IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0353845
(2003-01-28)
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우선권정보 |
FR-0001032 (2002-01-29) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Gaudon, Alain
- Astegno, Pierre
- El Jarjini, Mohammed
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
80 |
초록
▼
A device and process are provided for identifying characters inscribed on a semiconductor wafer containing an orientation mark. A semiconductor wafer having characters inscribed on a surface near its periphery is supported about its periphery between three rotary supports mounted on a grasping arm.
A device and process are provided for identifying characters inscribed on a semiconductor wafer containing an orientation mark. A semiconductor wafer having characters inscribed on a surface near its periphery is supported about its periphery between three rotary supports mounted on a grasping arm. An orientation mark on the periphery of the wafer is located adjacent the inscribed characters. At least one of the three rotary supports is rotatably driven to orient the wafer such that the orientation mark is placed in a determined position. An optical reflector is positioned in a spatial zone in proximity to and above the characters to be identified. The characters to be identified are illuminated by a light beam reflected by the optical reflector. The characters reflect the light, which may be observed by an optical imager, such as a camera. An optical recognition subsystem may then be used to identify the characters.
대표청구항
▼
1. A process for identifying characters inscribed on a semiconductor wafer containing an orientation mark, comprising:supporting a semiconductor wafer about its periphery between a plurality of rotatable supports connected to a wafer grasping arm, said semiconductor wafer having an orientation mark
1. A process for identifying characters inscribed on a semiconductor wafer containing an orientation mark, comprising:supporting a semiconductor wafer about its periphery between a plurality of rotatable supports connected to a wafer grasping arm, said semiconductor wafer having an orientation mark and having characters inscribed on a surface thereof relative to said orientation mark; orienting said semiconductor wafer by rotating at least one of said supports so as to position said orientation mark in a specific position; positioning a reflector in a spatial zone substantially adjacent to and above said characters, said reflector being adapted to reflect light having specific characteristics; illuminating said characters using a light beam having said specific characteristics and reflected onto said characters by said reflector; imaging said characters using light reflected from said characters; and identifying said characters from an image thereof. 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the steps of supporting said wafer and positioning said reflector are carried out substantially simultaneously.3. The process of claim 2 including positioning a light protector to protect against ambient parasitic illumination of said characters substantially simultaneously with the steps of supporting said wafer and positioning said reflector.4. The process of claim 1 including displacing said semiconductor wafer in space after identifying said characters.5. The process of claim 3 including displacing said semiconductor in space substantially simultaneously with at least one of the steps of orienting said semiconductor wafer, illuminating said characters, and identifying said characters.6. The process of claim 1,wherein the step of supporting said semiconductor wafer includes: positioning said wafer grasping arm in the immediate proximity of said semiconductor wafer while said wafer is positioned in a semiconductor wafer support by displacing said wafer grasping arm in a first spatial direction to insert said wafer grasping arm in said support; positioning said wafer grasping arm such that said semiconductor wafer is positioned between said plurality of rotatable supports by displacing said wafer grasping arm in a second spatial direction substantially perpendicular to said first spatial direction; and displacing at least one of said rotatable supports such that said semiconductor wafer is supported between said plurality of rotatable supports; and including the following additional steps after the step of identifying said characters: removing said reflector from said spatial zone substantially adjacent to and above said characters; displacing said at least one rotatable support to release said semiconductor wafer from being supported between said plurality of rotatable supports; releasing said semiconductor wafer from said grasping arm by displacing said grasping arm along a third spatial direction substantially opposite to said second spatial direction; and withdrawing said grasping arm from the immediate vicinity of said semiconductor wafer by displacing said arm in a fourth spatial direction substantially opposite to said first spatial direction. 7. A device for identifying characters inscribed on a semiconductor wafer containing an orientation mark, comprising:a rigid wafer grasping arm containing in a specified plane at least three rotatable wafer supports, each being rotatable about its axis of symmetry, and at least one also being displaceable in at least one direction in said specified plane, said supports being arranged to support a semiconductor wafer about its periphery between them, said semiconductor wafer having an orientation mark and having characters inscribed on a surface thereof relative to said orientation mark; a first drive operable to selectively displace said at least one of said rotatable supports in said specified plane; a second drive operable to selectively rotate said at least one rotatable wafer support while said semiconductor wafer is supported between said rotatable supports to orient said wafer in a specified position relative to said orientation mark; a source of illumination for generating at least one light beam having particular characteristics; an optical reflector adapted to reflect said light beam having particular characteristics onto said characters inscribed on said surface of said semiconductor wafer when said semiconductor wafer is in said specified position relative to said orientation mark; a third drive operable to selectively to displace said optical reflector relative to said semiconductor wafer; an optical imager for imaging said characters via light reflected from said characters; and a character recognition facility for identifying said characters. 