Hybrid composite wafer carrier for wet clean equipment

A carrier for supporting a substrate, the carrier comprising:

• a frame having a thickness that is greater than 0.8 mm and up to about 1.5 mm, the frame having a top surface, a bottom surface and six sides, wherein a first side and a second side are parallel to each other and have thickened edges, third and fourth sides and fifth and sixth sides are respectively defined between the first side and the second side, wherein third, fourth, fifth and sixth sides are angled up to about 30 degrees away from a perpendicular direction defined from the first side or the second side, the frame having an opening sized for receiving the substrate;
• and
• four support pins for supporting the substrate within the opening, the opening being slightly larger than the substrate such that a gap exists between the substrate and the opening, the four support pins coupled to the frame in the opening and extending partially into the opening in a parallel orientation relative to the top and bottom surfaces of the frame;
• the frame comprising a composite core, a top sheet defining the top surface, and a bottom sheet defining the bottom surface, and a layer of aramid fabric between the top sheet and the composite core, wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet comprise a polymer material with a defined hydrophobicity,
• wherein the top and bottom sheets encapsulate the composite core and the layer of aramid fabric over the top and bottom surfaces and in the opening.