BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer holders used in the storage, transportation and processing of semiconductor wafers. More particularly, it relates to a hermetically sealable purgible cassette used for containingsemiconductor wafers during processing, transportation and storage.

II. Discussion of the Prior Art

Production of semiconductor wafers requires an extremely clean environment. The presence of any small particles, vapors or static discharge in the environment is damaging to the production of semiconductors, and the wafers themselves. In aneffort to combat airborne particle problems, various techniques are in use today.

The most common technique in use today, is to provide a cassette for holding the semiconductor wafers which meet Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers Institute (SEMI) standards. The SEMI standards recite specifications with the purpose ofdefining interchangable, standardized containers suitable for standardized processing cassettes. A standardized mechanical interface (SMIF) system has been proposed by Hewlett-Packard Company as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,532,970 and 4,534,389with the purpose of reducing particle fluxes on the semiconductor wafers.

In the SMIF system, a cassette meeting SEMI standards is placed inside a clean Work In Process (WIP) box or pod. The SMIF pod or box keeps the cassette and wafers free of particles during transportation and storage. The pod or box also isolatesthe wafers from the operator. The semiconductor wafer cassette, the wafers, and the inside of the box or pod must all be free of particles damaging to the semiconductor manufacturing process.

The SMIF pods or boxes are used during processing in either a general clean room environment or a clean mini-environment (i.e.: under a canopy). Once in a clean environment, the SMIF boxes or pods are opened for removal of the cassette and forprocessing of the wafers. This can be done in a clean environment without contaminating the cassette or wafers.

To permit automated processing of the wafers, the cassette must be indexed with the process tool. An H-bar is formed on the outside of a standardized cassette, which aids in the indexing of the cassette with the process tool. However, over timethe H-bar warps and does not consistently index a cassette in the same location relative to the process tool. Therefore, the H-bar is not a dependable method for attaining high repeatability in indexing the cassette to the process tool.

During automated processing, the indexing of the cassette with the process tool must be performed in a clean environment to prevent contamination. In present manufacturing systems, the SMIF pod or box must be opened and the cassette removed insuch a way that requires additional process tools and steps. The increase in required steps and tools adds to the likelihood that the process tool equipment will be unable to interface with the necessary removal tools.

The increase in required steps also requires a greater cycle time to index a cassette with the process tool. Further, when using a SMIF pod or box, the loading height of the process tool equipment must be large enough to allow for the removal ofthe standard cassette from the box or pod. Consequently, the SMIF pods or boxes are large and heavy requiring more storage space and increasing the likelihood of carpal tunnel damage to the handlers of boxes or pods. These problems are all overcome byeliminating the need to use SMIF boxes or pods. Elimination of the boxes or pods also reduces the amount of necessary clean-up, thereby further reducing the cost of processing semiconductor wafers.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the current manufacturing system by providing a hermetically sealed cassette that can be purged with an inert gas. This sealed cassette may be indexed directly onto the process tool,eliminating the following steps: opening the SMIF box or pod, lowering the pod or box door simultaneously with the cassette, and manipulating the cassette onto the process tool. The hermetically sealed cassette has one surface of a three-groovekinematic coupling to positively locate the cassette with the process tool. This coupling provides a dependable method to position the cassette relative to the process tool with a high rate of repeatability.

Further, the cassette is smaller and about 20% to 50% lighter than the SMIF box or pod. Hence, there is a reduced likelihood that handlers will suffer from carpal tunnel. The reduced size eliminates the need that loading height of the processtool equipment be large enough for the removal of the standard cassette from a SMIF box or pod. Also, the required storage, transportation, and positioning space are reduced. A tracking system provided on the outer surface of the hermetically sealedcassette allows the cassette to be tracked in an unfriendly external environment during the transportation, storage or processing of the semiconductor wafers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a sealable, purgible, cassette that is compatible with SEMI standards. The cassette has at least one open end, a cover with a means for sealing the open end of the cassette a means forsupporting the semiconductor wafer's within the cassette, a means for purging the cassette, a means for precisely indexing the cassette relative to processing equipment and a means for tracking the cassette. The cover when engaged forms a hermetic sealwith the cassette. The cassette is designed to securely support semiconductor wafer's within the sealed cassette. The hermetically sealed cassette allows direct indexing to semiconductor wafer processing equipment without the influence of externalfactors on the contents of the container. The means for precisely indexing the cassette relative to processing equipment provides a dependable method of indexing the cassette to the process tool. The means for precisely indexing the cassette positionsthe cassette relative to the process tool in a precise manner with a high rate of repeatability. The indexing means may include at least three partial spheres extending from said box to form one surface of a three-groove kinematic coupling. Whensealed, the means for purging the cassette allows a small volume of inert gas to be slowly purged into the cassette, providing a clean environment for the semiconductor wafers. Means for tracking the cassette is provided for tracking the cassettewithout the need for a clean external environment.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a hermetically sealed cassette which meets SEMI standards.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple flexible, low-cost, non-obtrusive cassette for semiconductor wafers, that allows isolation control.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a purgible cassette.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cassette that can be directly indexed with a process tool in a mini-clean environment reducing the cycle time to process a semiconductor wafers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a directly indexable cassette having a means to positively index the cassette relative to the process tool with a high rate of repeatability.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cassette that can reduce the number of process tools and steps for semiconductor wafer processing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cassette that enhances reliability during wafer processing by eliminating the need for SMIF boxes or pods, large clean rooms, and the additional processing steps that the use of boxes orpods requires.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cassette that reduces the overall weight and size of the package used to store and transport the semiconductor wafers in a clean environment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cassette with a tracking system that can be implemented outside of a clean environment.

