阅读说明：本技术 晶圆载具与收纳晶圆于晶圆载具的方法 (Wafer carrier and method for receiving wafer in wafer carrier ) 是由 陈宜萱 陈慧贞 陈尹臻 于 2020-07-01 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种晶圆载具,其包含盒体、第一到第三滑轨组、止挡部件及固定部件。盒体包含连接的下板、第一侧板、第二侧板、上板及后板。第一滑轨组与第三滑轨组位于第一侧板的内表面上,分别包含沿第一方向排列且位于同一水平的多条第一滑轨及第三滑轨,且第一侧板包含位于第一滑轨与第三滑轨之间的开口。第二滑轨组位于该第二侧板的内表面上,且包含多条与第一滑轨对应的第二滑轨,以支撑晶圆载板或晶圆。止挡部件可在开口位置沿第一方向位移且具有棒状体与多个止挡肋。固定部件与开口对应设置且抵接于止挡肋中位于最边缘者。本发明有效地实现取放晶圆并防止晶圆滑落的功能的目的,解决了现有技术存在的晶圆容易滑出的问题。(The invention provides a wafer carrier, which comprises a box body, a first sliding rail set, a second sliding rail set, a third sliding rail set, a stop component and a fixing component. The box body comprises a lower plate, a first side plate, a second side plate, an upper plate and a rear plate which are connected. The first slide rail group and the third slide rail group are located on the inner surface of the first side plate and respectively comprise a plurality of first slide rails and third slide rails which are arranged along a first direction and located at the same level, and the first side plate comprises an opening located between the first slide rails and the third slide rails. The second slide rail group is positioned on the inner surface of the second side plate and comprises a plurality of second slide rails corresponding to the first slide rails so as to support the wafer carrier plate or the wafer. The stopper member is displaceable in the first direction at the open position and has a rod-shaped body and a plurality of stopper ribs. The fixing part is arranged corresponding to the opening and is abutted to the edge of the stopping rib. The wafer taking and placing device effectively achieves the purposes of taking and placing wafers and preventing the wafers from sliding off, and solves the problem that the wafers are easy to slide off in the prior art.)

1. A wafer carrier, comprising:

a lower plate comprising opposing edges;

the first side plate and the second side plate are respectively connected with the two opposite edges of the lower plate, and the first side plate and the second side plate are arranged in a face-to-face mode;

an upper plate connected to the first side plate and the second side plate, the upper plate and the lower plate being disposed to face each other;

the rear plate is connected with the lower plate, the first side plate and the second side plate and the upper plate;

the first side plate comprises a first side plate and a second side plate, wherein the first side plate is provided with a first slide rail group and a second slide rail group, the first slide rail group and the second slide rail group are both positioned on the inner surface of the first side plate, the first slide rail group comprises a plurality of first slide rails arranged along a first direction, the second slide rail group comprises a plurality of third slide rails arranged along the first direction, the first slide rails and the third slide rails are positioned on the same level and are arranged at intervals, the first side plate comprises an opening, and the opening is positioned between the first slide rails and the third slide rails;

the second slide rail group is positioned on the inner surface of the second side plate and comprises a plurality of second slide rails arranged along the first direction, and each first slide rail and each second slide rail are arranged oppositely to support at least one wafer carrier plate or at least one wafer;

a stopper member displaceable in the first direction at the open position, the stopper member having a rod-shaped body and a plurality of stopper ribs arranged in parallel, the plurality of stopper ribs being provided on the rod-shaped body; and

the fixing part is arranged corresponding to the opening and abutted against the edge of all the stopping ribs, wherein in the locking mode, the fixing part is sleeved on the rod-shaped body so as to fix the stopping part at the opening; in the unlocked mode, the securing member is removed.

2. A wafer carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rod is entirely of metal or has a metal coating on its surface.

3. A wafer carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material of each stop rib is plastic.

4. The wafer carrier of claim 1, wherein the thickness of each stop rib is less than or equal to the thickness of the adjacent first slide rail.

5. A wafer carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first side plate further comprises a locating hole for receiving an end of the wand.

6. A wafer carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retaining means comprises a recess for receiving the wand, the recess corresponding in shape to the wand.

