Thin wafer insert

1. A wafer carrier and insert for supporting at least one thin wafer therein, comprising:

a carrier portion having at least a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, and an open front, the pair of opposing sides having a plurality of opposing ribs defining a plurality of slots; and

an insert, said insert being adapted to fit in one of said plurality of slots and comprising a plate, the plate having a pair of opposing side margins, each of the side margins having a plurality of tab structures adapted to friction ally engage said one of said plurality of slots, the plate further having a plurality of upwardly projecting wafer supports, the wafer supports being adapted to support a thin wafer above said insert with a portion of the periphery of the wafer within a separate one of said plurality of slots, said wafer supports disposed so that a robotic wafer handling member is insert able between said insert and the wafer.

2. The wafer carrier and insert of claim 1 , wherein said insert has a bottom surface, and wherein said bottom surface has a plurality of stiffening ribs formed therein.

3. The wafer carrier and insert of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of tab structures is biased against a surface of one of said plurality of opposing ribs, the direction of the bias of each tab structure being opposite the direction of bias of the immediately adjacent tab structures.

4. The wafer carrier and insert of claim 1 , wherein the thin wafer is supported within a slot of said plurality of slots immediately adjacent the slot engaged by said insert, and wherein each of said plurality of upwardly projecting wafer supports projects into said immediately adjacent slot for a distance of at least half of the height of said immediately adjacent slot.

5. A wafer carrier and insert for supporting at least one thin wafer therein, comprising:

a carrier portion having at least a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, and an open front, the pair of opposing sides having a plurality of opposing ribs defining a plurality of opposing recesses and forming a plurality of slots; and

a generally planar insert having a top surface, said insert comprising a plate with a pair of opposing margins, each margin having a plurality of structures for frictionally engaging one of said pair of opposing sides so that the plate is supported intermediate said pair of opposing sides, wherein said each said plurality of structures includes a plurality of radially projecting bifurcate members, and wherein each of said bifurcate members is adapted to engage one of said plurality of opposing ribs between the furcations of each bifurcate member, the plate further having means for supporting a thin wafer above said top surface, said means for supporting a thin wafer adapted so as to allow a robotic wafer handling member to be interposed between said insert and the thin wafer.

6. The wafer carrier and insert of claim 5 , wherein said means for supporting a thin wafer above the top surface of said insert comprises a plurality of upwardly projecting wafer supports extending from said top surface.

7. The wafer carrier and insert of claim 5 , wherein said insert has a bottom surface, and wherein said bottom surface has a plurality of stiffening ribs formed therein.

8. The wafer carrier and insert of claim 5 , wherein a thin wafer supported by the insert is supported within a slot of said plurality of slots immediately adjacent the slot in which said insert is positioned, wherein said means for supporting a thin wafer above the top surface of said insert comprises a plurality of upwardly projecting wafer supports extending from said top surface, wherein each slot has a height, and wherein each of said plurality of upwardly projecting wafer supports projects into said immediately adjacent slot for a distance of at least half of the height of said immediately adjacent slot.

9. A method for supporting at least one thin wafer in a wafer carrier, comprising the steps of:

providing a wafer carrier having at least a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, and an open front, the pair of opposing sides having a plurality of opposing recesses defining a plurality of slots;

forming a generally planar insert having a top surface and a pair of opposing margins, said insert being adapted to fit in one of said plurality of slots, each margin having a plurality of structures for frictionally engaging one of said opposing recesses, said insert having wafer supports for supporting a thin wafer with minimal contact above said top surface with a portion of the periphery of the wafer within a separate one of said plurality of slots;

placing said insert in one of said plurality of slots; and

resting a thin wafer on the wafer supports of said insert.

10. A wafer carrier and insert for supporting at least one thin wafer therein, comprising:

a carrier portion having at least a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, and an open front, the pair of opposing sides having a plurality of opposing recesses defining a plurality of slots; and

a generally planar insert having a top surface, said insert being adapted to be fittable intermediate said pair of opposing sides and having a plurality of structures for frictionally engaging one of said plurality of slots so that said insert is supported by said sides, wherein said plurality of structures comprises a plurality of tab structures, each of said plurality of tab structures biased against a surface within said one of said plurality of opposing recesses, the direction of the bias of each tab structure being opposite the direction of bias of the immediately adjacent tab structures, said insert further having a plurality of upwardly directed wafer supports for supporting a thin wafer, said wafer supports disposed so as to allow a robotic wafer handling member to be interposed between said insert and the thin wafer.

11. The wafer carrier and insert of claim 10 , wherein said insert has a bottom surface, and wherein said bottom surface has a plurality of stiffening ribs formed therein.