Abstract: In order to easily and accurately manufacture a micromachine comprising a member which is made of a single-crystalline material and having a complicated structure, an uppermost layer (1104) of a single-crystalline Si substrate (1102) whose (100) plane is upwardly directed is irradiated with Ne atom currents from a plurality of prescribed directions, so that the crystal orientation of the uppermost layer (1104) is converted to such orientation that the (111) plane is upwardly directed. A masking member (106) is employed as a shielding member to anisotropically etch the substrate (1102) from its bottom surface, thereby forming a V-shaped groove (1112). At this time, the uppermost layer (1104) serves as an etching stopper. Thus, it is possible to easily manufacture a micromachine having a single-crystalline diaphragm having a uniform thickness. A micromachine having a complicated member such as a diagram which is made of a single-crystalline material can be easily manufactured through no junction.

Abstract: The wafer grinding machine uses a centrally located robot to move a wafer from an input station to a measuring station. Thereafter, the wafer is moved into a grind station and a wash station sequentially. The robot is able to move a wafer from the wash station to either the measuring station for after-grinding measurements or directly to an output station. During grinding of one wafer, a second wafer may be held between the measuring station and the grind station while a ground wafer is moved from the wash station to the measuring station for after-grinding measurements.

Abstract: The blade track control system employs a pair of bearing pads and a pair of sensors. Each bearing pad is provided with a supply of compressed air of constant pressure to provide an aerodynamic bearing surface film against a rotating saw blade. Each bearing pad is mounted on a structure, a portion of which may be flexed in order to deflect the saw blade from a datum plane into a cutting plane. Each sensor detects a deviation in the saw blade from the cutting plane and emits a signal which effects a movement of the bearing pad toward or away from the blade in order to effect a corresponding deflection of the saw blade back to the cutting plane. The two bearing pads are mounted independently of the sensors and each is moved relative to the saw blade by deflecting a cross bar on which the bearing pad is mounted in cantilevered fashion.

Abstract: A wafer slicing and grinding machine is provided with a saw blade assembly for the slicing of wafers from an ingot. A grinding stage is also provided for sequentially grinding the rear face of a previously sliced wafer and the front face of an ingot in order to provide a double ground wafer. A transfer chuck and a holding chuck are disposed within the machine to perform movements for effecting a turning over of a wafer for grinding of the rear face of the wafer.

Abstract: The tool mounting arrangement employs a bushing within a recessed end of a shaft. The bushing has three lobes with inclined surfaces which abut against an internal conical wall of an annular mounting portion on the end of the shaft. A threaded screw passes through a washer and the grind wheel in non-rotatable relation into threaded relation in the bushing. Turning of the screw causes the bushing to be pulled in a direction out of the shaft so as to radially deform the annular mounting portion into uniform contact with the bore of the grind wheel while the grind wheel is simultaneously abutted square to the shaft axis. The annular mounting portion is provided with equi-spaced circumferentially disposed notches to permit passage of the lobes upon insertion of the bushing into the recess at the end of the shaft. One or more set screws is also provided in the shaft to prevent rotation of the bushing within the recess of the shaft.

Abstract: A blade mount for an I.D. saw blade has an elongated female tensioning ring which has a male pilot lip which fits into a recess in a radial flange of the wheelhead. The male pilot lip and a narrowed annular flexure in the flange of the wheelhead compensate automatically for deflections in the blade mount caused by the tensioned saw blade so as to eliminate saw blade flutter during operation. The female tensioning ring is sized to have a width at least twice the radial thickness thereof so as to resist turning inside out under the tensioning force imposed upon the saw blade.

Abstract: The wafer alignment fixture is provided with a cassette support which can be slid between two positions on a base plate. In one position, the cassette support is aligned with a roller in order to align notched wafers with each other. In the second position, the cassette support is aligned with a second roller so as to effect alignment of wafers having flats.

Abstract: A wafer slicing and grinding machine is provided with a saw blade assembly for the slicing of wafers from an ingot. A grinding stage is also provided for sequentially grinding the rear face of a previously sliced wafer and the front face of an ingot in order to provide a double ground wafer. A transfer chuck and a holding chuck are disposed within the machine to perform movements for effecting a turning over of a wafer for grinding of the rear face of the wafer.

Abstract: The grinding wheel is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart micrometer screws which can be adjusted from time to time in order to index the grind wheel into different grinding positions. An indexing mechanism can be mounted on the face of the disk with drive pins extending through the disk into the micrometer screws for simultaneous rotation of the screws. The indexing mechanism is lightweight and can be readily attached to the face of the grind disk.

Abstract: The spindle on which the wheelhead rotates is mounted within a spindle housing which, in turn, is mounted by a bearing at one end in a pivotally mounted housing. A pair of hydraulic cylinders engage the opposite end of the spindle housing and are actuated during a cutting stroke so as to impose a force on the spindle housing to effect a lateral displacement of the spindle housing in a plane common to the spindle axis and the pivot axis of the housing. The lateral deflection, in turn, causes a lateral deflection of the wheelhead thereby controlling the lateral deviation of the wheelhead relative to the true cutting plane during the cutting stroke. A sensor is provided between the housing and the wheelhead to sense and control deviations of the wheelhead from the true cutting plane. The arrangement may also be used for saws with wheelheads which are horizontally mounted for the cutting of vertically mounted ingots.

