US Patent No: 4,776,744

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Systems and methods for wafer handling in semiconductor process equipment

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Abstract

A system and methods for handling semiconductor wafers and dummy wafers in semiconductor process equipment such as an ion implanter. Tray assemblies are provided, each of which is adapted for releasably holding and automatically aligning a standard semiconductor wafer cassette next to a dedicated dummy-wafer cassette. The dummy wafers are used to complete a full load of wafers when there are insufficient wafers in the standard cassette. The trays are mounted on the paddles of a load lock carousel, which indexes the trays to an unloading/loading station. There, an indexer assembly picks up and indexes the tray so that the standard and dummy wafers can be selectively lifted by a vertical transport mechanism to a pivotal wafer chuck for transfer into the process equipment.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.SANTA CLARA, CA6777

International Classification(s)

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  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Allum, Clive Crawley, GB2 1 44
Cooke, Richard North Melbourne, VIC 3051, AU 9 79
Robinson, Frederick J L Crawley, GB2 3 159
Stonestreet, Paul Cowfold, GB2 1 44
Wauk, II Michael T West Sussex, GB 5 200
Webber, Bert Crawley, GB2 1 44

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC. (1)
4,449,885 Wafer transfer system 145 1982

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. (15)
5,149,244 Apparatus for aligning wafers within a semiconductor wafer cassette 12 1991
5,217,341 Method for aligning wafers within a semiconductor wafer cassette 9 1992
5,844,683 Position sensor system for substrate holders 19 1996
5,664,337 Automated semiconductor processing systems 58 1996
6,454,519 Dual cassette load lock 27 1997
6,082,951 Wafer cassette load station 38 1998
6,592,673 Apparatus and method for detecting a presence or position of a substrate 7 1999
6,287,386 Carousel wafer transfer system 16 1999
6,677,594 Scanning wheel for ion implantation process chamber 6 2000
6,468,353 Method and apparatus for improved substrate handling 10 2000
6,575,737 Method and apparatus for improved substrate handling 3 2000
6,599,076 Dual cassette load lock 1 2002
7,409,263 Methods and apparatus for repositioning support for a substrate carrier 10 2005
7,720,558 Methods and apparatus for mapping carrier contents 1 2005
7,914,248 Methods and apparatus for repositioning support for a substrate carrier 0 2008
 
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (4)
5,772,700 Location guide bar which accommodates multiple size cassettes for use in a loader and unloader indexer 1 1997
6,869,264 Method and apparatus for picking up a semiconductor chip, method and apparatus for removing a semiconductor chip from a dicing tape, and a method of forming a perforated dicing tape 5 2003
7,465,142 Method and apparatus for picking up a semiconductor chip, method and apparatus for removing a semiconductor chip from a dicing tape, and a method of forming a perforated dicing tape 1 2004
7,284,941 Method and apparatus for picking up a semiconductor chip, method and apparatus for removing a semiconductor chip from a dicing tape, and a method of forming a perforated dicing tape 4 2004
 
GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC. (3)
5,658,123 Container-less transfer of semiconductor wafers through a barrier between fabrication areas 16 1995
6,157,866 Automated material handling system for a manufacturing facility divided into separate fabrication areas 28 1997
7,092,779 Automated material handling system for a manufacturing facility divided into separate fabrication areas 0 2000
 
KENSINGTON LABORATORIES, LLC (3)
5,382,806 Specimen carrier platform and scanning assembly 28 1992
5,538,385 Specimen carrier holder and method of operating it 30 1994
5,697,759 Method of orienting a specimen carrier holder in an automated specimen processing system 15 1996
 
ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. (2)
5,183,245 Semi-conductor wafer retention clip 6 1990
5,253,411 Method of securing semi-conductor wafer using retention clip 3 1992
 
BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC. (2)
6,106,213 Automated door assembly for use in semiconductor wafer manufacturing 10 1998
6,447,233 Automated door assembly for use in semiconductor wafer manufacturing 2 2000
 
FORTREND ENGINEERING CORPORATION (2)
5,885,045 Integrated wafer pod-load/unload and mass-transfer system 16 1998
6,193,459 Integrated wafer pod-load/unload and mass-transfer system 5 1999
 
MURATA MACHINERY, LTD. (2)
7,165,927 Automated material handling system for semiconductor manufacturing based on a combination of vertical carousels and overhead hoists 9 2003
7,101,138 Extractor/buffer 12 2003
 
TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED (2)
4,947,784 Apparatus and method for transferring wafers between a cassette and a boat 32 1988
5,697,749 Wafer processing apparatus 59 1995
 
ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V. (1)
7,077,614 Sorting/storage device for wafers and method for handling thereof 30 1999
 
GLOBAL PRIVATE EQUITY II (1)
5,664,926 Stage assembly for a substrate processing system 12 1995
 
INTEVAC, INC. (1)
5,215,420 Substrate handling and processing system 48 1991
 
MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC. (1)
6,568,552 Systems and methods for low contamination, high throughput handling of workpieces for vacuum processing 15 2000
 
NEW YORK JOB DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (1)
5,197,089 Pin chuck for lithography system 13 1990
 
SIRROM INVESTMENTS, INC. (1)
5,193,969 Wafer transfer machine 17 1991
 
STMICROELECTRONICS S.A. (1)
5,929,766 Device for controlling semiconductor wafer transport cassettes 4 1997
 
TET TECHNO INVESTMENT TRUST SETTLEMENT, A CORP. OF PRINCEIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN (1)
5,092,557 Apparatus for holding and positioning a substrate cassette 10 1990
 
WACKER SILTRONIC GESELLSCHAFT FUR HALBLEITERMATERIALIEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT (1)
6,354,445 Rack holding device 2 1999