公开(公告)号：US06323616B1

公开(公告)日：2001-11-27

申请号：US09564300

申请日：2000-05-03

申请人： Paul Sagues ,  Robert T. Wiggers ,  Sanjay K. Aggarwal ,  Kevin D. D'Souza ,  Nathan H. Harding

发明人： Paul Sagues ,  Robert T. Wiggers ,  Sanjay K. Aggarwal ,  Kevin D. D'Souza ,  Nathan H. Harding

IPC分类号： B25J918

CPC分类号： H01L21/67265 ,  B25J9/1692 ,  G05B2219/37275 ,  G05B2219/39024 ,  G05B2219/39048 ,  G05B2219/39056 ,  G05B2219/40623 ,  G05B2219/45031 ,  H01L21/67766

摘要： A wafer handling apparatus having input and output robotic systems directed by a programmed controller. Each system has components including a robot, a twist and rotate, and a carrier and automated carrier rail. The input system is for removing wafers from their wafer pod, placing them in the carrier and transporting them via the rail to a wafer processing area. The output system performs the reverse operation, taking wafers from a carrier following processing and placing them in a pod. Each robot includes a plurality of interconnected, articulated cantilevered arms. The last one of the arms has a wand on one end and a laser emitter detector on the other end, and operates in cooperation with the controller to provide location detection of system components. The controller also includes circuitry for sensing contact of the wand with an object by measuring the increased robot motor torque occurring upon contact. The controller is pre-programmed with approximate physical dimensions of the system components and their relative positions. The controller is additionally programmed to automatically perform a precision calibration/teaching routine to gather more precise location data. The process of precision teaching/calibration begins by placing a pod calibration fixture on a pedestal. The controller then directs the input robot to sense the fixture position, which gives the controller precise data relating to the position of a pod on the pedestal. The robot then senses the position of the twist and rotate components. The process begins by sensing the height of two arms of the twist and rotate, and the controller adjusts the arm heights until they are level. The controller then directs the robot to sense the R and &thgr; dimensions of the twist and rotate, and these precise dimensions are saved in the controller.

摘要翻译： 具有由编程控制器引导的输入和输出机器人系统的晶片处理装置。 每个系统具有包括机器人，扭转和旋转以及载体和自动化载体轨道的部件。 输入系统用于从晶片盒中移除晶片，将它们放置在载体中并通过导轨传送到晶片处理区域。 输出系统执行反向操作，从处理后的载体中取出晶片并将其放入容器中。 每个机器人包括多个互连的铰接悬臂。 最后一个臂在一端具有一个魔杖，另一端具有激光发射器检测器，并与控制器协同工作，以提供系统组件的位置检测。 控制器还包括用于通过测量接触时发生的增加的机器人马达扭矩来感测魔杖与物体的接触的电路。 控制器预编程有系统组件的近似物理尺寸及其相对位置。 控制器还被编程为自动执行精密校准/教学程序以收集更精确的位置数据。 精确教学/校准的过程开始于将荚式校准夹具放置在基座上。 然后，控制器引导输入机器人感测夹具位置，这为控制器提供与基座上的荚的位置有关的精确数据。 机器人然后感测扭转的位置并旋转部件。 该过程通过感测扭转和旋转的两个臂的高度开始，并且控制器调整臂高度直到它们平坦。 然后，控制器引导机器人感测扭转的R和θ尺寸并旋转，并将这些精确的尺寸保存在控制器中。