Abstract: A reticle assembly includes a reticle with a reticle plate. A radio frequency device is positioned on the reticle for providing information regarding the reticle to a reader by radio frequency.

Abstract: An extendable arm for placing and moving items includes a base and an arm unit movably mounted to the base. The arm unit is configured for linear movement in a first direction relative to the arm unit for extending beyond the base in the first direction and for linear movement in a second direction relative to the arm unit which is opposite to the first direction for extending beyond the base in the second direction.

Abstract: A reticle assembly includes a reticle with a reticle plate. A radio frequency device is positioned on the reticle for providing information regarding the reticle to a reader by radio frequency.

Abstract: A reticle storage system includes a reticle rack having a series of lateral slots, each for storing a reticle. Access to the reticles is provided on a lateral side of the rack. The enclosure has a series of doors for providing access to the reticles in the slots. An air circulation system flows filtered air past the reticles in the rack to prevent contaminants from accumulating on the reticles. The air circulation system is capable of providing positive air pressure within the enclosure with one door open, thereby preventing contaminants from entering the enclosure through the open door.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of forming fluxless solder balls includes forming solder balls from a supply of solder. A coating is formed on the solder balls for limiting naturally occurring oxide growth on the solder balls before significant natural oxide growth on the solder balls has occurred. The coating allows the solder balls to be soldered without using flux.

Abstract: A reticle storage system includes a reticle rack having a series of lateral slots, each for storing a reticle. Access to the reticles is provided on a lateral side of the rack. The enclosure has a series of doors for providing access to the reticles in the slots. An air circulation system flows filtered air past the reticles in the rack to prevent contaminants from accumulating on the reticles. The air circulation system is capable of providing positive air pressure within the enclosure with one door open, thereby preventing contaminants from entering the enclosure through the open door.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing spheres at predetermined positions on a substrate. The apparatus includes a platform to support the substrate at a first sphere placement position in the apparatus, and a placement station disposed above the platform that places spheres at locations on the substrate. The placement station includes a first container having a chamber to contain spheres, and a first carrier tray having a substantially horizontal upper surface that forms a lower surface of the chamber. The upper surface has a first section and a second section, the second section having a plurality of holes formed therein to receive spheres. The first carrier tray is movable to position the second section between a fill position beneath the first container and a place position disposed over the first sphere placement position.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing an array of solder balls on a substrate includes a carrier plate having an array of holes therethrough. Each hole is capable of holding a solder ball. A ball placement head having an array of pins is aligned with a desired pattern of solder balls held by the carrier plate. The array of pins push the pattern of solder balls through the holes in the carrier plate onto the substrate.

Abstract: A reticle storage system includes a reticle rack having a series of lateral slots, each for storing a reticle. Access to the reticles is provided on a lateral side of the rack. The enclosure has a series of doors for providing access to the reticles in the slots. An air circulation system flows filtered air past the reticles in the rack to prevent contaminants from accumulating on the reticles. The air circulation system is capable of providing positive air pressure within the enclosure with one door open, thereby preventing contaminants from entering the enclosure through the open door.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing an array of solder balls on a substrate includes a carrier plate having an array of holes therethrough. Each hole is capable of holding a solder ball. A ball placement head having an array of pins is aligned with a desired pattern of solder balls held by the carrier plate. The array of pins push the pattern of solder balls through the holes in the carrier plate onto the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing an array of solder balls on a substrate includes a carrier plate having an array of holes therethrough. Each hole is capable of holding a solder ball. A ball placement head having an array of pins is aligned with a desired pattern of solder balls held by the carrier plate. The array of pins push the pattern of solder balls through the holes in the carrier plate onto the substrate. The invention is also directed to a solder ball dispenser for dispensing solder balls to a plate having an upper surface with an array of holes formed therein. The solder ball dispenser includes a plate support to support the plate such that the upper surface is tilted at an angle from horizontal, a ball feed device to provide solder balls to the plate, and a solder ball retainer. The solder ball retainer is movable across the upper surface of the plate for controlling a speed at which the solder balls move across the plate.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting a semiconductor wafer in a slot of a holding post including a wafer support member or paddle for supporting the wafer and inserting it into a slot and rotation device for rotating the support member by the angle necessary to cause edges of the wafer to be received at the centers of the slots.

