Wafer guides for processing semiconductor substrates

Abstract

A wafer guide includes a horizontal support panel and at least three vertical panels attached on one surface of the support panel. Each of the vertical panels has a vertical body panel and a plurality of protrusions upwardly extended from a top surface of the vertical body panel. Gap regions between the protrusions act as slots for holding wafers. Sidewalls of the slots have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a top view, and bottom surfaces of the slots also have a convex shaped profile when viewed from a cross sectional view that crosses the vertical panels.

1 . A wafer guide comprising: 
 a support panel; and    at least three vertical panels attached on one surface of the support panel, wherein each of the vertical panels has a vertical body panel and a plurality of protrusions extended from a top surface of the vertical body panel to define a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots having a bottom surface that exhibits a convex shape when viewed from a cross sectional view that crosses the body panel.    
   
   
       2 . The wafer guide of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical panels comprise a first vertical panel and a second vertical panel attached on both edges of the support panel respectively and a central panel located between the first and second vertical panels.  
   
   
       3 . The wafer guide of  claim 2 , wherein each of the bottom surfaces of the plurality of slots in the central panel has an asymmetrical profile with respect to a plane that is parallel with the central panel and passes through a central portion of the central panel.  
   
   
       4 . The wafer guide of  claim 2 , wherein a level difference between the slots of the first vertical panel and the second vertical panel and the slots of the central panel is at least 57 mm.  
   
   
       5 . The wafer guide of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of slots further has a sidewall that exhibits a convex shape when viewed from a top view.  
   
   
       6 . The wafer guide of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions comprising a hydrophobic material and the vertical body panel comprising a hydrophilic material.  
   
   
       7 . The wafer guide of  claim 6 , wherein the hydrophobic material is fluorine system polymer, and the hydrophilic material is quartz.