Electronic device workpiece carriers

• US 6,427,850 B2
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Mendiola, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, KHOA H
• Application Number:
  US09/420,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 211/41.18, D 9/341, D 9/431, 206/454, 206/711, 118/500
• US Class Current: 211/41.18
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67326 Horizontal carrier comprising wall type elements whereby the substrates are vertically supported, e.g. comprising sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

An electronic device workpiece carrier includes a body; and a plurality of workpiece receivers defined by the body, individual workpiece receivers being configured to hold an electronic device workpiece and at least some of the workpiece receivers being spaced from immediately adjacent workpiece receivers at different distances.

Claims

1. An electronic device workpiece carrier comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of workpiece receivers defined by the body, individual workpiece receivers being configured to hold an electronic device workpiece, and wherein the workpiece receivers are defined by the body to orient some pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces closer together than other pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces;

wherein the body comprises a plurality of guides and immediately adjacent guides define an individual one of the workpiece receivers, and wherein the guides individually have a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plurality of opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces different than a width of at least one immediately adjacent guide.

2. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 1 wherein the guides having the different widths provide the orientation of the some pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces closer together than other pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces.

3. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 1 wherein all of the workpiece receivers defined by the body are spaced from immediately adjacent workpiece receivers at different distances.

4. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 1 wherein the workpiece receivers are configured to hold electronic device workpieces in a vertical orientation.

5. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 1 wherein the workpiece receivers are configured to space the electronic device workpieces from one another in the direction substantially perpendicular to the opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces.

6. An electronic device workpiece carrier comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of workpiece receivers defined by the body and being individually configured to hold an electronic device workpiece, the workpiece receivers being spaced to orient some pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces closer together than other pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces;

wherein the workpiece receivers are provided with different spacing to orient the some pairs closer together than the other pairs in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plurality of opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces.

7. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 6 wherein the body includes plural guides and immediately adjacent guides define an individual workpiece receiver, the guides having different widths providing the spacing of some pairs of electronic device workpieces closer together than other pairs of electronic device workpieces.

8. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 7 wherein the guides have the different widths in the direction substantially perpendicular to the opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces.

9. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 6 wherein all of the workpiece receivers defined by the body are spaced from immediately adjacent workpiece receivers at different distances.

10. A semiconductor wafer cassette comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of workpiece receivers defined by the body, individual workpiece receivers being configured to hold an electronic device workpiece, and wherein the workpiece receivers are defined by the body and are spaced differently to orient some pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces closer together than other pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plurality of opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces.

11. The semiconductor wafer cassette according to claim 10 wherein the body includes plural guides and immediately adjacent guides define an individual workpiece receiver, the guides having different widths providing the orientation of some pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces closer together than other pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces.

12. The semiconductor wafer cassette according to claim 10 wherein all of the workpiece receivers defined by the body are spaced from immediately adjacent workpiece receivers at different distances.

13. The semiconductor wafer cassette according to claim 10 wherein the workpiece receivers are configured to hold electronic device workpieces in a vertical orientation.

14. A semiconductor wafer cassette comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of workpiece receivers defined by the body and being individually configured to hold an electronic device workpiece, the workpiece receivers being spaced to orient some pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces closer together than other pairs of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces;

wherein the body comprises a plurality of guides and immediately adjacent guides define an individual workpiece receiver, wherein the guides individually have a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plurality of opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces different than a width of at least one immediately adjacent guide.

15. The semiconductor wafer cassette according to claim 14 wherein the guides having the different widths provide the spacing of the some pairs of electronic device workpieces closer together than the other pairs of electronic device workpieces.

16. An electronic device workpiece carrier comprising:

a body configured to receive and to support a plurality of electronic device workpieces in an orientation wherein at least one pair of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces is spaced closer together than at least one other pair of immediately adjacent electronic device workpieces;

wherein the body comprises a plurality of guides configured to receive electronic device workpieces, wherein the guides individually have a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plurality of opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces different than a width of at least one immediately adjacent guide.

17. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 16 wherein the body is configured to space the electronic device workpieces of the pairs with respect to one another along a straight line passing through the electronic device workpieces.

18. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 16 wherein the body is configured to space the electronic device workpieces of the pairs with respect to one another along a straight line passing in the substantially perpendicular direction to the opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces.

19. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 16 wherein the body is configured to support the electronic device workpieces in a substantially vertical orientation.

20. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 16 wherein the body comprises a plurality of workpiece receivers individually configured to receive an electronic device workpiece and wherein all of the workpiece receivers are spaced from immediately adjacent workpiece receivers at different distances.

21. The electronic device workpiece carrier according to claim 16 wherein the body comprises a plurality of workpiece receivers individually configured to receive an electronic device workpiece and wherein all of the workpiece receivers are spaced from immediately adjacent workpiece receivers at different distances in the direction substantially perpendicular to the opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces.

22. A semiconductor wafer cassette comprising:

a body; and

a plurality of workpiece receivers coupled with the body and individually arranged in a straight line in a direction substantially perpendicular to opposing planar surfaces of the electronic device workpieces, wherein the workpiece receivers individually comprise a plurality of guides configured to receive and to support a semiconductor wafer in a substantially vertical orientation, and wherein the guides individually have a width in the direction of the straight line different than a width of at least one immediately adjacent guide in the direction of the straight line to space at least one pair of immediately adjacent semiconductor wafers closer together than at least one other pair of immediately adjacent semiconductor wafers, and wherein all of the workpiece receivers defined by the body are spaced from immediately adjacent workpiece receivers at different distances in the direction of the straight line.