Wafer box

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of semiconductors, and discloses a wafer cassette, which comprises a lower bottom shell, an upper cover and a negative pressure unit, and is characterized in that the upper cover is buckled on the lower bottom shell to form an accommodating cavity; the negative pressure unit comprises a negative pressure shell and a bearing table, and the negative pressure shell is arranged in the containing cavity and communicates with the lower bottom shell to form a negative pressure cavity; the bearing table is arranged on the upper surface of the negative pressure shell to bear a wafer and is provided with a negative pressure hole communicated with the negative pressure cavity; wherein the negative-pressure shell has a loading state and a negative-pressure adsorption state, and when the negative-pressure shell is in the negative-pressure adsorption state, the volume of the negative-pressure cavity is larger than that of the negative-pressure cavity when the negative-pressure shell is in the loading state; the wafer can block the negative pressure hole so as to be adsorbed on the bearing table when the negative pressure shell is converted from the loading state to the negative pressure adsorption state. According to the wafer box, reliable fixation of the wafer can be realized, and the structure and the loading operation are more convenient.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor, in particular to a wafer box. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the process of semiconductor storage and transportation, the wafer is very thin and fragile, and any physical damage can cause the whole wafer to be scrapped. Therefore, a wafer box is usually used to realize the storage and transportation of the wafer.

[0003] In the prior art, some wafer boxes fix the wafer through elastic sheets, but there is insufficient buffering, which can easily cause the ultra-thin wafer to be broken, micro-cracked or edge collapsed during transportation and storage, especially the more fragile and sharper edge of the ultra-thin wafer, which is more likely to cause edge damage and crack.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a wafer box to solve the above problems. SUMMARY

[0005] Based on the above, the purpose of the present application is to provide a wafer box which can reliably fix the wafer and is more convenient in structure and loading operation.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the present application adopts the following technical scheme:

[0007] The wafer box comprises:

[0008] a lower bottom shell;

[0009] an upper cover which is buckled to the lower bottom shell to form a containing cavity;

[0010] a negative pressure unit, the negative pressure unit comprises a negative pressure shell and a bearing table, the negative pressure shell is arranged in the containing cavity and communicates with the lower bottom shell to form a negative pressure cavity; the bearing table is arranged on the upper surface of the negative pressure shell to bear the wafer and is provided with a negative pressure hole which communicates with the negative pressure cavity;

[0011] wherein the negative pressure shell has a loading state and a negative pressure adsorption state, the volume of the negative pressure cavity when the negative pressure shell is in the negative pressure adsorption state is greater than the volume of the negative pressure cavity when the negative pressure shell is in the loading state; the wafer can block the negative pressure hole to be adsorbed on the bearing table when the negative pressure shell is converted from the loading state to the negative pressure adsorption state.

[0012] As a preferred scheme of the wafer box, the negative pressure unit further comprises a negative pressure driving member, the negative pressure driving member is arranged between the lower bottom shell and the negative pressure shell, and the negative pressure driving member is used to drive the negative pressure shell to move towards the direction away from the lower bottom shell.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the negative pressure housing is slidably disposed on the inner wall of the lower bottom shell, and the bottom wall of the negative pressure housing is provided with a connecting hole; the wafer cassette also includes a flexible negative pressure chamber, which abuts against the lower end of the negative pressure housing and the bottom wall of the lower bottom shell, and the connecting hole communicates with the inner side of the flexible negative pressure chamber.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the negative pressure unit further includes a negative pressure locking component, which is disposed on the lower bottom shell and / or the negative pressure housing, for fixing the negative pressure housing to the inner wall of the lower bottom shell.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the negative pressure locking assembly includes a negative pressure latch, two negative pressure locking holes spaced apart in a vertical direction, and a negative pressure locking member. The negative pressure latch is disposed on the lower bottom shell, and the negative pressure locking holes are disposed on the negative pressure housing. The negative pressure latch can be selectively placed in one of the negative pressure locking holes. The negative pressure locking member is disposed on the negative pressure locking hole near the side of the support platform and can be used to drive the negative pressure latch to disengage from the negative pressure locking hole.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the wafer cassette is further provided with an ejection unit, which includes an ejection block and an ejection drive. The ejection block is slidably nested in the support platform, and the ejection drive is used to drive the ejection block to move upward so that the upper surface of the ejection block is higher than the upper surface of the support platform, thereby causing the wafer disposed on the ejection block to disengage from the support platform.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the negative pressure hole forms an annular main adsorption region and an auxiliary adsorption region on the support stage. Multiple auxiliary adsorption regions are provided and are spaced apart and arranged around the outside of the annular main adsorption region. The ejector block includes a first ejector block and a second ejector block. The first ejector block is located inside the annular main adsorption region, and the second ejector block is located outside the annular main adsorption region and between adjacent auxiliary adsorption regions.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the ejection unit is further provided with an ejection locking component, which is disposed on the ejection block and / or the negative pressure housing to fix the ejection block to the negative pressure housing;