7. A wafer carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein each stop rib is aligned with each first slide rail in the unlocked mode; in the locking mode, each stop rib is dislocated with each first slide rail.

8. A wafer carrier as claimed in claim 7 wherein each stop rib partially overlaps each first slide in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The wafer carrier of claim 1, wherein a length of the opening in the first direction is greater than a maximum spacing of the first plurality of slide rails in the first direction.

10. The wafer carrier of claim 1, further comprising a front plate configured to connect the lower plate, the first side plate, the second side plate, and the upper plate, the front plate disposed opposite the back plate, and the opening disposed opposite the back plate adjacent the front plate.

11. A method of receiving a wafer in a wafer carrier, comprising:

providing the wafer carrier of any of claims 1-10;

carrying a wafer to a predetermined slide rail of one of the first slide rails, so that the wafer slides along the predetermined slide rail, one of the stop ribs corresponding to the predetermined slide rail, and one of the third slide rails corresponding to the predetermined slide rail in sequence, so as to receive the wafer in the wafer carrier; and

and executing a locking step, wherein the fixing part is arranged to abut against the edge of the stopping ribs, so that the preset slide rail and one of the stopping ribs corresponding to the preset slide rail are dislocated to block the wafer from moving out along the second direction.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

performing an unlocking step, which includes removing the fixing member to align each of the stopper ribs with each of the first slide rails; and

and carrying the wafer, so that the wafer is moved out of the wafer carrier along one of the third slide rails corresponding to the preset slide rail, one of the stop ribs corresponding to the preset slide rail and the preset slide rail in sequence.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the entire rod is made of metal or a surface of the rod is provided with a metal coating.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein each stop rib is made of plastic.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the retaining member comprises a groove for receiving the rod, the groove having a shape corresponding to the shape of the rod.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and more particularly, to a wafer carrier and a method for receiving a wafer in the wafer carrier, and more particularly, to a wafer carrier capable of preventing the wafer from slipping out.

Background

Currently, in the advanced process of wafer, the wafer is temporarily stored in the wafer box, and is transported to the next process station by machine or by hand, and then the wafer is taken out from the wafer box by machine or by hand for the subsequent process. However, although the conventional wafer cassette has a slot for accommodating a wafer, if the wafer cassette is tilted due to improper operation, the wafer is likely to slide out along the slot, resulting in wafer fragments, and even generating dust to contaminate other wafers in the wafer cassette, which causes significant loss in the manufacturing enterprise.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a wafer carrier and a method for accommodating wafers in the wafer carrier, which comprises the wafer carrier with an opening, a stopping component and a fixing component, and a method for taking and placing the wafers in the wafer carrier, wherein the stopping component can move in the opening, so that the effects of taking and placing the wafers and preventing the wafers from sliding are achieved.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a wafer carrier, which includes a lower plate, a first side plate, a second side plate, an upper plate, a rear plate, a first slide rail set, a second slide rail set, a third slide rail set, a stop member and a fixing member. The lower plate includes opposite edges. The first side plate and the second side plate are respectively connected with the two opposite edges of the lower plate, and the first side plate and the second side plate are arranged in a face-to-face mode. The upper plate is connected with the first side plate and the second side plate, and the upper plate and the lower plate are arranged in a face-to-face mode. The rear plate is connected with the lower plate, the first side plate and the second side plate and the upper plate. The first slide rail group and the third slide rail group are located on the inner surface of the first side plate, the first slide rail group comprises a plurality of first slide rails arranged along a first direction, the third slide rail group comprises a plurality of third slide rails arranged along the first direction, the first slide rails and the third slide rails are located on the same level and are arranged at intervals, the first side plate comprises an opening, and the opening is located between the first slide rails and the third slide rails. The second slide rail group is positioned on the inner surface of the second side plate and comprises a plurality of second slide rails arranged along the first direction, and the first slide rails and the second slide rails are arranged oppositely to support a wafer carrier plate or a wafer. The stopper member is displaceable in the first direction at the open position, and has a rod-shaped body and a plurality of stopper ribs provided on the rod-shaped body. The fixing part is arranged corresponding to the opening and abutted against the edge-most part of the stopping rib, and in the locking mode, the fixing part is sleeved on the rod-shaped body so as to fix the stopping part at the opening; in the unlocked mode, the securing member is removed.