Abstract: A grinding wheel is mounted coaxially of an internal diameter saw blade and rotates with the saw blade during operation. The grinding wheel includes a grinding disc and a center rod which is movably mounted within a central bore of the spindle of the slicing machine. Compressed fluid such as air is used to move the grinding wheel from a retracted position to an extended position against the bias of a spring secured to the center rod. The pressurized fluid is introduced into a chamber for moving an annular sleeve-like piston removably secured to the grinding disc. An adjustable stop ring is also mounted on an adaptor within the sleeve-like piston and has ears which can be deflected by screws from access openings in the grinding disc for fine running adjustments of the grinding disc. This stop ring can be accessed upon removal of the grinding disc from the center rod and sleeve-like piston in order to permit coarse initial adjustments in the positioning of the grinding disc.

Abstract: The flat grind stage assembly is programmed so that the grinding wheel is first caused to move along a straight path to form a flat on a wafer while the wafer is held in a stationary position. Thereafter, the grinding wheel is returned to the mid-point of the flat and then moved away from the flat. The wafer is then rotated and grinding commences when the end of the flat is reached so that a circular periphery is ground on the remainder of the wafer while the axis of the grinding wheel remains stationary.

Abstract: The wafer centering assembly includes a pair of pivot arms which can be pivoted simultaneously to adjust to the diameter of a conveyed wafer. Each pivot arm has a stop which arrest the motion of a wafer such that the axis of the wafer is approximately centered on the axis of a vacuum head.

Abstract: The grinder is provided with a grind burr which is programmed to form a notch in a peripheral edge of a wafer before or after grinding of the peripheral edge of the wafer. The grind burr is mounted on the housing of the grinding wheel to be moved in common therewith. The grind wheel housing can be moved vertically to bring the grind burr into alignment with the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: A seal assembly is mounted within a grinding machine to separate a grinding wheel from the main portions of a wafer being ground. The seal assembly has a pair of free edges which are disposed to define a V-shaped gap through which the peripheral edge of the wafer passes into grinding relation with the grinding wheel. A perforated hollow tube is also mounted behind the free edges of the strips to blow air onto and across the planar surface of the wafer being ground to prevent accumulation of debris thereon.

Abstract: The wafering machine is provided with a two-piece housing for mounting the spindle of the saw blade. One housing part is mounted on a fixed axis of a support shaft while the other part is pivotally mounted relative to the first housing part about a pivot axis perpendicular to the support shaft axis. Locking screws are provided to fix the two housing parts together while adjustment blocks with adjusting screws are provided to carry out a rotational adjustment of the rotatable housing part. Rotation of the housing part causes the axis of the spindle to be brought into alignment with the fixed axis of the pivotal cutting motion such as to maintain the plane of the cutting portion of the saw blade parallel to the pivotal cutting motion.

Abstract: The saw blade mount is provided with a stabilizer blade mount for imposing an axial force on the saw blade to eliminate unevenness in the saw blade. The stabilizer blade mount includes a gasket ring of plastic or elastomeric material which is abutting against the saw blade and which faces an opposing surface of an inner clamping ring. Adjustment screws permit adjustment of the stabilizing ring relative to the saw blade either completely about the periphery or only at localized regions.

Abstract: The edge profile machine employs a centering station in which a photosensor measures a number of points on the periphery of a wafer so that the shape of the wafer and location of the geometric center can be determined in a computer. A rotatable head serves to position the geometric center of the wafer on a fixed axis and the wafer transferred to a grinding station with the geometric center located on the central axis of a rotating chuck. During grinding, a grinding wheel is moved in accordance with the differences between the detected shape of the wafer and a predetermined shape. The grinding wheel is moved on an axis perpendicular to an axis passing through the centering station and grinding station in accordance with signals received from the computer.

Abstract: An improved tensioning device is provided for use in an inner diameter saw blade housing. A tensioning ring, disposed in an annular clamping member, is internally threaded at plurality of locations along its circumference. An associated plurality of screws, disposed in cylindrical recesses in the clamping member, threadedly engage the internal threads. The screws may be turned through an opening in the clamping member having a diameter smaller than the screw to thereby precisely tension the blade as desired. Since the screws are captive within the clamping member, migration of the tensioning ring relative to the blade is prevented. Further, the screws do not protrude from the surface of the clamping member and the threaded portions of the screws are closed off from the ambient such that foreign matter cannot enter the clamping member and interfere with the tensioning process.

Abstract: The wafering system employs a chuck assembly for moving a severed wafer from a crystal through the aperture in the cutting blade to a take-off conveyor. The chuck assembly includes a suction head which is pivotally mounted via a pivot arm assembly, a slide for moving the head back and forth and a carriage for vertically moving the head up and down. A motor is used to actuate the carriage while air cylinders are used to actuate the slide and pivot arm assembly.