[0019] And / or, the ejector block is provided with a limiting groove, and when the wafer is detached from the carrier stage, a portion of the carrier stage abuts against the bottom of the limiting groove.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the ejection locking assembly includes an ejection latch, an ejection locking hole, and an ejection unlocking member. The ejection latch and the ejection unlocking member are disposed in the negative pressure housing, and the ejection locking hole is disposed in the ejection block. The ejection unlocking member can magnetically drive the ejection latch to disengage and / or lock the ejection locking hole.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of the wafer cassette, the inner side of the upper cover has a groove to engage with the lower bottom shell to form the accommodating cavity;

[0022] When the upper cover is fastened to the lower shell, a gap is provided between the bottom of the groove and the side of the wafer away from the support platform;

[0023] The bottom of the groove is provided with a flexible layer;

[0024] The inner wall of the groove is provided with a first connecting structure, and the outer wall of the lower shell is provided with a second connecting structure. The first connecting structure can be fixedly connected to the second connecting structure.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0026] This invention achieves wafer support by setting up a support platform; by setting up a bottom shell and a negative pressure shell surrounding a negative pressure cavity, and by setting a negative pressure hole on the support platform that communicates with the negative pressure cavity, since the volume of the negative pressure cavity is larger when the negative pressure shell is in the negative pressure adsorption state than when the negative pressure shell is in the loading state, when the wafer is placed on the support platform and the negative pressure hole is blocked, the negative pressure shell can achieve vacuum adsorption of the wafer after transitioning from the loading state to the negative pressure adsorption state. This reduces the problems of unreliable fixing and damage to the wafer caused by rigidly abutting the wafer. Moreover, the vacuum adsorption process does not require an additional negative pressure device, the structure of the wafer box is simpler, and the wafer loading process is more convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of the present invention and these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a wafer cassette provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the wafer cassette with its hidden top cover and negative pressure housing in a loading state, provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the wafer cassette with its hidden top cover and the negative pressure housing placed in a negative pressure adsorption state, provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A partial schematic diagram of the central structure;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a wafer cassette with a hidden top cover and an ejector block in the initial position, provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a wafer cassette with a hidden top cover and an ejector block positioned at the ejector position, provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 7 This is a top view of the support platform and ejector block of the wafer cassette provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion of the central structure;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a partial exploded cross-sectional view of a wafer cassette provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of a wafer cassette provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] In the picture:

[0039] 1. Wafer;

[0040] 100. Bottom shell; 110. Second connecting structure; 120. First mounting slot;

[0041] 200, Negative pressure unit; 201, Negative pressure chamber; 202, Main adsorption area; 203, Auxiliary adsorption area; 210, Negative pressure housing; 211, Connecting hole; 212, Second mounting slot; 213, Third mounting slot; 220, Support platform; 221, Negative pressure hole; 230, Negative pressure drive component; 240, Negative pressure locking assembly; 241, Negative pressure locking tongue; 242, Negative pressure locking hole; 243, Negative pressure locking component; 244, First elastic component; 245, Second elastic component; 250, Flexible negative pressure chamber;

[0042] 300. Ejection unit; 310. Ejection block; 311. Limiting groove; 312. First ejection block; 313. Second ejection block; 320. Ejection drive component; 330. Ejection locking assembly; 331. Ejection latch; 332. Ejection lock hole; 333. Ejection unlocking component; 334. First magnetic component; 335. Second magnetic component; 336. Third elastic component; 337. Fourth elastic component;

[0043] 400, top cover; 410, groove; 420, first connecting structure. Detailed Implementation

[0044] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0045] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms "first position" and "second position" refer to two different positions.