8. The device of claim 7 wherein said character recognition facility comprises a human readable display permitting identification of characters displayed thereon.9. The device of claim 7 wherein said character recognition facility comprises neuronal net character recognition circuitry for automatically identifying said characters.10. The device of claim 7 wherein said optical imager comprises an observation camera.11. The device of claim 7 wherein said first drive is operable to selectively displace said at least one rotatable support between a first position removed from said wafer and a second position in contact with the periphery of said wafer.12. The device of claim 7 wherein said third drive is operable to selectively displace said optical reflector between a first position removed from said wafer and a second position in substantial proximity to and above said characters inscribed on said wafer.13. The device of claim 12 including an ambient light protector connected to said optical reflector and arranged to protect said characters from being illuminated by ambient parasitic light, and said third drive being operable to simultaneously displace said optical reflector and said ambient light protector.14. The device of claim 13 wherein said optical reflector comprises a plane mirror having a reflective side and a side opposite said reflective side, and wherein said ambient light protector comprises a screen on said side of said plane mirror opposite said reflective side.15. The device of claim 7 including a drive system for displacing said grasping arm spatially.16. The device of claim 15 wherein said drive system includes:a drive connected to and operable to selectively displace said grasping arm along a first spatial direction and the opposite of that direction; a drive connected to and operable to displace said grasping arm along a second spatial direction and its opposite direction; and a drive connected to and operable to selectively displace said grasping arm along a third spatial direction and its opposite direction. 17. The device of claim 16 wherein said first and second spatial directions are substantially in said specified plane.18. The device of claim 17 wherein said first, second and third spatial directions are substantially perpendicular to each other.19. The device of claim 16 wherein said drive system is operable simultaneously with at least one of said second drive, said source of illumination, said optical imager and said character recognition facility.20. A wafer grasping arm, comprising:a rigid frame having a proximal end adapted to be connected to a grasping arm drive and a distal end; a plurality of rotatable wafer supports mounted on said frame at selected locations to support a wafer only at the periphery thereof, at least one of said wafer supports being driven, and at least one of said wafer supports being movable from a first position removed from said periphery of said wafer to be supported to a second position in contact with said wafer to grasp said wafer between said plurality of wafer supports; a light source mounted on said frame; an optical reflector mounted on said frame and adapted to cooperate with said light source to illuminate a selected area of said wafer; an optical imager mounted on said frame and adapted to receive light reflected from said selected area of said wafer; a first optical position detector mounted on said frame and operable to determine the radial location of a position mark on the periphery of said wafer while said wafer is supported on said rotatable wafer supports; and a second optical position detector mounted on said frame and operable to detect the periphery of said wafer during relative movement between said frame and said wafer in a selected direction. 21. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 wherein said optical reflector comprises a plane mirror having an area approximately the size of said selected illuminated area of said wafer.22. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 including:a movable support mounting said optical reflector to said rigid frame; said movable support selectively movable to move said optical reflector between a first position removed from said periphery of said wafer and a second position in proximity to said selected area of said wafer to be illuminated; and a drive coupled to said mobile support and selectively operable to cause said optical reflector to move between said first and second positions. 23. The wafer grasping arm of claim 22 wherein:said movable support mounts said optical reflector to said rigid frame near said proximal end of said rigid frame; said first position of said optical reflector removed from said periphery of said wafer is near said proximal end; and said second position in proximity to said selected area is above said area and closer to said distal end of said rigid frame than said selected area. 24. The wafer grasping arm of claim 23 wherein:said light source is mounted on said rigid frame at said proximal end thereof removed from said periphery of said wafer; and said light source is oriented to direct light at said optical reflector in said second position, and said optical reflector is oriented to redirect said light to illuminate said selected area of said wafer. 