Semiconductor carrier

Abstract

To provide a semiconductor carrier.SOLUTION: A semiconductor carrier includes: a housing having an accommodating space formed therein and including a plurality of through holes communicating with the accommodating space; a bottom plate installed at a bottom of the housing and including a plurality of gas supply portions corresponding to respective through holes; and a mounting groove for disposing a valve. Each of the gas supply portions includes an elastic sealing member forming an airtight seal with the bottom of the housing, and a gas chamber located inside the elastic sealing member and communicating with the through hole to form a gas buffering passage. A mounting groove communicates with the gas chamber. The valve receives a gas to flow into the accommodating space through the gas buffering passage. Through an arrangement and a configuration of the bottom plate and the housing, the present invention can reduce a contact area of the sealing member and a volume of the gas buffering chamber, prevent entry of foreign substances into the housing, and reduce influence of volatile organic substances (VOCs).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to carriers, and more particularly to semiconductor carriers. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to reduce the humidity in the storage space of the semiconductor carrier, the storage space is usually filled with dry gas, but when the semiconductor carrier is opened, the humidity in the storage space may increase, so the storage space needs to be constantly replenished with dry gas.

[0003] In a conventional semiconductor carrier, a plurality of holes are provided for easily supplying dry gas to the storage space, and a corresponding valve is installed in each hole. Furthermore, a plurality of diffusion tubes are installed in the storage space. This allows dry air to be supplied from the outside through the valves into the storage space, and the dry air is then evenly diffused through the diffusion tubes, thereby maintaining a low humidity environment within the storage space. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional semiconductor carriers, multiple diffusion tubes and multiple through-holes communicate with the same gas buffer chamber. This increases the volume of the gas buffer chamber and the periphery that must be sealed. A large-volume gas buffer chamber can slow down gas filling and can increase the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the gas buffer chamber.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the inventors have conducted extensive research and have completed a semiconductor carrier equipped with a small-volume gas buffer chamber that can improve the circulation efficiency of dry gas and reduce the concentration of VOCs.

[0006] Directions and similar terms used throughout the specification of the present invention, such as "front," "rear," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," "side," etc., primarily refer to directions in the drawings. These directions and similar terms are used to explain and understand each embodiment of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0007] Although the quantifiers "one" and "one" are used for parts and components described throughout the specification of the present invention, this is for convenience and to disclose the present invention in the normal scope, and therefore, in the present invention, it should be interpreted as including both one and at least one. Furthermore, unless clearly indicated otherwise, the concept of singular should be interpreted as including plural.

[0008] The terms "coupled," "engaged," "attached," and similar terms used throughout the present specification primarily refer to either a state in which the members can be separated without being destroyed after being connected, or a state in which the members cannot be separated after being connected. Those skilled in the art can select the appropriate term based on the materials of the members to be connected and the needs of the installation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a semiconductor carrier comprising: a housing having an accommodating space formed therein and including a plurality of through holes communicating with the accommodating space; a bottom plate installed at the bottom of the housing and including a plurality of gas supply units corresponding to the through holes; and a mounting groove for arranging a valve, wherein each of the gas supply units comprises an elastic sealing member that forms an airtight seal between itself and the bottom of the housing; and an air chamber located inside the elastic sealing member and communicating with the through holes to form a gas buffer passage, the mounting groove communicating with the air chamber, and the valve receiving gas and allowing it to flow into the accommodating space through the gas buffer passage.

[0010] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the gas supply portion further includes an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall, an annular groove is defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall, the elastic sealing member is disposed in the annular groove so as to be in close contact with the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall, and the air chamber is located within the annular inner wall.

[0011] In the semiconductor carrier, the elastic sealing members are arranged to protrude from the top surfaces of the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall, and the top surfaces are pressed against the bottom of the housing to form an airtight state.

[0012] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the annular outer wall is a plurality of spaced apart sheets arranged annularly and defines an elastic buffer margin for the elastic sealing member disposed within the annular groove.

