IP Library Granted Patent US 10,566,230
Granted Patent B2
US 10,566,230 · App. 15/089,424 · Granted Feb 18, 2020

Gripper for semiconductor devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,566,230
App. No.
15/089,424
Granted
Feb 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wafer transfer system can include a wafer gripper for picking and placing semiconductor devices. In an embodiment, the wafer gripper can include a first portion, a second portion and a laminate between the first and second portion. In one embodiment, the first portion can comprise glass or tempered glass, where the first portion having at least one vacuum hole and is configured to receive the semiconductor device. In an embodiment, the second portion can include glass or tempered glass, the second portion having configured to use low air pressure from a closed vacuum to vacuum a wafer. In an embodiment, the laminate can bond the first portion to the second portion.

Claims (33)

1. A wafer gripper for semiconductor substrates, comprising:

a first portion configured to receive a wafer, the first portion comprising glass or tempered glass, wherein the first portion includes at least one vacuum hole;

a second portion having a vacuum pattern comprising:

an air intake region;

a first cavity connected to the air intake region, wherein the first cavity has a width greater than the air intake region;

a nozzle, wherein the first cavity is connected to the nozzle through a tapered portion of the first cavity;

at least one vacuum cavity axially aligned with the at least one vacuum hole, wherein the at least one vacuum cavity is connected to the nozzle through a vacuum intake region; and

a second cavity configured to use low air pressure contained in a closed vacuum to pick-up or place a wafer, wherein the second cavity is connected to the nozzle through a tapered portion of the second cavity, the tapered portion of the second cavity opposite the tapered portion of the first cavity, an exhaust connected to the second cavity, and wherein the second portion comprises glass or tempered glass; and

a laminate located between the first and second portions, wherein the laminate couples the first portion to the second portion, wherein the laminate comprises one or more openings axially aligned with the at least one vacuum hole of the first portion and axially aligned with the at least one vacuum cavity of the second portion, and wherein the first portion, the laminate, and the second portion have a same outer perimeter shape from a plan view perspective, and wherein outer perimeters of each of the first portion, the laminate, and the second portion are in alignment with one another.

2. The wafer gripper of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vacuum hole is aligned concentrically to the at least one vacuum cavity.

3. The wafer gripper of claim 1 , wherein the wafer gripper has a deflection of less than 0.10 degrees.

4. The wafer gripper or claim 1 , wherein the first portion has a thickness greater than or equal to 50 microns.

5. The wafer gripper of claim 1 , wherein the second portion has a thickness greater than or equal to 200 microns.

6. The wafer gripper of claim 1 , wherein the wafer gripper has a thickness of at least 0.50 millimeters.

7. The wafer gripper of claim 1 , wherein the laminate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, carbon tape, capton tape and polyolefin.

8. The wafer gripper of claim 1 , wherein the wafer gripper comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a fin, circular, oblong, triangular, square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal and polygonal shape.

9. A wafer gripper for semiconductor substrates, comprising:

a first portion comprising glass or tempered glass, wherein the first portion includes at least one vacuum hole;

a second portion having a vacuum pattern comprising:

an air intake region;

a first cavity connected to the air intake region, wherein the first cavity has a width greater than the air intake region;

a nozzle having a width less than the width of the first cavity, wherein the first cavity is connected to the nozzle through a first tapered portion;

at least one vacuum cavity axially aligned with the at least one vacuum hole, wherein the at least one vacuum cavity is connected to the nozzle through a vacuum intake region; and

a second cavity connected to the nozzle through a tapered portion of the second cavity, the tapered portion of the second cavity opposite the tapered portion of the first cavity, an exhaust connected to the second cavity, and

wherein the second portion comprises glass or tempered glass; and

a laminate located between the first and second portions, wherein the laminate couples the first portion to the second portion, wherein the laminate comprises one or more openings axially aligned with the at least one vacuum hole of the first portion and axially aligned with the at least one vacuum cavity of the second portion, and wherein the first portion, the laminate, and the second portion have a same outer perimeter shape, and wherein outer perimeters of each of the first portion, the laminate, and the second portion are in alignment with one another.

10. The wafer gripper of claim 9 , wherein the at least one vacuum hole is aligned concentrically to the at least one vacuum cavity.

11. The wafer gripper of claim 9 , wherein the wafer gripper has a deflection of less than 0.10 degrees.

12. The wafer gripper or claim 9 , wherein the first portion has a thickness greater than or equal to 50 microns.

13. The wafer gripper of claim 9 , wherein the second portion has a thickness greater than or equal to 200 microns.

14. The wafer gripper of claim 9 , wherein the wafer gripper has a thickness of at least 0.50 millimeters.

15. The wafer gripper of claim 9 , wherein the laminate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, carbon tape, capton tape and polyolefin.

16. The wafer gripper of claim 9 , wherein the wafer gripper comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a fin, circular, oblong, triangular, square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal and polygonal shape.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067924/0062 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 26, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 071343/0553 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2024
From: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
To: DB TRUSTEES (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067637/0598 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2023
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 062699/0875 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2016
From: ABAS, EMMANUEL CHUA; SANDOVAL, VERGIL RODRIGUEZ
To: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038413/0333 →