These and other objects, as well as the features and advantages of the present invention, willbe readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cassette with the cover and optional bottom aligned with the cassette.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the semi-standard cassette showing an enclosed bottom and the H-bar side.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the cassette of the type shown in FIG. 2, showing the inner side of the H-bar, with the alternate preferred indexing spheres shown.

FIG. 3-A is a cross-sectional view through line A--A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cassette of the type shown in FIG. 1, with the cover and optional bottom engaged and a wafer positioned within the cassette.

FIG. 4-B is a cross-sectional view through line B--B of FIG. 4, with the cover and bottom elevated from the cassette.

FIG. 5 is a sectional end view of the cover of the type shown in FIG. 1, with the seal removed.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the cover of the type shown in FIG. 1, with the seal removed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cassette, showing the cover and optional bottom aligned with the cassette, a semi conductor wafer partially extending into the cassette and the optional handle and means for tracking, affixed to an end of thecassette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is indicated generally the sealable semiconductor wafer cassette 10, a cassette cover 24, a round, disk-shaped substrate or wafer 50, and an optional cassette bottom door 18.

The semiconductor wafer cassette 10 has a chamber defined by a pair of opposing side walls 12 and 13, a pair of endwalls 14 and 16, an open top 20, and an optional open bottom 58. The cassette cover 24 is designed to close and seal the open top20. The bottom door 18 is designed to close and seal the optional open bottom 58.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 the curved semiconductor wafer supporting sidewalls 12 and 13 extend downward from the two opposing perimeter lip edges 28 and 30 to the cassette bottom frame 26. On the inner surface of the curved semiconductor wafersupporting side walls 12 and 13 are a plurality of recess pairs 44a-t and 46a-t shaped like saw teeth with the apex of each recess pair aligned on opposing interior surfaces, best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3-A. Each recess pair forms a slot 45. The slots 45formed by recessed pair 44a-t are likewise aligned with the slots formed by recessed pairs 46a-t to form a plurality of pairs of opposing slots. Each pair of opposing slots holds a substrate or wafer 50. The wafers 50 are also in perimeter contact withthe lower portion of the curved sides 12 and 13. The inside of the optional bottom door 18 may be recessed to form a continuous support surface to the wafers 50 (see FIGS. 1 and 4). The cassette may be constructed with a varying number of recess pairs44a-t and 46a-t to change the number of pairs of opposing slots without deviating from the invention.

Forming the enclosed ends of the semiconductor wafer cassette 10 are the end walls 14 and 16. The end wall 14 forming an enclosed end of the semiconductor wafer cassette 10 has an optional processing handle 56 which extends relativelyperpendicular to the end wall 14 and relatively parallel to the open top 20 (see FIG. 7). The cassette processing handle 56 forms a gripping surface. Also, attached to the end wall 14 is the optional cassette level tracking system 54, allowing asemiconductor wafer cassette 10 to be tracked during processing, transportation, and storage. Several types of tracking systems may be used including but not limited to: infrared encoders, radio frequency transmitters, and bar codes that interact withbar code readers.

Opposite the end wall 14 is the H-bar end 16 that forms the other enclosed end of the semiconductor wafer cassette 10 (See FIG. 2). An H-bar 41 extends from the surface of the H-bar end that allows the cassette 10 to be indexed with theprocessing tool. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 3-A an optional plurality of partial spheres 42 may extend from the H-bar end 16 allowing precise, consistent and reliable indexing. The optional partial spheres 42 form one surface of a three groove kinematiccoupling.

A three groove kinematic coupling consists of two kinematic coupling surfaces. Three spheres arranged to form a triangle are attached to one surface and three kinematic recesses or grooves, designed to align and engage the spheres, are formedwithin the other surface. The two surfaces are brought into contact. The spheres engage with the grooves, precisely orienting the two surfaces relative to the other. This coupling arrangement allows repeatability of the precise orientation of the twokinematic coupling surfaces and grooves. The preferred material for the spheres and grooves is a hard ceramic such as tungsten carbide, silicon nitride or zirconia. Of course other materials may also be used without deviating from the invention. Either the grooves or spheres may extend from the H-bar endwall 16, to form one kinematic coupling surface. The other surface is formed on a piece of equipment such as a process tool. This arrangement allows precise orientation between the cassette andthe process tool so that the cassette opening is properly aligned with respect to the process tool. In the alternate preferred embodiment, kinematic projections such as the partial spheres 42 of the kinematic coupling may replace the H-bar 41.

