Patent ID: 8397917
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor wafer container comprising: an openable and closable container; and a wafer-retaining unit provided in said container to retain a plurality of semiconductor wafers independently of and parallel to each other; wherein the plurality of semiconductor wafers are each horizontally oriented at least when the semiconductor wafers are to be loaded into or unloaded from said wafer-retaining unit; said wafer-retaining unit having a plurality of vertically superimposed single-wafer retaining sections, each of said single-wafer retaining sections comprising: a wafer-retaining frame retaining a single semiconductor wafer horizontally by abutting against only a lower end edge portion of an outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer; a wafer-securing frame that is vertically movably relative to said wafer-retaining frame, said wafer-securing frame abutting against only an upper end edge portion of the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer retained by said wafer-retaining frame, thereby holding the semiconductor wafer in a fixed position between said wafer-retaining frame and said wafer-securing frame; and a wafer lift member disposed underneath the semiconductor wafer held between said wafer-retaining frame and said wafer-securing frame, said wafer lift member moving upward in response to movement of said wafer-securing frame relative to said wafer-retaining frame, thereby lifting the semiconductor wafer to a predetermined position where the semiconductor wafer is upwardly spaced from said wafer-retaining frame, and keeping the semiconductor wafer in the predetermined position.