Abstract: A substrate carrier includes a carrier plate, a cover plate and a plurality of substrate support slots. The carrier plate has recesses for receiving substrates. A sidewall of each recess includes protrusions for engaging the OD of a substrate. The cover plate is rotatable-and has a cam on an undersurface. The cam is enagageable with a lateral slot in each of a plurality of substrate supports of the carrier plate. Rotating the cover plate causes the cam to move the substrate supports, one by one, so a substrate engaging end of the substrate support moves away from an associated substrate recess. A substrate is loaded into the recess, whereupon the cover plate is rotated further so the cam disengages from the lateral slot. The substrate supports are biased to engage the OD of the substrate to lock the substrate within the recess. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A media carrier, adapted to hold a plurality of pieces of magnetic media, is disclosed. This media carrier can be placed on the workpiece support, or platen, allowing the magnetic media to be processed. In some embodiments, the media carrier is designed such that only one side of the magnetic media is exposed, requiring a robot or other equipment to invert each piece of media in the carrier to process the second side. In other embodiments, the media carrier is designed such that both sides of the magnetic media are exposed. In this scenario, the media carrier is inverted on the platen to allow processing of the second side.

Abstract: A method includes positioning at least one dual sided workpiece on an assembly in a process chamber to expose a first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, treating the first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, reorienting a portion of the assembly in the process chamber to expose a second side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, the second side opposing the first side, and treating the second side. A processing apparatus including a process chamber defining an enclosed volume and a dual sided workpiece assembly disposed in the enclosed volume is also provided.

Abstract: A plasma source having a plasma chamber with metal chamber walls contains a process gas. A dielectric window passes a RF signal into the plasma chamber. The RF signal excites and ionizes the process gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma chamber. A plasma chamber liner that is positioned inside the plasma chamber provides line-of-site shielding of the inside of the plasma chamber from metal sputtered by ions striking the metal walls of the plasma chamber.

Abstract: An air bearing including a unitary, i.e., single piece, housing, which removes the need for an insert, is disclosed. The air bearing may include a shaft opening longitudinally extending through the housing for receiving the shaft; a plurality of passages that longitudinally extend into the housing for communicating a gas; a set of a plurality of nozzle seat openings, each nozzle seat opening extending from the shaft opening and intersecting one of the passages; and a nozzle positioned in each nozzle seat opening at a distance from the shaft opening for injecting the gas into the shaft opening to support the shaft. The air bearing allows for contact of the shaft to the shaft opening in the housing without damage, no leakage, and easier and more cost-effective manufacturability.

Abstract: A system is provided which includes a GPS receiver which determines its location as defined by three spatial coordinates and an associated time reference. The system includes a control logic unit which determines whether the location of GPS receiver is outside the permitted boundaries configured into an internal database in the system. The control logic unit is configured to transmit information related to the location of the GPS receiver to a remotely located interrogator apparatus which communicates back to the control logic unit, instructions regarding determination and reporting of the location of the GPS receiver. An interrogator, if included with a database, can be used as a shopping assistant to aid a shopper in locating desired items by polling a number of the GPS receiver, each associated with a different item, and informing the shopper of the floor, store, aisle or shelf where the item is located.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring and bounding the path of a ground vehicle. The apparatus comprises a GPS receiver for receiving radio signals from a Global Positioning System which are indicative of the current ground position coordinates of the GPS receiver and thus, are the current ground position coordinates for the ground vehicle also when the GPS receiver is coupled to the vehicle. The apparatus also includes a data base for storing ground position coordinates which are indicative of at least one bounded area of permitted operation for the ground vehicle. A control unit which is responsive to the GPS receiver and the data base, is provided for comparing the stored ground position coordinates with the current ground position coordinates in order to determine if the ground vehicle is outside of the bounded area of permitted operation.

Abstract: A pick-up tube of a camera device is optically coupled to an image intensifier tube. An exposure control circuit is provided which monitors the charge supplied to the phosphor screen of an image intensifier device and, thus, to the photodetector of the pickup tube, and which varies the exposure time in accordance with the level of scene illumination and the charge storage capability of the photodetector. The exposure control system also adjusts the gain of the image intensifier in accordance with the scene illumination prior to readout of the photodetector in order to optimize the signal to noise ratio.

Abstract: An apparatus for releasably holding a workpiece in semiconductor process systems such as a batch ion implanter which comprises a linkage mechanism mounted onto the backside of the platen for clamping the wafer against the fence of the supporting means and pusher means mounted on wafer lift means for engagement with the lever mechanism for locking and unlocking the device, and sensing any misclamp of the workpiece.

Abstract: A device for releaseably holding a workpiece includes a resilient collet which is attached to a base by an elastomeric member. Typically, the collet is an annular ring. Several fingers for holding the workpiece extend from the collet. The fingers are pivoted by actuating a member which elastically deforms the collet and causes the fingers to pivot from a position for engaging the workpiece to a position for releasing the workpiece and vice-versa. In one application, the base is a platen for supporting a wafer in a semiconductor processing system, and a plurality of the holding devices are arranged around the periphery of a rotating disk. A counterweight ring is attached to the collet to counterbalance the moment generated by the centrifugal force of the wafer pressing against the fingers as the disk is rotated.

Abstract: A flow sensor for regulating the air flow rate to a cooling system can be formed as a housing for channeling the flow through a retangular cavity and a one piece vane of bent metal strip which deflects and closes an electrical contact at a predetermined air flow rate and opens when the air flow rate falls below a preset threshold level.

