Brooks Automation Gmbh

Jenoptik Aktiengesellschaft

Jenoptik Gmbh

Klaus Schultz

Berndt Lahne

Andreas Birkner

Andreas Mages

Alfred Schulz

Manfred Heinze

Ulysses Gilchrist

Werner Scheler

Heinz Schneider

Louise Smith Barriss

Marlies Mages

Michael Heitmann

Bernd Gey

Volker Schlehahn

Axel Gaglin

Volker Weisbach

Harald Beckert

Hagen Raue

Joachim König

Sebastian Kaden

For a device for the detection of substrates stacked at an opening of a wall element, there existed the problem of constructing the detection device in such a way that the detection of the position of the substrates can be performed more flexibly with respect to the course of measurement and the measuring method employed and a defined approach of a sensor system to the semiconductor substrate to be detected is ensured in a definite position of measurement with a lowered risk of particle generation. A transmitting and receiving device () consists of a vertical drive mechanism () mounted on the wall element () and a sensor head () that can be adjusted between a lower and an upper position by means of the vertical drive mechanism (), said sensor head being arranged so as to pivot on the vertical drive mechanism () in order to pivot into the opening (). The device finds application, in particular, in the semiconductor industry for recording the state of occupancy of cassettes or containers with substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, flat-screen displays, or masks.

Device for the detection of substrates stacked with a specific spacing

In a device for manipulating an object for loading and unloading a clean room, the problem is to reduce the hardware expense for adjustment devices and for air conditioning while maintaining ergonomic benefits and to further improve the clean room conditions in the device. The device contains a stationary outer part ( ) of a housing ( ) as well as an inner part ( ) that can extend telescopically from it and a receptacle element ( ) in the roof area of the inner part ( ). For the telescopic extension of the inner part and for the lowering of the receptacle element into the inner part, a common guide rail ( ) and a common drive ( ) are provided. The receptacle element connected to the drive engages with a driver of the inner part for the telescopic extension of the inner part by vertical upward movement and after reaching an access level (E , E ), at which the inner part is secured, it can be lowered in the inner part. The inner part is flushed with an air flow coming from the clean room in the region of each level. The device is used for loading and unloading of clean rooms with objects that are transported in a container.

Device for manipulating an object for loading and unloading a clean room

A device for coupling containers at a loading and unloading port with a horizontally displaceable platform for receiving the container has the object of increasing protection against faulty operation and faulty loading in a simple manner while guaranteeing technical cleanroom requirements and without limiting the clear space of the platform. An arrangement for detecting the presence of a container and for distinguishing between containers with different contents is provided for an expectancy area above the platform. The device is used for the loading and unloading at machining or processing stations of objects that are to be transported in a container, especially objects in the fabrication process for integrated circuits.

Docking station for substrate transport containers

An indexer for magazine shelves of a magazine and wafer-shaped objects contained therein has the object of ensuring accurate access in any desired and predeterminable magazine plane, also for magazines which are provided with an opening on only one removing and charging side, by means of an all-purpose indexing, wherein it is possible to differentiate between various standardized magazine and wafer formats. The magazine shelves and the wafer-shaped objects are detected by an optoelectronic sensor arrangement, at least a portion of which is designed as a distance measuring system. The indexer is applicable in the manufacture of integrated circuits, in particular, for handling wafer-shaped objects in the form of semiconductors and masks.

Indexer for magazine shelves of a magazine and wafer-shaped objects contained therein

A device and method for the sensing of wafer-shaped objects and shelves in a container is disclosed. The device and method function to increase the reliability of detection in containers which are open on one side as well as in containers which are open on two sides, and to detect whether a shelf is occupied by more than one object, to detect oblique positions of the objects along several shelves and the position of the shelves themselves independent from dimensional tolerances without impeding the handling of either the wafer-shaped objects or the container and without interfering with clean room conditions. Radiation from a radiation source which is reflected at the front sides of the objects and at the shelves is directed to optoelectronic sensor elements for recording an image by an imaging optical device. The recording of every image is adapted to the reflectance ratios at the front sides which contribute to the imaging. The device and method is applicable in the manufacture of integrated circuits.

Device and method for sensing wafer-shaped objects and shelves in a container

A device for transferring an object between at least two locations with a gripper which grips the object at a handle element after it approaches the object with gripper elements has the aim of preventing deformation or destruction of the object during the approach of the gripper. This should minimize particle generation resulting from firm holding. The gripper has a sensor for detecting the object and its distance during approach, wherein the time at which the object is detected defines the determination of the remaining approach path for a controlled approach and the start of the gripping process.

Device for the transfer of an object between at least two locations

An arrangement for generating a purified, low-turbulence air flow for supplying local clean rooms is aimed to reduce the constructional depth of an air processing installation and, in addition, to extensively prevent the transmission of vibrations from the air flow-generator to the equipment unit to be supplied. The wall of the plenum chamber located opposite an outlet opening in the plenum chamber adjoins a filter accommodated in a plenum chamber at the side for the inlet of unpurified air. A space remains open between the wall and the filter. This space communicates with the rest of the space in the plenum chamber and serves primarily to form the plenum. The arrangement is applicable in the manufacturing of integrated circuits.

Arrangement for generating a purified, low-turbulence air flow for

An arrangement for handling wafer-shaped objects is to ensure a high degree of positioning accuracy with increased productivity, freely selectable transport paths, and low mechanical expenditure under SMIF conditions. The arrangement has at least one indexing device for supplying and accepting the objects at a supplying and accepting location situated in a handling plane and at least one transporting device for transporting the wafer-shaped objects between the supplying and accepting location and a work station. The work station, together with at least one other work station, is arranged substantially coaxially to a central point through which passes a rotational axis of a changer. The arrangement is applicable in the manufacture of integrated circuits.

Arrangement for handling wafer-shaped objects

A device for handling disk-shaped objects in a handling plane of a local clean room has the object of ensuring process steps preceding or following the processing and inspection of the disk-shaped objects under the conditions of a local clean room with the use of SMIF boxes. The handling plane (H--H) is in a fixed constructional relationship with a reference plane (E--E) of at least one device comprising the magazine seat as a component part, which device serves to index the shelves of magazines and disk-shaped objects contained therein and is arranged above an intermediate base dividing the clean room into two partial spaces located one above the other, in which an air flow component of an air flow is directed from the partial space above the intermediate base into the partial space below the intermediate base. The device can be used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, particularly for handling tasks.

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Jena, Germany

Klaus Schultz