Abstract: A vacuum gripper for semiconductor workpieces is produced from at least one base material by means of an additive manufacturing method such as 3D printing. The method may also include printing various other feature of the vacuum gripper such as reinforcing structures and or seals. The gripper may include a plurality of suction openings and corresponding channels for providing a negative pressure when cooperating with a vacuum.

Abstract: An installation useful for economically polishing wafers has at least two polishing machines for simultaneous double-sided polishing of semiconductor wafers; one or more carriers lying on a polishing pad of a polishing machine for receiving semiconductor wafers; an overhead-mounted transport system for delivering a cassette containing semiconductor wafers; a vertical transport system for taking cassettes from the transport system, containing comprising an integrated wafer lifter; an autonomous robot having a manipulator for taking a semiconductor wafer from the wafer lifter and for inserting the semiconductor wafer into one of the recesses, and after polishing, for lifting the semiconductor wafer from the recess; an x/y linear unit assigned to each polishing machine, having a wafer gripper for taking a wafer from the manipulator and for depositing the wafer into a wet transport container with integrated wafer receiver; and a driverless transport vehicle for transporting transport container to a cleaning

Abstract: A method and a device for polishing disk shaped workpieces, has semiconductor wafers fixed on carrier plates, the carrier plates being pressed against a polishing plate, over which a polishing cloth is stretched, by means of polishing heads, and the polishing heads are accommodated in a polishing-plate superstructure. The carrier plates, following a polishing operation, are simultaneously lifted off the polishing plate by means of lifting devices in the polishing heads. The polishing-plate superstructure is displaced, together with the carrier plates, along a linear guide above a polishing line.