Wafer Container Segmented Support for Defect Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wafer containers in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges in securely holding and transporting wafers, leading to potential defects due to particle and moisture adherence, which can affect the reliability of semiconductor devices.
Innovation Solution
A wafer container design featuring a pair of stents with comb-like structures that provide multiple supporting points to balance and securely hold wafers, minimizing contact area to reduce particle and moisture adherence, and allowing for easy cleaning using gas purges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wafer containers are used to hold wafers, then wafers can be transported and stored, but particle and moisture adherence occurs leading to wafer defects
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple discrete support legs rather than a continuous surface, creating segmented contact points that minimize the total contact area between the container and wafer, thereby reducing particle and moisture adherence
Solution Approach 2:
The support legs are positioned at specific locations (e.g., near the wafer periphery) rather than distributed uniformly, creating localized support zones that provide stable holding while minimizing overall contact area with the wafer surface
2Ease of operation
If wafers are securely held in conventional containers, then stable transport is achieved, but cleaning becomes difficult due to large contact areas
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into discrete legs rather than a continuous surface, dramatically reducing the total contact area that requires cleaning and allowing gas purges to effectively reach and clean the support regions
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is extracted from a large continuous contact surface and concentrated into minimal discrete support points, separating the holding function from the cleaning function and enabling easy access for gas purge cleaning
3Object-affected harmful factors
If wafers are held with minimal contact area, then particle adherence is reduced, but wafer stability and balance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The support legs are strategically positioned at specific locations (e.g., near the wafer periphery at defined angular intervals) to provide optimal balance and stability while maintaining minimal contact area, creating localized support zones that ensure wafer stability
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple discrete support legs are distributed around the wafer perimeter, segmenting the support function into multiple stable contact points that collectively provide enhanced stability and balance while maintaining low total contact area
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a wafer container including a frame having a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending along a YZ plane; a plurality of first support structures disposed on the first sidewall and arranged along a Z direction; and a plurality of second support structures disposed on the second sidewall and arranged along the Z direction. One of the plurality of first support structures is horizontally aligned with a corresponding second support structure to constitute a wafer holder. The wafer holder includes a plurality of island structures to hold a wafer in a XY plane, and the plurality of island structures are separated to each other along a X direction. A method for holding at least one wafer is also provided.