Device and method for removing a framed wafer from a wafer tray

A device for removing a framed wafer from a wafer tray, the wafer tray including an access for depositing or removing the framed wafer, wherein the deposited framed wafer includes a front frame edge facing said access and said wafer tray includes at least one wafer tray edge contact element for abutment against a rear frame edge, the device comprising:

• a wafer receptacle for receiving the framed wafer, wherein said wafer receptacle is configured to hold the framed wafer perpendicular to a wafer plane and to remove the framed wafer from said wafer tray in this manner;
• including at least one wafer receptacle edge contact element arranged and configured to abut against said front frame edge;
• and
• a drive and control device configured to guide said wafer receptacle along a predetermined path of movement into said access of said wafer tray and out of said access,
• wherein each wafer receptacle edge contact element is spring-mounted via a spring mounting in a direction of said predetermined path of movement and said wafer receptacle is movable from a first position, in which each wafer receptacle edge contact element is at a distance in front of said front frame edge, into a second position, in which each wafer receptacle edge contact element abuts against said front frame edge, the rear frame edge abuts against the wafer tray edge contact element and said spring mounting of each wafer receptacle edge contact element is compressed by a pre-determined spring travel, and back wherein at least one spring mounting includes a flexurally or torsionally elastic spring rod that is clamped in a flexurally and torsionally rigid manner at one end while otherwise cantilevering freely and on the other, free end of which a wafer receptacle edge contact element is fastened, wherein a modulus of elasticity, a cross section and a free cantilever length of said spring rod are attuned to one another such that the wafer receptacle edge contact element is mounted on said spring rod with a predetermined spring constant in the direction of said predetermined path of movement.