Entegris, Inc.

Asyst Technologies, Inc.

Discovision Associates

Crossing Automation, Inc.

Brooks Automation Gmbh

Aysts Technologies, Inc.

Omni Solutions International, Ltd.

Imageamerica, Inc.

Jerry A Speasl

Anthony C Bonora

Roger G Hine

Richard Howard Gould

Michael Krolak

Edward Dante

Thomas M Hedges

Leonard Schupak

David G Weir

The present invention is a wafer transfer system that transports individual wafers between chambers within an isolated environment. In one embodiment, a wafer is transported by a wafer shuttle that travel within a transport enclosure. The interior of the transport enclosure is isolated from the atmospheric conditions of the surrounding wafer fabrication facility. Thus, an individual wafer may be transported throughout the wafer fabrication facility without having to maintain a clean room environment for the entire facility. The wafer shuttle may be propelled by various technologies, such as, but not limited to, magnetic levitation or air bearings. The wafer shuttle may also transport more than one wafer simultaneously. The interior of the transport enclosure may also be under vacuum, gas-filled, or subject to filtered air.

Universal modular wafer transport system

The present invention is a wafer engine for transporting wafers. The wafer engine includes a linear drive for moving the wafer along an x axis, a rotational drive for rotating the wafer about a theta axis, a linear drive for moving the wafer along a z axis, and a linear drive for moving the wafer along a radial axis. The linear drive for moving the wafer along a z axis is offset from the rotational drive. When the rotational drive rotates about the theta axis, both the z axis and radial axis drives are also rotated about the theta axis. Preferably, the linear drive for moving the wafer along a radial axis is a dual or rapid swap slide body mechanism having an upper and lower end effector. The slide body mechanism preferably also has means to align the wafer and perform various inspection and marking procedures.

Wafer engine

A system is disclosed allowing non-invasive, continuous local and remote sensing of the internal environmental characteristics of transportable containers. The system utilizes a variety of sensors inside the container to sense internal environmental conditions.

Transportable container including an internal environment monitor

The semiconductor material handling system is an EFEM that may either mount to the front end of a processing tool or be integrated into the processing tool. The EFEM is built from a unified frame that the EFEM components, such as a wafer engine and a SMIF pod advance plate, may mount to. The frame serves as a common mounting structure that the EFEM components may use as a reference for alignment purposes. Since the EFEM components do not have to align with respect to the position of each other, the calibration, if any is required, is greatly simplified. The EFEM also has a reduced footprint, allowing the EFEM to mount to the front end of a processing tool and not extend to the fab floor. Thus, space is freed up between the EFEM and the fab floor. By way of example only, this space may be used as a maintenance access area to the processing tool without having to first remove the EFEM.

Semiconductor material handling system

The present invention is a unified spine structure that EFEM components, such as a wafer handling robot and a SMIF pod advance assembly, may mount to. The frame includes multiple vertical struts that are mounted to an upper support member and a lower support member. Structurally tying the vertical struts to the support members creates a rigid body to support the EFEM components. The vertical struts also provide a common reference that the EFEM components may align with. This eliminates the need for each EFEM component to align with respect to each other. Thus, if one EFEM component is removed it will not affect the alignment and calibration of the remaining secured EFEM components. The unified frame also creates an isolated storage area for the SMIF pod door and the port door within the environment that is isolated from the outside ambient conditions.

Unified frame for semiconductor material handling system

An integrated system is disclosed for workpiece handling and/or inspection at the front end of a tool. The system comprises a rigid member of unitary construction such as a metal plate which mounts to the front of a tool associated with a semiconductor process. The front end components, including the load port assemblies, prealigners and workpiece handling robot, are mounted to the plate to provide precise and repeatable positioning of the front end components with respect to each other.

An improved airborne, direct digital panoramic camera system and method in which an in-line electro-optical sensor eliminates the need for photographic film and film transport apparatus normally associated with prior art airborne reconnaissance cameras and yet still retains the very high image resolution quality which is so important in intelligence operations and commercial geographic information systems (GIS), mapping and other remote sensing applications. The present invention provides a simpler, more efficient and less costly panoramic camera by utilizing a lens in conjunction with the electro-optical line array sensor wherein the lens can be simpler and less expensive than a framing camera because it essentially requires quality focus in only one dimension and by eliminating the burden and delay necessitated in film processing and development. The massive amounts of digital data generated by the camera are compressed and any motion or panoramic errors are easily correctable in the digital data, while such errors were nearly impossible to correct in a cost effective fashion from film images. The compressed digital image data may be stored and retrieved later for utilization in computer type networks or alternatively can be transmitted from the aircraft to a ground station for prompt utilization.

Direct digital airborne panoramic camera system and method

A positioning system for locating objects in places where standard Global Position System signals do not penetrate. A first embodiment uses a GPS receiver and a clock recovery unit. A computer receives the positional information and accurate time information. The computer calculates new orbital data for at least four pseudosatellites. The pseudosatellites are antennas positioned in an interior or shielded space and function to send pseudosatellite data to a receiver. In a second embodiment, the positions of the pseudosatellites are provided to the computer without the use of a GPS receiver. An accurate clock signal is also provided. The computer calculates orbital data for each pseudosatellite and transmits the time signal and ephemeris data for each pseudosatellite. The time signal is delayed for each pseudosatellite to account for propagation delays due to different connecting cable lengths.

Positioning system and method

A positioning system for locating objects in places where standard Global Position System signals do not penetrate. A first embodiment uses a GPS receiver and a clock recovery unit. A computer receives the positional information and accurate time information. The computer calculates new orbital data for at least four pseudosatellites. The pseudosatellites are antennas positioned in an interior or shielded space and function to send pseudosatellite data to a receiver. In a second embodiment, the positions of the pseudosatallites are provided to the computer without the use of a GPS receiver. An accurate clock signal is also provided. The computer calculates orbital data for each pseudosatellite and transmits the time signal and ephemeris data for each pseudosatellite. The time signal is delayed for each pseudosatellite to account for propagation delays due to different connecting cable lengths.

An airborne direct digital panoramic camera system and method in which an in-line electro-optical sensor eliminates the need for photographic film and film transport apparatus normally associated with prior art airborne reconnaissance cameras and yet still retains the very high image resolution quality which is so important in intelligence operations and commercial geographic information systems (GIS), mapping and other remote sensing applications. The system provides a simpler, more efficient and less costly panoramic camera by utilizing a lens in conjunction with the electro-optical line array sensor wherein the lens can be simpler and less expensive than a framing camera because it essentially requires quality focus in only one dimension and by eliminating the burden and delay necessitated in film processing and development. The massive amounts of digital data generated by the camera are compressed and any motion or panoramic errors are easily correctable in the digital data, while such errors were nearly impossible to correct in a cost effective fashion from film images. The compressed digital image data may be stored and retrieved later for utilization in computer type networks or alternatively can be transmitted from the aircraft to a ground station for prompt utilization.

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Jerry A Speasl