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Wafer storage container and apparatusRelated Patent Categories: Special Receptacle Or Package, Holder For A Removable Electrical Component, For A Semiconductor WaferWafer storage container and apparatus description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070187286, Wafer storage container and apparatus. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,915,905 B2 entitled "Wafer Storage Container With Wafer Positioning Posts". This application claims the benefit of Non-provisional application Ser. No. 10/621,031 filed on Jul. 14, 2003. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention is related generally to containers for storage and shipment of wafers, and more particularly to a container for use with wafer frames upon which wafers are mounted wherein the container is configured to assure a single orientation of wafer frames when placed in the container. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] Semiconductor wafer storage and shipping containers are generally designed for ease of access and/or wafer safety. U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,451 by Johnson describes a shipping container for semiconductor wafers in the form of an elongated enclosure and lid, with interior ribs for locating the wafers lined with resilient curved wafer support material. Rotational positioning of the wafers is not addressed. A container with similar features is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,602 B2 by Yajima et al., providing a slot for each wafer, but not addressing wafer rotational positioning. U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,619 B2 by Bores et al. discloses a container for stacked wafers with improved resistance to shock. U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,727 B1 by Merkl et al. discloses a container, and describes a wafer frame. The container has parallel slots on either of two interior opposing walls for holding a wafer frame with linear sections on opposite edges for achieving support when placed in the container slots. SUMMARY [0006] An advantage of this invention is that provides for an automatic alignment of wafers in a wafer container. [0007] A further advantage of this invention is that in providing alignment of wafers in a storage container, it reduces the degree of effort required in procedures requiring transferring of wafers from a container and into an aligned position for processing. [0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, an injection molded container for storing and transporting wafers includes a base having a wafer area upon which to place a stack of wafer assemblies, wherein each wafer assembly includes a wafer frame and an attached wafer. A protective wall structure is positioned around the wafer area, and includes at least one wall wafer orientation artifact. Each wafer frame according to the invention includes a corresponding alignment artifact for mating to the orientation artifact of the container. The wall structure and wafer frame are configured so that the wafer frame must be oriented to mate the wall and frame artifacts in order for the wafer frame to be installed in the container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] FIG. 1A is a simplified drawing for illustrating wafer assembly orientation control according to the present invention; [0010] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view from FIG. 1A for illustrating a method of attaching/mounting a wafer to a wafer frame; [0011] FIG. 2A shows a container having walls with a draft angle, and columns with vertical lines of contact; [0012] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the draft angles; [0013] FIG. 3 shows a container constructed according to the present invention, and a cover; [0014] FIG. 4A shows a stack of wafer assemblies in position for placement in a container; [0015] FIG. 4B illustrates wafer element separators; and [0016] FIG. 5 is a top view of the container of FIGS. 3 and 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0017] While the present invention will be described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described below. [0018] The concept of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1A which is a simplified drawing for use in describing the invention. A container 10 has a protective wall structure 12 extending upward from a base, and includes at least one wafer orientation artifact 16 which can be either a protrusion 16 as shown or a recess, or other apparatus for engagement with a corresponding opposite mating alignment artifact 18, which is an artifact in a wafer element which can be a wafer frame 20 as shown, or it can be an artifact in a wafer, in either case for determining the position orientation of the wafer element (wafer or wafer frame) in the container 10. In this case where a wafer frame 20 is used, a wafer 22 can be secured to each of the frames 20, and the orientation artifact 16 and alignment artifact 18 can therefore be used to determine the orientation of the wafer 22 when the wafer 22 is placed in the wafer frame with a known orientation relative to the artifact 18. A wafer and frame, or just a wafer without a frame will be referred to generally/generically as a wafer element. The wall structure 12 can be of any configuration for providing protection to the wafers 22 in the container 10. The wall can be continuous, as shown, or it can be a plurality of sections. [0019] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view A-A of a wafer element 23 that includes a wafer frame 20 and a wafer. The wafer frame is in the general shape of a ring with a hole 25 there-thru into which is placed a wafer 22. FIG. 1B is presented in order to describe a method of attaching a wafer 22 to a frame 20. The attachment as shown in FIG. 1B is accomplished using an adhesive film 25, placed with an adhesive surface in contact with a bottom surface of the frame 20, as well as with a bottom surface of the wafer 22. The use of tape 25 is well understood by those skilled in the art for the purpose of securing a wafer 22 within a frame 20. The tape 25 generally covers substantially all of the bottom surface of the frame, as well as the entire bottom surface of the wafer. The tape normally used has a characteristic (example blue color) that it does not absorb laser energy used to cut a wafer. In some applications, the tape is applied to the frame, then a wafer is placed in the hole 25 on the adhesive of the tape. If the wafer is to be diced, a laser is then used to cut the wafer into separate parts. The tape remains undisturbed by the cutting of the wafer. A typical thickness of the wafer frame is 0.030 inches. [0020] In one embodiment of the present invention the container is formed by an injection molding process. In this case, the walls would generally include a draft angle. This is described below and illustrated in reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. Continue reading about Wafer storage container and apparatus... 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