WAFER STORAGE DEVICE, WAFER STORAGE METHOD, AND WAFER POLISHING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wafer storage device which prevents formation of a watermark and the occurrence of a scratch on the surface of a wafer in a process of conveying the wafer while submerging the wafer after polishing. SOLUTION: First, a cassette 4 placed above water surface of a tank 5 is made horizontal to store the wafers 3 after polishing and wafers are stored into the cassette 4 one by one. Next, after all the wafers 3 are stored in the cassette 4, the cassette 4 is submerged in the water inside the tank 5 at intervals of one wafer by a cassette lifting mechanism 7 while inclining the cassette 4 within the range of 1-20° by an inclination means 8. Also when the cassette 4 is pulled up from the tank 5, the cassette 4 is pulled up while inclining it by the inclination means 8. Thus, since the wafers 3 do not float and drops of the wafers 3 at the upper parts do not drop to the wafers 3 at lower parts, there is no possibility that the wafers 3 may be damaged or the watermarks may be formed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT