Microscope Loaders/Unloaders

Description

AUTOMATIC WAFER LOADER / UNLOADER

The Automatic Programmable Wafer Micro-scope Loader system extracts a wafer from a predefined location of a 25-wafer cassette and places the wafer on a self-centering chuck for flat/notch alignment. An exchange arm then places the wafer onto a stage under a microscope for inspection, and returns the wafer to the original location upon completion. This operation can be done by using any one of the selected modes of operation outlined in this manual. This machine is designed to contact wafers only on the back side of the wafer with vacuum to secure the wafer movement.

MACRO & MICRO INSPECTION

The inspection is a three-step operation: Macro & Micro inspection, the arm picks up the wafer & retracts it to “out” home position. Operator can visually inspect the wafer & decide to pass or reject the wafer (Macro Mode). If the wafer is rejected (by clicking the reject button on the screen), then the wafer will be sent back to the cassette. User may also request for flat/notch alignment either in the 3, 6, 9, or 12 o’clock position before transition to microscope. After inspection, the wafer tray arm automatically re-turns the wafer to its original slot.

OPERATION MODES

The AWM-6800-EX comes with 5 usable modes for specific operations. “Inspect all”, “Manual”, “Random”, “Series”, and “Interval” The standard “Inspect All” will identify and inspect every wafer. “Manual” mode the user must select the wafer to be inspected. In “Random” mode the user chooses the amount of wafers to be inspected while the system randomly selects those wafers to be inspected until the number chosen is met. “Series” mode, the user will choose the specific wafers to be selected and the group of selected wafers will be inspected. Finally in the “Interval” mode the user selects an interval for the wafers to be inspected along with the starting location. For example, every 2nd or every 3rd wafer starting with X.

All wafers are scanned to determine wafer positions prior to operation. This information is then relayed to the software for the operator to control and displayed via the user interface. Once scanned in, each wafer is available for selection or specific processes. 5 different user selected modes will deter-mine which stages of the machine the wafer will interact with.

Prior to inspection, the wafer tray arm will locate and transfer the de-sired wafer to be inspected. This can be with or without flat/notch alignment first. Once seated securely, the user may slide the entire plat-form gently under the microscope to be inspected. Once inspection is complete, the platform is gently slid back activating the wafer tray arm to retrieve and return the wafer.

AUTOMATIC WAFER LOADER / UNLOADER
The ACU-Load Series Automatic Microscope Load Unloader is
a PC based system designed to allow the user to automatically load and unload (1) wafer at a time to a wafer chuck for inspection with a microscope. The wafers are removed from the full 25 wafer plastic cassette one at a time for visual inspection by utilizing a edge contact only wafer tray arm. This operation can be done by using any one of the selected modes of operation outlined in this manual. The system has a simple to understand and easy to use Graphical User Interface.

MACRO & MICRO INSPECTION
The inspection is a two-step operation: Macro & Micro; In Macro inspection, the tray picks up the wafer & retracts it to “out” home position without turning to send the wafer to microscope. Operator can visually inspect the wafer & decide to pass or reject the wafer. If the wafer is rejected (by clicking the reject button on the screen), the wafer will be sent back to the cassette.

If the wafer is passed (Macro Inserts) the wafer will be sent to Microscope for Micro inspection. The pass can be selected be clicking the “pass “button on the screen or wait until timer is up. The timer for Macro inspection can be set from 1 to 9 seconds or until Pass/Reject on Macro Time Limits Window. If Micro only is checked, the machine will perform the Macro inspection only, and will never send wafer to the Microscope.

Once a wafer is selected, the corresponding selection is re-moved from the boat and safely transported to the micro-scope for immediate inspection.