cassette 70 is used to place a plurality of wafers, which can be a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP). The carrier 30 has a plurality of guiding blocks 31 and 32 for guiding the wafer cassette 70 on the carrier 30. In one embodiment, the carrier 30 has five guiding blocks 31 and 32 respectively disposed on the side of the carrier 30. Each guiding block has a guiding slope and a clip. For example, the guiding block 31 has a guiding inclined surface 311 and a clamping surface 312 facing the inside of the wafer transfer cassette 10, so that the wafer cassette 70 is opened by the opening 21 When placed, the guiding slope 311 can be smoothly guided on the carrier 30 to avoid vibration and shaking during insertion, thereby affecting the wafer in the wafer cassette 70; and the wafer cassette 70 can be used by the holder The surface 312 is clamped and fixed to the carrier 30.

The first cushioning elements 40 are disposed on the carrier 30, and the first cushioning elements 40 are in contact with the casing 20. The first cushioning elements 40 have a plurality of transverse cushioning elements 41 and longitudinal cushioning elements 42. The lateral cushioning members 41 are disposed on the side of the carrier 30, and the lateral cushioning members 41 are in contact with the sides of the casing 20. In one embodiment, each lateral side of the carrier 30 is provided with two lateral cushioning elements 41. The lateral cushioning element 41 can be an externally threaded positioning bead, which includes an externally threaded shaft tube 411 and a spring (not shown). And a steel ball 413 disposed in the externally threaded shaft tube 411, the steel ball 413 is disposed at one end of the externally threaded shaft tube 411, and the spring abuts the steel ball 413. The lateral cushioning member 41 is disposed on one of the first fixing members 36 of the carrier 30. The first fixing member 36 has an internal thread to cooperate with the externally threaded shaft tube 411. The steel ball 413 contacts the side of the casing 20 to provide cushioning and suspension of the carrier 30 and the lateral and lateral sides of the wafer cassette 70.

The longitudinal cushioning elements 42 are disposed at the corners of the carrier 30, and the longitudinal cushioning elements 42 contact the bottom surface of the casing 20. In one embodiment, the longitudinal buffering members 42 are disposed at four corners of the carrier 30. The longitudinal cushioning member 42 can be an externally threaded positioning post including an externally threaded shaft tube 421 and a spring (not shown). And a positioning post 423, the spring is disposed in the externally threaded shaft tube 421, and the positioning post 423 is disposed at one end of the externally threaded shaft tube 421, and the spring abuts the positioning post 423. The longitudinal cushioning member 42 is disposed on a second fixing member 37 of the carrier 30. The second fixing member 37 has an internal thread to cooperate with the externally threaded shaft tube 421. The positioning post 423 contacts the bottom surface of the casing 20 to provide cushioning and suspension of the carrier 30 and the longitudinal and bottom surfaces of the wafer cassette 70.

The casing 20 further includes a plurality of gas input holes 25, 26 and a plurality of gas output holes 27, 28, disposed at the bottom of the casing 20. The gas input holes 25, 26 include a plurality of first gas input holes 25 and a plurality of second gas input holes 26, and the gas output holes 27, 28 include a plurality of first gas output holes 27 and a plurality of second gases Output hole 28. In one embodiment, the casing 20 includes two first gas input holes 25, two second gas input holes 26, two first gas output holes 27, and two second gas output holes 28. Two first gas input holes 25 and two first gas output holes 27 are used to provide gas circulation of the wafer transfer cassette 10; two second gas input holes 26 and two second gas output holes 28 are provided for providing The gas of the wafer cassette 70 is circulated. The gas input holes 25, 26 are connected to a gas supply means for inputting a gas such as nitrogen.

4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a gas transfer device and a gas transfer device of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention; and FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic view showing an embodiment of the gas transfer device of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, the wafer cassette 10 further includes a plurality of gas transfer devices 11 that communicate with the first gas input holes 25 of the case 20. In one embodiment, the wafer cassette 10 includes two gas transfer devices 11 that communicate with the two first gas input holes 25 of the case 20. The gas transfer device 11 can be a porous tube that allows gas to be output from the outside of the porous tube. The carrier 30 has a plurality of holes 33, 34 extending through the upper surface of the carrier 30 to allow gas in the wafer cassette 10 to circulate. The gas output from the outer side of the porous tube can be discharged from the first gas output holes 27 via the holes 33, 34. Therefore, at the time of transfer, the gas in the wafer transfer cassette 10 of the present invention can be circulated to control the temperature and humidity in the wafer transfer cassette 10 of the present invention.

The wafer transfer cassette 10 further includes a plurality of gas transfer devices 12, a gas input port 71 that communicates with the wafer cassette 70, and the second gas input holes 26 of the case 20 such that the second gas input holes 26 The input gas can be input into the wafer cassette 70, and the gas discharged from the wafer cassette 70 can be discharged by the second gas output hole 28. Therefore, during the transfer, the gas in the wafer cassette 70 can be circulated to control the temperature, humidity or special gas in the wafer cassette 70. content.

The gas transmission device 12 includes a first transfer tube 121, a plurality of second spacers 122, and a first gasket 123. The first transfer tube 121 communicates with the gas input port 71 of the wafer cassette 70 and the second gas input holes 26 of the cassette body 20. The second spacers 122 and the first spacers 123 are disposed outside the second gas input holes 26 of the casing 20 to form a ventilation space, and the first transmission tube 121 is disposed in the ventilation space, and the A gap 124 is formed between the first transfer tube 121 and the second gas input hole 26 to provide a shock absorbing buffer for the gas transfer device 12. The first gasket 123 can be made of silicone rubber and has considerable elasticity.

The gas supply device 13 is connected to the second gas input holes 26, and the gas supply device 13 includes a plurality of second gaskets 131, a plurality of second transfer tubes 132, and a conduit 133. The second gaskets 131 are disposed in the second gas input holes 26, the second transmission tubes 132 are connected to the second gaskets 131, and the pipelines 133 are connected to the second transmission tubes 132. 133 input gas, such as nitrogen. Therefore, with the gas transfer devices 12, gas can be input to the wafer cassette 70 to control the temperature, humidity or specific gas content in the wafer cassette 70.

6 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a cover of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a cover and a wafer cassette of the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, the cover 50 covers the opening 21 and contacts one of the tops of the wafer cassette 70.

In one embodiment, the cover 50 includes a cover 51, a fixed frame 52, a buffer plate 53, a stop plate 54, and a plurality of second cushioning members 55. The fixing frame 52 is disposed on the bottom surface of the cover 51. The buffer plate 53 is movably disposed in the fixing frame 52, and the buffer plate 53 has a groove shape, and the top shape of the wafer cassette 70 is matched to the top of the wafer cassette 70 to the buffer. Inside the board 53. The stop plate 54 is fixed to the fixed frame 52, and the stop plate 54 has a square ring shape and has a width extending enough to limit the downward movement of the baffle plate 53.

The second buffering elements 55 have a plurality of lateral buffering elements 56 and longitudinal buffer elements Item 57. The lateral buffering members 56 are disposed on the side of the fixing frame 52, and the lateral buffering members 56 are in contact with the side of the buffering plate 53. In one embodiment, each side of the fixing frame 52 is provided with two lateral cushioning members 56. The lateral cushioning member 56 can be an externally threaded positioning bead, which includes an externally threaded shaft tube 561 and a spring (not shown). And a steel ball 563, the spring is disposed in the externally threaded shaft tube 561, and the steel ball 563 is disposed at one end of the externally threaded shaft tube 561, and the spring abuts the steel ball 563. The lateral cushioning member 56 is disposed on the fixing frame 52, and the fixing frame 52 has an internal thread to cooperate with the externally threaded shaft tube 561. The steel ball 563 contacts the side of the buffer plate 53 to provide lateral and side cushioning of the top of the wafer cassette 70.

The longitudinal cushioning members 57 are disposed on the side of the baffle plate 53, and the longitudinal cushioning members 57 are in contact with the cover plate 51. In one embodiment, each side of the baffle plate 53 is provided with a longitudinal cushioning member 57. The longitudinal cushioning member 57 can be an externally threaded positioning bead, which includes an externally threaded shaft tube 571 and a spring (not shown). And a steel ball 573, the spring is disposed in the externally threaded shaft tube 571, and the steel ball 573 is disposed at one end of the externally threaded shaft tube 571, and the spring abuts the steel ball 573. The longitudinal buffering member 57 is disposed on a side of the buffer plate 53, and the side of the buffering plate 53 has an internal thread to cooperate with the externally threaded shaft tube 571. The steel ball 573 contacts the cover plate 51 to provide longitudinal cushioning of the top of the wafer cassette 70.

The wafer cassette 10 further includes a sensing device 80 disposed on the casing 20 or the cover 50. The sensing device 80 is configured to detect temperature, humidity or pressure in the wafer cassette 10. The sensing device 80 can also be used as an accelerometer, a Gyroscope, or a magnetometer. The sensing device 80 can also be used to detect a specific gas content, such as oxygen or nitrogen. And the sensing device 80 can transmit the detected signal by wireless or by wire.

