Abstract: Electrical welding process and device using intersecting, electrically contacting welding elements are disclosed. The intersecting welding elements are powered out of phase from each other, such that there is no short circuiting around the welding elements being heated and no electrical insulation is needed between intersecting welding elements. Current directors can be used to alternatingly direct the current through the intersecting welding elements. The process and device can be used to weld various workpieces, including thermoplastic binders and folders.

Abstract: A wafer cassette transport cart and fault-tolerant self-correcting block help a wafer cassette to properly seat on the pickup forks of the wafer cassette transport cart. The block has a lower surface to mount to the cart and an angled upper surface to meet a front bottom edge of a wafer cassette. The angled upper surface causes an improperly positioned wafer cassette to slide to a proper seating position on the cart when the wafer cassette is lowered onto the cart. The fault-tolerant self-correcting block is fabricated from clean-room compatible materials and the upper angled upper surface may have a low-resistance coating.

Abstract: A wafer transport cart comprises a wheeled support structure and an upright member which is pivotably coupled to the support structure. The upright member has a handle which is pivotably coupled to a wafer cassette support, which comprises a pair of fork-like arms. Wafer production personnel can maneuver the cart adjacent a wafer manufacturing load port, and unload a wafer cassette from the cart to the load port or vice versa, by employing movements of the upright member and the handle. Shock-absorbing dampers are provided for the upright member and the handle. An inter-cart coupling mechanism enables a plurality of carts to be joined together for tandem transport within the manufacturing facility. The arms mate with mating regions on the wafer cassette and on the load port. An alignment notch mates with an alignment pin on the load port. Also described are methods of using the wafer transport cart to load and unload a wafer cassette.

Abstract: A cart for transporting objects includes a wheeled support structure, a carousel and at least first and second object supports. The carousel is rotatably mounted to the support structure. The object supports are mounted to the carousel. The respective object supports are located so as each to support a separate respective object at a separate respective location on a revolution of a carousel.

Abstract: An integrated circuit tester for a test board which has a visual target. The tester includes a test arm that can be electrically coupled to the test board and a movement mechanism that can move the arm relative to the board. The tester further includes a camera that is mounted to the test arm. The camera provides a visual image of the visual target which is used to align the test arm with the test board.

Abstract: A cassette or box for containing and holding a planar substrate such as a reticle having a clamp bar coupled to corner supports by a spring or flexure and a linkage. A clamp bar is pivotally attached to bottom corner supports and a spring or flexure and linked to a top corner support, such that movement of the load bar causes the corner supports to pivot away from a reticle being held only at the corners. An elevation bar is also used to preposition the reticle in one direction. The present invention greatly facilitates the positioning and handling of a reticle as used in photolithography to manufacture semiconductor devices. Additionally, the present invention greatly reduces particulate contamination.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a wafer cassette on a platform of a wafer processing system is described. The apparatus includes a first guiding member and a second guiding member. The first guiding member is mounted on the platform of the wafer processing system. The second guiding member is mounted on the platform of the wafer processing system at a corresponding position of the first guiding member. The first and second guiding members define an interior boundary within which the wafer cassette is secured. The interior boundary matches an outline of a lower portion of the water cassette. The first and second guiding members together guide the water cassette to be precisely loaded into the interior boundary defined by the first and second guiding members. When the wafer cassette is located in the interior boundary defined by the first and second guiding members, the first and second guiding members prevent the wafer cassette from moving horizontally on the platform.