Semiconductor container opening/closing apparatus and semiconductor device manufacturing method

Abstract

A method is provided of manufacturing semiconductor devices formed on a semiconductor wafer, including placing the wafer in a semiconductor container and conveying the container to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. An opening of the container is opposed to an opening of the apparatus such that an opener of the apparatus holds a lid of the opening the container. A key of the opener is inserted to a latch groove of the lid, and the key is rotated to contact a latch of the lid. The openings are connected such that a velocity differential pressure ratio obtained by dividing the maximum velocity when the opener holding the lid horizontally moves away from the opening of the container, by the differential pressure between the inside pressure and the outside pressure of the apparatus, is set to be 0.06 ((m/s)/Pa) or less, and then the wafer is processed.

1 . A method of manufacturing a plurality of semiconductor devices formed on a semiconductor wafer, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing the semiconductor wafer in a semiconductor container and conveying the semiconductor container to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus;    (b) opposing an opening of said semiconductor container to an opening of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in proximity to each other in such a manner that an opener of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus holds a lid of said opening of said semiconductor container;    (c) inserting a key of said opener to a latch groove of said lid, and rotating said key to contact a latch of the lid inside the lid,    (d) connecting said openings of said semiconductor container and said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus such that a velocity differential pressure ratio obtained by dividing the maximum velocity when said opener holding said lid horizontally moves away from said opening of said semiconductor container, by the differential pressure between the inside pressure and the outside pressure of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, is set to be 0.06 ((m/s)/Pa) or less; and    (e) processing said semiconductor wafer placed in said semiconductor container.    
   
   
       2 . A method of manufacturing the semiconductor devices formed on the semiconductor wafer using the semiconductor container and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein said key is rotated by 90 degrees in the clockwise direction.  
   
   
       3 . A method of manufacturing the semiconductor devices formed on the semiconductor wafer using the semiconductor container and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein a pressure of the inside of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is higher than a pressure of the outside of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus when the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus opening is closed.  
   
   
       4 . A method of manufacturing the semiconductor devices formed on the semiconductor wafer using the semiconductor container and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein four openers are mounted to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.  
   
   
       5 . A method of manufacturing the semiconductor devices formed on the semiconductor wafer using the semiconductor container and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein ISO cleanliness level of the inside of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is 1 to 2 and ISO cleanliness level of the outside of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is 6.