Wafer carrier for semiconductor process tool
OwnerMichael A. Tischlerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wafer carrier enabling a wafer of different size and/or shape to be processed in a process tool configured for processing a wafer of a predetermined size and/or shape, wherein the wafer carrier has such predetermined size and/or shape and includes at least one recess therein having the different size and/or shape. The wafer carrier enables the use in a process tool (e.g., a semiconductor epitaxial thin film deposition reactor such as a single wafer reactor) of differently sized wafers than those for which the process tool is designed.
Claims70
A wafer carrier enabling a wafer of different size and/or shape to be processed in a process tool configured for processing a wafer of a predetermined size and/or shape, wherein the wafer carrier has said predetermined size and/or shape and includes at least one recess therein having said different size and/or shape.
A process tool system, comprising:
- a process tool comprising a susceptor or wafer holder having at least one recess therein of a first size and/or shape;
- at least one wafer carrier of a size and shape to closely fit in a recess of said susceptor or wafer holder, said wafer carrier having a recess therein of a second size and/or shape differing from said first size and/or shape;
- and
- at least one wafer of a size and shape to closely fit in the recess of said wafer carrier.
A method of processing a wafer in a process tool including a susceptor or wafer holder having a recess therein of different size and/or shape than the wafer, said method comprising:
- providing a wafer carrier having (i) a size and shape to closely fit in the recess of the susceptor or wafer holder, and (ii) a recess therein with a size and shape accommodating close-fit positioning of the wafer therein;
- positioning the wafer in the wafer carrier recess to form a wafer carrier/wafer article;
- positioning the wafer carrier/wafer article in the susceptor or wafer holder recess in the process tool;
- and
- processing the wafer in the process tool to carry out at least one semiconductor manufacturing operation thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.