The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 30, 1999
Matthew W. Coady, Round Rock, TX (US);
Hillman L. Bailey, Dripping Springs, TX (US);
Asyst Technologies, Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
An aligner is disclosed including a buffer mechanism having a buffer paddle on which wafers may be buffered to increase the throughput of the aligner. The aligner is provided in general to identify a position of a notch, position and read the associated indicial mark and determine the radial runout of the wafer. The aligner includes a rotating support platform in the form of a chuck on which the wafers are received from the robot. A motor rotates the chuck so that the radial runout and notch of the wafer may be identified. According to the present invention, the aligner further includes a buffer mechanism having a buffer paddle and a drive mechanism for vertically translating the buffer paddle. The aligner further includes an analog sensor for determining the notch location, the radial runout and/or the position of the indicial mark on a wafer being rotated on the chuck.