Wafer storage container

• US 10,847,395 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 11/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bum J.E. Woo, Pico & Tera Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pico & Tera Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Woo, Bum Je, Yoon, Seok Mun, Han, Myoung Sok, Kim, Hyun Sin
• Primary Examiner(s): Impink, Mollie
• Application Number:
  US16/064,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20180374731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67389 characterised by atmosphere control
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67393 characterised by the presence of atmosphere modifying elements inside or attached to the closed carrierl

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wafer storage container, more particularly, relates to a wafer storage container comprising a storage chamber forming an independent space separated from the wafer storage container, and a plurality of gas chambers communicating with the storage chamber, so that the gases are being supplied or exhausted through the area of the side surfaces of the storage chamber via the gas chambers in order to remove the fumes remaining on the surface of a wafer stored inside the wafer storage container efficiently.

Claims

1. A wafer storage container comprising:

a storage chamber storing wafers;

a gas chamber located at an outer side surface of the storage chamber and communicating with the storage chamber,

a first lower plate constituting a bottom surface of the storage chamber and the gas chamber, wherein a communicating hole is formed in the first lower plate;

a second lower plate located at a lower side of the first lower plate, wherein a pathway is formed in the second lower plate; and

a third lower plate located at a lower side of the second lower plate, wherein a gas hole is formed in the third lower plate,

wherein the pathway connects the gas hole and the communicating hole.

2. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the gas chamber comprises a plurality of gas chambers;

the gas hole comprises a plurality of gas holes;

at least one of the gas chambers supplies gas to the storage chamber; and

at least one of the gas chambers exhausts gas from the storage chamber.

3. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the gas chamber comprises a plurality of gas chambers;

the gas hole comprises a plurality of gas holes; and

at least two of the gas chambers are commonly communicating with one of the gas holes.

4. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the gas hole comprises:

a pair of front gas holes located at a front with respect to a center point of the wafers stored in the storage chamber; and

a pair of rear gas holes located at a rear with respect to the center point of the wafers stored in the storage chamber.

5. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the gas chamber comprises:

a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber located respectively at a front left and a front right of the outer side surface with respect to a center point of the wafers stored in the storage chamber;

a third gas chamber and a fourth gas chamber located respectively at a rear left and a rear right of the outer side surface with respect to the center point of the wafers stored in the storage chamber; and

a fifth gas chamber and a sixth gas chamber respectively located at rear sides of the third and the fourth gas chambers and located at a rear of the outer side surface of the storage chamber.

6. The wafer storage container according to claim 5, wherein the first to fourth gas chambers are communicating with front gas holes, and the fifth and sixth gas chambers are communicating with rear gas holes respectively.

7. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the first lower plate is installed so that the gas hole is not exposed to the storage chamber.

8. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a check valve formed between the gas hole and the gas chamber for preventing a reverse flow of gas.

9. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the storage chamber and the gas chamber are formed to be independent spaces from each other with a separation wall interposed therebetween, and a plurality of holes wherein gas is communicating are formed in a form of a matrix in the separation wall.

10. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the storage chamber and the gas chamber are formed to be independent spaces from each other with a separation wall interposed therebetween, and a plurality of holes wherein gas is communicating are formed in a zigzag form in the separation wall.

11. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the storage chamber and the gas chamber are formed to be independent spaces from each other with a separation wall interposed therebetween, and the separation wall is formed to be a curved shape having a curvature.

12. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a separation wall located between the storage chamber and the gas chamber and formed with a plurality of holes,

wherein an outer wall is spaced apart from the separation wall and has a curvature same as the separation wall, and

wherein gas is filled inside the storage chamber via the plurality of holes of the separation wall.

13. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of supporting bars installed in the storage chamber and supporting the wafers.

14. The wafer storage container according to claim 1, wherein the gas chamber comprises a plurality of gas chambers and reinforcing columns are installed between the gas chambers.