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:
May. 22, 2012
Filed:
May. 07, 2008
Scott Wong, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Jeffrey Lin, Hsinchu, TW;
Andrew D. Bailey, Iii, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Jack Chen, Fremont, CA (US);
Benjamin W. Mooring, Cedar Park, TX (US);
Chung Ho Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Scott Wong, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Jeffrey Lin, Hsinchu, TW;
Andrew D. Bailey, III, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Jack Chen, Fremont, CA (US);
Benjamin W. Mooring, Cedar Park, TX (US);
Chung Ho Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems to optimize wafer placement repeatability in semiconductor manufacturing equipment using a controlled series of wafer movements are provided. In one embodiment, a preliminary station calibration is performed to teach a robot position for each station interfaced to facets of a vacuum transfer module used in semiconductor manufacturing. The method also calibrates the system to obtain compensation parameters that take into account the station where the wafer is to be placed, position of sensors in each facet, and offsets derived from performing extend and retract operations of a robot arm. In another embodiment where the robot includes two arms, the method calibrates the system to compensate for differences derived from using one arm or the other. During manufacturing, the wafers are placed in the different stations using the compensation parameters.