[0013] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the gas supply section further includes a spacing section that separates the air chamber from the mounting groove, and the spacing section has a plurality of openings formed therein so that the air chamber and the mounting groove communicate with each other.

[0014] In the semiconductor carrier, a filter is further disposed in the gap, allowing filtered gas to flow into the receiving space through the gas buffer passage.

[0015] In the semiconductor carrier described above, a plurality of stopper portions are provided at intervals on the inner wall of the mounting groove, and a plurality of engagement portions are provided at intervals on the outer edge of the valve, and the engagement portions are arranged to correspond to the stopper portions so that the valve is fixed in the mounting groove.

[0016] In the semiconductor carrier described above, each of the stopper portions has a first inclined surface, and each of the engaging portions has a second inclined surface, and the second inclined surface moves relative to the first inclined surface until the engaging portion engages with the corresponding stopper portion or until the engaging portion disengages from the stopper portion.

[0017] The semiconductor carrier further includes a plurality of diffusion tubes, and a plurality of hollow coupling structures are installed on the inner bottom surface of the accommodating space. Each of the diffusion tubes is tightly placed over a plurality of the hollow coupling structures, and corresponding diffusion tubes and hollow coupling structures communicate with each other through holes.

[0018] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the air chamber and the mounting groove are integrally molded so as to protrude from the bottom plate toward the bottom of the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] Therefore, by installing a gas supply unit corresponding to each valve, the semiconductor carrier of the present invention reduces the volume of each gas chamber in the gas supply unit, thereby narrowing the peripheral area that needs to be sealed for the gas chamber, making it easier to ensure and maintain airtightness. Furthermore, the reduced volume of the air chamber improves the filling speed and circulation efficiency of the dry gas, and reduces the concentration of VOCs released into the storage space from the base plate and / or housing material, thereby improving the air quality of the dry gas transported to the storage space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a semiconductor carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of a semiconductor carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from another angle. [Figure 3] 1 is a bottom view of a portion of a semiconductor carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial cross section of a bottom plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a portion of the bottom plate and a valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional perspective view showing a state in which a bottom plate and a valve are joined together according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is an assembly schematic diagram of a valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure taken along line BB in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] In order to fully understand the objectives, features and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below through specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. This is an example of a preferred embodiment of a semiconductor carrier according to the present invention, and includes a housing 1 and a bottom plate 2 installed at the bottom of the housing 1. The housing 1 has an accommodating space S formed therein, and a plurality of through holes 11 penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the housing 1 to connect the accommodating space S to the outside of the housing 1.

[0023] For details, please refer to Figures 1 to 5. The storage space S of the housing 1 is for storing semiconductor components that need to be stored in a highly clean and low-humidity environment, such as wafers, photomasks, boards, substrates, and related parts. In this embodiment, a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) is used as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0024] It is worth noting that the bottom plate 2 includes a plurality of gas supply units 21 that transport gas from the bottom plate 2 to the inside of the housing 1. Each gas supply unit 21 corresponds to a corresponding one of the through holes 11 in the housing 1; that is, the gas supply units 21 and the through holes 11 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. Each gas supply unit 21 includes an elastic sealing member 211 that forms an airtight seal between the gas supply unit 21 and the bottom of the housing 1, an air chamber 212, and a mounting groove 213. To ensure airtightness, the gas supply unit 21 further includes an annular inner wall 214 and an annular outer wall 215, and an annular groove 216 is defined between the annular inner wall 214 and the annular outer wall 215. The inner diameter of the annular groove 216 is slightly shorter than the width of the elastic sealing member 211. Therefore, when the elastic sealing member 211 is placed inside the annular groove 216, it is slightly elastically deformed to fit tightly between the annular inner wall 214 and the annular outer wall 215. The elastic sealing member 211 may be, for example, an elastic rubber band, but is not limited to this. The elastic sealing member 211 may be fixed to the annular groove 216 by any method, such as hot pressing or assembly.

