Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
307 words
An XY axis positioning system for semiconductor wafers or like elements, comprising: (a) a microscope mounted in a midregion of a support above an inspection area; (b) an XY stage, further comprising: (i) a reference surface; (ii) a Y-axis bed mounted on the reference surface; (iii) at least one Y-axis side rail mounted on the Y-axis bed; (iv) a Y-axis carriage, the Y-axis carriage being slidably attached to the Y-axis side rail, thereby permitting the Y-axis carriage to be translated in a direction parallel to the Y-axis; (v) a Y-axis motor, the y-axis motor being mounted fixedly with respect to the reference surface, the Y-axis motor serving to drive the Y-axis carriage; (vi) at least one X-axis side rail, the X-axis side rail being mounted on the Y-axis carriage; (vii) an X-axis carriage, the X-axis carriage being slidably attached to the X-axis side rail, thereby permitting the X-axis carriage to be translated in a direction parallel to the X-axis, the X-axis carriage being orthogonally movable because of the underlying Y-axis carriage on which the X-axis carriage resides; (viii) an x-axis motor, the X-axis motor being mounted fixedly with respect to the Y-axis carriage, the X-axis motor serving to drive the X-axis carriage; (c) an uppermost vacuum chuck, the XY stage including means for rotating and moving the chuck along a vertical Z-Axis and being mounted on the inspection area; (d) an edge sensor mounted to span the plane of a wafer on the chuck for sensing the edge position of the wafer; and (e) microprocessor means coupled to control the XY position of the XY stage and responsive to signals from the edge sensor for storing a number of edge position coordinates, and for computing major and minor flats of the wafer therefrom, and location of a center region of the wafer relative to a predetermined axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
307 words
An XY axis positioning system for semiconductor wafers or like elements, comprising: (a) a microscope mounted in a midregion of a support above an inspection area; (b) an XY stage, further comprising: (i) a reference surface; (ii) a Y-axis bed mounted on the reference surface; (iii) at least one Y-axis side rail mounted on the Y-axis bed; (iv) a Y-axis carriage, the Y-axis carriage being slidably attached to the Y-axis side rail, thereby permitting the Y-axis carriage to be translated in a direction parallel to the Y-axis; (v) a Y-axis motor, the y-axis motor being mounted fixedly with respect to the reference surface, the Y-axis motor serving to drive the Y-axis carriage; (vi) at least one X-axis side rail, the X-axis side rail being mounted on the Y-axis carriage; (vii) an X-axis carriage, the X-axis carriage being slidably attached to the X-axis side rail, thereby permitting the X-axis carriage to be translated in a direction parallel to the X-axis, the X-axis carriage being orthogonally movable because of the underlying Y-axis carriage on which the X-axis carriage resides; (viii) an x-axis motor, the X-axis motor being mounted fixedly with respect to the Y-axis carriage, the X-axis motor serving to drive the X-axis carriage; (c) an uppermost vacuum chuck, the XY stage including means for rotating and moving the chuck along a vertical Z-Axis and being mounted on the inspection area; (d) an edge sensor mounted to span the plane of a wafer on the chuck for sensing the edge position of the wafer; and (e) microprocessor means coupled to control the XY position of the XY stage and responsive to signals from the edge sensor for storing a number of edge position coordinates, and for computing major and minor flats of the wafer therefrom, and location of a center region of the wafer relative to a predetermined axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein the chuck includes vacuum means in the uppermost surface thereof for gripping the underside of a wafer on the uppermost surface, the vacuum means comprising depressions in the uppermost surface, and the positioning system further includes means for introducing an incremental motion along the vertical axis to enable transfer of the wafer to an associated mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The invention as set forth in claim 2 above, further including a wafer transport mechanism positioned to transport the wafer in a horizontal plane and including probe means having a vacuum tip portion for retaining the wafer adjacent one edge only of the wafer without contacting the edge.