Device for storing and/or transporting plate-shaped substrates in the manufacture of electronic components

• US 20060151404A1
• Filed: 07/08/2004
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Tec-Sem AG
• Inventors: Blattner, Jakob, Federici, Rudy
• Granted Patent: US 7,682,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/41.180
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67769 Storage means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67778 involving loading and unloading of wafers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68714 the wafers being placed on a susceptor, stage or support

Abstract

To make possible a tightly packed, essentially horizontal storage of wafers (40), in which a simplified access to each of these wafers (40) is possible, a device is provided having a plurality of superimposed storage elements (10). The storage elements (10) have device features (16) for depositing the wafers (40). The storage elements (10) have projections (14) for lifting, whereby a specific storage element (10a) as well as all storage elements (10) arranged above this specific storage element (10a) can be lifted by a predetermined first height for producing a contact gap. The projections (14) can also be used to lift the storage element (10b) arranged below the said storage element (10a) by a predetermined second height for producing a freedom of access.

Claims

1. A device for storing plate-shaped substrates, the device comprising:

a plurality of consecutive storage elements in a stacked direction, each of which is provided for accommodating at least one substrate;

a means for depositing a substrate provided for each of the storage elements; and

a stacking area associated with each of the storage elements, each stacking area being provided for arranging the respective storage element within a stack of storage elements.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the storage elements can be stacked directly on one another.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the storage elements can be handled at their stacking area for producing an increased distance between two consecutive storage elements, as a result of which one of the storage elements is accessible for a deposit or a removal of a substrate.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a relative motion can be carried out between the two storage elements for producing an increased distance.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the storage elements are embodied as at least approximately self-contained storage rings.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means for depositing comprises inwardly and upwardly directed projections, by means of which a substrate can be deposited above a ring section of the storage element.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the projections have a horizontally directed contact surface.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein storage elements arranged on top of one another form an at least laterally, enclosed space.

9. A device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising means for producing clean air, with which a clean room atmosphere can be produced in the enclosed space.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein an overpressure can be produced in the interior of the device with the clean room means.

11. A device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising means for a predetermined discharge of a gas from within the device outwards.

12. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for increasing stability and/or positioning accuracy of superimposed storage elements.

13. A device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a centering means formed on one of the storage elements, which centering means cooperates with a centering means of a consecutive storage element in the stacked direction for increasing the stability.

14. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a tool for producing a relative motion between storage elements, which tool is provided with a first contact surface for contacting an upper storage element and a second contact surface for contacting a lower storage element, whereby motion means are provided, with which a relative motion can be carried out between at least one of the storage elements and at least one of the contact surfaces, in order to increase the distance between the storage elements.

15. A device in accordance with claim 14, wherein the two contact surfaces of the tool are offset against one another in the stacked direction of the storage elements.

16. A device in accordance with claim 14, wherein a relative mobility of the two contact surfaces is provided.

17. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tool is movable in a plane parallel to surfaces of the disk-shaped substrates.

18. A transport container for transporting substrates in a lockable space, the transport container comprising:

storage elements, on each of which a substrate can be arranged, the storage elements provide a device each with a plurality of consecutive storage elements in a stacked direction, each of which is provided for accommodating at least one substrate, a means for depositing a substrate provided for each of the storage elements and a stacking area associated with each of the storage elements, with each stacking area being provided for arranging the respective storage element within a stack of storage elements.

19. A method for handling a disk-shaped substrate, as it is provided for the manufacture of semiconductor components, whereby, for approaching a tool, which has two contact surfaces, to a specific storage element within a stack of separatable storage elements, a first relative motion is carried out, the specific storage element is contacted with the first contact surface and an adjacent storage element is contacted with the second contact surface, then a second relative motion is carried out, by means of which the distance between the two storage elements in the stacked direction is increased by means of the tool.