[0046] Unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections or detachable connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and connections within two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0048] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0049] like Figures 1-10As shown, this embodiment provides a wafer cassette, which includes a lower bottom shell 100, an upper cover 400, and a negative pressure unit 200.

[0050] The upper cover 400 is fastened to the lower shell 100 to form an accommodating cavity.

[0051] The negative pressure unit 200 includes a negative pressure housing 210 and a support platform 220. The negative pressure housing 210 is disposed in the accommodating cavity and communicates with the lower bottom shell 100 to form a negative pressure cavity 201. The support platform 220 is disposed on the upper surface of the negative pressure housing 210 to support the wafer 1, and the support platform 220 is provided with a negative pressure hole 221 communicating with the negative pressure cavity 201. The negative pressure housing 210 has a loading state and a negative pressure adsorption state. When the negative pressure housing 210 is in the negative pressure adsorption state, the volume of the negative pressure cavity 201 is larger than the volume of the negative pressure cavity 201 when the negative pressure housing 210 is in the loading state. The wafer 1 can block the negative pressure hole 221 so that it is adsorbed onto the support platform 220 when the negative pressure housing 210 changes from the loading state to the negative pressure adsorption state.

[0052] Furthermore, the air pressure of the environment where the wafer cassette is located is P1. When the negative pressure housing 210 is in a negative pressure adsorption state, the air pressure inside the structure composed of wafer 1 and negative pressure unit 200 is P2. When the negative pressure housing 210 is in a loading state, the air pressure inside the structure composed of wafer 1 and negative pressure unit 200 is P3. Since P2 < P3 < P1, wafer 1 can be adsorbed onto the support stage 220.

[0053] The wafer 1 is supported by a support platform 220. A lower shell 100 and a negative pressure shell 210 surrounding a negative pressure cavity 201 are provided, and a negative pressure hole 221 communicating with the negative pressure cavity 201 is provided on the support platform 220. Since the volume of the negative pressure cavity 201 is larger when the negative pressure shell 210 is in the negative pressure adsorption state than when the negative pressure shell 210 is in the loading state, when the wafer 1 is placed on the support platform 220 and the negative pressure hole 221 is blocked, the negative pressure shell 210 can achieve vacuum adsorption of the wafer 1 after switching from the loading state to the negative pressure adsorption state. This reduces the problems of unreliable fixation and damage to the wafer 1 caused by rigid contact fixation. Moreover, the vacuum adsorption process does not require an additional negative pressure device, the structure of the wafer box is simpler, and the loading process of the wafer 1 is more convenient.

[0054] Specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the negative pressure housing 210 is slidably disposed on the inner wall of the lower bottom shell 100. To connect the negative pressure housing 210 and the lower bottom shell 100, the bottom wall of the negative pressure housing 210 is provided with a connecting hole 211. Multiple connecting holes 211 are provided, and the multiple connecting holes 211 are arranged in a matrix or centrally symmetrically on the bottom wall of the negative pressure housing 210.

[0055] Preferably, the wafer cassette further includes a flexible negative pressure chamber 250, which abuts against the lower end of the negative pressure housing 210 and the bottom wall of the lower base shell 100, and the connecting hole 211 communicates with the inner side of the flexible negative pressure chamber 250. This arrangement allows the inner side of the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 to communicate with the inner side of the negative pressure housing 210 through the connecting hole 211, forming a negative pressure cavity 201. Therefore, the space between the outer side of the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 and the inner wall of the lower base shell 100 can be used to arbitrarily arrange functional components without considering airtightness issues, thus increasing the freedom of structural design.

[0056] Understandably, the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 has good flexibility and airtightness, thus providing better sealing at the lower end of the negative pressure housing 210 and at the bottom wall of the lower base shell 100, which helps ensure the reliability of the negative pressure adsorption wafer 1. Furthermore, when the negative pressure housing 210 is in the loading state, the sidewall of the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 is compressed and concave inwards; when the negative pressure housing 210 is in the negative pressure adsorption state, the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 recovers some of its deformation, and the degree of inward concavity decreases. However, it is worth noting that even in the negative pressure adsorption state, the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 can still maintain good airtightness between itself and the lower end of the negative pressure housing 210 and the bottom wall of the lower base shell 100.

