Semiconductor carriers

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 particularly to semiconductor carriers.

Background Art

[0002] In order to reduce the humidity in the accommodation space of a semiconductor carrier, usually, a dry gas may be filled into the accommodation space. However, when the semiconductor carrier is opened, the humidity in the accommodation space may increase, so it is necessary to constantly replenish the dry gas into the accommodation space.

[0003] Conventional semiconductor carriers are provided with a plurality of through holes to easily replenish the dry gas into the accommodation space, and valves corresponding to each through hole are installed. Further, a plurality of diffusion pipes are provided in the accommodation space. Thus, by filling the dry air from the outside into the accommodation space through the plurality of valves and evenly diffusing the dry air through the plurality of diffusion pipes, a low-humidity environment in the accommodation space can be maintained.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in conventional semiconductor carriers, a plurality of the diffusion pipes communicate with the same gas buffer chamber, and a plurality of the through holes also communicate with the gas buffer chamber. Therefore, the volume of the gas buffer chamber becomes large, and the range of its periphery that needs to be sealed also becomes wide. A gas buffer chamber with a large volume has a problem that the filling of gas becomes slow, and there is also a risk that the concentration of volatile organic compounds (Volatile Organic Compounds, hereinafter referred to as "VOCs") in the gas buffer chamber increases.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the inventor has conducted intensive research and completed a semiconductor carrier having a gas buffer chamber with a small volume that can improve the circulation efficiency of dry gas and reduce the concentration of VOCs.

[0006] The terms "direction" or similar terms used throughout the specification of this invention, such as "front," "back," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," and "side," primarily refer to directions in the drawings. These terms are used to describe and illustrate each embodiment of the invention and do not limit the invention.

[0007] Throughout the specification of this invention, the classifiers "one" or "one" are used for the parts and components described. This is for convenience and to ensure that the invention is disclosed within the usual scope; therefore, in this invention, it should be interpreted as including both one and at least one. Furthermore, unless explicitly indicated otherwise, the concept of "single" should be interpreted as including multiple.

[0008] Throughout the specification of this invention, synonyms such as "joining," "combining," or "attaching" primarily encompass both states where the members can be separated without damaging them after joining, and states where the members cannot be separated after joining. Those skilled in the art can select the appropriate term based on the materials of the members to be joined and their attachment needs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives and other objectives, the present invention provides a semiconductor carrier comprising: a housing having a housing space formed inside and including a plurality of through holes communicating with the housing space; a bottom plate installed at the bottom of the housing and including a plurality of gas supply units corresponding to each of the through holes; and a mounting groove for arranging a valve, wherein each gas supply unit comprises an elastic sealing member that forms an airtight seal with 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 housing space through the gas buffer passage.

[0010] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the gas supply section 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 between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall, and the gas chamber is located within the annular inner wall.

[0011] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the elastic sealing member is arranged to protrude from the top surface of the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall, and an airtight state is formed by the top surface being pressed against the bottom of the housing.

[0012] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the annular outer wall consists of multiple sheets arranged in an annular shape at intervals, which determines the elastic buffer margin of the elastic sealing member placed in the annular groove.

[0013] In the semiconductor carrier described above, the gas supply unit further includes a spacing portion that distinguishes the space between the gas chamber and the mounting groove, and the spacing portion has a plurality of openings formed therein so that the gas chamber and the mounting groove are in communication with each other.

[0014] In the semiconductor carrier described above, a filter is further arranged in the spacing portion for filtered gas to flow into the containment 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 engaging portions are provided at intervals on the outer edge of the valve, and the engaging portions are arranged in correspondence with the stopper portions so that the valve is fixed in the mounting groove.

[0016] In the semiconductor carrier described above, each stopper portion is provided with a first inclined surface, and each engaging portion is provided with a second inclined surface, the second inclined surface moving relative to the first inclined surface until the engaging portion engages with the stopper portion or until the engaging portion disengages from the stopper portion.

