US4518349A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cantilevered boat-free semiconductor wafer handling system
Assignee: BETTER SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSES (BSP) A CORP OF
•
Filing: 1983-12-01
•
Granted: 1985-05-21
•
Expires: 2003-12-01
Abstract
Abstract An improved semiconductor wafer handling system completely eliminates the need for boats, sleds, paddles, wheeled carriers, etc., customarily employed in transporting wafers during heat processing through the use of a plurality of rigid, polished cantilevered rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding wafers in an upright position. The system provides a means for achieving higher production yields of such semiconductor elements by generating fewer contaminating particles and through less exposure to ambient environment.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard E. Tressler
- 👤 Joseph Stach
- 👤 Roger L. Baeten
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:28
CPC Classifications
C; C30; C30B; C30B31/00; C30B31/06; C30B31/14; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/135; Y10S414/141
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
In a process of heat treating semiconductor wafers in a high temperature furnace equipped with an internal heat treating chamber and carrier means adapted to support said wafers and traverse the heat treating chamber, the improvement comprising reducing the level of undesired contaminating particles generated during the process by mounting the wafers onto a boat-free wafer carrier, said carrier comprising a plurality of semi-circular spaced cantilevered rods or tubes having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a process of heat treating semiconductor wafers in a high temperature furnace equipped with an internal heat treating chamber and carrier means adapted to support said wafers and traverse the heat treating chamber, the improvement comprising reducing the level of undesired contaminating particles generated during the process by mounting the wafers onto a boat-free wafer carrier, said carrier comprising a plurality of semi-circular spaced cantilevered rods or tubes having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes a rearwardly mounted hot end-plate and frontal cold end-plate each of said plates being mounted perpendicular to said cantilevered rods which are substantially parallel to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the cantilevered rods and hot end plate reduce the level of undesired contaminating particles by avoiding contact with the interior sidewalls of the heat treating chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the cold end plate includes means for sealing the heat treating chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the cantilevered rods are fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of siliconized silicon carbide, sintered silicon carbide, silicon nitride and siliconized silicon nitride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the cantilevered rods are fabricated from siliconized silicon carbide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the cantilevered rods include spaced slots for cooperatively holding source wafers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a process of depositing active dopants on semiconductor wafers by means of high temperature diffusion employing a furnace equipped with an internal heat treating chamber and carrier means adapted to support said wafers and traverse the heat treating chamber, the improvement comprising reducing the level of undesired contaminating particles generated during the process by mounting the wafers onto a boat-free wafer carrier, said carrier comprising a plurality of semi-circular spaced cantilevered rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a process of depositing active dopants on semiconductor wafers by means of high temperature diffusion employing a furnace equipped with an internal heat treating chamber and carrier means adapted to support said wafers and traverse the heat treating chamber, the improvement comprising reducing the level of undesired contaminating particles generated during the process by mounting the wafers onto a boat-free wafer carrier, said carrier comprising a plurality of semi-circular spaced cantilevered rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the carrier includes a rearwardly mounted hot-end plate mounted perpendicular to said cantilevered rods which are substantially parallel to each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the carrier includes a frontal cold end-plate with means for sealing the heat treating chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the cantilevered rods include spaced slots for cooperatively holding source wafers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the cantilevered rods are fabricated from a material selected from siliconized silicon carbide or sintered silicon carbide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A boat-free semiconductor wafer handling apparatus comprising a plurality of semicircular spaced rods, means for holding the rods in cantilevered suspension, and a hot-end plate mounted proximal to the opposing ends of said rods maintaining the rods substantially parallel to each other, said rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
A boat-free semiconductor wafer handling apparatus comprising a plurality of semicircular spaced rods, means for holding the rods in cantilevered suspension, and a hot-end plate mounted proximal to the opposing ends of said rods maintaining the rods substantially parallel to each other, said rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The boat-free wafer handling apparatus of claim 13 including a frontal cold end-plate positioned between the holding means and hot end-plate, each of said plates being mounted perpendicular to said rods.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The boat-free wafer handling apparatus of claim 14 including a condensation plate mounted to the rods between the hot and cold end plates.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The boat-free wafer handling apparatus of claim 14 wherein the frontal cold end-plate and hot end-plate have openings on their peripheral edges for receiving the cantilevered rods.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The boat-free wafer handling apparatus of claim 16 wherein the rods include slots for cooperatively holding doping elements in a vertical position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The boat-free wafer handling apparatus of claim 14 including means for longitudinally extending and retracting the same.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The boat-free wafer handling apparatus of claim 13 wherein the rods are fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of siliconized silicon carbide, sintered silicon carbide, silicon nitride and siliconized silicon nitride.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
104 words
An improved system for heat treating semiconductor wafers while reducing the level of undesired contaminating particles, which comprises a furnace equipped with at least one high temperature internal heat treating chamber, a boat-free wafer carrier adapted to hold the wafers without making contact with the interior sidewalls of said chamber during heating and while traversing the heat treating chamber, and means for inserting and retracting the carrier into and out of the heat treating chamber of the furnace, said wafer carrier comprising a plurality of semi-circular spaced cantilevered rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
104 words
An improved system for heat treating semiconductor wafers while reducing the level of undesired contaminating particles, which comprises a furnace equipped with at least one high temperature internal heat treating chamber, a boat-free wafer carrier adapted to hold the wafers without making contact with the interior sidewalls of said chamber during heating and while traversing the heat treating chamber, and means for inserting and retracting the carrier into and out of the heat treating chamber of the furnace, said wafer carrier comprising a plurality of semi-circular spaced cantilevered rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding individual wafers in a vertical position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 20 wherein the boat-free wafer carrier includes separate hot and cold end plates mounted on the cantilevered rods in spaced relationship.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 21 wherein the cantilevered rods are fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of siliconized silicon carbide, sintered silicon carbide, silicon nitride and siliconized silicon nitride.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 21 wherein the diffusion furnace is retro-fitted with said boat-free wafer carrier means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 21 wherein the boat-free wafer carrier includes a condensation plate mounted on the rods between the hot and cold end plates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3183130A
Cited
US3604694A
Cited
US3735965A
Cited
US3819067A
Cited
US3923342A
Cited
US3951587A
Cited
US4075972A
Cited
US4153164A
Cited
US4218214A
Cited
US4439146A
Cited
US4459104A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-05-20 | 1988-11-19 | 1989-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-05-20 | 1992-11-19 | 1993-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-05-20 | 1996-11-19 | 1997-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |