TWI660895B - Wafer-transferring pod - Google Patents

Abstract

A wafer transfer box includes a box body and at least one heating module. The heating module is arranged on the box body.

Description

Wafer transfer box

The present invention relates to a transfer box, and in particular to a wafer transfer box.

As semiconductor line widths become smaller and smaller, as airborne molecular contamination (AMC) is harmful to wafers, more and more attention is paid to the prevention of gaseous pollutants in wafer transfer boxes. Generally, the industry generally uses inert gas (such as N ₂ ) or clean dry air (CDA) to fill the wafer transfer box, and uses air extraction and inflation to exchange air to reduce the gas in the wafer transfer box. Pollutants to achieve prevention and control purposes.

However, the gas contamination in the wafer transfer box sometimes adheres to the inner wall of the wafer transfer box or on the wafer in a condensed state, which causes harm to the wafer and thus reduces the wafer yield.

The present invention provides a wafer transfer cassette that facilitates the removal of condensed contaminants within the cassette.

The invention provides a wafer transfer box, which includes a box body and at least one heating module. The heating module is arranged on the box body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer transfer cassette, a material of the cassette body is, for example, resin.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer transfer box, the wafer transfer box is, for example, a Front-Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) or a Front-Opening Transport Box (Front-Opening Shipping Box, FOSB).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer transfer box, the heating module is, for example, a heating coil, a heating lamp, or a combination thereof.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer transfer box, the heating module may be disposed on an inner wall of the box body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer transfer box, the heating module may be disposed on an outer wall of the box body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer transfer box, the heating module may be fixed on the box body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer transfer box described above, the heating module is fixed on the box body by, for example, locking or gluing.

Based on the above, in the wafer transfer box proposed by the present invention, the condensed pollutants in the wafer transfer box can be changed to gaseous pollutants by the heating module, and then the gaseous pollutants are removed from the gasification and extraction processes. It is discharged from the wafer transfer cassette and therefore helps to remove condensed contaminants from the wafer transfer cassette. This can prevent the pollutants in the wafer transfer box from causing harm to the wafer, and thus can improve the wafer yield.

In order to make the above features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, embodiments are hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wafer transfer cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the wafer transfer box 100 includes a box body 102 and at least one heating module 104. The wafer transfer box 100 is suitable for storing and transferring wafers. The wafer transfer box 100 is, for example, a front-open wafer transfer box (FOUP) or a front-open wafer transfer box (FOSB). The material of the case body 102 is, for example, resin.

The heating module 104 is disposed on the box body 102. The heating module 104 may be disposed on an inner wall or an outer wall of the box body 102. In this embodiment, the heating module 104 is described as an example provided on the inner wall of the box body 102, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the heating module 104 can also be disposed on the outer wall of the box body 102. The heating module 104 can be fixed on the box body 102. The heating module 104 is fixed on the box body 102 by, for example, locking or fixing. The heating module 104 is, for example, a heating coil, a heating lamp, or a combination thereof.

In addition, the number of the heating modules 104 in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto. As long as the number of the heating modules 104 is at least one, it belongs to the claimed scope of the present invention.

Based on the above embodiments, it can be known that in the wafer transfer box 100, the wafer transfer box 100 can be heated by the heating module 104 to increase the temperature inside the wafer transfer box 100. In this way, the condensed pollutants in the wafer transfer box 100 can be vaporized into gaseous pollutants, and the gaseous pollutants can be discharged from the wafer transfer box 100 by the process of inflation and pumping, thereby helping to remove the crystals. Condensed contaminants in the circular transfer box 100. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the pollutants in the wafer transfer box 100 from causing harm to the wafer, thereby improving the wafer yield.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a wafer transfer cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 at the same time. The difference between the wafer transfer box 200 in FIG. 2 and the wafer transfer box 100 in FIG. 1 is as follows. In the wafer transfer box 200, a heating module 104 is disposed on an outer wall of the box body 102. In addition, the same components in the wafer transfer box 200 and the wafer transfer box 100 are denoted by the same symbols, and have been described in detail in the above embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

Based on the above embodiments, it can be known that in the wafer transfer box 200, the condensed pollutants in the wafer transfer box 200 can be changed into gaseous pollutants by the heating module 104, and then the gaseous pollutants are processed by the process of inflation and extraction It is discharged from the wafer transfer cassette 200 and thus helps to remove condensed contaminants within the wafer transfer cassette 200. Thereby, the pollutants in the wafer transfer box 200 can be prevented from damaging the wafer, and the wafer yield can be improved.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of removing contaminants from the wafer transfer cassette of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the operation of removing gaseous pollutants in the wafer transfer box 100, the inflation line 300 provides, for example, an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen), clean gas (CDA), or extra clean dry air , XCDA) and other gases 302 into the box body 102, and then the exhaust pipe 304 is used to extract the gas 302. Therefore, the gas 302 can be used to remove the pollutants in the wafer transfer box 100, and the wafer transfer box 100 can be removed. Contaminants inside. In addition, in the above-mentioned process of inflating and extracting, the heating module 104 is used to heat the wafer transfer box 100 to vaporize condensed pollutants such as acid, alkali or salt in the wafer transfer box 100 into gaseous pollution. Therefore, gaseous pollutants can be discharged from the wafer transfer box 100 by a process of inflation and extraction. Thereby, the contaminants in the wafer transfer box 100 can be prevented from causing harm to the wafer W, and the wafer yield can be improved.

In summary, in the wafer transfer box of the above embodiment, since the heating module can change the condensed pollutants in the wafer transfer box into gaseous pollutants, it is helpful to remove the condensation in the wafer transfer box. Pollutants, which can improve wafer yield.

Although the present invention has been disclosed as above with the examples, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person with ordinary knowledge in the technical field can make some modifications and retouching without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the attached patent application.

100, 200‧‧‧ wafer transfer boxes

102‧‧‧Box

104‧‧‧Heating Module

300‧‧‧ inflatable tube

302‧‧‧gas

304‧‧‧Exhaust line

W‧‧‧ Wafer

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wafer transfer cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a wafer transfer cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of removing contaminants from the wafer transfer cassette of FIG. 1.

Claims (6)

A wafer transfer box includes: a box body; and at least one heating module disposed on an inner wall of the box body. The wafer transfer cassette according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein a material of the cassette body includes a resin. The wafer transfer box according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the wafer transfer box comprises a front-opening wafer transfer box or a front-opening wafer transport box. The wafer transfer box according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the at least one heating module includes a heating coil, a heating lamp, or a combination thereof. The wafer transfer box according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the at least one heating module is fixed on the box body. The wafer transfer box according to item 5 of the scope of patent application, wherein the way of fixing the at least one heating module to the box body includes locking or gluing.