Apparatus for semiconductor wafer identification

• US 5,567,927 A
• Filed: 07/25/1994
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Kahn, Randolph W., Reed, James C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thien Minh
• Application Number:
  US08/280,099
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/485, 235/483, 235/462, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/063 Aligning cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48

Abstract

The apparatus (10) includes a batch wafer presentation system (12) receiving a cassette (14) carrying a plurality of wafers (16). The batch wafer presentation system (12) arranges the plurality of wafers (16) along an inclined presentation axis, α, to simultaneously expose the bar code inscription on each wafer (16). A laser scanner (30) is mounted on an arm assembly (32) which travels long a track (34) parallel with the presentation axis. The laser scanner (30) is mounted such that its angular and spatial positions relative to the plurality of wafers (16) may be easily adjusted.

Claims

1. Apparatus for identifying a plurality of semiconductor wafers residing in a plurality of slots of a cassette, each of said plurality of semiconductor wafers having a bar code inscription thereon, the apparatus comprising:

a batch wafer presentation system for receiving said cassette carrying said plurality of semiconductor wafers, said presentation system arranging said plurality of wafers along a presentation axis to expose said bar code inscription on each of said plurality of semiconductor wafers;

a laser scanner; and

an arm assembly coupled to said batch wafer presentation system and controllably moveable along a track parallel with said presentation axis, said arm assembly securing said laser scanner in an adjustable angular and spatial position relative to said plurality of semiconductor wafers, wherein said arm assembly further comprises an angular position mount adjustably rotatably positioning said laser scanner about a first, second and third axes and having first, second and third rotational graduated scales indicative of the angular position of said laser scanner about said respective axes.

2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a wafer sensor coupled to said arm assembly and moveable therewith, said wafer sensor generating a wafer present signal in response to detecting a wafer residing in a respective slot as said arm assembly moves along said track.

3. Apparatus for identifying a plurality of semiconductor wafers residing in a plurality of slots of a cassette, each of said plurality of semiconductor wafers having a bar code inscription thereon, the apparatus comprising:

a batch wafer presentation system for receiving said cassette carrying said plurality of semiconductor wafers, said presentation system arranging said plurality of wafers along a presentation axis to expose said bar code inscription on each of said plurality of semiconductor wafers;

a laser scanner; and

an arm assembly coupled to said batch wafer presentation system and controllably moveable along a track parallel with said presentation axis, said arm assembly securing said laser scanner in an adjustable angular and spatial position relative to said plurality of semiconductor wafers, wherein said arm assembly further comprises a linear position mount coupled to said angular position mount adjustably linearly positioning said laser scanner along a first, second and third axes and having first, second and third linear graduated scales indicative of the linear position of said laser scanner along said respective axes.

4. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, further comprising means for associating said bar codes with a sequential position of said wafers in said cassette.

5. Apparatus for identifying a plurality of semiconductor wafers residing in a plurality of slots of a cassette, each of said plurality of semiconductor wafers having a bar code inscription thereon, the apparatus comprising:

a batch wafer presentation system for receiving said cassette carrying said plurality of semiconductor wafers, said presentation system arranging said plurality of wafers along a presentation axis to expose said bar code inscription on each of said plurality of semiconductor wafers;

a laser scanner; and

an arm assembly coupled to said batch wafer presentation system and controllably moveable along a track parallel with said presentation axis, said arm assembly securing said laser scanner in an adjustable angular and spatial position relative to said plurality of semiconductor wafers, wherein said arm assembly comprises;

a U-bracket adjustably securing said laser scanner, said U-bracket providing said laser scanner an angular range of adjustment about a first axis;

a pendulum mount coupled to said U-bracket and providing said laser scanner an angular range of adjustment about a second axis; and

a vertical rotational mount coupled to said pendulum mount and providing said laser scanner an angular range of adjustment about a third axis.

6. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said arm assembly comprises:

a top bracket coupled to said vertical rotational mount;

a triangular bracket adjustably coupled to said top bracket and providing a linear range of adjustment along said first axis;

a side bracket adjustably coupled to said triangular bracket and providing a linear range of adjustment along said third axis; and

a mounting plate coupled to said track and adjustably coupled to said side bracket and providing a linear range of adjustment along said second axis.

7. An integrated wafer identification apparatus for a wafer fabrication facility, comprising:

a wafer cassette having a plurality of slots;

a plurality of wafers having a bar code inscription at a predetermined location thereon while residing in said slots;

a wafer lifter for receiving said cassette and carrying said plurality of wafers, said wafer lifter staggering said plurality of wafers along an inclined presentation axis to expose said bar code inscription on each of said plurality of wafers;

a laser scanner scanning and reading said bar code inscription;

an arm assembly coupled to said wafer lifter and controllably moveable along a track parallel with said presentation axis, said arm assembly securing said laser scanner in an adjustable angular and spatial position relative to said plurality of wafers; and

a wafer sensor coupled to said arm assembly and moveable therewith, said wafer sensor generating a wafer present signal in response to detecting a wafer residing in a respective slot as said arm assembly moves along said track, wherein said arm assembly further comprises an angular position mount adjustably rotatably positioning said laser scanner about a first, second and third axes and having first, second and third rotational graduated scales indicative of the angular position of said laser scanner about said respective axes.

8. An integrated wafer identification apparatus for a wafer fabrication facility, comprising:

a wafer cassette having a plurality of slots;

a plurality of wafers having a bar code inscription at a predetermined location thereon while residing in said slots;

a wafer lifter for receiving said cassette and carrying said plurality of wafers, said wafer lifter staggering said plurality of wafers along an inclined presentation axis to expose said bar code inscription on each of said plurality of wafers;

a laser scanner scanning and reading said bar code inscription;

an arm assembly coupled to said wafer lifter and controllably moveable along a track parallel with said presentation axis, said arm assembly securing said laser scanner in an adjustable angular and spatial position relative to said plurality of wafers; and

a wafer sensor coupled to said arm assembly and moveable therewith, said wafer sensor generating a wafer present signal in response to detecting a wafer residing in a respective slot as said arm assembly moves along said track, wherein said arm assembly further comprises a linear position mount coupled to said angular mount adjustably linearly positioning said laser scanner along a first, second and third axes and having first, second and third linear graduated scales indicative of the linear position of said laser scanner along said respective axes.

9. An integrated wafer identification apparatus for a wafer fabrication facility, comprising:

a wafer cassette having a plurality of slots;

a plurality of wafers having a bar code inscription at a predetermined location thereon while residing in said slots;

a wafer lifter for receiving said cassette and carrying said plurality of wafers, said wafer lifter staggering said plurality of wafers along an inclined presentation axis to expose said bar code inscription on each of said plurality of wafers;

a laser scanner scanning and reading said bar code inscription;

an arm assembly coupled to said wafer lifter and controllably moveable along a track parallel with said presentation axis, said arm assembly securing said laser scanner in an adjustable angular and spatial position relative to said plurality of wafers; and

a wafer sensor coupled to said arm assembly and moveable therewith, said wafer sensor generating a wafer present signal in response to detecting a wafer residing in a respective slot as said arm assembly moves along said track, wherein said arm assembly comprises;

a U-bracket adjustably securing said laser scanner, said U-bracket providing said laser scanner an angular range of adjustment about a first axis;

a pendulum mount coupled to said U-bracket and providing said laser scanner an angular range of adjustment about a second axis; and

a vertical rotational mount coupled to said pendulum mount and providing said laser scanner an angular range of adjustment about a third axis.

10. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said arm assembly comprises:

a top bracket coupled to said vertical rotational mount;

a triangular bracket adjustably coupled to said top bracket and providing a linear range of adjustment along said first axis;

a side bracket adjustably coupled to said triangular bracket and providing a linear range of adjustment along said third axis; and

a mounting plate coupled to said track and adjustably coupled to said side bracket and providing a linear range of adjustment along said second axis.