[0025] The configurations of the elastic sealing member 211, the air chamber 212, and the mounting groove 213 will now be described. The gas supply unit 21 further includes an annular inner wall 214 and a gap 217 provided between the air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213. The gap 217 mainly serves to separate the air chamber 212 from the mounting groove 213, and may be porous or have a plurality of openings so that the air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213 communicate with each other. The air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213 are both formed within the annular inner wall 214, i.e., inside the elastic sealing member 211. The elastic sealing member 211 is positioned so as to slightly protrude from the top surfaces of the annular inner wall 214 and the annular outer wall 215. When the bottom plate 2 is joined to the housing 1, the top surface 2111 of the elastic sealing member 211 is pressed against the bottom of the housing 1 to form an airtight state, thereby preventing the dry gas transported to the air chamber 212 from leaking through the joints.

[0026] From the configuration of the gas supply unit 21 on the bottom plate 2, the through-hole 11 in the housing 1, and the storage space S, it can be seen that the path by which gas enters from the outside into the storage space S of the housing 1 passes through the mounting groove 213, the air chamber 212, the through-hole 11, and then connects to the storage space S. A valve 3 for receiving gas is installed in the mounting groove 213. The gas is transported to the air chamber 212 through the valve 3, and the air chamber communicates with the through-hole to form a gas buffer passage W. When the gas is received by the valve 3, it flows into the storage space S through the gas buffer passage W. The area where the gas buffer passage W communicates with the through-hole 11 becomes a gas buffer chamber, where the gas is appropriately stored.

[0027] According to the above configuration, in order to maintain a low humidity environment within the storage space S, the semiconductor carrier of this embodiment fills the multiple valves 3 with dry gas using an external gas filling device, and the multiple valves 3 transport the dry gas to their corresponding air chambers 212, so that each gas buffer passage W circulates the dry gas into the storage space S through the corresponding through holes 11.

[0028] In the semiconductor carrier according to this embodiment, each valve 3 is disposed in each mounting groove 213 of the gas supply unit 21. This reduces the volume of each air chamber 212 in the gas supply unit 21 and narrows the peripheral area that needs to be sealed of the air chamber 212, making it easier to ensure and maintain airtightness. Furthermore, the smaller volume of the air chamber 212 improves the air filling speed, improves the circulation efficiency of the dry gas, and shortens the time the dry gas remains in the air chamber 212. This reduces the concentration of VOCs released into the storage space S from the material of the bottom plate 2 and / or the housing 1 and improves the air quality of the dry gas transported to the storage space S, thereby reducing the adverse effects of VOCs on the semiconductor components stored in the storage space S.

[0029] The semiconductor carrier according to this embodiment has a simple structure for forming the gas supply unit 21 and for stably positioning the elastic sealing member 211 at a predetermined position, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and improving the installation stability of the elastic sealing member 211.

[0030] 2 and 6. In one embodiment of the present invention, the annular outer wall 215 may be a plurality of sheets 2151 arranged annularly and spaced apart. The plurality of sheets together improves the elastic cushioning margin of the elastic sealing member 211 disposed within the annular groove 216, and the annular inner wall 214 and the annular outer wall 215 are tightly fitted to the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the elastic sealing member 211, thereby improving the stability of the elastic sealing member 211 within the annular groove 216.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom plate 2 forms the corresponding air chamber 212 and mounting groove 213 with a simple structure, and ensures that when the valve 3 is mounted, its air outlet is aligned with the corresponding air chamber 212, thereby improving manufacturability and assembly.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gap 217 may further include a filter 2171 disposed therein so that the filtered gas flows into the receiving space S through the gas buffer passage W. The filter 2171 may be disposed at the top of the mounting groove 213 so as to be pressed against the upper end of the valve 3. This may improve the purity of the filtered gas delivered to the receiving space S.

