Wafer Cassette Orientation Control for Visual Process Status Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Workers face difficulties in quickly and easily determining whether semiconductor wafers have been properly processed, as existing methods require tedious comparison of displayed data with actual wafer orientations, making it time-consuming to identify and remove improperly processed wafers.
Innovation Solution
A processing apparatus with a chuck table, processing unit, cassette stage, temporary rest table, spinner table, robot, determining section, and control unit that orients a mark on the wafer based on processing quality, allowing workers to visually identify properly or improperly processed wafers by their orientation in the cassette.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If workpiece data is displayed on a screen for visual comparison, then workers can identify improperly processed workpieces, but the workpiece removing process becomes tedious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses orientation flats on workpieces that reflect light differently based on their orientation. Properly processed workpieces have their orientation flats aligned in a specific direction, while improperly processed ones have misaligned orientation flats. This optical difference allows workers to quickly visually identify improperly processed workpieces without comparing display data, significantly reducing inspection time while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a physical visual indicator (orientation flat alignment) that directly represents the processing status on the workpiece itself, eliminating the need to copy data to a external display screen. The orientation flat serves as an immediate, on-workpiece indicator that can be seen directly during cassette inspection
2Shape
If all workpieces are stored with orientation flats aligned, then the cassette appears organized, but workers cannot visually distinguish properly processed from improperly processed workpieces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention exploits the optical property of orientation flats where their alignment direction affects how they reflect light. When viewed from above, properly processed workpieces show orientation flats aligned in one direction, while improperly processed ones show misaligned orientation flats. This creates an immediate visual distinction that maintains cassette organization while enabling easy detection of processing status
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the asymmetric orientation of the flat relative to the workpiece circumference as a visual indicator. The flat's angular position (0-360 degrees) creates unique visual patterns that differ between properly and improperly processed workpieces, allowing workers to quickly identify status without disrupting the overall cassette organization
Data Source
AI summary
A processing apparatus includes a chuck table for holding a workpiece that has a mark representing a crystal orientation, a processing unit, a cassette stage for placing thereon a cassette for storing a plurality of workpieces therein, a temporary rest table, a spinner table, a robot for delivering a workpiece, a determining section for determining whether a workpiece has been properly processed or has not been properly processed, and a control unit for performing a control process for orienting the mark of the workpiece in a predetermined direction if the determining section determines that the workpiece has been properly processed and storing the workpiece in the cassette, and performing a control process for orienting the mark of the workpiece in a direction different from the predetermined direction if the determining section determines that the workpiece has not been properly processed and storing the workpiece in the cassette.