[0017] In the semiconductor carrier described above, a plurality of diffusion tubes are further provided, and a plurality of hollow coupling structures are installed on the inner bottom surface of the housing space, and each of the diffusion tubes is tightly placed over the plurality of hollow coupling structures, and the corresponding diffusion tubes and hollow coupling structures communicate with each other through the 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] As a result, the semiconductor carrier according to the present invention reduces the volume of each gas chamber in the gas supply unit by installing a gas supply unit corresponding to each valve. This narrows the area of ​​the periphery that needs to be sealed around the gas chamber, making it easier to ensure and maintain airtightness. Furthermore, the reduced volume of the gas chambers improves the filling rate and the circulation efficiency of the dry gas. This also reduces the concentration of VOCs released into the containment space from the bottom plate and / or housing material, thus improving the air quality of the dry gas transported to the containment space. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view showing semiconductor carriers according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the semiconductor carriers according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a different angle. [Figure 3] This is a bottom view showing a portion of the semiconductor carriers according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows the cross-sectional structure along line AA in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing a partial cross-section of the bottom plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the base plate and a valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]It is a partially enlarged cross-sectional perspective view showing the coupling state between the bottom plate and the valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a schematic assembly diagram of a valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a view showing a cross-sectional structure along the line B-B of FIG. 3.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

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

[0022] Please refer to FIGS. 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 accommodation space S formed inside, and in order to communicate the accommodation space S with the outside of the housing 1, a plurality of through holes 11 penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the housing 1 are formed.

[0023] For details, please refer to FIGS. 1 to 5. The accommodation space S of the housing 1 is for accommodating semiconductor components that need to be stored in a high cleanliness and low humidity environment, such as wafers, photomasks, substrates, substrates and related components. In this embodiment, a front opening unified pod (FOUP) is described as an example, but it is not limited thereto.

[0024] Of particular note is that the bottom plate 2 includes multiple gas supply units 21 for transporting gas from the bottom plate 2 into the interior of the housing 1. Each gas supply unit 21 corresponds to each through hole 11 in the housing 1; that is, the gas supply units 21 and 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. Since the inner diameter of the annular groove 216 is slightly shorter than the width of the elastic sealing member 211, when the elastic sealing member 211 is positioned inside the annular groove 216, the elastic sealing member 211 will tightly adhere between the annular inner wall 214 and the annular outer wall 215 due to weak elastic deformation. 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 configuration of the elastic sealing member 211, the air chamber 212, and the mounting groove 213 will be further described. The gas supply unit 21 further includes an annular inner wall 214 and a gap portion 217 provided between the air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213. The gap portion 217 mainly distinguishes the spaces of the air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213, and may be porous or have multiple openings so that the air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213 can communicate with each other. Both the air chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213 are formed within the annular inner wall 214, that is, inside the elastic sealing member 211. The elastic sealing member 211 is also positioned to protrude slightly 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 seal, thereby preventing the dry gas transported to the air chamber 212 from leaking through the seam.

[0026] The path through which the gas enters the containment space S of the housing 1 from the outside is a passage that connects to the containment space S via the mounting groove 213, the gas chamber 212, and the through hole 11, as can be seen from the configuration of the gas supply section 21 of the bottom plate 2, the through hole 11 of the housing 1, and the containment space S. A valve 3 for receiving the gas is installed in the mounting groove 213. The gas is transported to the gas chamber 212 through the valve 3, and the gas chamber connects to the through hole to form a gas buffer passage W. Once the gas is received by the valve 3, it flows into the containment space S through the gas buffer passage W. Furthermore, the area where the gas buffer passage W connects to the through hole 11 becomes a gas buffer chamber, where the gas is to be stored as needed.

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

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

[0029] The semiconductor carrier according to this embodiment forms the gas supply unit 21 with a simple configuration, and the elastic sealing member 211 can be stably positioned in a predetermined location. This reduces manufacturing costs and improves the installation stability of the elastic sealing member 211.