[0033] Please refer to Figures 5 to 9. In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of stopper portions 218 may be provided at intervals on the inner wall of the mounting groove 213. Furthermore, a plurality of engagement portions 31 may be provided at intervals on the outer edge of the valve 3. The engagement portions 31 are arranged corresponding to the stopper portions 218 so that the valve 3 is fixed in the mounting groove 213. As a result, in this embodiment, the valve 3 can be stably fixed in the mounting groove 213 with a simple structure, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and improving assembly ease.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the stopper portion 218 and the engaging portion 31 may be, but is not limited to, an interference fit. For example, the engaging portion 31 of the valve 3 may be arranged to protrude slightly outward and may be made of a material having higher elasticity than the main body of the valve 3. This allows the valve 3 to be stably fixed to the mounting groove 213 by inserting the valve 3 into the mounting groove 213 when the engaging portion 31 does not correspond to the stopper portion 218 (see the upper part of FIG. 8), and then slightly rotating the engaging portion 31 until it elastically deforms and is pushed into a position corresponding to the stopper portion 218 (see the lower part of FIG. 8).

[0035] See FIGS. 5 to 7. To improve ease of assembly and disassembly of the valve 3, each stopper portion 218 may be formed with a first inclined surface 2181, and each engaging portion 31 may be formed with a second inclined surface 311. The second inclined surface 311 protrudes outward from the body of the valve 3 at an inclination. When the valve 3 is rotated, the second inclined surface 311 abuts against the first inclined surface 2181 of the stopper portion 218. The second inclined surface 311 moves in contact with the first inclined surface 2181 until the engaging portion 31 engages with the corresponding stopper portion 218. This sliding movement of the inclined surface improves assembly and reduces friction. Similarly, when disassembling the valve 3, the valve 3 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the second inclined surface 311 moves in contact with the first inclined surface 2181 until the engaging portion 31 disengages from the stopper portion 218. This allows the valve 3 to be removed from the gas supply unit 21.

[0036] 1 and 4. In one embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor carrier may further include a plurality of diffusion tubes 4 positioned in the receiving space S and forming a passage corresponding to each through hole 11. Gas flows into the receiving space S through the valve 3, the gas buffer passage W, the through hole 11, and the diffusion tube 4. The diffusion tube 4 allows the gas to be evenly diffused throughout the receiving space S.

[0037] Additionally, a plurality of hollow coupling structures 12 are installed on the inner bottom surface of the accommodation space S, which are aligned to correspond to each diffusion tube 4. The diffusion tubes 4 are placed over the hollow coupling structures 12 to form an airtight seal. This prevents gas from leaking from the joints to the outside, and improves the convenience and accuracy of assembling the diffusion tubes 4.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213 may be integrally molded to protrude from the bottom plate 2 toward the bottom of the housing 1, forming multiple independent gas buffer chambers. Fixing the valve 3 below the bottom plate 2 using the stopper portion 218 on the bottom plate 2 ensures sufficient airtightness, allowing gas to be quickly introduced into the gas buffer chamber, i.e., the gas buffer passage W. Furthermore, gas filtered by the filter 2171 is guided to the diffusion tube 4 in the storage space S inside the housing 1. Furthermore, similar through holes 11 are provided along the opening direction of the housing 1, and the gas supply unit 21 or the valve 3 is positioned in the bottom plate at a position corresponding to the through hole 11 to exhaust gas. This efficiently exhausts excess VOCs from the storage space S to the outside of the housing 1, thereby reducing the impact of VOCs. According to this embodiment, multiple gas supply units 21 may be molded simultaneously when molding the bottom plate 2. This makes it easier to manufacture the bottom plate 2, saves the time required to assemble the multiple gas supply units 21, and ensures that the multiple gas supply units 21 are accurately installed at predetermined positions on the bottom plate 2 so that they are accurately aligned with the corresponding through holes 11 when the bottom plate 2 is joined to the housing 1. Note that the bottom plate 2 has a gas transmission function whether it is made of a low moisture absorption material or a non-low moisture absorption material.

[0039] Table 1 shows experimental data for humidity, VOCs, and toluene inside the conventional carrier and the carrier of the present invention at time 0 and time 1. The conventional carrier is configured so that multiple diffusion tubes share the same gas buffer chamber, while the carrier of the present invention is configured so that each diffusion tube uses its own independent gas buffer chamber.