With the novel wafer transfer cassette, an omnidirectional shock absorbing buffer for the top, side and bottom surfaces of the wafer cassette can be provided to avoid wafer damage in the wafer cassette. The novel wafer transfer cassette can input gas to control the temperature and humidity in the wafer transfer box of the present invention. Degree or special gas content, and the wafer transfer cassette of the present invention can input gas into the wafer cassette to control the temperature, humidity or special gas content in the wafer cassette, and avoid avoiding impurities or particles in the wafer in the wafer cassette. The contamination is caused by wafer damage caused by changes in the surrounding environment, and the wafer is affected by falling particles, resulting in a decrease in yield.

The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Modifications and variations of the above-described embodiments by those skilled in the art are not inconsistent with the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the claims of the present invention should be as set forth in the appended claims.

10‧‧‧buffered wafer cassette

11‧‧‧ gas transfer device

20‧‧‧Box

21‧‧‧ openings

30‧‧‧Hosting

31, 32‧‧‧ guide blocks

36‧‧‧First fixture

37‧‧‧Second fixture

40‧‧‧First cushioning element

41‧‧‧Horizontal cushioning element

42‧‧‧ longitudinal cushioning element

50‧‧‧ cover

52‧‧‧Fixed frame

55‧‧‧Second cushioning element

70‧‧‧wafer box

80‧‧‧Sensing device

311‧‧‧ Guided slope

312‧‧‧Clamped noodles

Claims (15)

A buffered wafer transfer cassette comprising: a box body having an opening and a receiving space; a carrier seat disposed in the receiving space, the carrier seat for carrying a wafer cassette; and a plurality of first buffers An element disposed on the carrier, wherein the first buffering member contacts the case; and a cover covering the opening and contacting a top of the wafer cassette. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 1, wherein the first buffer elements have a plurality of lateral buffer elements and longitudinal buffer elements, the lateral buffer elements are disposed on sides of the carrier, and the lateral buffer elements are in contact with the The side of the casing; the longitudinal cushioning members are disposed at the corners of the carrier, and the longitudinal cushioning members contact the bottom of the casing. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 2, wherein the lateral buffering member is an externally threaded positioning bead, the carrier includes a plurality of first fixing members, and the lateral buffering member is disposed on the first fixing member of the carrier, The first fixing member has an internal thread to cooperate with the externally threaded positioning bead. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal buffer member is an externally threaded positioning post, the carrier includes a plurality of second fixing members, and the longitudinal buffering member is disposed on the second fixing member of the carrier, The second fixing member has an internal thread to cooperate with the externally threaded positioning post. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 1, wherein the carrier has a plurality of guide blocks for guiding the wafer cassette to be disposed on the carrier. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 5, wherein the guide block has a guiding slope and a clamping surface, the guiding slope facing the inside of the wafer transfer box for guiding the wafer cassette to be disposed on the carrier; The clamping surface is used to clamp and fix the wafer cassette on the carrier. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 1, wherein the carrier has a plurality of holes extending through the carrier. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 1, wherein the cassette further comprises a plurality of gas input holes and a plurality of gas output holes. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 8, wherein the gas input holes comprise a plurality of first gas input holes and a plurality of second gas input holes; the gas output holes comprise a plurality of first gas output holes and a plurality of a second gas output aperture. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of gas transfer means for communicating the first gas input holes of the case. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of gas transfer means for connecting the gas input port of the cassette and the second gas input holes of the case. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 11, wherein the gas transfer device comprises a first transfer tube, a plurality of second spacers, and a first gasket, the first transfer tube is connected to the gas input port of the wafer cassette and the The second gas input holes of the casing; the second spacers and the first gasket are disposed outside the second gas input holes of the casing to form a ventilation space, and the first transmission pipe is disposed on the first transmission pipe The ventilation space has a gap between the first transmission tube and the second gas input hole. According to the wafer transfer cassette of claim 1, The cover body includes a cover plate, a fixing frame, a buffer plate, a stop plate and a plurality of second cushioning elements; the fixing frame is disposed on a bottom surface of the cover plate; the buffer plate is movably disposed on the fixing plate Inside the frame, the buffer plate has a groove shape, so that the top of the wafer cassette is received into the buffer plate; the stop plate is fixed to the fixing frame, and the stop plate has a square ring shape and has a width extension Sufficient to limit the downward movement of the baffle; the second cushioning element has a plurality of lateral buffering elements and longitudinal buffering elements, the lateral cushioning elements are disposed on the side of the fixing frame, and the lateral buffering elements are in contact with the buffering On the side of the plate, the longitudinal cushioning elements are disposed on the side of the baffle, and the longitudinal cushioning members contact the cover. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 13, wherein the lateral buffer elements of the second cushioning elements and the longitudinal cushioning elements are externally threaded positioning beads. The wafer transfer cassette of claim 1, further comprising a sensing device disposed on the case or the cover, wherein the sensing device is configured to detect temperature, humidity or pressure in the wafer transfer cassette.