[0030] Please refer to Figures 2 and 6. In one embodiment of the present invention, the annular outer wall 215 may be a plurality of sheets 2151 arranged in an annular shape at intervals. As a result, the plurality of sheets together improve the elastic buffer margin of the elastic sealing member 211 placed in the annular groove 216, and the annular inner wall 214 and the annular outer wall 215 are in close contact with the inner and outer surfaces of the elastic sealing member 211, respectively, thereby improving the stability of the placement of the elastic sealing member 211 within the annular groove 216.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom plate 2 is formed with a simple structure to accommodate the corresponding air chamber 212 and mounting groove 213, and when the valve 3 is installed, the air outlet is ensured to align with the corresponding air chamber 212, thereby improving manufacturability and ease of assembly.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gap 217 may be further configured to allow filtered gas to flow into the containment space S through the gas buffer passage W by arranging a filter 2171. The filter 2171 may be positioned at the top of the mounting groove 213 so as to be pressed against the upper end of the valve 3. This improves the cleanliness of the filtered gas transported to the containment 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. In addition, a plurality of engaging portions 31 may be provided at intervals on the outer edge of the valve 3. The engaging portions 31 are arranged in correspondence with the stopper portions 218 so that the valve 3 is fixed in the mounting groove 213. As a result, this embodiment allows the valve 3 to be stably fixed in the mounting groove 213 with a simple structure, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and improving ease of assembly.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the stopper portion 218 and the engaging portion 31 may be an interference fit, but is not limited thereto. For example, the engaging portion 31 of the valve 3 may be positioned to protrude slightly outward and may be made of a material having higher elasticity than the body of the valve 3. This allows the valve 3 to be stably fixed in the mounting groove 213 by inserting the valve 3 into the mounting groove 213 with the engaging portion 31 not corresponding to the stopper portion 218 (see top of Figure 8), and then rotating it slightly until the engaging portion 31 elastically deforms and pushes into a position corresponding to the stopper portion 218 (see bottom of Figure 8).

[0035] Please refer to Figures 5 to 7. To improve the operability of the valve 3 during assembly and disassembly, a first inclined surface 2181 may be formed on each stopper portion 218, and a second inclined surface 311 may be formed on each engaging portion 31. The second inclined surface 311 protrudes outward from the body of the valve 3 at an angle. When the valve 3 is rotated, the second inclined surface 311 comes into contact with the first inclined surface 2181 of the stopper portion 218, and moves in contact with the first inclined surface 2181 until the engaging portion 31 engages with the stopper portion 218. This sliding motion of the inclined surface improves smoothness during assembly and reduces friction. Similarly, when separating the valve 3, by rotating the valve 3 in the reverse direction, the second inclined surface 311 moves in contact with the first inclined surface 2181 until the engaging portion 31 detaches from the stopper portion 218. This allows the valve 3 to be removed from the gas supply unit 21.

[0036] Please refer to Figures 1 and 4. In one embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor carrier may further include a plurality of diffusion tubes 4 located in the containment space S and forming passages corresponding to each through-hole 11. The gas flows into the containment space S via the valve 3 through the gas buffer passage W, the through-hole 11, and the diffusion tubes 4. The gas can be evenly diffused into the containment space S by the diffusion tubes 4.

[0037] Furthermore, multiple hollow coupling structures 12 are installed on the inner bottom surface of the housing space S, positioned to correspond to each diffusion tube 4. The diffusion tubes 4 are placed over the hollow coupling structures 12, creating an airtight seal. This prevents gas from leaking to the outside from the joints and improves the convenience and precision of assembling the diffusion tubes 4.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, the gas chamber 212 and the mounting groove 213 are integrally molded to protrude from the bottom plate 2 toward the bottom of the housing 1, thereby forming a plurality of independent gas buffer chambers. By fixing the valve 3 below the bottom plate 2 with the stopper portion 218 of the bottom 2, sufficient airtightness can be ensured, so that gas can be quickly introduced into the gas buffer chamber, i.e., the gas buffer passage W. Furthermore, the gas filtered by the filter 2171 is guided to the diffusion tube 4 in the containment space S inside the housing 1. In addition, by providing similar through holes 11 along the opening direction of the housing 1 and arranging the gas supply unit 21 or valve 3 at a position corresponding to the through hole 11 in the bottom plate to discharge gas, excess VOCs can be efficiently discharged from the containment space S to the outside of the housing 1, thereby reducing the impact of VOCs. According to this embodiment, a plurality of gas supply units 21 may be molded simultaneously when molding the bottom plate 2. This simplifies the manufacturing of the base plate 2, saves assembly time for the multiple gas supply units 21, and ensures that the multiple gas supply units 21 are precisely positioned in their respective locations on the base plate 2 so that they align accurately with the corresponding through holes 11 when the base plate 2 is joined to the housing 1. The base plate 2 shall have a gas transmission function, whether it is made of a low-moisture-absorbing material or a non-low-moisture-absorbing material.

[0039] Table 1 shows experimental data on humidity, VOCs, and toluene at 0 and 1 hour inside the conventional carrier and the carrier of the present invention. The conventional carrier has a configuration in which multiple diffusion tubes share the same gas buffer chamber, whereas the carrier of the present invention has a configuration in which each diffusion tube uses an independent gas buffer chamber separately.

[0040] [Table 1]

[0041] As shown in the experimental data in Table 1, regarding humidity, both conventional semiconductor carriers and the semiconductor carrier of the present invention tend to show an increase in humidity. However, the increase in humidity for the semiconductor carrier of the present invention is clearly lower than that for conventional semiconductor carriers. Therefore, it can be seen that the semiconductor carrier of the present invention is more effective than conventional semiconductor carriers in suppressing humidity increase. Regarding VOCs concentration, both conventional semiconductor carriers and the semiconductor carrier of the present invention tend to show a decrease in VOCs concentration. However, because the semiconductor carrier of the present invention has a small air chamber and rapid filling, it can reduce the concentration of VOCs released by the material. As a result, the VOCs concentrations at 0 hours and 1 hour are both lower than those of conventional semiconductor carriers. Regarding toluene, conventional semiconductor carriers tend to show an increase in toluene concentration, while the semiconductor carrier of the present invention shows a decrease. In summary, it is clear that the semiconductor carrier of the present invention is superior to conventional semiconductor carriers in terms of data regarding low humidity, low VOCs, and low toluene.

[0042] Although the present invention has been disclosed in preferred embodiments as described above, a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Modifications and substitutions equivalent to those in the embodiments are included within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is determined by the claims. The claims should be interpreted most broadly to include all modifications and similar treatments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1 cabinet 11 Through hole 12 Hollow coupling structure 2 Bottom plate 21 Gas supply unit 211 Elastic sealing member 2111 Top surface 212 chambers 213 Mounting groove 214 Annular inner wall 215 Annular outer wall 2151 sheets 216 Annular groove 217 Interval 218 Stopper section 2181 First Slope 3 valves 31 Engaging part 311 Second Slope 4 Diffusion tube S storage space W Gas buffer channel

Claims

1. A housing having an internal storage space and including a plurality of through holes communicating with the storage space, A bottom plate is installed at the bottom of the housing and includes a plurality of gas supply units corresponding to each of the through holes, The base plate is installed and includes a mounting groove for arranging a valve, Each of the aforementioned gas supply units is: An elastic sealing member that forms an airtight seal between itself and the bottom of the housing, It comprises 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 is a semiconductor carrier that receives gas and allows it to flow into the containment space through the gas buffer passage.

2. The gas supply section further includes an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall, and an annular groove is defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall. The elastic sealing member is positioned within the annular groove so as to be in close contact between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 1, wherein the air chamber is located within the annular inner wall.

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

4. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 2, wherein the annular outer wall is a plurality of sheets arranged in an annular shape at intervals, and determines the elastic buffer margin of the elastic sealing member disposed in the annular groove.

5. The gas supply unit further includes a spacing portion that distinguishes the space between the gas chamber and the mounting groove, The semiconductor carrier according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of openings are formed in the spacing portion so that the air chamber and the mounting groove communicate with each other.

6. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 5, wherein a filter is further provided in the interval for filtered gas to flow into the containment space through the gas buffer passage.

7. Multiple stopper portions are provided at intervals on the inner wall of the aforementioned mounting groove. Multiple engaging portions are provided at intervals on the outer edge of the valve. The semiconductor carrier according to claim 1, wherein the engaging portion is arranged in correspondence with the stopper portion so that the valve is fixed in the mounting groove.

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

9. It is further equipped with multiple diffusion tubes, Multiple hollow coupling structures are installed on the inner bottom surface of the aforementioned storage space. Each of the diffusion tubes is tightly fitted over a plurality of the hollow coupling structures, The semiconductor carrier according to claim 1, wherein the corresponding diffusion tubes and hollow coupling structures communicate with each other through the through holes.

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

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