Method and apparatus for minimizing semiconductor wafer contamination
US6695572B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 28, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/6732
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for minimizing the surface contamination of semiconductor wafers (11) during the semiconductor device manufacturing process. Semiconductor wafers (11) are stored in a storage cassette (12) with their face sides (17) facing downward and their back sides (16) facing upward. Particulate contamination present on the back sides of the wafers is thereby secured to the wafers by the force of gravity, and the faces of the wafers are shielded from falling debris. An automated wafer handling device (19) is provided with a rotary joint (22) to accomplish the wafer flipping motion before inserting a wafer into a cassette and after removing the wafer from the cassette.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.