Wafer Transfer Buffering to Cut Measurement Cycle Time

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Solution Overview

Problem

The throughput of wafer-measuring apparatuses is limited due to the time required for wafer measurement being less than the time needed to move wafer containers, and additional cycle time is consumed by returning measured wafers to their original containers and subsequent sorting, which can involve extra transportation of wafer containers.

Innovation Solution

A wafer-measuring apparatus with a robot system that moves wafers from a first wafer container to a measuring unit, then to a storage area, allowing the wafer container to be moved away without returning the wafer, and using a second robot to transfer wafers from storage to a second wafer container when ready, thereby eliminating the need for additional sorting and reducing cycle time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the wafer container is moved to and from the wafer-measuring apparatus for each wafer measurement, then the wafer can be measured, but the throughput is limited due to the transportation time being much longer than the measurement time

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethroughputVSAvoidtransportation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the wafer handling process by separating the measurement function from the storage function. The wafer container is divided into a first container for loading and a second container for receiving measured wafers, allowing parallel operations where the first container can be moved away while the second container remains for subsequent wafer transfers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The measured wafer is preliminarily placed in the second wafer container during the measurement process, so that when the first wafer container is moved away, the second container is already prepared to receive additional measured wafers without requiring the first container to return

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the measured wafer is returned to the original wafer container, then the wafer is properly stored, but additional cycle time is consumed by moving the container to a sorter and back

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewafer storageVSAvoidcycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the sorting function from the original wafer container by introducing a separate second wafer container specifically for storing measured wafers. This separates the measurement workflow from the sorting workflow, eliminating the need to move the first container to a sorter and back

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The second wafer container acts as an intermediary between the measurement unit and the final storage location. Measured wafers are transferred to this intermediate container during measurement, and later transferred to their final destinations, avoiding the need for the first container to make round trips to sorters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11798826B2Wafer-measuring apparatus and wafer-transferring method thereof

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 NAN YA TECH

AI summary

A wafer-measuring apparatus and a wafer-transferring method of the wafer-measuring apparatus. The wafer-measuring apparatus includes a body, a wafer-measuring unit, a wafer storage, and a robot. The robot is disposed on the body and configured to move a wafer from a first wafer container to the wafer-measuring unit. The first wafer container is disposed on a load port area. The robot moves the wafer from the wafer-measuring unit to the wafer storage after the wafer-measuring unit measures the wafer.