Abstract: A pin chuck holds a wafer during translation by an X-ray lithography machine. The chuck is designed to be the same size as the wafer and includes a plurality of extensions having tops along a common plane. The space between the extensions is evacuated to hold and level the wafer. In order to load or remove a wafer from the pin chuck, three extendable posts are provided which can be extended to permit a robot arm to position a wafer thereon for lowering to the pin chuck or remove a wafer therefrom lifted from the pin chuck. The three posts are triangularly positioned within a space sufficient to hold the wafer which at the same time close enough together to permit the fingers of the robot arm to fit therearound.

Abstract: A robot arm in which a hand or end effector placed at the end of, and pivotally joined to first and second pivotally coupled arms is caused to experience linear, straight line motion in response to a single rotary actuator at the far end of the further most arm. A series of belts and pulleys of different sizes coordinate the motion of the two arms and the hand in order to produce straight line or radial motion in response to a single rotary actuator. The robot arm has particular application in semiconductor wafer handling systems in such capacity as transferring wafers between storage cassettes and test platforms and in this application is married to Z and .theta. motion drives.

Abstract: A step and repeat mechanism is used with an X-ray lithography system for moving a wafer to be exposed from position to position beneath the source of x-rays. The step and repeat mechanism includes, means for moving the wafer to be exposed with six degrees of freedom. Conventional drive motor means move the step and repeat mechanism, and wafer held thereby, in the X, Y and Z linear directions, as well as rotates, tip and tilt the wafer in the planar direction. In addition, the system includes, three fine Z motor assemblies for moving the wafer in fine increments in the Z direction, which motor assemblies are used to tip and tilt the plane of the wafer. Sensors are included for determining the plane of the mask and the plane of each of the various sections of wafer to be exposed, so that appropriate tip and tilt adjustments by the three fine Z motor assemblies can be made to cause the average plane of each section of the wafer to be exposed to be parallel to the plane of the mask.

Abstract: A toy frying pan is disclosed for simulating a real frying pan in the process of frying bacon or the like. The frying pan has a noise maker comprising a roughened surface formed by outwardly extending filaments or the like on a movable member in rubbing engagement with fixed flexible fins on a fixed member.