Speedfam-ipec Corporation

Trimble Navigation Limited

Speedfam Corporation

Robert F Allen

Ricardo T Jordan

Paul L Holzapfel

Anthony L Bartels

Warren Lin

Toby Jordan

Chris E Karlsrud

Periya Gopalan

Jose R Gonzalez-Martin

Jon R MacErnie

Arthur Hamer

Craig M Howard

Jeff Cunnane

Fernando Calderon

Bill Thornton

Richard W Rudow

John R Coffee

David A Dye

Robert D Sleeper

Kevin Marvin

Mark L Kirchner

Robert W Lewis

William A Tekniepe

Mark Billings

Jack F Nimtz

A vehicle fleet management information system for identification of location and direction of movement of each vehicle in the fleet in real-time and automatic communication directly with management offices to report its location and heading, and status of predetermined events in which the vehicle may be engaged. One example is a cement delivery truck which monitors location, speed and status information such as start pour, pouring, end pour, wash and leave job, and automatically transmits this information with a management office without requiring affirmative action by the vehicle operator.

Vehicle tracking, communication and fleet management system

A vehicle fleet management information system identifies location and direction of movement of each vehicle in a fleet in real-time, and automatically reports such information, as well as status of predetermined events in which the vehicle is engaged, directly to the fleet manager. Each fleet vehicle has an assigned time slot to transmit its reporting information over a communications network without interfering with transmissions from other vehicles in their own respective time slots. A timing control phase lock loop (PLL) provides precise time synchronization for timing corrections from a global positioning system (GPS) based time reference. A dual band full-duplex interface of the network has TDMA on one-half and broadcast on the other half. Microprocessor time processing units in components of the network perform precise clock synchronization. Space diversity performed on received vehicle transmitted messages avoids data corruption. Different vehicles have different periodic transmission intervals, by dynamically allocating the slots for various update rates. Auxiliary reporting slots enable prompt reporting of important data by the respective vehicle transmitters independent of the slower periodic transmission intervals.

An integral machine for polishing, cleaning, rinsing and drying workpieces such as semiconductor wafers. A load/unload station has a plurality of platforms for receiving cassettes of wafers to be processed. A dry end-effector of a robot retrieves wafers from the cassettes and transfers them to an index table. A transfer apparatus having wafer carrier elements picks up wafers from the index table, moves the wafers to a polishing table for polishing, and returns the wafers to the index table for further processing. A flipper moves the polished wafers to a cleaning station. The cleaning station includes scrub stations, a rinsing station and a spin dryer station, and a connective system of water tracks. A wet end-effector of the robot transfers rinsed wafers to the spin dryer station. The dry end-effector of the robot moves dried wafers from the spin dryer station back to the cassette of origination.

Mapping system for semiconductor wafer cassettes

A wafer mapping method and apparatus for automatically determining the location and orientation of workpieces within a workpiece processing tool. An illumination device is provided which directs light toward the edges of the workpieces and a vision system is utilized to receive and process the images obtained from the light which is reflected off the edges of the workpieces.

Automatic wafer mapping in a wet environment on a wafer cleaner

Combined CMP and wafer cleaning apparatus and associated methods

A machine for polishing semiconductor wafers including a rotatable index table and a drive mechanism for the index table. The index table temporarily accommodates wafers between processing steps. The drive mechanism includes a continuously circulating grooved timing belt that engages gear teeth formed on an outside diameter portion of the index table to effect rotation of the index table. The index table includes a large diameter central opening for accommodating passage of other system components.

Index table and drive mechanism for a chemical mechanical planarization machine

A distributed control system for a semiconductor wafer processing machine includes a master control module and a plurality of application control modules. Each of the application control modules and the master control module are capable of autonomous, independent operation. The master control module regulates the operation of the application control modules, and the application control modules govern a number of sub-procedures carried out by the wafer processing machine. The sub-procedures may be governed by respective processing recipes that are downloaded from the master control module to the application control modules via a network link architecture.

Distributed control system for a semiconductor wafer processing machine

Integral machine for polishing, cleaning, rinsing and drying workpieces

A tilt mechanism for periodically tilting a cassette configured to hold a plurality of wafers or workpieces such that the wafers or workpieces become gravity-loaded against a rear portion of the cassette. The tilt mechanism is mounted entirely above a worktable of a CMP or other processing machine and comprises a housing which houses a circular cam having a spiral groove formed therein. A tilt arm is pivotally mounted to the housing and extends vertically between a lower end which is adjacent the cam and an upper end which is fixed to a platform supporting a cassette holding a plurality of workpieces. A cam follower is attached to the lower end of the arm and projects into the groove. Rotary motion of the cam effects pivotal movement of the tilt arm which, in turn, effects tilting of the support platform and the cassette.

Tilt mechanism for wafer cassette

A method for detecting the presence of a workpiece on a polishing pad of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) machine applies an optical interrogation signal to a workpiece during the CMP process. An optical probe assembly produces a light signal that communicates with the polishing pad; portions of the light signal reflect from the polishing pad in a scattered manner. A light receptor receives reflected light associated with the interrogation signal, and the characteristics of the received light are analyzed and processed by a suitable processor. By analyzing the scattered light signals, the method distinguishes the reflective characteristics of the polishing pad from the reflective characteristics of the workpiece. Thus, the method may be used to detect a lost or broken workpiece in a fast and effective manner.

Methods for the in-process detection of workpieces in a CMP environment

Index table and drive mechanism for a chemical mechanical planarization

A method for use with a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system includes an infrared LED emitter that generates an interrogation signal and directs the interrogation signal toward a polishing pad configured to process a workpiece during the CMP procedure. A reflected signal produced in response to the interrogation signal is received by a detector, and the reflected signal is processed by a converter to produce a control signal having an analog voltage. The control signal is processed and an output is produced indicative of the presence of extraneous material proximate an area of the polishing pad when the analog voltage is measured within a predetermined range. The predetermined voltage range is established such that a variety of polishing pads having different physical characteristics may be employed without altering the position of the emitter or the operating parameters of the apparatus.

Methods for the in-process detection of workpieces with a monochromatic

An apparatus for use with a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system includes an infrared LED emitter that generates an interrogation signal and directs the interrogation signal toward a polishing pad configured to process a workpiece during the CMP procedure. A reflected signal produced in response to the interrogation signal is received by a detector, and the reflected signal is processed by a converter to produce a control signal having an analog voltage. The control signal is processed and an output is produced indicative of the presence of extraneous material proximate an area of the polishing pad when the analog voltage is measured within a predetermined range. The predetermined voltage range is established such that a variety of polishing pads having different physical characteristics may be employed without altering the position of the emitter or the operating parameters of the apparatus.

Apparatus for the in-process detection of workpieces with a

An apparatus for detecting the presence of a workpiece on a polishing pad of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) machine employs an optical interrogation signal that is applied during the CMP process. An optical probe assembly produces a light signal that communicates with the polishing pad; portions of the light signal reflect from the polishing pad in a scattered manner. A light receptor receives reflected light associated with the interrogation signal, and the characteristics of the received light are analyzed and processed by a processor used by the apparatus. By analyzing the scattered light signals, the apparatus distinguishes the reflective characteristics of the polishing pad from the reflective characteristics of the workpiece. Thus, the apparatus is capable of detecting a lost or broken workpiece in a fast and effective manner.

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Gilbert, AZ, United States of America

Robert F Allen