Clamshell Wafer Carriers
Lightweight, quick-access hinged carriers for frequent wafer transfers in metrology labs and R&D environments.
Overview
Clamshell carriers trade the maximum-protection engineering of shipping boxes for speed and convenience, addressing the reality that many wafer moves happen many times a day over short distances — between a process tool and a metrology station, across a hallway to an adjacent fab building, or in and out of an R&D characterization lab. A single-action latch opens and closes with one gloved hand, and the hinged clear polycarbonate lid lets operators visually confirm wafer orientation and condition without breaking the enclosure at all.
Despite the lighter build — roughly half the weight of a comparable aluminum carrier — the interlocking base and lid design stacks securely for storage and cart transport, and the reduced mass measurably cuts operator fatigue and wear on automated material handling equipment over a full production shift. Available in single-wafer and small multi-wafer configurations across all standard diameters.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Available Range / Values |
|---|---|
| Wafer Diameter | 100mm (4″), 150mm (6″), 200mm (8″), 300mm (12″) |
| Body Material | Conductive PC, antistatic ABS |
| Lid Type | Hinged, clear polycarbonate for visual inspection without opening |
| Latch Mechanism | Single-action latch, gloved-hand operable, cycle-tested 10,000+ operations |
| Weight | 50% lighter than comparable aluminum carriers |
| ESD Protection | Static-dissipative 10⁴–10⁹ Ω/sq surface resistivity |
| Stacking | Interlocking base/lid design for cart and shelf storage |
| Cleanroom Class | ISO Class 5 (Class 100) molded and assembled |
| Standards | ANSI/ESD S20.20, SEMI E1 (slot-compatible variants) |
Applications
Fast, visually-verifiable wafer handoff between process tools and metrology or defect-review stations.
Rapid, low-overhead wafer transport between adjacent buildings or process bays on the same site.
Quick-open access for characterization labs handling frequent, small-batch sample turnover.
Cleanroom shelf storage for wafers requiring repeated retrieval without the overhead of full re-sealing.
Quality & Certification
Clamshell carriers are molded and assembled in an ISO Class 5 cleanroom, with each latch mechanism cycle-tested for over 10,000 open/close operations without degradation of seal or alignment. All units meet ANSI/ESD S20.20 static control requirements and carry full ISO 9001:2015 lot traceability.
Need Clamshell Wafer Carriers?
Tell us your wafer diameter and daily transfer volume — our team will recommend the right clamshell configuration within 24 hours.