[0057] For example, the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 is configured as a rubber bladder made of rubber material, and is bowl-shaped. The bottom of the bowl abuts against the inner wall of the lower shell 100, and the top of the side wall abuts against the lower end of the negative pressure shell 210. The bowl-shaped space forms a negative pressure cavity 201 with the interior of the negative pressure shell 210 through the connecting hole 211. In other embodiments, the flexible negative pressure chamber 250 may also be configured as an annular shape with both ends open.

[0058] Furthermore, the negative pressure unit 200 also includes a negative pressure drive component 230, which drives the negative pressure housing 210 to move away from the lower bottom shell 100, thereby changing the negative pressure housing 210 from a loading state to a negative pressure adsorption state. It is worth noting that the change from the negative pressure adsorption state to the loading state of the negative pressure housing 210 requires manual pressing by an operator on the non-load-bearing platform 220 area at the upper end of the negative pressure housing 210.

[0059] Optionally, a negative pressure drive element 230 is disposed between the lower bottom shell 100 and the negative pressure housing 210. Multiple negative pressure drive elements 230 are provided, and they are evenly distributed to make the driving force acting on the negative pressure housing 210 more balanced. For example, the negative pressure drive element 230 is configured as a spring, and four springs are provided.

[0060] Preferably, the negative pressure unit 200 further includes a negative pressure locking component 240, which fixes the negative pressure housing 210 to the inner wall of the lower shell 100, thereby fixing the negative pressure housing 210 in a loaded state or a negative pressure adsorption state. Specifically, when the negative pressure housing 210 is stably fixed to such a state... Figure 2 When the loading state is shown, it facilitates the operator to pick up and put down wafer 1; when the negative pressure housing 210 is stably fixed as shown... Figure 3 In the negative pressure adsorption state shown, reliable adsorption of wafer 1 can be guaranteed. For example, the negative pressure locking component 240 can be selectively disposed on the lower bottom shell 100, or disposed on the negative pressure shell 210, or partially disposed on the lower bottom shell 100 and partially disposed on the negative pressure shell 210, depending on its specific locking method.

[0061] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the negative pressure locking assembly 240 includes a negative pressure locking tongue 241 and two negative pressure locking holes 242 spaced apart in the vertical direction. The negative pressure locking tongue 241 can be selectively placed in one of the negative pressure locking holes 242. When the negative pressure locking tongue 241 is placed in the upper negative pressure locking hole 242, the negative pressure housing 210 overlaps more with the lower bottom shell 100. At this time, the area of ​​the negative pressure cavity 201 is smaller, that is, the negative pressure housing 210 is in the loading state. When the negative pressure locking tongue 241 is placed in the lower negative pressure locking hole 242, the overlap between the negative pressure housing 210 and the lower bottom shell 100 is smaller. At this time, the area of ​​the negative pressure cavity 201 is larger, that is, the negative pressure housing 210 is in the negative pressure adsorption state.

[0062] Exemplarily, the negative pressure locking tongue 241 is disposed on the inner side of the lower base shell 100, and the negative pressure locking hole 242 is disposed on the outer side of the negative pressure housing 210. Preferably, the inner wall of the lower base shell 100 is provided with a first mounting groove 120, and the negative pressure locking tongue 241 is disposed at the bottom of the first mounting groove 120 by a first elastic member 244, the first elastic member 244 causing the negative pressure locking tongue 241 to have a tendency to move toward being placed in the negative pressure locking hole 242. It can be understood that there are two negative pressure locking components 240 disposed opposite each other, which makes the locking more reliable and easier to operate. Exemplarily, the first elastic member 244 is set as a spring.

