US 12,009,242 B2 · Wafer transport container

Abstract

A wafer transport carrier includes various components to provide improved air sealing to reduce air leakage into the wafer transport carrier. The wafer transport carrier may include a housing having a hollow shell that contains a vacuum or an inert gas to minimize and/or prevent humidity and oxygen ingress into the wafer transport carrier, a wafer rack that is integrated into the shell of the housing to minimize and/or prevent air leakage around the wafer rack, and/or an enhanced magnet-based door latch to provide air sealing around the full perimeter of the opening of the housing. These components and/or additional components described herein may reduce and/or prevent debris, moisture, and/or other types of contamination from the semiconductor fabrication facility from entering the wafer transport carrier and causing wafer defects and/or device failures.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A wafer transport container, comprising:

a housing, comprising:
a shell forming an internal space that is configured to hold a plurality of wafers;
an opening configured to provide access to the internal space;
and
a first pair of magnets and a second pair of magnets that are positioned around a perimeter of the opening of the housing;
and
a door configured to form an air-tight seal around the perimeter of the opening, comprising:
a third pair of magnets and a fourth pair of magnets that are positioned around a perimeter of the door,
wherein the third pair of magnets is configured to interface with the first pair of magnets, and
wherein the fourth pair of magnets is configured to interface with the second pair of magnets;
a first latch;
a second latch;
a first support member connected to the first latch and a magnet of the third pair of magnets;
and
a second support member connected to the second latch and the magnet.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wafer transport container

Life of this patent

Wafer transport container

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20