Wafer Tray with Adjustable Guides for Multi-Diameter Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses are limited in processing wafers with different diameters, requiring costly modifications and dedicated parts, and lack suitable heated electrostatic chucks for smaller wafers.
Innovation Solution
A wafer tray with a tray main body and wafer guides that allows wafers of different diameters to be processed without modifying the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, featuring a major surface with a defined wafer placing region and discretely positioned wafer guides that stabilize and secure the wafer during processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is set to process wafers with one predetermined diameter, then the processing stability is ensured, but the apparatus cannot process wafers with different diameters without costly modifications and dedicated parts
Solution Approach 1:
The wafer tray is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate wafers of different diameters by adjusting the position of wafer guides, eliminating the need for dedicated trays for each wafer size. The tray main body with its major surface and adjustable guides creates a multi-functional component that works across various wafer specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The wafer guides are designed to be movable or adjustable along the tray main body, allowing dynamic reconfiguration of the wafer placing region to match different wafer diameters. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the same tray to adapt to various wafer sizes without requiring physical modifications to the apparatus.
2Manufacturing precision
If dedicated parts are produced for each wafer diameter, then the processing precision is maintained, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single wafer tray design serves multiple wafer diameter specifications through adjustable guides, eliminating the need to manufacture separate dedicated trays for each wafer size. This universal design maintains processing precision while significantly reducing production costs by consolidating multiple dedicated parts into one versatile component.
Solution Approach 2:
The wafer tray is segmented into modular components including the tray main body and separate adjustable wafer guides. This segmentation allows the guides to be repositioned for different wafer sizes while keeping the main tray structure unchanged, maintaining precision without requiring complete dedicated parts for each application.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the apparatus is modified to process different wafer diameters, then the versatility is improved, but the maintenance time increases due to replacing dedicated parts
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable wafer guides enable dynamic reconfiguration of the tray for different wafer sizes without permanent modifications. During maintenance, the guides can be easily repositioned or removed without requiring apparatus shutdown or complex replacement procedures, significantly reducing maintenance time while maintaining versatility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If heated electrostatic chucks are manufactured for small diameter wafers, then the processing capability is expanded, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wafer tray provides a universal platform that accommodates small diameter wafers through guide adjustment rather than requiring specialized heated electrostatic chucks for each wafer size. This approach expands processing capability while avoiding the complexity of manufacturing and maintaining multiple dedicated chuck systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer tray includes a tray main body and a plurality of wafer guides. The tray main body includes a major surface having a first diameter. A wafer placing region is defined on the major surface. A wafer having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter can be placed in the wafer placing region. The plurality of wafer guides is discretely disposed outside the wafer placing region and adjacent to an outline of the wafer placing region on the major surface. Each of the wafer guides includes a back surface fixed in contact with the major surface and a top portion higher than the major surface of the tray main body.