[0063] Furthermore, the negative pressure locking assembly 240 also includes a negative pressure locking member 243, which is used to drive the negative pressure locking tongue 241 to disengage from the negative pressure locking hole 242. That is, when the negative pressure housing 210 needs to switch from a self-loading state to a negative pressure adsorption state, the operator can drive the negative pressure locking member 243 to disengage the negative pressure locking tongue 241 from the upper negative pressure locking hole 242. With the help of the negative pressure driving member 230 driving the negative pressure housing 210, the lower negative pressure locking hole 242 can gradually approach the negative pressure locking tongue 241. When the lower negative pressure locking hole 242 is aligned with the negative pressure locking tongue 241, the first elastic member 244 can drive the negative pressure locking tongue 241 to be placed in the lower locking hole, thereby completing the switch of the negative pressure housing 210 from a self-loading state to a negative pressure adsorption state. Preferably, the negative pressure locking element 243 is disposed in the negative pressure locking hole 242 near the support platform 220, that is, the negative pressure locking element 243 is disposed in the negative pressure locking hole 242 located at the upper end, which facilitates the driving of the negative pressure locking tongue 241 and simplifies the structure. In this embodiment, the negative pressure locking tongue 241 is configured as a triangular prism, the lower negative pressure locking hole 242 is adapted to the shape of the negative pressure locking tongue 241 and the cross section is configured as a triangle, and the upper negative pressure locking hole 242 is configured as a rectangle because the negative pressure locking element 243 needs to be disposed therein.

[0064] Optionally, the middle part of the negative pressure locking member 243 is rotatably connected to the negative pressure locking hole 242. One end of the negative pressure locking member 243 is used to drive the negative pressure locking tongue 241 to disengage from the negative pressure locking hole 242, and the other end of the negative pressure locking member 243 is used for operation by the operator. Specifically, the lower end of the negative pressure locking member 243 is used to cooperate with the negative pressure locking tongue 241, and the upper end of the negative pressure locking member 243 is used for operation by the operator. In addition, combined with Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the negative pressure locking member 243 is also connected to the negative pressure housing 210 via a second elastic member 245 to ensure that the end of the negative pressure locking member 243 that engages with the negative pressure locking tongue 241 tends to approach the bottom of the negative pressure locking hole 242, so as to avoid the negative pressure locking member 243 interfering with the engagement between the negative pressure locking tongue 241 and the negative pressure locking hole 242. For example, the second elastic member 245 is configured as a spring.

[0065] As an alternative solution for wafer boxes. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the wafer box is also provided with an ejection unit 300, which is used to remove the wafer 1 from the carrier stage 220. This facilitates the separation of the wafer 1 from the carrier stage 220 and the gripping of the wafer 1.

[0066] Specifically, the ejection unit 300 includes an ejection block 310 and an ejection drive 320. The ejection block 310 is slidably nested in the support platform 220, and the ejection drive 320 is used to drive the ejection block 310 to move upward. Figure 5As shown, when the upper surface of the ejector block 310 is flush with the upper surface of the support stage 220, the ejector block 310 is in the initial position, and the ejector block 310 and the support stage 220 are used to jointly support the wafer 1; when the ejector drive 320 drives the ejector block 310 to move to the position shown... Figure 6 As shown, the ejector block 310 is positioned in the ejection position, with its upper surface higher than the upper surface of the support stage 220. At this time, the wafer 1 is disengaged from the support stage 220, and only the ejector block 310 supports the wafer 1. For example, the ejection drive 320 is configured as a spring, and multiple springs are provided to ensure stable ejection.

[0067] Accordingly, such as Figure 7 As shown, the negative pressure holes 221 form an annular main adsorption region 202 and auxiliary adsorption regions 203 on the support stage 220. Multiple auxiliary adsorption regions 203 are provided and spaced apart on the outside of the annular main adsorption region 202. By adding multiple auxiliary adsorption regions 203 outside the annular main adsorption region 202, the reliability of adsorption on the wafer 1 is increased, and the number of stress points on the wafer 1 is increased, making the stress on the wafer 1 more uniform and reducing damage to the wafer 1. Specifically, each adsorption region includes multiple negative pressure holes 221; exemplarily, the negative pressure holes 221 are circular.

[0068] Accordingly, the ejection block 310 includes a first ejection block 312 and a second ejection block 313. The first ejection block 312 is located inside the annular main adsorption region 202, and the second ejection block 313 is located outside the annular main adsorption region 202 and between adjacent auxiliary adsorption regions 203. This arrangement makes the distribution of the adsorption region and the ejection region more reasonable, and the adsorption and ejection positions are more evenly distributed. This can effectively ensure the reliability of adsorption and ejection, and effectively reduce the damage to the wafer 1 during adsorption or ejection.