25. The wafer grasping arm of claim 24 wherein said light source is oriented to direct light in a plane substantially parallel to and above said wafer and said optical reflector is oriented to redirect said light downwardly at a selected angle to said selected area of said wafer.26. The wafer grasping arm of claim 25 wherein said selected angle is greater than approximately 45 degrees.27. The wafer grasping arm of claim 25 wherein:said optical imager is mounted on said frame at said proximal end of said frame and is oriented to receive the light from said light source as redirected by said optical reflector to said selected area of said wafer, and reflected from said selected area. 28. The wafer grasping arm of claim 27 wherein said optical imager is mounted substantially vertically above said light source at said proximal end of said frame.29. The wafer grasping arm of claim 22 wherein said drive is coupled to said at least one wafer support being movable from a first position removed from said periphery of said wafer to be supported to a second position in contact with said wafer and is operable to selectively concurrently move said at least one wafer support between its said first position and its said second position, and said optical reflector between its said first position and its said second position.30. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 wherein said light source comprises an LED array.31. The wafer grasping arm of claim 30 wherein:said LED array is mounted to said rigid frame at said proximal end thereof; and said LED array is oriented to direct light toward said distal end of said rigid frame, substantially parallel to and above the plane of said wafer when supported by said plurality of wafer supports. 32. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 wherein said light source is operable to generate light in a selected, non-ultraviolet wavelength distinguishable from the ambient light.33. The wafer grasping arm of claim 32 wherein said optical imager comprises a camera, said camera being specifically sensitive to said selected, non-ultraviolet wavelength.34. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 wherein said first optical position detector comprises:an optical emitter positioned on a first side of said wafer at said periphery thereof, said optical emitter operable to emit a light beam to intersect the periphery of said wafer when said wafer is supported on said plurality of wafer supports; a corresponding optical receiver positioned on a second side of said wafer at said periphery thereof opposite said optical emitter, said optical receiver operable to receive said beam and to generate an electrical signal indicative thereof; whereby, when a position mark comprising an opening in said periphery of said wafer is interposed between said optical emitter and said corresponding optical receiver, said optical receiver generates an electrical signal indicating the detection of said position mark and the radial location of said position mark on said periphery relative to said rigid frame. 35. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 wherein said first optical position detector is mounted on said rigid frame at the proximal end thereof.36. The wafer grasping arm of claim 35 wherein said first optical position detector is mounted on said rigid frame substantially centered at the proximal end thereof.37. The wafer grasping arm of claim 35 comprising:three of said first optical position detectors mounted on said rigid frame at selected locations substantially corresponding to said periphery of said wafer; each of said optical position detectors being operable to generate a signal when said position mark is detected; whereby, when said wafer is supported on said plurality of wafer supports and is being radially driven, said first optical position detectors generate a signal when said position mark is detected at a selected location, and when said position mark is detected at another selected location approaching the selected location from either direction. 38. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 wherein said second optical position detector is mounted in proximity to said distal end of said rigid frame and is operable to detect said periphery of said wafer during relative movement between said rigid frame and said wafer in the X-direction and to generate a signal indicating the detection of said periphery, said signal indicating the relative location of said wafer relative to said rigid frame.39. The wafer grasping arm of claim 38 wherein said second optical position detector is operable to detect said periphery of said wafer during relative movement between said rigid frame in a first plane and said wafer in a second plane substantially parallel to said first plane.40. The wafer grasping arm of claim 39 comprising:two second optical detectors; each said second optical detector being independently operable to detect said periphery of said wafer and independently generating a signal indicating the detection thereof, whereby two independent signals provide information concerning the orientation of said rigid frame relative to said wafer. 41. The wafer grasping arm of claim 20 wherein said second optical detector comprises:an optical emitter selectively operable to emit a beam of light and oriented to emit said beam at an angle inclined to the plane of said rigid frame and the plane of said wafer; and an optical receiver selectively operable to receive said beam of light and to generate a signal indicative of said receipt, said optical receiver oriented to receive said beam of light reflected off a surface of said wafer; whereby as said rigid frame and said wafer approach each other, said beam of light emitted by said optical emitter reflects off said periphery of said wafer and is received by said optical receiver, the resulting signal generated by said optical receiver indicating the detection of said periphery relative to said frame.
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