Kensington Laboratories, Inc.

Newport Corporation

Brooks Automation Gmbh

Paul E Bacchi

Paul S Filipski

Manuel J Robalino

A method determines axial alignment between the centroid of an end effector and the effective center of a specimen held by the end effector. The method is implemented with use of an end effector coupled to a robot arm and having a controllable supination angle. A condition in which two locations of the effective center of the specimen measured at 180&#xb0; displaced supination angles do not lie on the supination axis indicates that the centroid is offset from the actual effective center of the specimen.

Method of determining axial alignment of the centroid of an edge gripping end effector and the center of a specimen gripped by it

A multi-axial positioning system of unitary construction design selectively moves a port door along two transverse paths of travel toward and away from the aperture of a port plate. The positioning system includes a link carriage operatively connected to a drive mechanism that moves a drive carriage along a first travel path. A pivot link structure causes the link and drive carriages to move in unison for a distance along the first travel path. A guide prevents the link carriage from moving past a location along the first travel path, and, in response, the pivot link pivotally moves to cause the link carriage to move along a second travel path and thereby move the port door toward or away from the port plate aperture, depending on the direction of movement of the drive carriage along the first travel path relative to the link carriage.

Multi-axial positioning mechanism for a FIMS system port door

A robot arm positioning error is corrected by employing a specimen gripping end effector in which a light source and a light receiver form a light transmission pathway that senses proximity to the specimen. A robot arm old position is sensed and recorded. The robot arm retrieves the specimen from the old position and employs old position information to replace the specimen at a new position that is ideally the same as the old position. A robot arm new position is sensed and recorded. A difference between the new and old positions represents a position error. A correct position is obtained by processing the position error and the old position information.

Robot end effector position error correction using auto-teach methodology

Robot arm end effectors rapidly transfer semiconductor wafers between a wafer cassette and a processing station. Preferred embodiments of the end effectors include proximal and distal rest pads, the latter having pad and backstop portions that support and grip the wafer at its peripheral edge or within an annular exclusion zone that extends inward from the peripheral edge of the wafer. Preferred embodiments of the end effectors also include fiber optic light transmission sensors for determining various wafer surface, edge, thickness, tilt, and location parameters. The sensors provide robot arm extension and elevation positioning data supporting methods of rapidly and accurately placing and retrieving a wafer from among a stack of closely spaced wafers stored in the wafer cassette.

Specimen sensing and edge gripping end effector

An optical scanning assembly detects positions of wafer specimens stored in a transport box. The scanning assembly includes first and second spaced-apart optical component mounts operatively connected to a deployment mechanism that moves them between extended and retracted positions. The extended positions facilitate specimen scanning operation, and the retracted positions facilitate carrier box front side access during specimen non-scanning processing. A preferred embodiment is a scanning assembly of a differential optical type.

Specimen scanning mechanism adapted for implementation in a FIMS system

One or more mounting registration points provide alignment between a FIMS system and a specimen handling system that delivers a specimen retrieved from a specimen transport box. The specimen handling system includes one or more mounting points, each cooperating with an alignment fixture to immovably secure the specimen handling system to the FIMS system at a corresponding mounting registration point. This mounting technique provides automatic alignment of the specimen handling system to each mounting registration point of the FIMS system.

Semiconductor processing tool alignment technique implemented in a FIMS system

A motive force detection system prevents an overpowering of the movement of a transport box-carrying slidable tray of a FIMS system past a reference location upon detection of improper mating of the transport box to the FIMS system port plate or an obstruction to the movement of the slidable tray.

Detection of motive force applied to transport box mounted on a fims system

Robot arm ( ) end effectors ( ) of this invention rapidly and cleanly transfer semiconductor wafers ( ) between a wafer cassette ( ) and a processing station. The end effectors include fiber optic light transmission sensors ( ) for determining various wafer surface, edge, thickness, tilt, and location parameters. The sensors provide robot arm extension and elevation positioning data supporting methods of rapidly and accurately placing and retrieving a wafer from among a stack of closely spaced wafers stored in the wafer cassette. The methods effectively prevent accidental contact between the end effector and the wafers while effecting clean, secure gripping of the wafer.

Method of using a specimen sensing end effector to determine angular orientation of a specimen

A box load interface implemented in a FIMS system includes a retractable port door that is attachable to the box door of a transport box. The port door selectively moves the box door toward or away from the box cover of the transport box to thereby open or close it. A slidable tray is mounted to a support shelf. The slidable tray includes a clamping mechanism that receives and clamps the transport box in a fixed position on the slidable tray. A positioning mechanism moves the slidable tray to force the box cover against the port plate. The positioning mechanism also retracts from the port plate to release the box cover. A port door translation mechanism is operatively connected to the port door to advance it and retract it toward and away from a port plate aperture. A port door elevator assembly operates in cooperation with the port door translation mechanism to move the port door after the box door has been moved away from the box cover and through the port plate aperture. An alternative embodiment implements the port door translation mechanism and elevator assembly as an integral structure. A differential optical scanning assembly detects positions of wafer specimens located in the transport box. A robot assembly is supported by a linear traveling assembly between adjacent port plate apertures for removing and inserting wafer specimens from the transport box. The linear traveling assembly includes a carriage that supports the robot assembly and that travels along a lead screw between the port plate apertures driven by a lead nut mechanism.