Preferably, the entire rod-shaped body is made of metal, or a metal plating film is provided on the surface of the rod-shaped body.

Preferably, the material of the stop rib is plastic.

Preferably, the thickness of the stop rib is less than or equal to the thickness of the adjacent first slide rail.

Preferably, the first side plate further comprises a positioning hole for receiving one end of the wand.

Preferably, the fixing part comprises a groove for sleeving the rod-shaped body, and the shape of the groove corresponds to that of the rod-shaped body.

Preferably, in the unlocked mode, the stop rib is aligned with the first slide rail; in the locked mode, the stop rib is misaligned with the first slide rail.

Preferably, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the stopper rib does not overlap with the first rail overlapping portion.

Preferably, the length of the opening in the first direction is greater than the maximum distance between the plurality of first slide rails in the first direction.

Preferably, the front plate is used for connecting the lower plate, the first side plate, the second side plate and the upper plate, the front plate and the rear plate are arranged in a face-to-face mode, and the opening is arranged close to the front plate relative to the rear plate.

The invention also provides a method for taking and placing wafers on the wafer carrier, which comprises the step of providing the wafer carrier. And conveying the wafer to the first slide rail, so that the wafer slides along the first slide rail, the stop rib corresponding to the first slide rail position and the third slide rail corresponding to the first slide rail position in sequence, and the wafer is accommodated in the wafer carrier. And executing a locking step: and arranging the fixing part to abut against the edge of the stopping rib, so that the first slide rail and the stopping rib corresponding to the first slide rail are dislocated to stop the wafer from moving out along the second direction.

Preferably, an unlocking step is then performed: removing the fixing part to align the stop rib with the first slide rail. And carrying the wafer, so that the wafer is moved out of the wafer carrier along the third slide rail, the stop rib and the first slide rail in sequence.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the following drawings, wherein the structures shown in the drawings are schematic and not intended to represent the actual sizes or shapes of the elements. All equivalent substitutions or removal of elements for specific purposes which are apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as exemplified in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3A is a 45 degree angle view of a first side plate of a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3B is an outside view of a first side plate of the wafer carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3C is an inside view of a first side plate of the wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4A is a side view of a stop member of a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is an inside view of a stop member of the wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

figure 4C is a 45 degree angled view of a stop member of a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a top view of a retaining member of a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5B is an inside view of a retaining member of the wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

figure 5C is a 45 degree angle view of a retaining member of a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of receiving a wafer in a wafer carrier according to one embodiment of the present invention;

description of reference numerals:

10-a wafer carrier; 100-lower plate; 101, 102-edge; 200-a first side panel; 201-a first slide rail set; 2011-first slide rail; 202-opening; 203-a projection; 205-an inner surface; 206-a third set of slide rails; 2061-a third slide rail; 300-a second side panel; 305-an inner surface; 400-upper plate; 500-a back plate; 600-a stop member; 700-a stationary part; 800-front panel; 900-carrying handle.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the wafer carrier of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings and reference numerals. The structures shown in the drawings are schematic representations only, and not intended to represent actual sizes or shapes of elements. All equivalent substitutions or removal or addition of known elements for specific purposes are within the scope of the embodiments as would be understood by one skilled in the art.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an exploded view of the components of a wafer carrier is provided as shown in fig. 1, wherein the wafer carrier 10 of the present embodiment includes a lower plate 100 having two opposite edges 101,102, a first side plate 200, a second side plate 300, an upper plate 400 and a rear plate 500, the first side plate 200 and the second side plate 300 are respectively connected to the two opposite edges 101,102 of the lower plate 100, the first side plate 200 and the second side plate 300 are disposed opposite to each other, the upper plate 400 is connected to the first side plate 200 and the second side plate 300, the upper plate 400 is disposed opposite to the lower plate 100, the rear plate 500 is connected to the lower plate 100, the first side plate 200, the second side plate 300 and the upper plate 400, so as to form an open box for accommodating the wafer 1000.

