Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum that define vacuum distribution channels coupled in fluid communication with vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums that are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer. The apparatus of the present invention has particularly utility for securing thin semiconductor wafers with a significant warpage.

Abstract: A wafer handling system and a method of retrofitting the system to an existing wafer handling apparatus are provided that make possible a method of handling wafers by contacting only a narrow area of not more than two millimeters wide adjacent the edge of the wafer, which is particularly useful for backside deposition where device side contact defines an area of exclusion that renders the wafer unusable in that area. The system provides a chuck on a wafer transfer arm that holds a wafer by gravity on a segmented, upwardly facing annular surface. A compatible annular surface is provided on an aligning station chuck so that wafers can be transferred by contact only with the exclusion area of the wafer surface. A load arm has two similarly compatible chucks further provided with pneumatically actuated grippers to allow the wafer to be loaded into a vertical processing apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum that define vacuum distribution channels coupled in fluid communication with vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums that are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer. The apparatus of the present invention has particularly utility for securing thin semiconductor wafers with a significant warpage.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The present invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and a plurality of flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum to define vacuum distribution channels in fluid communication with respective vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The present invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums which are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters of the vacuum chucks adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The present invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and a plurality of flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum to define vacuum distribution channels in fluid communication with respective vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The present invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums which are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters of the vacuum chucks adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer.

Abstract: A wafer handling system and a method of retrofitting the system to an existing wafer handling apparatus are provided that make possible a method of handling wafers by contacting only a narrow area of not more than two millimeters wide adjacent the edge of the wafer, which is particularly useful for backside deposition where device side contact defines an area of exclusion that renders the wafer unusable in that area. The system provides a chuck on a wafer transfer arm that holds a wafer by gravity on a segmented, upwardly facing annular surface. A compatible annular surface is provided on an aligning station chuck so that wafers can be transferred by contact only with the exclusion area of the wafer surface. A load arm has two similarly compatible chucks further provided with pneumatically actuated grippers to allow the wafer to be loaded into a vertical processing apparatus.