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:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 20, 2002
Richard L. Guldi, Dallas, TX (US);
Keith W. Melcher, McKinney, TX (US);
John Williston, Plano, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
The marking of identification and orientation information along the edge (E) of a semiconductor wafer ( ) is disclosed. The information may be marked by way of laser marking at one or more locations ( ) along a flat portion ( ) or bevel ( ) of the edge (E) of the wafer ( ). The wafer marking ( ) may be encoded, for example by way of a 2-D bar code. A system ( ) for reading the identification information from wafers ( ) in a carrier ( ) is also disclosed. The system ( ) includes a sensor ( ) for sensing reflected light from the wafer markings ( ) along the wafer edge (E), and for decoding identification and orientation therefrom. A motor ( ), under the control of feedback (RFB) from the sensor ( ), rotates the wafers ( ) by way of a roller ( ) until the wafer marking ( ) is in view by the sensor ( ). A processing system ( ), which includes a rotatable chuck ( ) upon which the wafer ( ) is placed, is also disclosed. The processing system ( ) also includes a sensor ( ) for sensing identification and orientation information from the wafer edge (E), and a process control computer ( ) that receives signals corresponding to the identification information, for purposes of manufacturing data logging and process control.