Substrate storage container and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A substrate storage container includes a container main body, first supporting parts and second supporting parts. The container main body includes a back wall and a pair of side walls in order to store a substrate between the side walls. The first supporting parts are opposingly disposed on each side wall in order to support a peripheral edge part of the substrate. The second supporting parts are opposingly disposed on each side wall in order to support the peripheral edge part of the substrate and positioned between the back wall and the first supporting parts. The first supporting parts and the second supporting parts are covered with a resin layer having a lower frictional property than that of the container main body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a substrate storage container for storing various types of semiconductor wafers or substrates made of a photo-mask glass, a aluminum disc or the like. [0003] 2. Related Background of Art [0004] A conventional substrate storage containers, which is not shown in the drawings, includes a container main body in which a plurality of substrates including semiconductor wafers are arranged and stored, a lid member which can be freely attached and detached, and which opens and closes the front surface constituting the opening part of this container main body, and an anchoring mechanism which fastens the lid member that covers the front surface of the container main body. Such containers are utilized as precision substrate storage containers. A plurality of supporting parts are respectively disposed on the inside surfaces of both side walls of the container main body and have a shape bent alon...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] Conventionally, furthermore, a region of 3 mm in the inward radial direction from the peripheral edge part of the substrate has been treated as an exclusion region, which is not used in the working of semiconductor parts. In recent years, however, from the standpoint of achieving a finer pitch in electronic circuits and making products more compact, there has been a demand to increase the yield by narrowing the exclusion region. In order to satisfy such a demand, it is necessary to prevent contamination and scratching of the peripheral edge parts and back surface of the substrate.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate storage container which can prevent scratching of the substrates and the generation of dust caused by rubbing between the substrates and the supporting parts, so that contamination and scratching of the peripheral edge parts and back surfaces of the substrates can be suppressed, and another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing such a substrate storage container.

[0022] In the present invention, at least the first and second supporting parts among the parts that might possibly contact with the substrate are respectively covered by engagement, molding or the like with a friction layer that has a lower friction property than that of the material of the container main body. Accordingly, for example, even if shocks or the like act on the substrate storage container, it is possible to suppress the scratching of the substrates or the generation of dust and adhesion of the dust to the substrate as a result of rubbing between the substrates and the first and second supporting parts.

Problems solved by technology

Conventional substrate storage containers are constructed as described above, and are therefore susceptible to shocks during loading and transport by means of truck, air freight, ship or the like.

When such containers are subjected to shocks, rubbing between the substrates and supporting parts causes damage to the substrates, and results in the generation of particulates that adhere to the surfaces of the substrates, so that they may cause significant problems such as a drop in the function and yield of products.

In particular, as the pitch of electronic circuits of semiconductor parts has become finer in recent years, contamination by particulates has become a serious problem.

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