[0069] Preferably, to ensure that the ejector block 310 can be stably positioned in the initial position, the ejector unit 300 is further provided with an ejector locking component 330. The ejector locking component 330 fixes the ejector block 310 in the initial position to the negative pressure housing 210, ensuring the stability of the ejector block 310 in the initial position. Exemplarily, the ejector locking component 330 can be selectively disposed on the ejector block 310, or disposed on the negative pressure housing 210, or partially disposed on the ejector block 310 and partially disposed on the negative pressure housing 210, depending on its specific locking method.

[0070] In this embodiment, the ejector block 310 is provided with a limiting groove 311. When the wafer 1 is detached from the support stage 220, a portion of the support stage 220 abuts against the bottom of the limiting groove 311. This abutment not only limits the ejector block 310 to the ejection position but also ensures that the ejector block 310 is stably positioned in the ejection position. For example, the first ejector block 312 and the second ejector block 313 are integrally formed, and the limiting groove 311 is formed between adjacent ejector blocks 310. The integrally formed ejector blocks 310 have higher synchronization and more synchronized ejection; at the same time, they can also limit the ejection position.

[0071] Furthermore, such as Figure 8 As shown, the ejection locking assembly 330 includes an ejection latch 331, an ejection locking hole 332, and an ejection unlocking member 333. The ejection latch 331 and the ejection unlocking member 333 are disposed within the negative pressure housing 210. The ejection locking hole 332 is disposed within the ejection block 310. The ejection latch 331 can be placed within the ejection locking hole 332 to position the ejection block 310 in its initial position. If the ejection block 310 needs to eject the wafer 1, the operator can drive the ejection unlocking member 333. The ejection unlocking member 333 can magnetically drive the ejection latch 331, disengaging the ejection latch 331 from the ejection locking hole 332. It is understood that when the ejection locking assembly 330 fixes the ejection block 310 in its initial position, the ejection drive member 320 is in a compressed state. Therefore, after the ejector latch 331 disengages from the ejector lock hole 332, the ejector block 310 can move upward under the drive of the ejector drive 320 to eject the wafer 1.

[0072] It is worth noting that when the ejector bolt 331 is placed in the ejector lock hole 332 and the operator does not drive the ejector unlocking member 333, there is no magnetic force between the ejector unlocking member 333 and the ejector bolt 331. Therefore, it can be ensured that the ejector bolt 331 can stably cooperate with the ejector lock hole 332.

[0073] In this embodiment, the negative pressure housing 210 is provided with a second mounting groove 212, and the ejector unlocking member 333 is slidably disposed in the second mounting groove 212. One end of the ejector unlocking member 333 is used to magnetically engage with the ejector locking tongue 331, and the other end of the ejector unlocking member 333 protrudes from the outside of the negative pressure housing 210 for operation by the operator. The negative pressure housing 210 is also provided with a third mounting groove 213, and the ejector locking tongue 331 is rotatably disposed in the third mounting groove 213. One end of the ejector locking tongue 331 is used to engage with the ejector locking hole 332, and the other end of the ejector locking tongue 331 is used to magnetically engage with the ejector unlocking member 333.

[0074] Accordingly, a first magnetic element 334 is provided at the end of the ejector unlocking member 333 near the ejector latch 331, and a second magnetic element 335 is provided at the end of the ejector latch 331 near the ejector unlocking member 333. The magnetic properties of the first magnetic element 334 and the second magnetic element 335 are opposite on the sides that are close to each other. Therefore, when the ejector unlocking member 333 is close to the ejector latch 331, the ejector latch 331 can rotate in a clockwise direction, thereby releasing the ejector block 310 from the negative pressure housing 210, and thus allowing the wafer 1 to be ejected.

[0075] Preferably, to drive the ejector unlocking member 333 to reset in a direction away from the ejector bolt 331, a third elastic member 336 is provided at the bottom of the second mounting groove 212; to drive the ejector bolt 331 to reset in a direction away from the ejector bolt 331, a third elastic member 336 is provided at the bottom of the second mounting groove 212; Figure 8 The counter-clockwise reset shown is achieved by providing a fourth elastic element 337 at the bottom of the third mounting slot 213. Both the third elastic element 336 and the fourth elastic element 337 are springs.