[0040] [Table 1]

[0041] As shown in the experimental data in Table 1, with regard to humidity, both the conventional semiconductor carrier and the semiconductor carrier of the present invention tended to increase humidity. However, the humidity increase tendency of the semiconductor carrier of the present invention was significantly lower than that of the conventional semiconductor carrier. Therefore, it can be seen that the semiconductor carrier of the present invention is more effective at suppressing humidity increase than the conventional semiconductor carrier. With regard to VOC concentration, both the conventional semiconductor carrier and the semiconductor carrier of the present invention tended to decrease VOC concentration. However, the semiconductor carrier of the present invention has small air chambers and quickly fills, which reduces the concentration of VOCs emitted by the material. As a result, the VOC concentrations at both 0 and 1 hour were lower than those of the conventional semiconductor carrier. With regard to toluene, the toluene concentration tended to increase in the conventional semiconductor carrier, while the semiconductor carrier of the present invention tended to decrease it. In summary, it is clear that the semiconductor carrier of the present invention is superior to the conventional semiconductor carrier in terms of low humidity, low VOCs, and low toluene.

[0042] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, any modifications or substitutions equivalent to the above embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is as defined by the claims. The claims should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner to encompass all modifications and similar arrangements. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1 chassis 11 Through hole 12 Hollow coupling structure 2 Bottom plate 21 Gas supply section 211 Elastic sealing member 2111 Top surface 212 Air chamber 213 Mounting groove 214 Annular inner wall 215 Annular outer wall 2151 seats 216 Circular groove 217 Spacing 218 Stopper part 2181 First Slope 3 valves 31 Engagement part 311 Second Slope 4 Diffusion tubes S Storage Space W Gas buffer passage

Claims

1. a housing having an accommodation space formed therein and including a plurality of through holes communicating with the accommodation space; a bottom plate provided at a bottom of the housing and including a plurality of gas supply units corresponding to the through holes; a mounting groove for locating the valve; Each of the gas supply units is an elastic sealing member that forms an airtight seal between itself and the bottom of the housing; an air chamber located inside the elastic sealing member and communicating with the through hole to form a gas buffer passage; The mounting groove communicates with the air chamber, The valve allows gas to flow into the receiving space through the gas buffer passage.

2. the gas supply further includes an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall, an annular groove defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall; the resilient sealing member is disposed within the annular groove so as to seal closely between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall; The semiconductor carrier of claim 1 , wherein the air chamber is located within the annular inner wall.

3. 3. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 2, wherein the elastic sealing member is disposed so as to protrude from top surfaces of the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall, and the top surfaces are pressed against a bottom of the housing to form an airtight state.

4. 3. The semiconductor carrier of claim 2, wherein said annular outer wall is a plurality of spaced apart annular sheets defining a resilient cushioning margin for said resilient sealing member disposed within said annular groove.

5. the gas supply unit further includes a spacing portion that separates the air chamber from the mounting groove; 2. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 1, wherein the gap is formed with a plurality of openings so that the air chamber and the mounting groove communicate with each other.

6. 6. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 5, further comprising a filter disposed in the gap for allowing filtered gas to flow into the receiving space through the gas buffer passage.

7. A plurality of stopper portions are provided at intervals on the inner wall of the mounting groove, The valve has an outer edge provided with a plurality of engagement portions spaced apart, The semiconductor carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the engagement portion is disposed corresponding to the stopper portion so that the valve is fixed in the mounting groove.

8. Each of the stopper portions has a first inclined surface, and each of the engagement portions has a second inclined surface, The semiconductor carrier according to claim 7 , wherein the second inclined surface moves relative to the first inclined surface until the engaging portion engages with the corresponding stopper portion or until the engaging portion disengages from the stopper portion.

9. Further comprising a plurality of diffusion tubes; A plurality of hollow coupling structures are installed on the inner bottom surface of the storage space, Each of the diffusion tubes is disposed in close contact with a plurality of the hollow coupling structures; The semiconductor carrier of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding diffusion tube and hollow coupling structure communicate with the through-hole.

10. 2. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 1, wherein the air chamber and the mounting groove are integrally molded so as to protrude from the bottom plate toward the bottom of the housing.

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