Systems and methods for wafer pod alignment
View Patent ↗In an embodiment, a wafer pod includes: a cavity configured to receive and store a wafer; an alignment fiducial within the cavity, wherein: the alignment fiducial comprises two lines orthogonal to each other, and the alignment fiducial is configured to be detected by a robotic arm alignment sensor disposed on a robotic arm, wherein the alignment fiducial defines an alignment orientation for a robotic arm gripper hand to enter into the cavity.
1. A wafer pod, comprising:
a cavity configured to receive and store a wafer;
an alignment fiducial within the cavity, wherein:
the alignment fiducial comprises a first line extending along a central vertical axis of a rear wall of the cavity and a second line extending along a central horizontal axis of a ceiling or floor of the cavity, wherein the first and second lines are orthogonal to each other, and
the alignment fiducial is configured to be detected by a robotic arm alignment sensor disposed on a robotic arm, wherein the alignment fiducial defines an alignment orientation for a robotic arm gripper hand to enter into the cavity.
2. The wafer pod of claim 1 , wherein the second line extends along the central horizontal axis of the floor of the cavity.
3. The wafer pod of claim 1 , further comprising:
a center point sensor within the cavity, wherein the center point sensor is configured to detect when a center point fiducial of a dummy wafer is positioned within the cavity above or below the center point sensor.
4. The wafer pod of claim 3 , wherein the center point sensor is a laser sensor.
5. The wafer pod of claim 4 , wherein the laser sensor comprises a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam between a floor and the ceiling of the cavity.
6. The wafer pod of claim 1 , wherein the alignment fiducial is configured to be detected from outside the wafer pod.
7. A system, comprising:
a gripper hand configured to secure a wafer
a robotic arm comprising an alignment sensor configured to detect alignment of the gripper hand to an alignment fiducial within a cavity of a wafer pod,
wherein the robotic arm is configured to:
determine an alignment orientation for the gripper hand to move into the cavity based on the alignment fiducial, wherein the fiducial comprises a first line extending along a central vertical axis of a rear wall of the cavity and a second line extending along a central horizontal axis of a ceiling or floor of the cavity, wherein the first and second lines are orthogonal to each other, and
move the gripper hand in the alignment orientation into the cavity.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the alignment sensor is configured to provide a displacement depth indicating a displacement value of the gripper hand when a center point fiducial of a dummy wafer held by the gripper hand is detected by a center point detector located on the wafer pod.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the displacement depth is used by the robotic arm to position the dummy wafer to avoid contact with both the rear wall of the wafer pod and a door of the wafer pod.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second line extends along the central horizontal axis of the floor of the cavity.
11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the alignment sensor detects alignment of a laser line, emitted from the alignment sensor, with the alignment fiducial.
12. A system, comprising:
a wafer pod, comprising:
a cavity configured to receive and store a wafer;
an alignment fiducial within the cavity, wherein:
the alignment fiducial comprises a first line extending along a central vertical axis of a rear wall of the cavity and a second line extending along a central horizontal axis of a ceiling or floor of the cavity, wherein the first and second lines are orthogonal to each other;
a gripper hand configured to secure the wafer; and
a robotic arm comprising an alignment sensor configured to detect alignment of the gripper hand with the alignment fiducial, wherein the robotic arm is configured to:
determine an alignment orientation for the gripper hand to move into the cavity based on the alignment fiducial, and
move the gripper hand in the alignment orientation into the cavity.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a center point sensor within the cavity, wherein the center point sensor is configured to detect when a center point fiducial located on a dummy wafer held by the gripper hand is positioned within the cavity above or below the center point sensor.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the center point sensor is a laser sensor.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the laser sensor comprises a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam between a floor and the ceiling of the cavity.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the robotic arm alignment sensor is configured to detect collimated light aligned with the alignment fiducial.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the alignment sensor is configured to provide a displacement depth indicating a displacement value of the gripper hand when a center point fiducial of a dummy wafer held by the gripper hand is detected by a center point detector located on the wafer pod.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the displacement depth positions the dummy wafer to avoid contact with both the rear wall of the wafer pod and a door of the wafer pod.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the robotic arm alignment sensor is configured to detect collimated light aligned with the alignment fiducial.
20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the alignment sensor detects alignment of a laser line, emitted from the alignment sensor, with the alignment fiducial.