Wafer Substrate Handling Using Touchless and Touching Grippers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for transporting wafer-like substrates face challenges in minimizing damage, as surface-contacting grippers risk surface damage while touchless grippers may experience substrate movement and collision issues during transport.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a combination of touchless and touching grippers for secure handling, where touchless grippers with limiting edges prevent substrate movement and touching grippers with selective surface contact minimize damage, transitioning between gripper types at post-treatment to reduce substrate damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a touching gripper is used to transport the substrate, then handling precision is improved, but surface damage occurs at contact points
Solution Approach 1:
The transport process is segmented into multiple stages with different gripper types. Touchless grippers are used for initial transport and final delivery to avoid surface contact, while touching grippers are used only for the brief alignment operation where contact is necessary and controlled.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different gripper types based on the processing stage. The gripper selection changes from touchless during transport to touching during alignment, and back to touchless for final transport, optimizing both precision and surface protection at each stage.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a touchless gripper is used to transport the substrate, then surface damage is avoided, but substrate movement and collision risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is preliminarily aligned using a touching gripper before being transferred to a touchless gripper for transport. This preliminary alignment action ensures the substrate is properly positioned and stable before transport begins, reducing movement and collision risk during the touchless transport phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment device serves as an intermediary between the touching and touchless grippers. It provides a controlled environment where the substrate can be precisely positioned using touching contact, then smoothly transitioned to touchless transport, mediating between the two conflicting requirements.
3Reliability
If limiting edges are used to prevent substrate movement, then substrate stability is improved, but collision damage to edges or substrate occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical limiting edge system with a touchless gripping field (such as magnetic or electrostatic fields) that can constrain and stabilize the substrate during transport without physical contact. This substitution eliminates the collision risk between substrate edges and limiting edges while maintaining substrate stability.
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
The method and apparatus significantly reduce substrate damage during transport and processing, ensuring safe and precise handling of sensitive substrates through the strategic use of grippers, particularly in sensitive substrate handling and electrolytic metal deposition processes.
Implementation Method 1
the use of touchless grippers using especially the Bernoulli grip has been well established
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a method for processing a wafer like substrate using a touching gripper and a touchless gripper. Furthermore, the present invention refers to an apparatus for processing a wafer-like substrate containing a touching gripper and a touchless gripper. Additionally, the present invention refers to the use of an inventive apparatus to process a wafer-like substrate.