[0076] As an alternative solution for wafer boxes, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the inner side of the upper cover 400 has a groove 410. When the upper cover 400 is placed on the lower bottom shell 100, the groove 410 can engage with the lower bottom shell 100 to form a receiving cavity, and the wafer 1 is placed in the receiving cavity. It is worth noting that static electricity is one of the main killers of semiconductor devices, especially for wafer 1 in advanced processes. Therefore, the lower bottom shell 100, negative pressure unit 200, ejection unit 300 and upper cover 400 of the wafer cassette are all made of anti-static materials (such as PP material with added carbon black) to prevent static electricity from damaging the precision circuits on the wafer 1.

[0077] Furthermore, when the upper cover 400 and the lower cover 100 are fastened together, a gap is provided between the bottom of the groove 410 and the side of the wafer 1 away from the support stage 220. By providing this gap, the wear of the bottom of the groove 410 of the upper cover 400 on the side of the wafer 1 away from the support stage 220 can be reduced. It is understood that since the wafer 1 has been attracted to the support stage 220 by negative pressure, even if a gap is provided, the connection between the wafer 1 and the support stage 220 is stable and reliable.

[0078] Preferably, the bottom of the groove 410 is provided with a flexible layer, which can reduce the rigid contact that may occur between wafers 1, and further reduce the damage that may occur to wafers 1.

[0079] Optionally, the inner wall of the groove 410 is provided with a first connecting structure 420, and the outer wall of the lower shell 100 is provided with a second connecting structure 110. The first connecting structure 420 can be fixedly connected to the second connecting structure 110. For example, the first connecting structure 420 is configured with an internal thread, and the second connecting structure 110 is configured with an external thread. The internal thread can be threadedly connected to the external thread, making the connection convenient and reliable. In other embodiments, the first connecting structure 420 can also be configured as a snap-fit, and the second connecting structure 110 can be correspondingly configured as a snap-fit ​​hole. The connection between the upper cover 400 and the lower shell 100 is achieved through the snap-fit ​​and snap-fit ​​hole engagement.

[0080] It is worth noting that wafer 1 is extremely thin and fragile. Any physical damage can render the entire wafer 1 unusable. Inadequate fixing design and insufficient cushioning can easily lead to breakage, microcracks, or edge chipping of the ultra-thin wafer 1 during transportation and storage. Especially for the ultra-thin wafer 1, traditional edge protection designs may not be suitable for its more fragile and sharper edges, easily leading to edge damage and cracking. Furthermore, nanoscale particulate contaminants can also cause defects in wafer 1, reducing yield; therefore, it is also necessary to prevent particles or damage from friction between wafer 1 and the container during transportation and storage. The aforementioned wafer box effectively solves these problems. It provides structural support, preventing wafer 1 from breaking, scratching, or developing microcracks due to vibration, impact, or accidental drops during transportation and storage. The wafer box creates a sealed, clean environment, effectively preventing dust, particulate matter, and other contaminants from contacting the wafer 1 surface. In addition, to address the difficulty of gripping wafer 1, the aforementioned wafer box also includes an ejection unit 300. In summary, this solution addresses the pain points of traditional wafer cassettes, such as difficulty in handling ultra-thin wafers and low transport protection. It provides particularly reliable fixation for ultra-thin wafers, and its structure and loading operations are more convenient.

[0081] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation and application scope based on the ideas of the present invention. The content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer cassette, characterized by, The wafer box comprises: a lower bottom shell (100); an upper cover (400) coupled to the lower bottom shell (100) to form a containing cavity; a negative pressure unit (200) comprising a negative pressure shell (210) and a bearing table (220), the negative pressure shell (210) is arranged in the containing cavity and communicates with the lower bottom shell (100) to form a negative pressure cavity (201), the bearing table (220) is arranged on the upper surface of the negative pressure shell (210) to bear a wafer (1) and is provided with a negative pressure hole (221) communicating with the negative pressure cavity (201); wherein the negative pressure shell (210) has a loading state and a negative pressure adsorption state, the volume of the negative pressure cavity (201) when the negative pressure shell (210) is in the negative pressure adsorption state is greater than the volume of the negative pressure cavity (201) when the negative pressure shell (210) is in the loading state, and the wafer (1) can block the negative pressure hole (221) to be adsorbed on the bearing table (220) when the negative pressure shell (210) is switched from the loading state to the negative pressure adsorption state.

