Robot-Hand Wafer Detection for Spinner Table Overlap Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer processing apparatuses struggle to accurately detect the presence or absence of wafers on processing tables, leading to potential damage from overlapping wafers during cleaning operations due to warpage or improper mounting.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a wafer presence sensor in a robot hand and a pressure sensor in the suction pipe to detect the presence or absence of wafers on processing tables, allowing for precise detection and notification of wafer presence or absence before proceeding with cleaning processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wafer is warped or improperly mounted on the spinner table, then the processing apparatus may incorrectly recognize that no wafer is present, but continuous processing in this state leads to overlapping wafers and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor is introduced as an intermediary device between the wafer and the control system to accurately detect wafer presence on the spinner table. The sensor provides reliable detection signals that mediate between the physical state of the wafer and the control decisions, preventing incorrect recognition and subsequent wafer damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses feedback from the sensor to continuously monitor wafer presence on the spinner table. When the sensor detects that a wafer is already present (even if warped or improperly mounted), the control system receives feedback and prevents the robot from mounting another wafer, thereby avoiding overlapping and damage.
2Ease of operation
If manual visual confirmation is used to detect wafer presence, then operational steps can be simplified, but detection accuracy and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting wafer presence through the sensor without requiring manual visual confirmation by operators. The sensor autonomously monitors the spinner table and provides detection signals to the control system, enabling the system to self-regulate wafer mounting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual visual confirmation process is replaced by an automated sensor-based detection system. The sensor optically or electrically detects wafer presence, substituting the mechanical/visual inspection method with a more precise automated sensing mechanism that integrates directly with the control system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables clear detection of wafer presence or absence, preventing wafer damage from overlapping and improving operational efficiency by eliminating the need for manual visual confirmation.
Implementation Method 1
a robot equipped with a robot hand that has a wafer presence sensor to detect a presence or absence of a wafer
Implementation Method 2
a spinner table that suction-holds a wafer to perform the cleaning process on the wafer
Data Source
AI summary
A processing apparatus includes a cassette stage for mounting a cassette thereon, a chuck table to suction-hold a wafer, a processing unit to process the wafer that is held on the chuck table, a processing table that is used to perform a predetermined processing on a wafer, a robot equipped with a robot hand that has a wafer presence sensor to detect a presence or absence of a wafer and holds a wafer to unload or load the wafer from or into the cassette mounted on the cassette stage, and a controller that uses the wafer presence sensor of the robot hand to detect whether a wafer is present on the processing table.