Purging bores 53 extend through the H-bar end 16 at predetermined locations. A means for purging the cassette 10 consisting of a plurality of self sealing breather filters may extend from the end wall 16 centered over the purging bores 53,allowing the chamber of the sealed semiconductor wafer cassette 10 to be purged with particle-free air or an inert gas. In the preferred embodiment, a 0.02 micron filter polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane is used. These filters may be sealedwithin a housing that in turn extends through and seals with the purging bore 53. Other suitable mechanisms can, of course, be used without deviating from the invention. The purging bores 53, optional handle 56, means for purging, and means fortracking 54 may alternatively be attached to the cover 24 or bottom 18 of the semiconductor wafer cassette without deviating from the invention.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 3, the open top 20 is formed by a perimeter lip 60, a perimeter shoulder 32 that extends perpendicularly downward from an inner edge of lip 60, and a ledge 34 that extends perpendicularly inward from the perimetershoulder 32. The perimeter shoulder 32 and ledge 34 forms a first means for sealing the opening end of the cassette 10 (see FIG. 4). The perimeter lip 60 provides a support surface for stacking an inverted cassette that is compatable with SEMIstandards.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 4-B, 5, and 6 the cassette cover 24 is designed to close and seal the open top 20. Recessed around the perimeter of the cover 24 is a groove 82 that engages with a seal 23. The seal 23, preferably made of collapsableelastomer, forms a second means for sealing the open end of the cassette 10. Of course the seal 23 may be made of other acceptable materials such as plastic or rubber without deviating from the invention. When engaged, the cover 24 rests on thecassette perimeter ledge 34. Engaging the cover 24 with the semiconductor wafer cassette open end 20 engages the first and second means for sealing, thereby creating a hermetic seal.

Without limitation, the cover may be constructed with a thickness about the same as the perimeter shoulder 32 so that when the cover 24 engages with the cassette 10, a relatively flat top surface is formed. The cover may also have a means forsupporting the semiconductor wafers. This means for support may be positioned to align with the apex of each recess pair when the cover is engaged with the container. These supports would prevent movement of the wafer during transportation. The covermay be constructed to engage with other surfaces of the cassette, while still forming a hermetic seal without deviating from the invention.

The present invention may be constructed with an enclosed bottom or with an open sealable bottom 58. In a cassette 10 with an open sealable bottom 58, cassette bottom inner shoulder 66 extends around the inside of the optional cassette bottomframe 26, forming a third sealing surface. The optional bottom door 18 has a seal 23 extending around the perimeter, forming a fourth sealing surface. When the bottom door 18 is engaged with the semiconductor wafer cassette bottom inner shoulder 66, ahermetic seal is created between the third and fourth means for sealing. When engaged, the bottom 18 rests on the cassette bottom perimeter ledge 80.

Best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are four vertical edges 36 that form the corners of the semiconductor wafer cassette 10, providing rigidity and support to the cassette. The vertical edges 36 extend upward from the lower portion of each end of thecurved sides 12 to the perimeter ledge 34.

Having described the constructional features of the sealable, purgible semiconductor wafer cassette 10, the mode of use will now be discussed. With a sealed clean cassette containing semiconductor wafers, the operator of the wafer processingequipment indexes the sealed semiconductor wafer cassette 10 directly onto the processing tool. To control the particles on the exterior surface of the integrated cassette 10, the processing equipment should provide a mini-environment that allows aslight overpressure within the mini-environment to prevent the exterior environment from entering into the clean mini-environment. The mini-environment must also provide good air flow to the processing tool.

The cassette 10 may be indexed horizontally or vertically, depending on the preferred cassette orientation. Then, a processing tool with a suction and vacuum capability aligns and engages the cassette cover 24. The hermetic seal collapsesallowing the process tool to remove the cover 24. Next, all the desired processes may be performed on the semiconductor wafers within the cassette. After all the desired processes have been performed, the cover 24 is then resealed by engaging the cover24 with the cassette's perimeter ledge 34, discontinuing the vacuum and disengaging the suction. A hermetic seal is formed between the the perimeter shoulder 32, the ledge 34 and the cover's seal 23.

The cassette may then be transported to other process stations, stored or otherwise transported. During storage, the cassette may be purged with an inert gas utilizing two 0.02 micron filter PTFE membranes providing a clean environment forsubstrates such as semiconductor wafers 50. When the active purge is removed, the sealed cassette 10 will maintain the inert gas purge for several hours. This method allows the semiconductor wafers to be safely stored and transported in an unfriendlyexternal environment. Also, during processing, transportation or storage, the optional tracking system 54 may be used to track the cassette in an external environment. The optional handle 56 on the endwall 14 of the cassette 10 facilitates loading andunloading a cassette into process equipment and storage areas.

This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the Patent Statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use suchspecialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment details and operating procedures, canbe accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.

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