Referring to fig. 1 and fig. 2, fig. 2 is an implementation schematic diagram of a wafer 1000 located in a wafer carrier 10, in which a first slide rail set 201 and a third slide rail set 206 are disposed on an inner surface 205 of a first side plate 200 of the wafer carrier 10, the first slide rail set 201 includes a plurality of first slide rails 2011 arranged along a Z direction, each first slide rail 2011 extends along a Y direction, the third slide rail set 206 includes a plurality of third slide rails 2061 arranged along the Z direction, each third slide rail 2061 extends along the Y direction, and each first slide rail 2011 and the corresponding third slide rail 2061 are located on the same level (on the same horizontal height in the same horizontal plane) and are disposed at intervals. The inner surface 305 of the second side plate 300 is provided with a second slide rail set, the second slide rail set includes a plurality of second slide rails 3011 arranged along the Z direction, and each second slide rail 3011 extends along the Y direction. The first slide 2011 and the second slide 3011 are disposed opposite to each other to support the wafer 1000 or support the wafer carrier 1100 carrying the wafer 1000.

However, in the prior art, the wafer 1000 is easy to slide out of the wafer carrier 1100 along the Y direction (as shown by the arrow in fig. 1 and fig. 2), so the first side plate 200 in this embodiment has a special design, please refer to fig. 3A to fig. 3C, fig. 3A is a 45-degree angle view of the first side plate 200, fig. 3B is an outside view of the first side plate 200, fig. 3C is an inside view of the first side plate 200, the first side plate 200 includes an opening 202, the opening 202 is located between the first slide rail 2011 and the third slide rail 2061, and the opening 202 can accommodate the stopper 600.

Referring to fig. 4A to 4C, fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the stopping member 600, fig. 4B is an inside view of the stopping member 600, fig. 4C is a 45-degree view of the stopping member 600, the stopping member 600 is displaceable along the Z direction at the position of the opening 202, the stopping member 600 includes a rod 601 and a plurality of stopping ribs 602 arranged in parallel, the stopping ribs 602 are disposed on the rod 601, the first side plate 200 has a positioning hole 204 for receiving one end of the rod 601, the stopping ribs 602 of the stopping member 600 are respectively aligned with the first slide rails 2011 and the third slide rails 2061, and preferably, a thickness T2 of the stopping rib 602 is equal to or similar to a thickness T1 of the adjacent first slide rail 2011 and the adjacent third slide rail 2061, which is preferably smaller than a thickness T1; in the unlocked mode, the stop rib 602 is aligned with the first rail 2011 and the third rail 2061, and the wafer 1000 or the wafer carrier 1100 can be received in the wafer carrier 10 by the first rail 2011, the stop rib 602 and the third rail 2061 in sequence.

Referring to fig. 1, 5A to 5C, fig. 5A is a top view of a fixing member 700, fig. 5B is an inside view of the fixing member 700, and fig. 5C is a 45-degree view of the fixing member 700, the wafer carrier 10 of the present embodiment further includes the fixing member 700, the fixing member 700 is disposed corresponding to the opening 202, and the fixing member 700 abuts against the edge of the stopping rib 602; in the locking mode, the fixing member 700 is sleeved on the rod 601 to fix the stopping member 600 at the opening 202, specifically, when the fixing member 700 and the stopping member 600 abut against the opening 202, the stopping rib 602 of the stopping member 600 and the adjacent first slide rail 2011 and third slide rail 2061 can be misaligned, and in the wafer 1000 conveying direction (Y direction), the stopping rib 602 and the first slide rail 2011 and the third slide rail 2061 partially overlap and partially do not overlap, so as to prevent the wafer 1000 from sliding out along the first slide rail 2011. Preferably, the inner surface 702 of the fixing member 700 has a groove 701, and the shape of the groove 701 corresponds to the shape of the rod 601 of the stopping member 600 to facilitate the fixing member 700 to be sleeved on the stopping member 600.

