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A wafer boat, also known as a boat or carrier, is a critical tool in semiconductor manufacturing for holding, transferring, and positioning wafers. Its design must withstand extreme conditions such as high temperatures (>1000℃), chemical corrosion, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) to ensure wafer safety during various processes.
Principle
Alignment & Fixation:
Positioning holes on the boat align with pins in the wafer cassette, enabling batch transfer without manual handling.
Dual-layer slots (upper and lower) secure wafers during thermal cycling (e.g., annealing) .
Thermal Stress Management:
Low thermal expansion material (0.5×10⁻⁶/°C) minimizes warpage under temperature fluctuations .
Honeycomb structure distributes thermal stress evenly .
Process Compatibility:
Slot geometries (e.g., I-type, V-type) accommodate varying wafer thicknesses (300–800 μm) while ensuring gas-phase reactant flow .
Diamond-shaped cross-section allows bidirectional robotic loading, improving throughput.
Safety & Protection:
Buffer components (springs, rubber pads) absorb mechanical shocks during wafer placement .
Nitrogen purging removes residues, preventing contamination
Characteristics
Fused silica glass is a specialized industrial glass made from silicon dioxide (SiO₂). It serves as an exceptional base material with outstanding physical and chemical properties.
Softening point: ~1730°C.
Operates continuously at 1100–1250°C and withstands short-term exposure up to 1450°C .
Resistant to most acids (except hydrofluoric acid).
Corrosion resistance is 30× higher than ceramics and 150× higher than stainless steel .
Maintains stability under extreme thermal conditions, outperforming other materials .
Extremely low thermal expansion coefficient (~5.5×10⁻⁷/°C).
Survives thermal shock (e.g., heating to 1100°C and quenching in water) .
Broad spectral transmission from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR).
Visible light transmittance: >95%.
UV transmittance peaks at >85% in the 185–250 nm range .
Resistivity is 10,000× higher than ordinary glass.
Excellent dielectric properties even at high temperatures .