SMIF POD INCLUDING INDEPENDENTLY SUPPORTED WAFER CASSETTE

• US 20020015633A1
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Asyst Technologies Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Inventors: PETERSON, PERRY, BONORA, ANTHONY C., MARTIN, RAYMOND S., FOSNIGHT, WILLIAM J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,398,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/222.01
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67379 characterised by coupling elements, kinematic members, handles or elements to be externally gripped
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67383 characterised by substrate supports
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67386 characterised by the construction of the closed carrier

Abstract

A SMIF pod capable of supporting a cassette at points in the pod located directly over or near a kinematic coupling between the pod and a surface on which the pod is supported. Even if the pod shell warps or otherwise deforms, the three points of contact between the pod and the support surface at the kinematic couplings will always remain at a fixed, controllable and repeatable position. The present invention makes use of this fact by supporting the cassette at or near the three kinematic coupling points. Moreover, the support structure is not affixed to the top or sides of the pod shell. Thus, the position of the cassette, and wafers supported therein, will similarly remain at a fixed, controllable and repeatable position, substantially unaffected by any pod shell deformation which may occur.

Claims

1. A system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface, comprising:

a pod including a pod shell, said pod and the support surface including a kinematic groove and kinematic pin for establishing a kinematic coupling between the pod and the support surface;

a cassette capable of being encased within said pod, said cassette capable of supporting the workpiece, said cassette being supported substantially over said kinematic coupling so that said cassette is substantially unaffected by a deformation of said pod shell.

2. The system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 1 wherein said cassette comprises a pair of support columns for supporting said workpiece, and a top plate extending between and connecting said pair of support columns.

3. The system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 2 further comprising a bottom plate, said support columns being seated on said bottom plate.

4. The system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 1 wherein said cassette comprises a bottom plate, and a pair of support columns seated on said bottom plate.

5. The system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 1 wherein said cassette is capable of moving in six degrees of motion with respect to said pod shell.

6. The system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 1 wherein said cassette is capable of moving in five degrees of motion with respect to said pod shell.

7. The system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 1 wherein said cassette is capable of moving in four degrees of motion with respect to said pod shell.

8. The system for supporting a workpiece at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 1 said cassette further including at least a first fin extending from a surface of said cassette, and said pod shell including at least a second fin extending from a surface of said pod shell, said at least first fin capable of engaging said at least second fin to limit side-to-side movement of said cassette with respect to said pod shell.

9. A system for supporting a semiconductor wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface, comprising:

a pod including a pod shell and a pod door capable of mating with said pod shell, said pod shell including a top, a bottom, and sides between said top and bottom;

a cassette capable of being positioned within said pod, said cassette capable of supporting the semiconductor wafer, said cassette not being affixed to said pod shell at said top and sides of said pod shell.

10. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 9 wherein said wafer cassette comprises a pair of support columns for supporting said wafer, and a top plate extending between and connecting said pair of support columns.

11. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 10 further comprising a bottom plate, said support columns being seated on said bottom plate.

12. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 9 wherein said wafer cassette comprises a bottom plate, and a pair of wafer support columns seated on said bottom plate.

13. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 9 said wafer cassette further including at least a first fin extending from a surface of said wafer cassette, and said pod shell including at least a second fin extending from a surface of said pod shell, said at least first fin capable of engaging said at least second fin to limit side-to-side movement of said wafer cassette with respect to said pod shell.

15. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 14, said cassette being further capable of moving with respect to said pod shell with respect to translation along said Y-axis.

16. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 14, said cassette being further capable of moving with respect to said pod shell with respect to translation along said X-axis.

17. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 14 wherein said wafer cassette comprises a pair of support columns for supporting said wafer, and a top plate extending between and connecting said pair of support columns.

18. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 17 further comprising a bottom plate, said support columns being seated on said bottom plate.

19. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 14 wherein said wafer cassette comprises a bottom plate, and a pair of wafer support columns seated on said bottom plate.

20. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 14 said wafer cassette further including at least a first fin extending from a surface of said wafer cassette, and said pod shell including at least a second fin extending from a surface of said pod shell, said at least first fin capable of engaging said at least second fin to limit movement of said wafer cassette with respect to said pod shell along said X-axis.

14. A system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface, comprising:

a pod including a pod shell and a pod door capable of mating with said pod shell, said pod shell including a top, a bottom, a front opening, sides adjacent said front opening, and a back opposite said front opening, an X-axis being defined horizontally between said sides, a Y-axis being defined horizontally between said front opening and said back, and a Z-axis being defined vertically between said top and bottom;

a cassette capable of being positioned within said pod, said cassette supporting a semiconductor wafer, said cassette capable of moving with respect to said pod shell at least with respect to translation along and rotation about said Z-axis, rotation about said X-axis and rotation about said Y-axis.

21. A system for supporting a semiconductor wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface, comprising:

a pod including a pod shell and a pod door capable of mating with said pod shell, said pod shell including a top, a bottom, and sides between said top and bottom;

a pair of wafer support columns of being positioned within said pod, said pair of wafer support columns capable of supporting the semiconductor wafer, said wafer support columns not being affixed to said pod shell at said top and sides of said pod shell.

22. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 21 said wafer cassette further including at least a first fin extending from a surface of said wafer cassette, and said pod shell including at least a second fin extending from a surface of said pod shell, said at least first fin capable of engaging said at least second fin to limit side-to-side movement of said wafer cassette with respect to said pod shell.

24. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 23, said pair of wafer support columns being further capable of moving with respect to said pod shell with respect to translation along said Y-axis.

25. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 23, said pair of wafer support columns being further capable of moving with respect to said pod shell with respect to translation along said X-axis.

26. The system for supporting a wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface as recited in claim 23 said pair of wafer support columns further including at least a first fin extending from a surface of said pair of wafer support columns, and said pod shell including at least a second fin extending from a surface of said pod shell, said at least first fin capable of engaging said at least second fin to limit movement of said pair of wafer support columns along said X-axis with respect to said pod shell.

23. A system for supporting a semiconductor wafer at a precise position with respect to a support surface, comprising:

a pod including a pod shell and a pod door capable of mating with said pod shell, said pod shell including a top, a bottom, a front opening, sides adjacent said front opening, and a back opposite said front opening, an X-axis being defined horizontally between said sides, a Y-axis being defined horizontally between said front opening and said back, and a Z-axis being defined vertically between said top and bottom;

a pair of wafer support columns capable of being positioned within said pod, said pair of wafer support columns capable of supporting a semiconductor wafer, said pair of wafer support columns capable of moving with respect to said pod shell at least with respect to translation along and rotation about said Z-axis, rotation about said X-axis and rotation about said Y-axis.