2. The wafer cassette of claim 1, wherein, The negative pressure unit (200) further comprises a negative pressure driving member (230) arranged between the lower bottom shell (100) and the negative pressure shell (210), the negative pressure driving member (230) is used to drive the negative pressure shell (210) to move away from the lower bottom shell (100).

3. The wafer cassette of claim 1, wherein, The negative pressure shell (210) is slidingly arranged on the inner wall of the lower bottom shell (100), and the bottom wall of the negative pressure shell (210) is provided with a communication hole (211); the wafer box further comprises a flexible negative pressure chamber (250) abutting between the lower end of the negative pressure shell (210) and the bottom wall of the lower bottom shell (100), and the communication hole (211) communicates with the inside of the flexible negative pressure chamber (250).

4. The wafer cassette of claim 1, wherein, The negative pressure unit (200) further comprises a negative pressure locking assembly (240) arranged on the lower bottom shell (100) and / or the negative pressure shell (210), which is used to fix the negative pressure shell (210) to the inner wall of the lower bottom shell (100).

5. The wafer cassette of claim 4, wherein, The negative pressure locking assembly (240) comprises a negative pressure locking tongue (241), two negative pressure locking holes (242) arranged in the vertical direction and a negative pressure locking member (243), the negative pressure locking tongue (241) is arranged on the lower bottom shell (100), the negative pressure locking holes (242) are arranged on the negative pressure shell (210), and the negative pressure locking tongue (241) can be selectively arranged in the negative pressure locking hole (242); the negative pressure locking member (243) is arranged on the negative pressure locking hole (242) close to the bearing table (220) and can be used to drive the negative pressure locking tongue (241) to be disconnected from the negative pressure locking hole (242).

6. The wafer cassette of claim 1, wherein, The wafer box is further provided with an ejection unit (300), the ejection unit (300) comprises an ejection block (310) and an ejection driving member (320), the ejection block (310) is slidingly nested in the bearing table (220), and the ejection driving member (320) is used for driving the ejection block (310) to move upward, so that the upper surface of the ejection block (310) is higher than the upper surface of the bearing table (220), and then the wafer (1) arranged on the ejection block (310) is separated from the bearing table (220).

7. The wafer cassette of claim 6, wherein, The negative pressure hole (221) forms a ring-shaped main suction area (202) and an auxiliary suction area (203) on the bearing table (220), the auxiliary suction area (203) is provided with a plurality of auxiliary suction areas (203) and is arranged on the outer side of the ring-shaped main suction area (202) in a ring shape; the ejection block (310) comprises a first ejection block (312) and a second ejection block (313), the first ejection block (312) is located on the inner side of the ring-shaped main suction area (202), and the second ejection block (313) is arranged on the outer side of the ring-shaped main suction area (202) and located between adjacent auxiliary suction areas (203).

8. The wafer cassette of claim 6, wherein, The ejection unit (300) is further provided with an ejection locking assembly (330), the ejection locking assembly (330) is arranged on the ejection block (310) and / or the negative pressure shell (210), so as to fix the ejection block (310) to the negative pressure shell (210); And / or, the ejection block (310) is provided with a limiting groove (311), when the wafer is separated from the bearing table (220), a part of the bearing table (220) abuts against the bottom of the limiting groove (311).

9. The wafer cassette of claim 8, wherein, The ejection locking assembly (330) comprises an ejection locking tongue (331), an ejection locking hole (332) and an ejection unlocking member (333), the ejection locking tongue (331) and the ejection unlocking member (333) are arranged on the negative pressure shell (210), the ejection locking hole (332) is arranged on the ejection block (310), and the ejection unlocking member (333) can drive the ejection locking tongue (331) to be separated from and / or locked with the ejection locking hole (332) through magnetic force.

10. The wafer cassette of any of claims 1-9, wherein, The inner side of the upper cover (400) has a groove (410) to be buckled with the lower bottom shell (100) to form the accommodation cavity; When the upper cover (400) is buckled with the lower bottom shell (100), the groove bottom of the groove (410) is provided with a gap away from the side of the wafer (1) away from the bearing table (220); The groove bottom of the groove (410) is provided with a flexible layer; The inner wall of the groove (410) is provided with a first connecting structure (420), the outer wall of the lower bottom shell (100) is provided with a second connecting structure (110), and the first connecting structure (420) can be fixedly connected with the second connecting structure (110).

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