Wafer carrying apparatus

• US 20060099058A1
• Filed: 08/16/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DONGBU ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (DB HiTek Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Dongbuanam Semiconductor, Inc. (DB HiTek Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Choi, Jong Sok
• Granted Patent: US 7,500,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/416.08
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6732 Vertical carrier comprising wall type elements whereby the substrates are horizontally supported, e.g. comprising sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67383 characterised by substrate supports

Abstract

A wafer carrying apparatus or cassette is disclosed, which includes a binding or retention unit, so as to prevent wafers from being damaged by crash, inadvertent egress or exiting, and so on. The wafer carrying apparatus includes a main body provided with a plurality of wafer insertion grooves formed on inner sides and an opening formed on a front surface to take wafers in and out, a binding unit configured to move up and down on the front surface of the main body, its position relative to the insertion grooves being variable so as to close and open the insertion grooves, and a mechanism for varying the position of the binding unit relative to the insertion grooves, the mechanism being connected to the binding unit.

Claims

1. A wafer carrying apparatus comprising:

a main body having a plurality of wafer insertion grooves formed on inner sides thereof and an opening in a front surface thereof adapted to take wafers in and out;

a binding unit, configured to move up and down on the front surface of the main body, its position relative to the insertion grooves being variable so as to close or open the insertion grooves; and

a means for varying the position of the binding unit relative to the insertion grooves, the means for varying being connected to the binding unit.

2. The wafer carrying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for varying the position of the binding unit includes a button and a mechanism that varies the position of the binding unit depending on a position of the button.

3. The wafer carrying apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a grip on top of the main body, wherein the button is on the grip.

4. The wafer carrying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mechanism includes a connector that connects the button with the binding unit, and a spring configured to maintain the position of the binding unit to open the wafer insertion grooves.

5. The wafer carrying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spring allows the wafer insertion grooves to be open unless the position of the binding unit is varied to close the wafer insertion grooves while the button is pressed.

6. The wafer carrying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the binding unit substantially has the same profile as that of side sections of the inner sides of the main body provided with the insertion grooves.

7. The wafer carrying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the binding unit comprises a plurality of trapezoidal projections.

8. A wafer cassette system, comprising:

a plurality of protrusions configured to support a plurality of wafers; and

a wafer retention unit configured to be substantially aligned with said plurality of protrusions in a first state and to be offset from said plurality of protrusions in a second state.

9. The wafer cassette system of claim 8, wherein said first state includes a non-secured state for access of said plurality of wafers, and said second state includes a secured state for retention of said plurality of wafers.

10. The wafer cassette system of claim 8, further comprising a wafer retention handle coupled to said wafer retention unit, wherein said wafer retention handle is configured to be grasped along with a cassette handle.

11. The wafer cassette system of claim 10, further comprising a spring configured to (i) enable movement of said wafer retention unit when said wafer retention handle is deflected and (ii) return said wafer retention unit to a position substantially aligned with said plurality of protrusions when said wafer retention handle is not deflected.

12. The wafer cassette system of claim 10, wherein said wafer retention handle is configured to be deflected in said second state.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said wafer retention mechanism is coupled to at least one wafer retention unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of deflecting said wafer retention handle includes moving said at least one wafer retention unit to be offset from protrusions supporting said wafers.

13. A method for preventing damage to wafers, comprising the steps of:

deflecting a wafer retention mechanism coupled to a wafer cassette having said wafers therein to secure said wafers within said wafer cassette; and

returning said wafer retention mechanism to a default position enabling said wafers unhindered ingress and egress from said wafer cassette.

14. The method of claim 13, further including the step of removing said wafer cassette from a pod.

17. A method of manufacturing a plurality of wafers, comprising the steps of:

removing a wafer cassette having said wafers therein from a first wafer processing apparatus;

transporting said wafer cassette to a second wafer processing apparatus;

when said wafers are at risk for inadvertent egress, securing said wafers within said wafer cassette using a wafer retention unit; and

placing said wafer cassette in said second wafer processing apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of said first and second wafer processing apparatus performs at least one CMOS processing step.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of securing said wafer includes deflecting a wafer retention mechanism coupled to said wafer retention unit.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of removing said wafer cassette includes grasping a wafer cassette handle, said wafer cassette mechanism being configured to be grasped along with said wafer retention handle.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of placing said wafer cassette includes releasing a wafer retention mechanism handle such that the wafer is accessible by said equipment.