Semiconductor component handling device having an electrostatic dissipating film

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a system and method for including a thin conductive polymer film, such carbon-filled PEEK, in the molding process for handlers, transporters, carriers, trays and like devices utilized in the semiconductor processing industry. The conductive film of predetermined size and shape is selectively placed along a shaping surface in a mold cavity for alignment with a desired target surface of a moldable material. The molding process causes a surface of the film to bond to a contact surface of the moldable material such that the film is permanently adhered to the moldable material. As a result, a compatible conductive polymer can be selectively bonded only to those target surfaces where ESD is needed.

1 . A semiconductor wafer handling device, comprising: 
 at least one non-conductive substantially rigid thermoplastic component structure making up a part of the wafer handling device; and    at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film bonded by an insert molding process to a selective target surface of the at least one non-conductive thermoplastic component structure to provide electrostatic dissipation characteristics to the semiconductor wafer handling device.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film includes additives to promote conductivity.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the conductive additives are selected from a group consisting of: carbon powder, carbon fibers, metal fibers, metal coated graphite, and organic amine-based additives.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a second thin conductive film is bonded by an insert molding process to a second wafer handling device component separate from, but adapted for contact with, the at least one thin conductive film to provide a conductive pathway from the at least one thin conductive film to the second conductive film.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is a film laminate having at least two film layers such that at least one of the at least two film layers is a conductive film.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the at least two film layers each have measurably different levels of conductivity.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the at least two film layers includes a film having performance characteristics selected from a group consisting of: abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, heat resistance, fluid absorption barrier characteristics, and outgassing barrier characteristics.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the at least two film layers is an intermediate tie layer for improving the bond strength between the thin conductive film and the non-conductive thermoplastic component structure.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive thermoplastic component structure is a support structure having a plurality of spaced support shelves adapted to receive semiconductor wafers.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive thermoplastic component structure is a kinematic coupling adapted for mechanical communication with semiconductor processing equipment.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive thermoplastic component structure is a handling flange adapted for selective engageable communication with a robotic device.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive thermoplastic component structure is a body shell portion of the wafer handling device.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is substantially translucent.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyester, polyimide, polyether imide, polyetheretherketone, perfluoroalkoxy resin, fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfone, polystyrene, and polyphenylene sulfide.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of polyetheretherketone.  
   
   
       16 . A semiconductor component handling device, comprising: 
 a first substantially rigid thermoplastic portion not having conductive charateristics; and    at least one thin thermoplastic conductive film bonded to at least a selective target surface of the first thermoplastic component by way of a film insert molding process, wherein the thin thermoplastic conductive film provides a conductive pathway to ground away from the first thermoplastic portion.    
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the selective target surface of the first thermoplastic component is a portion of a semiconductor wafer handling device, the wafer handling device including a body shell, and a wafer support structure for receiving semiconductor wafers.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one thin thermoplastic conductive film is bonded to at least a portion of the wafer support structure to dissipate electrostatic charges away from the received semiconductor wafers.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the selective target surface of the first thermoplastic component is a portion of a semiconductor chip handling tray, the tray including a plurality of recesses adapted to receive semiconductor chips, and a plurality of peripheral side wall sections.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the peripheral side wall sections is adapted for matable stackable engagement with a separate semiconductor chip handling device.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is bonded to a plurality of the recesses and to at least one of the peripheral side wall sections to provide a conductive pathway to dissipate electrostatic charges away from the received semiconductor chips.  
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is substantially translucent.  
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyester, polyimide, polyether imide, polyetheretherketone, perfluoroalkoxy resin, fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfone, polystyrene, and polyphenylene sulfide.  
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of polyetheretherketone.  
   
   
       25 . A method of film insert molding an electrostatic dissipating component of a semiconductor component handling device through meltably bonding of at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film to at least a portion of a non-conductive thermoplastic material, comprising the steps of: 
 forming at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film;    accessing a molding unit having a mold cavity, the mold cavity including at least one shaping surface;    positioning the at least one formed thin conductive thermoplastic film within the cavity of the molding unit along at least a portion of the at least one shaping surface;    injecting a non-conductive substantially molten thermoplastic material into the cavity of the molding unit to conform to the shape of the at least one shaping surface;    waiting a cooling period wherein the non-conductive thermoplastic material substantially solidifies to matably bond with the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film to generate the electrostatic dissipating component having a path to ground capability defined by the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film; and    ejecting the electrostatic dissipating component from the molding unit.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the molding of the electrostatic dissipating component forms a component part of a semiconductor wafer handling device.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the molding of the electrostatic dissipating component forms a support structure of the semiconductor wafer handling device, the support structure having a plurality of spaced support shelves, wherein the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film is bonded to a portion of the spaced support shelves.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the molding of the electrostatic dissipating component forms a component part of a semiconductor chip handling tray having a plurality of chip receiving recesses, wherein the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film is bonded to at least one surface defining the plurality of chip receiving recesses.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film is bonded to at least one surface defining the chip receiving recesses and at least one of a plurality of side wall sections of the semiconductor chip handling tray to facilitate conductive communication between the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film of each of a plurality of stackable semiconductor chip handling trays.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film includes forming a multi-layer film laminate wherein at least one of the film layers is a conductive thermoplastic film.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the multi-layer film laminate includes at least two film layers, wherein a first one of the at least two film layers has a conductivity level measurably different than a second one of the at least two film layers.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film includes forming at least one substantially translucent thin conductive thermoplastic film.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film includes forming the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film substantially constructed of a material selected from a group consisting of: polyester, polyimide, polyether imide, polyetheretherketone, perfluoroalkoxy resin, fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfone, polystyrene, and polyphenylene sulfide.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film includes forming the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film substantially constructed of polyetheretherketone.  
   
   
       35 . A semiconductor chip handling tray, comprising: 
 a plurality of recessed portions capable of receiving semiconductor components;    an outside perimeter wall portion adapted to promote stackability with other semiconductor chip handling trays; and    at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film bonded to at least a plurality of the recessed portions and at least a portion of the outside perimeter wall portion by an insert molding process to provide a conductive path to ground away from the receivable semiconductor chips.    
   
   
       36 . The chip handling tray of  claim 35 , wherein the portion of the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film molded to at least a portion of the outside perimeter wall portion of the chip handling tray provides conductive communication to a second stackably receivable chip handling tray to dissipate electrostatic charge.  
   
   
       37 . The chip handling tray of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one thin conductive thermoplastic film is substantially translucent.  
   
   
       38 . The chip handling tray of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyester, polyimide, polyether imide, polyetheretherketone, perfluoroalkoxy resin, fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfone, polystyrene, and polyphenylene sulfide.  
   
   
       39 . The chip handling tray of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of polyetheretherketone.  
   
   
       40 . A conductive film insert molding system for molding at least a portion of a semiconductor component handling device with at least one conductive film, comprising: 
 a quantity of substantially molten non-conductive polymer material for shaping at least a portion of the semiconductor handling device;    a molding unit having a molding cavity and at least one-shaping surface, the molding cavity and the at least one shaping surface adapted to receive the quantity of substantially molten non-conductive polymer material; and    at least one thin conductive film insertable within the molding cavity along at least a portion of the at least one shaping surface for permanent bonding to the quantity of substantially molten non-conductive polymer material during the molding process.    
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is substantially translucent.  
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyester, polyimide, polyether imide, polyetheretherketone, perfluoroalkoxy resin, fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfone, polystyrene, and polyphenylene sulfide.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one thin conductive film is constructed substantially of polyetheretherketone.