Reconfigurable guide pin design for centering wafers having different sizes

• US 9,099,515 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chang, Hsin, Chen, Hsin-Yu, Tsai, Fang Wen, Lin, Jing-Cheng, Chiou, Wen-Chih, Jeng, Shin-Puu, Yu, Chen-Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Saul
• Assistant Examiner(s): PUIG, GABRIELA M
• Application Number:
  US13/973,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20130334832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 294/119.1, 294/213, 294/902, 414/941
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/90 Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6875 characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm

Abstract

An apparatus includes a robot arm, and a plurality of guide pins mounted on the robot arm. Each of the plurality of guide pins includes a plurality of wafer supports at different levels, with each of the plurality of wafer supports configured to support and center a wafer having a size different from wafers configured to be supported and centered by remaining ones of the plurality of wafer supports.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a robot arm; and

a plurality of guide pins mounted on the robot arm, wherein each of the plurality of guide pins comprises a plurality of wafer supports at different levels, with each of the plurality of wafer supports configured to support and center a wafer having a size different from wafers configured to be supported and centered by remaining ones of the plurality of wafer supports, wherein each of the plurality of guide pins further comprises;

a first wafer supporting portion configured to support a first wafer, the first wafer supporting portion having a first top surface parallel to a major surface of the first wafer;

a second wafer supporting portion configured to support a second wafer, the second wafer supporting portion having a second top surface parallel to a major surface of the second wafer and a bottom surface parallel to the second top surface, the bottom surface opposite the second top surface and facing the first top surface; and

a slanted portion extending from the first wafer supporting portion to the second wafer supporting portion, the slanted portion being diagonal to the first top surface and the second top surface, the bottom surface of the second wafer supporting portion overhanging the slanted portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of guide pins comprises a slanted portion and parallel portions not vertical to the slanted portion, with the parallel portions attached to the slanted portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein upper ones of the plurality of wafer supports are configured to support and center wafers having greater diameters than lower ones of the plurality of wafer supports.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robot arm is a part of process robot arm (PRA) module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robot arm comprises arc arms, and wherein two of the plurality of guide pins are secured onto the arc arms of the robot arm.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

a base, wherein at least one of the plurality of guide pins is mounted to the base, and wherein the are arms are attached to the base.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of guide pins comprises:

a top portion above the second wafer supporting portion, the top portion extending in a direction parallel to the top surface of the second wafer supporting portion.

8. An apparatus comprising:

an arm-controlled robot arm comprising;

a base; and

a first movable part and a second movable part attached to the base, wherein the first and the second movable parts are configured to glide relative to the base, wherein the first and the second movable parts are configured to move in directions parallel to each other;

a first guide pin mounted on the base, the first guide pin being stationary relative to the entire base; and

a second guide pin and a third guide pin mounted on the first and the second movable parts, respectively, wherein the first, the second, and the third guide pins are configured to support a wafer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the first and the second movable parts comprises an arc arm.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first, the second, and the third guide pins define a circle having a size substantially equal to the wafer.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the robot arm is a part of process robot arm (PRA) module.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first and second movable parts are gear driven.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second and third guide pins are mounted to the first and second movable parts with screws.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a robot arm comprising;

a base;

a first moveable arc arm attached to and supported by the base; and

a second moveable arc arm attached to and supported by the base;

a first guide pin directly affixed to the base, the first guide pin being stationary relative to the entire base;

a second guide pin mounted on the first moveable arc arm; and

a third guide pin mounted on the second moveable arc arm, the first, the second, and the third guide pins being configured to support a wafer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first, the second, and the third guide pins define a circle having a first diameter.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first moveable arc arm and the second moveable arc arm are each configured to travel toward and away from a center of the circle.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the wafer has a second diameter, the second diameter being less than the first diameter by a first spacing, the first spacing being greater than zero.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first, the second, and the third guide pins each comprise a plurality of wafer supports at different levels.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein upper ones of the plurality of wafer supports are configured to support and center wafers having greater diameters than lower ones of the plurality of wafer supports.