Scp Global Technologies, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Digital Check Corporation

Scp Global Technologies, a Division of Preco, Inc.

Victor B Mimken

Tom Krawzak

Anthony Joseph Senn

Kurt Breish

Eric T Hansen

Thomas Wayne Ives

William Warren Becia

Sergey A Velichko

Thomas Krawzak

Randy Mark Hall

Robert D Tolles

Martin C Bleck

Wyland L Atkins

John J Rosato

Scott Meyer

M Rao Yalamanchili

Douglas Richards

Evanson G Baiya

Rod Fladwood

Methods and systems are presented for controlling a film transport apparatus of a film reel scanner. In one embodiment, a system is provided including a line scanning camera, a supply reel motor, a take-up reel motor, and a plurality of capstan motors. A control system may then be configured to receive and dynamically adjust position information from these motors. The control system may then provide the dynamically adjusted position information to a plurality of controllers, which may then generate control signals for the supply reel motor, the take-up reel motor, and the at least a subset of the capstan motors.

Film transport apparatus controller and related methods

A two-axis automation system can be used to transfer and rotate wafers between horizontal and vertical orientations necessary for differing steps in a semiconductor fabrication process. The two rotational axes allow for the transfer and rotation to be done in a minimal space and with a minimum amount of swept volume. A transfer arm of the automation system can include a pair of load pads capable of loading and unloading a wafer processing chamber in a single sweep.

Systems and methods for wafer translation

A method and apparatus for supplying greater fluid flow and/or fluid volume from a fluid provided from a facility source to a substrate processing chamber is provided. The apparatus couples to an existing facility fluid source and accumulates the fluid, and the flow characteristics of the accumulated fluid are enhanced for delivery to the processing chamber. The apparatus includes a tank in fluid communication with the facility source and one or more processing chambers, and a valve disposed between the tank and the processing chambers adapted to receive a signal from a controller to facilitate filling or draining of the tank. The apparatus and method affects cost of ownership by altering the pressure and/or volume of the existing facility source without the need to alter the facility source.

Apparatus for rapid filling of a processing volume

A method and apparatus for efficiently exhausting harmful vapors and fumes from a substrate processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a lower volume configured as a liquid atmosphere, and an upper volume configured as a gaseous atmosphere to at least partially contain vapors or fumes above the liquid. The apparatus includes a lid member configured to seal the processing chamber and a lid assembly adapted to provide processing liquids while exhausting the vapors or fumes from the processing chamber. Switchable valves and/or a variable source of negative pressure may be coupled to the lid assembly to provide a controlled exhaust. A method of preventing or minimizing the escape of fumes or vapors is also described.

Process chamber lid and controlled exhaust

A method and apparatus for welding polymer components by forming a groove along a surface of a polymer part to be welded, placing a conductive member in the groove, heating the conductive member to a first temperature for a first period, allowing the parts to cool for a second period to form a weldment, heating the conductive member to a second temperature for a third period, and removing the conductive member from the weldment.

Method of hot wire welding of plastics

In a method for treating a semiconductor substrate, a single substrate is positioned in a single-substrate process chamber and subjected to wet etching, cleaning and/or drying steps. The single substrate may be exposed to etch or clean chemistry in the single-substrate processing chamber as turbulence is induced in the etch or clean chemistry to thin the boundary layer of fluid attached to the substrate. Megasonic energy and/or disturbances in the chamber surfaces may provide the turbulence for boundary layer thinning. According to another aspect of a method according to the present invention, megasonic energy may be directed into a region within the single-substrate process chamber to create a zone of boundary layer thinning across the substrate surface, and a single substrate may be translated through the zone during a rinsing or cleaning process within the chamber to optimize cleaning/rinsing performance within the zone.