Abstract: Apparatus for storing articles including walls defining a bin enclosure having an opening for transporting articles therethrough, a support for supporting articles in an article storage region in the enclosure, and a source of pressurized particle-free air to the region to provide a higher pressure in the article storage region than outside of the enclosure. Also disclosed are an energy beam vision system that is carried by a transport system and interfaces with the walls and a controller that controls the transport mechanism in order to properly align the relative positions of the transport mechanism and the enclosure.

Abstract: Wafer transfer apparatus including a wafer-pickup element having suction openings closer to the edge of wafer than the wafer's center so that the wafer can be picked up with greater certainty as to the locations of the wafer edges, the openings being surrounded by raised portions so that the region of the wafer-pickup element between the opening is at a lower elevation than the raised portions so as to facilitate picking up warped wafers.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting flat objects having first and second faces between a first carrier and a second carrier, the apparatus comprising a mechanism for supporting the first and second carriers, a pickup mechanism for picking up the objects and transporting the objects between the first carrier and the second carrier, and intermediate station having a mechanism for receiving the objects from the pickup mechanism with the faces in a first orientation and for changing the orientation of the faces before the objects are removed by the pickup mechanism.

Abstract: Wafer transfer apparatus including a wafer-pickup element having suction openings closer to the edge of wafer than the wafer's center so that the wafer can be picked up with greater certainty as to the locations of the wafer edges, the pickup element being thin and made of a structural layer of rigid structural material having grooves and a TEFLON layer laminated to the structural layer and having suction openings, the grooves and covering portions of TEFLON defining vacuum passages.

Abstract: Apparatus that uses a suction engagement element to transport semiconductor wafers between processing boats and detects when suction engagement has not occurred despite the engagement element having been moved toward a wafer a distance sufficient to enable said engagement, and then adjusts the position of the engagement element relative to the object (e.g., by backing up and trying again or by pivoting the engagement element) to facilitate the suction engagement.

Abstract: Rolling apparatus comprising a support member, first bearing means connected to the support member for rotating relative to the support member, and a first tire of material softer than the bearing means mounted on the circumference of the bearing means, the tire having a circumference that increases from a smaller diameter side to a larger diameter side and a lip extending radially inward over a portion of the bearing means on the larger diameter side of the tire, whereby the lip is biased against the bearing means as the tire travels, and is prevented from moving off the bearing means at either side.

Abstract: Apparatus for placing a first element at a receptacle location on a second element, there being associated with the precise receptacle location some known variation in the shape of the second element, the apparatus comprising a support member for supporting the first element while the member is translated toward the second element along a placement direction, a first transport device for moving the support member or the second element along a direction transverse to the placement direction, and a sensing device located on the support member for sensing the relative alignment along the transverse direction of the support member and the variation in shape, the sensing device comprising an energy-beam source adapted and positioned to direct an energy beam along a path that interacts with the variation in shape at least when the support member and receptacle location are aligned so that more of the beam is transmitted along the path when the member and receptacle location are aligned than when the member and rece

Abstract: An improved tailless wire-bonding apparatus for wedge-bonding fine wire used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices including adjustable linear actuating devices, such as solenoids, energized in the proper sequence by a solid state logic circuit, which operate as latching and releasing mechanisms to control the motion of the bonding arm and wire clamp, and a Z-drive to search heights which may be preset and/or adjusted manually with each bond. A viscous hydraulic fluid damping system serves as a velocity limiting device to maintain the bonding arm at a predetermined maximum downward velocity as it drops toward the workpiece, and to eliminate, after impact, all significant vibration between the bonding tool and the fine wire prior to the application of bonding energy.