Abstract: A temperature control system to selectively control the temperature of specific areas of the chuck or electrode plate upon which a wafer is mounted during plasma etching, chemical vapor deposition and other such temperature dependent processes for the purpose of ultimately controlling the temperature of the semiconductor wafer. The temperature control system includes a plurality of conduits arranged about the center of the chuck as a series of concentric radially adjacent loops. Each conduit is connected to its own inlet and outlet to allow a heating or cooling agent to flow independently through each conduit.

Abstract: An extended travel wire bonding machine that includes a first positioning table movable along an X axis in a first horizontal plane, a second positioning table movable along X and Y axes in a second horizontal plane, the second positioning table being supported on the first positioning table, and a bond head supported on the second positioning table. The wire bonding machine may also include a bonding tool attached to the bond head and a carrier for supporting the leadframe strip under the bonding tool. The first positioning table is moveable for substantially the entire length of the leadframe strip to allow the bonding tool to be successively moved over each semiconductor die on the leadframe strip.

Abstract: The invention provides a manually operated machine for radially aligning one or more semiconductor wafers. The machine includes an elongated first "notch" roller for rotatably engaging the edge of the wafers, a gear train, and a hand crank for manually rotating the first roller in cooperation with the gear train. The wafers are aligned according to the notches as the wafers are engaged and rotated by the notch roller until the notch in each wafer falls over and is disengaged by that roller. The manual notch finder may also include an elongated second "position" roller for rotatably engaging the edge of the wafers. The position roller is disposed laterally near the notch roller and sized and shaped to engage the edge of the wafers fully along the periphery of each wafer so that the aligned wafers can be positioned to any degree of radial orientation. The invention also provides a combination notch or flat finder machine integrated with a wafer transfer machine.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip package that includes discrete conductive leads in electrical contact with bond pads on a semiconductor chip. This chip/lead assembly is encapsulated within an encapsulating material and electrode bumps are formed through the encapsulating material to contact the conductive leads. The electrode bumps protrude from the encapsulating material for connection to an external circuit.

Abstract: A water lift for lifting a series of vertically oriented wafers arranged parallel to one another in a cassette. The wafer lift comprises a lift plate and an actuator mechanism for raising the lift plate. The lift plate has a contact surface for engaging the edge of each of the wafers. The a contact surface extends upward at a predetermined angle so that, when the lift plate is raised and contact surface engages the edges of the wafers, each wafer is lifted incrementally higher than the preceding wafer. The actuator mechanism includes a bell crank rotatable about a pivotal axis for transforming rotational motion into translational motion. The bell crank has first and second crank arms that extend radially from the pivotal axis and an arcuate member that extends circumferentially between and joining the crank arms. Thus, the arcuate member forms the circumferential perimeter of the bell crank.

Abstract: A headgate that includes a pair of spaced apart stanchions operable to move from an open position to a closed position in which the animal is confined about its neck. A pair of opposing yokes, made of a durable resilient material such as rubber or plastic, are positioned along the stanchions to define in part the size and shape of the opening in the headgate within which the animal is confined when the stanchions are in a closed position. The size and shape of this opening may be easily adjusted, as desired, by varying the number, size and shape of the yokes and adjusting their spacing along the stanchions.