Abstract: Apparatus (11), which includes two adjacent wafer treating facilities (21 and 22), features an overhead positioning mechanism (20), the operation of which is controlled by a control module (48) to handle articles, such as semiconductor wafers (16), in a plurality of sequential plating operations. The vertical movement of a manipulator extension (46) is controlled with a relatively greater degree of precision to protect the wafers from becoming damaged. In the horizontal direction, a traveling frame (106) steadies a lead screw (59) spanning an extended distance between the two facilities (21 and 22) to support a precise movement of the manipulator extension (46) with respect to both of the facilities.

Abstract: The continuity of a ground strap (16) is tested by pushing down on a switch activating toggle lever (37). The toggle lever is conductive, is isolated from ground and is coupled to a signal input terminal of a test circuit module (14). Thus, when the hand of the operator touches the toggle lever to activate the test circuit module (14), the resistive path through the operator and the ground strap (16) is coupled into the test circuit as the input-terminal-to-ground resistor of a voltage divider circuit. A resulting voltage at the toggle lever causes an indication by lighting either indicator (33) or indicator (34) whether the operator is properly coupled to ground.

Abstract: A screw terminal (14) is formed on a circuit board (12) by inserting a typical terminal screw (22) in a thread-forming operation into a tube (27) of a rim-like seat (21). The screw (22) is inserted into the tube (27) to a predetermined depth which is equal to or greater than the thickness of the circuit board (12). After the insertion of the screw (22) into the seat (21), the seat (21) is inserted into an aperture (16) in the circuit board (12). The aperture (16) is of circular cross section of a diameter such that the wall of the aperture engages the edges of the tube (27) in interfering contact. In a preferred embodiment, the wall of the aperture (16) is metallized and the seat (21) is of a copper coated, low carbon steel. After insertion of the seat (21) into the aperture (16), the seat (21) is soldered to the aperture (16) in an operation which fills any gaps between the circuit board and the seat and fixes the position of the walls with the confines of the circuit board.

Abstract: Apparatus (11) for handling articles (12), such as semiconductor devices, temporarily mounted to an adhesively coated surface of a diaphragm (29) of a mounting frame (21) includes an index table (31) for positioning a selected one of the articles (12) at a pickup axis (34). The article (12) is removed from adhesive contact with the diaphragm (29) by first engaging the underside of the diaphragm with spaced support pins (72) and urging the engaged portions of the diaphragm and the selected article upward while pulling adjacent regions of the diaphragm out of contact with the article by means of an applied vacuum. Then a vacuum tip (112) moves downward toward the selected article as supported in its original orientation in a position raised above a plane of an array of the articles.

Abstract: A surface mount component (11) has at least one lead (12) which extends from a body portion (16) of the component (11) along an axis (14) through the component. An outer end portion of the lead (12) is formed into a circuit termination (20) of a shape which, when projected onto a plane perpendicular to the axis, encompasses a projection of the body portion (16) of the component onto the plane.

Abstract: In the manufacture of electrical coils (10), particularly large transformer coils, an insulated wire (11) is wound on a rotatable winding arbor (12) so as to form a succession of turns of the insulated wire. Particularly when large gauge enamelled copper wire is wound, the insulation (14) has a tendency to crack or chip during the winding process, causing shorted turns and producing a defective coil. This disclosure relates to systems for testing such a coil to detect a short as it is wound so as to permit interruption of the winding process and repair of the insulation fault on the spot. The test equipment includes a pair of test windings (41, 42) positioned at opposite ends of the winding arbor (12) and magnetically coupled by flux paths (50, 51) to each other and to the coil being wound so that an A.C. input signal (V.sub.1) applied to the first winding (41) induces an A.C. output signal (V.sub.

Abstract: In the operation of a projection printer (11) photomasks (22), the patterns (21) of which are protected by coverplates (39), are used interchangeably with other photomasks, the patterns of which are located at an open surface thereof. The photomasks (22) feature shims (46) which space the patterns (21) away from a plane of support surfaces (13) of a mounting chuck (12) by a precise distance equal to the shift of the object plane (14) with respect to an image plane (17) because of the presence of the coverplate (39) in the optical path of the projection printer (11).

Abstract: A spacer (52) of an interposer element (51) is placed between support surfaces (27) of a mounting chuck (12) in a projection printer (14) and a photomask (48) which is not protected by a coverplate. The interposer element (51) further features a transparent plate (53) which becomes interposed in the optical path (46) of the projection printer (14) in a position spaced from the photomask (48). The plate (53) shifts the objective focal plane (44) with respect to which the support surfaces (27) are adjusted outward away from an image plane by a distance equal to the shift of the objective focal plane due to the coverplate of a coverplate-protected photomask. Consequently, the spacer (52) features a preferred thickness of a coverplate of such coverplate-protected photomask to position patterns (21) of object features on the unprotected photomask (48) in the plane to which the focal plane is shifted by the interposed plate (53).

Abstract: A semiconductor crystal ingot (14) is supportively engaged by an ingot handling apparatus (22) which contacts a base (38) of the ingot (14) with a base support (36) and opposite sides of a lateral surface of the ingot (14) with at least one pair of jaws (37). The jaws (37) are retained adjacent to but out of firm contact with the lateral surface of the ingot until after the support (36) firmly supports the weight of the ingot. The support and the at least one pair of jaws are retracted from a furnace (10) simultaneously in a lateral direction with no relative movement to withdraw the ingot from the furnace.

Abstract: A production control process includes a method of highlighting pinholes in a surface layer (37), such as a photoresist layer, of an article (31), such as a semiconductor wafer. The photoresist typically covers a dielectric base layer, such as an oxide layer (28). After a typical photoresist application, a typical test wafer (31) is submitted to an etching operation wherein pinhole sized defects in the photoresist layer (37) cause like defects to be etched through the underlying oxide layer (28). Thereafter, the wafer is submitted to an electrolytic treatment step, wherein the preferred process involves treating a positive photoresist in an alcohol with the wafer being cathodically coupled into the treating circuit. Activating light can be used simultaneously with the treatment. As an alternative, the photoresist is exposed prior to the electrolytic treatment of the wafer.

Abstract: A circuit board connector (14) is assembled to a printed wiring board (11) by first aligning a plurality of leads (18) by urging them into spaced guide grooves (49) of a workholder (41). The spacing of the guide grooves (49) corresponds to the spacing of terminals, also referred to as solder lands (19) on the printed wiring board (11). Within the guide grooves (49) the leads (18) are retained against a possible, lateral resilient stress while a deformable material, such as a solder, is formed across the leads and into spaces between the leads (18). The solder temporarily retains the spacing between the leads while the leads are removed from the workholder and become aligned with the lands (19). During the assembly of the connector (14) to the printed wiring board (11), the leads become resiliently deflected perpendicularly to the plane of the printed wiring board (11). The deflection generates a resilient force which frictionally urges the leads and the lands into contact with each other.

Abstract: An article support rack (10) has at least one article support (12), such as a shelf, which is horizontally slidable in a first frame (18). A second frame (29) is mounted for vertical movement relative to the first frame (18). At least one weight (26) is supported by such second frame (29) at a certain distance above the article support (12) when the first and second frame are in a first position relative to each other. Articles (24) such as circuit boards are placed on the article support (12), and the vertical position of the first and second frames are shifted to a second position relative to each other wherein the upper surface of the circuit boards is pushed against the respective weight to lift the weight off its support such that the weight rests on the circuit boards.

Abstract: An article, such as a semiconductor wafer (31), is selectively electrolytically plated to form metal deposits, such as contacts (26), adjacent to anodes of diode regions within such wafer by mounting the wafer in a plating chamber (36) opposite first and second electrodes (61 and 62), filling the chamber (36) with a metal plating electrolyte (49) and applying alternatingly plating pulses between the wafer (31) and the first electrode (61) and deplating pulses between the wafer (31) and the second electrode (62). The plating pulses are current controlled yielding a predetermined total plating current. The deplating pulses are voltage controlled yielding a deplating current which tends to subside in the course of the plating operation. The electrolyte in the chamber is agitated by streams of electrolyte pumped at a comparatively high rate toward the wafer (31) to break down surface layers of electrolyte adjacent to the wafer.