Abstract: A mechanical scanning system for a batch ion implanter includes a disk for mounting wafers at sites near its periphery and a disk drive assembly for rotating the disk. The disk and the disk drive assembly are supported in an end station vacuum chamber by a scan arm which extends through a sealed opening in an access door. A scan drive assembly attached to the access door scans the scan arm and the disk in an arc-shaped path. Simultaneous rotation and scanning of the disk cause the ion beam to be distributed over the surfaces of the wafers mounted on the disk. A pivot drive assembly rotates the scan arm and the disk about a pivot axis between an implant position and a load/unload position. The implant angle can be changed without opening or venting the vacuum chamber by loosening the attachment of the scan drive assembly to the access door and rotating the scan drive assembly, the scan arm and the disk about the pivot axis. The access door can be moved on rails to an open position for access to the disk.

Abstract: Wafer transfer apparatus for horizontal transfer of a wafer between a cassette and an input station of a vacuum processing system includes a wafer transfer arm with a primary section linked to a secondary section so as to move a wafer in a straight line to a location and orientation station and then to the input station. The actual location of the wafer center and the angular orientation of the wafer flat are determined, and the wafer is rotated to a desired angular orientation at the location and orientation station. A solar cell is used to sense actual wafer position by sensing the wafer edge as it is rotated. The required correction and rotation are calculated from the solar cell output. As the wafer is transferred to the input station, correcting displacements are added to the movement so that the wafer is accurately positioned at the input station. A strain gauge is used to reliably sense wafer presence or absence on the transfer arm.

Abstract: A device for releaseably holding a workpiece includes a resilient collet which is pivotally attached to a base. Several fingers for holding the workpiece extend from the collet. The fingers are pivoted by actuating a member which elastically deforms the collet and causes the fingers to pivot from a position for engaging the workpiece to a position for releasing the workpiece and vice-versa. In one application, the base is a platen for supporting a wafer in a semiconductor processing system and a plurality of such platens and a corresponding plurality of the holding devices are arranged around the periphery of the disk. A counterweight ring is attached to the ring-shaped collet to counter-balance the moment generated by the centrifugal force of the wafer pressing against the fingers as the disk is rotated.

Abstract: A tactile pick includes a base and a lever attached beneath the base by a pivot. A load sensing device including a strain gauge is located between the base and the portion of the lever on one side of the pivot; the portion of the lever on the other side of the pivot is adapted to receive a semiconductor wafer. Rotation of the lever about the pivot induced by the weight of a wafer causes an actuator to depress a flexible member on which a strain gauge is mounted. The output signal of the strain gauge is processed by a controller to provide an output signal which varies monotonically with the magnitude of the weight placed on the wafer receiving portion of the lever. The pick is employed in connection with the wafer transport system which transfers wafers from a cassette to the pick lever.

Abstract: Apparatus for programmably orienting a semiconductor wafer in an ion implantation system so as to limit channeling and to control the depth of penetration of impinging ions. The apparatus is associated with a processing chamber door and includes a rotatable vacuum chuck for engaging the wafer and a motor for rotating the vacuum chuck and the wafer through a preselected angular displacement. The apparatus further includes a programmable control assembly operative to deenergize the motor upon sensing rotation of the vacuum chuck through the preselected angular displacement. The wafer orientation apparatus is typically utilized in a system for the vertical transfer of wafers between a cassette and a processing chamber.

Abstract: A multiple wafer holder generally of the size and shape of a standard wafer has on its front surface a plurality of pockets. The edge of each pocket is generally V-shaped and grooved so that wafers of different sizes can be carried by each holder and more than one wafer can be transported together into the processing chamber of an implanter from a cassette.

Abstract: The zoom focus and deflection assembly for an image-to-electron beam converting electron discharge device comprises a magnetic deflection yoke and a magnetic electron beam focusing coil having N sections each having its own adjustable current source such that at least the opposite end ones of the N sections have the magnitude of current therethrough changed simultaneously in the opposite direction, where N is an integer greater than one.

Abstract: Apparatus for programmably orienting a semiconductor wafer in an ion implantation system so as to limit channeling or to control the depth of penetration of impinging ions. The apparatus is associated with a processing chamber door and includes a rotatable vacuum chuck for engaging the wafer and a motor for rotating the vacuum chuck and the wafer through a preselected angular displacement. The apparatus further includes a programmable control assembly operative to deenergize the motor upon sensing rotation of the vacuum chuck through the preselected angular displacement. The wafer orientation apparatus is typically utilized in a system for the vertical transfer of wafers between a cassette and a processing chamber.

Abstract: A system for the automated transfer of semiconductor wafers between a cassette and a wafer processing chamber. Included in the system are a cassette conveyor assembly, a wafer transfer assembly and a wafer handling assembly associated with the entrance to the processing chamber. Wafers of any standard size can be accommodated by the system. The cassette conveyor assembly includes a cassette holder which retains and precisely positions two standard plastic cassettes. The cassette holder is positioned by a ball reverser driven by a motor and a mechanical stepper. The wafer transfer assembly includes an elevator blade which vertically raises and lowers wafers to and from the wafer handling assembly. The elevator blade is actuated by a crank driven by a motor and a mechanical stepper. The crank provides a high rate of wafer transfer and a low risk of wafer damage.