Fortrend Engineering Corporation

Michael T Verdon

John M Rush

Torben J Ulander

A method for unloading silicon wafers contained in a cassette from a sealed pod and supplying the wafers to an IC manufacturing process. The method includes receiving a base of the pod onto a loading platform of a pod loader interface and then unlocking the pod cover from the base. While maintaining the wafers in a clean mini-environment, the method raises the pod cover away from the base, contacts the now exposed cassette with an end effector of an articulated arm, secures the cassette to the end effector, and activates the arm to transport the wafers out of mini-environment for supplying the wafers to an IC manufacturing process. Preferably, the method further includes raising the articulated arm to lift the cassette before transferring the wafers to the process. Even more preferred, the method directs a flow of clean air within the mini-environment horizontally past the wafers.

Method for supplying wafers to an IC manufacturing process

The pod loader interface is a machine that is able to automatically open a SMIF pod and unload the contents thereof. An elevator raises the SMIF cover away from its base to reveal the wafer boat contained in the SMIF pod. An articulated arm thereafter reaches through an opening in a bulkhead of the machine, securing the wafer cassette and withdrawing it through the hole in the bulkhead. The wafer cassette is then placed in position to be operated upon by the next step in the manufacturing process. The machine includes an integrated clean air system to provide a clean environment for the wafers.

Pod loader interface

An ionized airflow manifold for static reduction. The manifold may be installed in a stand-alone frame, or attached to any processing machine. The manifold includes a commercially available gas ionizer that provides an ionized air supply, and creates an air curtain around a target area.

Ionized airflow manifold for static reduction

The present invention is a rotary, 3-stage wafer transfer machine. The transfer machine utilizes a pneumatically powered lift mechanism to raise wafers from a boat to a retaining area. If the next operation for the wafer is a single density operation (twenty-five wafers per boat), the wafers are the simply transferred to another boat for further processing. If the next operation for the wafers requires double density (fifty wafers per boat), a second set of wafers is lifted to the retaining area, where they are interspersed with the first set to create a double density set of fifth wafers. This set is then transferred to the appropriate boat (generally a quartz boat) for further processing. All components that could generate particulate contamination are sealed off from the transfer area. Extra duty materials are used for the components of the machine to provide unique reproducibility and eliminate much of the required maintenance as compared to the prior art. Lack of contamination and superior reproducibility allow increased yield in the manufacturing process.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Michael T Verdon