Abstract: A film of material (29) is deposited on a substrate (15), as, for example, in a sputtering process, wherein a gas-permeable substrate (73) covers an opening (71) in a process chamber (14) of a passage communicating with a monitoring chamber (52). A monitoring gas is introduced into one of the chambers to diffuse through the gas-permeable substrate (73) into the other of the chambers. Its level of concentration is then monitored in at least one of the chambers while the film is being deposited. As the film deposits on workpiece substrates within the process chamber, the film also deposits on the surface of the gas-permeable substrate. When the film on such gas-permeable substrate forms a continuous surface, diffusion of the monitoring gas from one chamber to the other ceases. Consequently, an increased concentration level of the monitoring gas may be detected in the one chamber and a decreased concentration level may be detected in the other chamber.

Abstract: In methods of and apparatus (28) for indexing a repetitively patterned strip (12) past a plurality of work stations, such as, for example, a bonding station (33) and a dewebbing station (65) of a lead frame bonder, a cyclical, automated adjustment of the strip (12) with respect to the bonding station (33) eliminates repeated meticulous manual fine adjustments of the strip. An adjustment of the position of the strip (12) is achieved by adjusting the positions of travel limit stops (109 and 111) of an incremental feed mechanism (46). Simultaneously with the adjustment of the travel limit stops (109 and 111), an adjustment is made in the same magnitude and in the same direction as the adjustment to the limit stops in the position of the dewebbing station (65). Similar adjustments may be made to any other station, an accurate position of which with respect to the position of the strip (12) is desirable.

Abstract: The bond strength of electrical leads (12) bonded to a device (13), such as a silicon integrated circuit chip, is tested by mounting the device (13) onto a pedestal (22) and then pulling on such lead with a freely manipulatable grasping tool (52). The pedestal (22) is coupled to a load sensitive mechanism, such as a simple balance arm (19), or a movable element (21) coupled to a load cell (56). Such mechanism is adjusted to register that part of the pulling force exerted by the grasping tool (52), which is transmitted through the interface between the lead (12) and the device (13).

Abstract: An electronic device assembly (11) includes a heat dissipating substrate (18) having a seat (16). A device (14) is uniformly spaced from a base surface of the seat (16), and a layer of solder of uniform thickness occupies a gap between the surface of the seat and the device. Leads (31) and (33) extend at a shallow, acute angle from the device. A lead (32) is mounted to a support (28) extending from the substrate (18). Inner portions of the leads (31, 32, 33), the device (14) and portions of the substrate (18), are encased by an envelope (22), while outer portions (67) of the leads and a mounting tab (19) of the substrate extend from the envelope.

Abstract: A hybrid integrated circuit package (11) typically includes a circuit substrate or article (12) on which are formed thin film components (17, 18, 19) of a circuit (22) and to which is bonded at least one semiconductor chip (21). Prior to bonding the chip (21) to the article (12) the circuit (22) undergoes various tests and adjustment operations. An electric element, preferably a resistance element (36), is formed on the article (12). The element (36) is functionally independent of the circuit (22) on the article (12). A first, initial value of the element (36) marks the article (12) as belonging to a first group of articles having first circuit characteristics. The initial value of the element (36) is selectively altered to a second value upon a determination that the article (12) has circuit characteristics other than those of the first group. In the described preferred embodiment the first group is a group of electrically acceptable articles (12), while other characteristics are those of defective articles.

Abstract: A vacuum-type holder (10) for retaining fragile articles such as semiconductor wafers (16) during a manufacturing operation, such as an electrolytic treatment includes a vacuum-operated support (36) at each of the seats (23) which exerts a supporting force against the underside (32) of the wafer (16) which is opposite to and proportional to a vacuum generated holding force which urges the wafer against the seat. The supporting force, consequently, minimizes bending stresses to which the wafer (16) could otherwise be subjected.

Abstract: A bar-type film resistor (40) is adjusted to a high degree of precision by longitudinally offset plunge cuts (41, 42 and 43) extending from alternately opposite edges (29, 49) into the resistive layer (13), by a trim cut (46) which extends from the most recently made plunge cut (43) longitudinally through the resistor (40), and by a shave cut (47) which is coextensive with the trim cut and preferably overlapping therewith. The trim cut (46) and any shave cut (47) are located at a predetermined distance from a reference edge (29). The most recently completed plunge cut extends from its starting edge (29) into the resistive layer (13) to distances greater than those at which the trim cut and the shave cut are to be located.