Pod load interface equipment adapted for implementation in a fims system

Robot arm ( ) end effectors ( ) of this invention rapidly and cleanly transfer semiconductor wafers ( ) between a wafer cassette ( ) and a processing station. The end effectors include proximal and distal rest pads ( ) having pad and backstop portions ( ) that support and grip the wafer either by wafer peripheral edge contact or within an annular exclusion zone ( ) that extends inward from a peripheral edge of the wafer. An active contact point ( ) is movable by a vacuum actuated piston ( ) between a retracted wafer-loading position and an extended position that urges the wafer against the distal rest pads to grip the wafer at its edge or within the exclusion zone. The end effector further includes fiber optic light transmission sensors ( ) for determining various wafer surface, edge, thickness, tilt, and location parameters. The sensors provide robot arm extension and elevation positioning data supporting methods of rapidly and accurately placing and retrieving a wafer from among a stack of closely spaced wafers stored in the wafer cassette. The methods effectively prevent accidental contact between the end effector and the wafers while effecting clean, secure gripping of the wafer at its edge or within its exclusion zone.

Method of using a specimen sensing end effector to align a robot arm with a specimen stored on or in a container

Robot arm ( ) end effectors,( ) rapidly and cleanly transfer semiconductor wafers ( ) between a wafer cassette ( ) and a processing station. The end effectors include fiber optic light transmission sensors ( ) for determining various wafer surface, edge, thickness, tilt, and location parameters. The sensors provide robot arm extension and elevation positioning data supporting methods of rapidly and accurately placing and retrieving a wafer from among a stack of closely spaced wafers stored in the wafer cassette. The methods effectively prevent accidental contact between the end effector and the wafers while effecting clean, secure gripping of the wafer.

Method of using a specimen sensing end effector to determine the thickness of a specimen

A self-teaching robot arm positioning method that compensates for support structure component alignment offset entails the use of a component emulating fixture preferably having mounting features that are matable to support structure mounting elements. Robot arm mechanism motor angular position data measured relative to component emulating fixture features are substituted into stored mathematical expressions representing robot arm vector motion to provide robot arm position output information. This information indicates whether the actual relative alignment between the robot arm mechanism and a semiconductor wafer carrier is offset from a nominal relative alignment. The robot arm mechanism position output information can be used to effect either manual or automatic correction of an offset from the nominal relative alignment.

Self-teaching robot arm position method to compensate for support structure component alignment offset

Specimen edge-gripping prealigners ( ) grasp a wafer ( ) by at least three edge-gripping capstans ( ) that are equally spaced around a periphery ( ) of the wafer. Each edge-gripping capstan is coupled by a continuous synchronous belt ( ) to a drive hub ( ) that is rotated by a drive motor ( ). The belts are tensioned by idler pulleys ( ) that are rotated by a motive force ( ). The edge-gripping capstans and the drive drums are mounted to hinged bearing housings ( ) that are spring biased to urge the capstans away from the drive hub. Deactivating the motive force rotates the idler plates into a belt tensioning position that draws the capstans inward to grip the periphery of the wafer. Once gripped, rotation of the drive hub is coupled through the tensioned belts to the capstans. Driving all the capstans provides positive grasping and rotation of the wafer without surface contact with the wafer and thereby reduces wafer damage and particle contamination.

Edge gripping specimen prealigner

A self-teaching robot arm positioning method that compensates for support structure component alignment offset entails the use of a component emulating fixture preferably having mounting features that are matable to support structure mounting elements. Robot arm mechanism motor angular position data measured relative to component emulating fixture features are substituted into stored mathematical expressions representing robot arm vector motion to provide robot arm position output information. This information indicates whether the actual relative alignment between the robot arm mechanism and a semiconductor wafer carrier is offset from a nominal relative alignment. For manual correction, robot arm mechanism position output information provides the angular offset between the actual and nominal radial distances between the robot arm mechanism shoulder axis and two locating features of the component emulating fixture. Position coordinates for proper alignment by manual repositioning of any misaligned wafer carrier can then be derived. For automatic correction, robot arm mechanism position output information is used to derive a vector trajectory that causes the end effector of the robot arm mechanism to properly access the wafer stored in a misaligned wafer carrier.

Self-teaching robot arm position method

A SMIF box cover hold down latch and box door latch actuating mechanism installed in the port door of a SMIF system has two box door latch actuating pins extending from a central pivot shaft of the actuating mechanism to mate with corresponding holes in the cam component of the box door latch mechanism. In a preferred embodiment the central pivot shaft moves about a central pivot axis between first and second predetermined angular positions. Movement to the first angular position imparts linear movement of trucks attached to first and second rod members and causes push pins to retract from their corresponding box cover hold down latches to secure the box cover to the port plate and imparts angular movement to the two actuating pins and causes them to operate the box door latch mechanism to release the box door from the box cover. Movement to the second angular position imparts linear movement to trucks attached to first and second rod members and causes push pins to extend toward and contact their corresponding box cover hold down latches to release the box cover from the port plate and imparts angular movement to the two actuating pins and causes them to operate the box door latch mechanism to secure the box door to the box cover. Multiple wafer registration detector subassemblies ensure that semiconductor wafers stored in a cassette holder contained within the SMIF box are properly registered before an elevator assembly moves the cassette holder beneath a SMIF system processing station canopy.

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Novato, CA, United States of America

Paul E Bacchi