Patent ID: 8141712

Claim:
In combination, a wafer carrier and insert received in the wafer carrier for supporting at least one thin wafer therein, the wafer carrier comprising an enclosure portion having at least a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, and an open front, the opposing sides having a plurality of recess pairs defining a plurality of slots, the insert comprising a generally planar body presenting a periphery and an upper surface, a pair of recess engaging portions being defined in the periphery, each recess engaging portion including a plurality of outwardly extending spring tabs, the spring tabs engaged in one of the recess pairs of the wafer carrier so that the generally planar body of the insert is oriented parallel to the top and the bottom of the wafer carrier, wherein each of the plurality of spring tabs is biased against a surface within the recess pair, the direction of the bias of each spring tabs being generally perpendicular to the plane of the insert body and opposite the direction of bias of the immediately adjacent spring tab, the insert having a plurality of wafer supports adapted to receive and support the wafer thereon extending upwardly from the upper surface.