Apparatus and method for single substrate processing

A compliant wafer comb assembly for use in transferring semiconductor wafers between wafer cassettes, wafer carriers, or other wafer holding devices. The compliant wafer comb includes a plurality of slots in which wafer(s) can be held while being transported. The slots are parallel to each other and downward sloping from one end of the comb to the other. The sloped arrangement causes a single wafer at a time to become engaged with the comb when a batch of wafers is transferred from a cassette or wafer holding device to the comb, allowing the compliant features of the comb to compensate for the misalignment of each wafer individually. The comb is coupled to a static base structure by a set of independent column springs which permit motion of the comb slots in any direction necessary to compensate for a wafer's misalignment. This permits transfer of a misaligned wafer or wafers from a cassette or other carrier to the comb without damaging the wafer(s). The present invention is also directed to a wafer handling system which includes the compliant comb and sensor(s) for monitoring when a wafer is severely enough misaligned that transfer to the comb would damage the wafer. In such a situation, a feedback signal generated by the sensor to an attached controller is used to alter the position of a robotic arm or other mechanism used to align the comb with respect to the wafers, or to halt the motion of the robot.

Compliant silicon wafer handling system

A cassette for carrying substantially planar objects. The cassette is formed of only two substantially parallel rods, each rod having spaced apart notches for receiving objects to be carried, together with a pair of end members extending between the rods. The rods and end members are joined to form a substantially rectangular loop.

Process cassette

A process vessel which may be utilized in wet processing of semiconductor wafers includes a tank having one or more fluid displacers attachable to the tank. The one or more fluid displacer(s) have position in which they extend into the interior of the tank. The fluid displacers may be carried by a lid moveable into a closed position covering the opening in the tank. Movement of the lid into the closed position causes the fluid displacers to extend into the tank.

Process vessel

A multiple stage wet processing platform includes a sealable enclosure, at least two processing modules positioned within the enclosure, at least one of them including a housing having an opening and a door moveable into position covering the opening, at least two processing vessels within the housing, and an intra-module robot within the housing and including a wafer support member, the intra-module robot moveable to a first position in which the support is disposed in a first one of the processing vessels and a second position in which the support is disposed in a second one of the processing vessels. An inter-module robot is positioned within the enclosure and is moveable between a first position adjacent to a first one of the modules and a second position adjacent to a second one of the modules.

Multiple stage wet processing platform and method of use

An apparatus and method for performing multiple wet processing steps on objects placed within a sealed chamber. The apparatus include a sealable chamber, at least one processing tank within the chamber, and preferably also includes an intrachamber robot configured to move objects to be treated within the chamber. Preferred embodiments utilize at least two processing tanks within the chamber. During use of these exemplary embodiments, objects to be treated are placed within the sealed chamber and the chamber is sealed to create a sealed interior environment. The objects are immersed in a first treatment fluid which is in a first one of the tanks, and then carried by the intrachamber robot from the first to the second tank where there are immersed in a second treatment fluid in the second tank. The objects may be moved back and forth between the tanks as needed in order to complete the process being performed. After processing is complete, the chamber is unsealed and the objects are removed from the chamber. In a preferred method, processing fluids are drained from the tanks at some point prior to the unsealing of the chamber in order to substantially prevent passage of fumes to the outside environment or contaminants from the exterior environment.

Multiple stage wet processing chamber

A method and apparatus for monitoring characteristics of a fluid contained in a vessel includes a fluid displacer suspended in the vessel. The buoyant force acting on the fluid displacer is measured using a pair of force transducers and used to calculate fluid characteristics such as the height of the fluid in the vessel, fluid density, solute concentration, and/or the presence of fluid cascading from one section of the vessel to another.

Fluid displacement level, density and concentration measurement system

A method and apparatus for monitoring characteristics of a fluid contained in a vessel includes a pair of triangular fluid displacers suspended in the vessel. The buoyant forces acting on the fluid displacers are measured using force transducers and used to calculate fluid characteristics such as the height of the fluid in the vessel, fluid density, solute concentration, and/or the presence of fluid cascading from one section of the vessel to another.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Victor B Mimken