摘要:
In a reverse pulse plating of a substrate (110), the electrolytic solution is agitated with a greater power on forward pulses (210) than on reverse pulses (220). An ultrasound agitation source (170) can be positioned at the bottom of the substrate (110) if the anode (134) is at the top. The ultrasound source may contact the substrate's bottom. Other features are also provided.
摘要:
An expandable membrane (280), e.g. a membrane that is elastic and/or has a corrugated edge, is expanded to exert more uniform pressure over a semiconductor wafer (110) or a carrier (254) to bond the wafer to the carrier.
摘要:
When heat or UV radiation is applied to an adhesive tape (130) which bonds a semiconductor wafer (110) to a carrier (120), the appropriate lift-off time for separating the wafer from the carrier is determined by monitoring the thickness (T or ΔT) of the wafer/tape/carrier sandwich. When the thickness or the thickness change has reached a predefined value or range of values, independently moveable driving members (510R) drive the wafer or the carrier with small forces at a plurality of spaced-apart locations along the periphery. As a result, the lift-off is initiated at the location of the weakest adhesion.
摘要:
An end-effector includes multiple vortex chucks for supporting a wafer. Vortex chucks are located along the periphery of the end-effector to help prevent a flexible wafer from curling. The end-effector has limiters to restrict the lateral movement of a supported wafer. In one example, the end-effector has a detector for detecting the presence of a wafer. The detector is mounted at a shallow angle to allow the end-effector to be positioned close to a wafer to be picked-up, thereby allowing detection of deformed wafers contained in a wafer cassette. The shallow angle of the detector also minimizes the thickness of the end-effector. Also disclosed is a wafer station with features similar to that of the end-effector.
摘要:
An end effector has one or more vortex chucks to support a wafer, and at least two detectors for detecting different portions of the wafer before the wafer is picked up. If one of the detectors detects a wafer and the other one does not, an alarm is generated to alert an operator that the wafer is possibly cross slotted in the wafer cassette. Each detector includes a light emitter and a light receiver. The light emitter emits a light beam at an angle to a surface defined by an ideally flat wafer when the wafer is supported by the end effector (the actual wafers do not have to be flat). The angle is not more than 45°, and is between 6° and 12° in some embodiments. Other features and embodiments are also provided.
摘要:
An article holder has sensors that detect whether an article held in the holder is a workpiece or a piece of packaging material. Examples are end effectors suitable for picking up semiconductor wafers and packaging material from a pod or some other carrier.
摘要:
An article holder has protrusions that contact the article. The friction between the protrusions and the article impedes the article movement relative to the holder yet allows the article to slide when the article is pushed against some object. The article is pushed against the object in order to position the article more precisely.
摘要:
An end-effector includes multiple vortex chucks for supporting a wafer. Vortex chucks are located along the periphery of the end-effector to help prevent a flexible wafer from curling. The end-effector has limiters to restrict the lateral movement of a supported wafer. In one example, the end-effector has a detector for detecting the presence of a wafer. The detector is mounted at a shallow angle to allow the end-effector to be positioned close to a wafer to be picked-up, thereby allowing detection of deformed wafers contained in a wafer cassette. The shallow angle of the detector also minimizes the thickness of the end-effector. Also disclosed is a wafer station with features similar to that of the end-effector.