METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING AND USING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER CARRIER AND ITS APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor wafer carrier capable of accessing a semiconductor wafer in a clean environment while avoiding pollusion. SOLUTION: The carrier 440 having a side door 446 carries a 300mm semiconductor wafer 250 in a horizontal position. At this time, an airtight mini environment is created by the sealing mechanism of the side door 446. An alignment structure 445 on the front surface of the carrier 440 and a process tool 430 matches the carrier 440 with the tool 430. When the carrier 440 is fitted to the tool 430, a gap 447 is made between the carrier 440 and the tool 430. The side door 446 is lowered in the tool 430 without passing through a carrier path of the semiconductor wafer 250 contained in the carrier 440. The air stream flowing from the tool 430 through the intermediate environment 420 to the manufacturing environment 410 advances from the environment at a high cleanliness level to the environment at a low cleanliness level.