Shiftless Wafer Blade Deep Pocket Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

In semiconductor fabrication, wafer handling between process chambers is challenging due to the risk of wafer damage and contamination, particularly when wafers slip off or are damaged during high-temperature transfer, necessitating a secure and contamination-free handling solution.

Innovation Solution

A shiftless wafer blade with a deep wafer pocket, thin profile, and rounded corners is designed to securely hold wafers, featuring a depth of at least ⅔ of the wafer thickness and a profile no thicker than ⅖ of the slit opening, along with contours and protrusions to prevent damage and contamination, allowing for secure transport and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a wafer is handled by a conventional wafer blade during high-temperature transfer, then the wafer can be transported between chambers, but the wafer may slip off the blade and become damaged or contaminated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewafer security during transferVSAvoidwafer damage and contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wafer blade features rounded corners instead of sharp edges. This curvature prevents the wafer from catching on corners and slipping off during transfer, while also preventing damage to the wafer if contact occurs. The rounded geometry eliminates the harmful sharp corners that could cause wafer edge damage during high-temperature handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The wafer blade includes a deep pocket structure that nests the wafer securely. The pocket depth is at least 2/3 of the wafer thickness, creating a recessed area that holds the wafer in place during transfer operations. This nesting structure prevents the wafer from slipping off the blade while maintaining easy access for loading and unloading.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 3:

The wafer blade has a thin profile design where the blade thickness is at most 2/5 of the slit opening height. This localized thinning in specific areas reduces the blade's interference with the wafer and cassette while maintaining structural integrity for handling. The selective thinning allows the wafer to sit more securely on the blade surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If a wafer blade with deep pocket and thin profile is used, then wafer security is improved, but the blade design becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewafer security during transferVSAvoidblade structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wafer blade is designed as a simple, monolithic structure without complex segmented components. The deep pocket and thin profile are integrated into a single blade piece, eliminating the need for multiple parts or complex assembly. This segmentation approach maintains reliability while avoiding increased device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11688620B2Shiftless wafer blades

Publication Date: 2023.06.27 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

In an embodiment, a system includes: a cassette comprising a slit opening configured to house a wafer; a blade configured to move the wafer to and from the slit opening by extending into the slit opening, wherein a blade thickness of the blade is at most ⅖ of a height of the slit opening and wherein the blade is configured to secure the wafer within a pocket on the blade that is at least ⅔ of a wafer thickness of the wafer.