Abstract:
An insert arm holding and transporting wafers within a wafer jar is disclosed. The insert has a generally round bottom with a plurality of upward extending arms to closely hold and receive wafers which may be loaded either manually or mechanically.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to methods and apparatus for handling semiconductor wafers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is common during the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuit chips to process semiconductor wafers with steps such as etching, deposition, etc., and then ship the processed wafers to a remote location for dicing and packaging. Wafers which are shipped to remote packaging operations are commonly packed manually in wafer jars. (A wafer jar is denoted by reference numeral  11  of FIG. 1.) When packing wafers into a wafer jar, an operator, may use a device termed “wafer dealer” to present the wafers to him one at a time. Alternatively, the operator may select wafers manually. Then the operator picks up each wafer, either with a vacuum wand or a gloved hand and places the wafer in the wafer jar. A paper disc is placed between each wafer. Typically, a wafer jar may hold 1-25 wafers. A lid is placed upon the wafer jar after it has been filled with wafers. 
     When the wafers arrive at the remote packaging location, the wafers are unpacked by removing the jar lid and turning the jar upside down on a table and emptying its contents upon the table. This process of emptying the jar presents both contamination and breakage hazards. 
     Those concerned with the advancement of semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing technology have consistently sought better and more reliable methods of wafer handling. There exists wafer handling equipment which utilizes a vacuum wand to hold the wafer by suction on its backside. However, such a vacuum wand is not capable of safely loading a wafer jar because the wand would be required to drop the wafer into the jar from the top. Alternatively, operators use tweezers to grasp wafers by the edge. However, this method is unsuitable for loading a wafer jar. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Wafer handling may be facilitated by the present invention which illustratively, includes a wafer jar insert having a round base for supporting the wafers and at least one arm rigidly extending upward from the base. 
     In an illustrative embodiment, the invention comprehends a plurality of arms extending upward from the base. A plurality of wafers may rest upon the base and may be closely received by the arms. 
     Alternatively, another embodiment is a method of integrated circuit manufacturing including the placing of a plurality of wafers into a wafer jar insert and then the placing of the wafer jar insert into a wafer jar. 
     Further illustrative embodiments include opening the wafer jar; removing a wafer jar insert from the wafer jar; and removing at least one wafer from the wafer jar insert. 
     Another embodiment also includes an apparatus for the manufacture of integrated circuits including a wafer jar insert for holding wafers; a tube having a vacuum chuck adapted for holding a wafer face; and means for controlling empowering the tube whereby the tube places wafers within the wafer jar insert and then releases the wafers. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of illustrative embodiments of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Illustratively, the present invention encompasses a wafer jar insert; method of handling said insert; and method and apparatus for loading wafers into said insert. In FIG. 1, reference numeral  11  denotes a wafer jar commonly used in the semiconductor industry. For example, a representative wafer jar is model Wafercon 2100 manufactured by Semiconductor Products Inc., 724 Aldo Avenue, Santa Clara, Calif. 95054. Reference numeral  13  denotes a processed semiconductor wafer. It is desired to safely load (and subsequently unload) a plurality of wafers  13  into wafer jar  11 . Illustratively, in the present invention, wafers  13  are first placed (either mechanically or by hand) into wafer jar insert  15 . When wafer jar  15  is filled (or partially filled) with wafers, wafer jar insert  15  together with its wafer load is placed within wafer jar  11 . 
     Wafer jar insert  15  has a generally flat round base  17 . Indentations or cut-outs within base  17  are permissible. Extending upward from base  17  is a plurality of arms  19 . There is no requirement for a precise number of arms. Only one arm would suffice if it were sufficiently rigidly attached to base  17 . Three arms might be considered minimal in some circumstances to assure containment of wafers within wafer jar insert  15 . The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows four arms  19 . Each arm  19  has an upward extending portion  21  preferably rigidly attached to base  17 . Portion  21  may exhibit a slight curvature consistent with its attachment to the round periphery of base  17 . Ears  23  are (optionally) positioned atop upward extending portion  21  to facilitate manual or mechanical handling of the insert  15 . Other features for facilitating mechanical handling, such as hooks or loops extending inward or outward may also be utilized. 
     In manual operation, a plurality of wafers  13  is loaded into wafer jar insert  15 . Then wafer jar insert  15 , with its accompanying wafer load is placed into wafer jar  11 . A lid is placed upon wafer jar  11  and the jar is shipped to a remote location. When wafer jar  11  arrives its destination, the lid is removed, the wafer jar insert  15  is grabbed by ears  23  and removed from wafer jar  11  together with its wafer load. There is no risk of breakage or contamination of the individual wafers. Individual wafers may then be removed or inspected from wafer jar insert  15 . 
     An alternative packing procedure might include: loading wafer jar insert  15  manually; inverting wafer jar  11  over loaded wafer jar insert  15 ; placing the lid of wafer jar  11  beneath the inverted wafer jar, and in contact with base  17 . In this procedure, removal of wafer jar  15  and its load is accomplished by simply lifting wafer jar  11  up away from wafer jar insert  15  at the remote location. 
     Wafer jar insert  15  is also ideally suited to machine loading and unloading. Shown in FIG. 2 is vacuum chuck  53  connected to tube  51 . Vacuum chuck  53  grasps wafer  13  on its underside. Tube  51  rotates, thereby inverting wafer  13 . Tube  51  then lowers wafer  13  into wafer jar insert  15 . Tube  51  fits between upward extending portions  21  without interference. Thus, it can be seen that the use of wafer jar insert  15  permits mechanical loading of wafers  13  ultimately into wafer jar  11  which could not otherwise be accomplished. Unloading may be performed by simply reversing the above process. In other words, wafer jar insert  15 , together with its wafer load is removed from wafer jar  11  and then a tube with a vacuum chuck unloads each wafer. 
     The same tube and vacuum chuck or an additional one might provide interleaved pieces of paper. 
     Tube  51  is controlled and powered by apparatus  81  easily designed by those of skill in the art. 
     In FIG. 3, insert  151  has round base  171 . One wraparound arm  151  extends upward from base  171  and encircles base  171 . Opening  191  permits lowering of wafers by vacuum chuck  53  and tube  51 .