Other

Biorne Enterprises, Inc.

John E Premeau

Rolf Moe

David J Corriea

Transfer mechanism to pick up an object such as a wafer used in the manufacture of semiconductor chips from one location, lift the object, transfer the same laterally, lower it and later deposit the same in another location. A horizontal feedscrew mounted in a stationary base controls horizontal reciprocation of a transverse housing. A vertical feedscrew mounted in the transverse housing controls vertical reciprocation of a second housing. Supported by the second housing are one or more lifts. Each lift has guide rods fixed relative to the second housing and a stop on its lower end. Parallel and adjacent the guide rods is a reciprocating rod carrying a gripper on its lower end. At the end of the vertical movement of the second housing the reciprocating rod moves the gripper away from the stop so that a wafer may rest on the guide rods. As the second housing moves up, the gripper clamps the wafer against the stop. Motors drive the feedscrews to lift the wafer, move it transversely and lower it. As it reaches the end of its lowering movement, the wafer is unclamped.

Wafer transfer apparatus

Apparatus for stripping photoresist and other coatings from integrated circuit wafers comprises a series of vertically positioned casings with rotary turrets within each casing each accommodating approximately 10 wafers. Wafers are received in conventional 'boats', lifted one at a time and inserted in a pocket in the first turret. The turret indexes intermittently, immersing the wafer in solvent until it travels almost a full 360.degree.; the wafer is then lifted from the first turret and inserted in a second turret which immerses the wafer during another almost 360.degree. travel in additional solvent. Toward the end of travel in the second turret a spray nozzle strips all remaining photoresist from the wafer. The wafer is then lifted from the second turret and inserted in a first pocket, optionally containing alcohol. The wafer is then lifted from the first pocket and inserted in a third turret which immerses the wafer in de-ionized water, such water being sprayed on the wafer to rinse away all stripper and/or alcohol. Next the wafer is inserted in a second pocket where an air or nitrogen spray dries the wafer. The wafer is then deposited in a second boat.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

John E Premeau