Since the wafer 1000 or the wafer carrier 1100 is usually made of metal or semiconductor material, in order to prevent the wafer 1000 or the wafer carrier 1100 from colliding with the stopping rib 602 of the stopping member 600 during transportation to generate debris, thereby affecting the cleanliness of the wafer carrier 10, the stopping rib 602 in this embodiment is preferably made of engineering plastic, and the rod 601 of the stopping member 600 is either entirely made of metal or has a metal coating on its surface. The engineering plastic may be Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) + Carbon Fiber (CF), Polyetherimide (PEI) + Carbon Fiber (CF), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) + Carbon Fiber (CF), Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) + Carbon Nanotube (CNT), Polyetherimide (PEI) + Carbon Nanotube (CNT), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) + Carbon Nanotube (CNT), or other engineering plastic suitable for high temperature resistance, and is not limited to the above.

In addition, since the wafer carrier 10 usually has a plurality of first slide rails 2011 therein to accommodate a plurality of wafers 1000, the length H1 of the opening 202 is preferably greater than the distance between the two first slide rails 2011 farthest in the Z direction (as shown in fig. 3C), so that when the stopping member 600 and the fixing member 700 are disposed at the opening 202, the wafer 1000 is preferably prevented from sliding out.

Referring to fig. 1, in the present embodiment, the wafer carrier 10 may further include a front plate 800, so that the wafer carrier 10 forms a closed box, and the opening 202 of the first side plate 200 is adjacent to the front plate 800, so as to effectively prevent the wafer 1000 from sliding out of the wafer carrier 10. The wafer carrier 10 further includes a protrusion 203 disposed on an inner surface of the first side plate 200 or the second side plate 300, the protrusion 203 is relatively close to the rear plate 500, the inner surface of the protrusion 203 is arc-shaped, that is, the shape of the protrusion corresponds to the shape of the wafer 1000 or the wafer carrier plate 1100, so that the protrusion has a stop or limiting effect, and the wafer 1000 or the wafer carrier plate 1100 is prevented from colliding with the rear plate 500 to generate dust or damage components. The top plate 400 of the wafer carrier 10 may have a handle 900 for easy handling by line personnel or machine pick-up.

Referring to fig. 6, fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for picking and placing a wafer on a wafer carrier according to the present embodiment, and in step S1, a wafer carrier 10 is provided, and a wafer 1000 is transported to one of the first slide rails 2011 of the wafer carrier 10, so that the wafer 1000 slides along the first slide rail 2011, the stop rib 602 corresponding to the position of the first slide rail 2011, and the third slide rail 2061 corresponding to the position of the first slide rail 2011 in sequence, so as to receive the wafer 1000 in the wafer carrier 10.

As shown in step S2, a locking step is performed: the fixing member 700 is disposed to abut against the edge of the stop rib 602, so that the stop rib 602 and the first slide rail 2011 are dislocated to stop the wafer 1000 from moving out along the wafer 1000 conveying direction (Y direction), and preferably, the stop rib 602 overlaps with and does not overlap with the first slide rail 2011 and the third slide rail 2061 in the wafer 1000 conveying direction (Y direction).

In step S3, when the user wants to take out the wafer 1000, i.e. to transfer the wafer 1000 to the outside of the wafer carrier 10, the unlocking step is performed: the fixing member 700 is removed, and the stop rib 602 is aligned with the first slide rail 2011 and the third slide rail 2061.

In step S4, the wafer 1000 is transported such that the wafer 1000 is moved out of the wafer carrier 10 along the third rail 2061, the stop rib 602 and the first rail 2011 in sequence.

In the present invention, the conveying means is not limited to mechanical conveyance, but includes manual conveyance and other methods, and is the conveying means of the present invention as long as the wafer 1000 is conveyed from the outside of the wafer carrier 10 to the inside of the wafer carrier 10.

In summary, the present invention provides a wafer carrier having an opening, a stopper and a fixing member, and a method for receiving a wafer in the wafer carrier, wherein the stopper can move in the opening, so as to effectively achieve the purpose of picking and placing the wafer and preventing the wafer from sliding off, and solve the problem of the prior art that the wafer is easy to slide off.

The above-described embodiments are merely examples, which are not intended to limit the present invention. Any equivalent modifications or variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be included in the scope defined in the appended claims.