Automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus
An automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus is used to automate a mating or separating process between a semiconductive wafer and a mobile electrostatic carrier (MESC). The apparatus includes a transfer enclosure, a robot arm, a bonding/de-bonding station, input/output (I/O) ports, I/O cassettes, and a control unit. The I/O cassettes house the different dispensable items that are used during the mating or separating process, such as semiconductive wafers, MESCs, and mated assemblies thereof. The robot arm moves the dispensable items between the I/O cassettes and the bonding/de-bonding station. The transfer enclosure prevents any external physical interference with the movement of the robot arm. The I/O ports integrated into the transfer enclosure allow the robot arm to access the I/O cassettes, which are located outside of the transfer enclosure. The control unit is used to manage the functionalities of the robot arm and the bonding/de-bonding station.
1. An automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus comprises:
a transfer enclosure;
a pick-and-place robot arm;
a bonding/de-bonding station;
a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports;
a plurality of I/O cassettes;
a control unit;
each of the plurality of I/O ports being integrated into the transfer enclosure;
an entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the transfer enclosure;
the plurality of I/O ports and the bonding/de-bonding station being distributed about the transfer enclosure;
each of the plurality of I/O cassettes being engaged into a selected port from the plurality of I/O ports;
the pick-and-place robot arm being operatively mounted within the transfer enclosure, wherein the pick-and-place robot arm is used to transport items amongst the plurality of I/O cassettes and the bonding/de-bonding station; and
the pick-and-place robot arm and the bonding/de-bonding station being electronically connected to the control unit.
2. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
a stack of semiconductive wafers;
the plurality of I/O cassettes comprises a first I/O cassette;
the stack of semiconductive wafers being housed with the first I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to grasp a single wafer from the stack of semiconductive wafers out of the first I/O cassette; and
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to insert a single wafer into the stack of semiconductive wafers within the first I/O cassette.
3. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
a stack of mobile electrostatic carriers;
the plurality of I/O cassettes comprises a second I/O cassette;
the stack of mobile electrostatic carriers being housed with the second I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to grasp a single carrier from the stack of mobile electrostatic carriers out of the second I/O cassette; and
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to insert a single carrier into the stack of mobile electrostatic carriers within the second I/O cassette.
4. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
a stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies;
the plurality of I/O cassettes comprises a third I/O cassette;
the stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies being housed with the third I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to grasp a single assembly from the stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies out of the third I/O cassette; and
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to insert a single assembly into the stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies within the third I/O cassette.
5. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
the transfer enclosure comprises a first face and a second face;
the first face and the second face being positioned parallel to each other;
the first face and the second face being positioned opposite to each other about the transfer enclosure;
each of the plurality of I/O ports being integrated into the first face; and
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the second face.
6. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
each of the plurality of I/O ports comprises an access hole and a lock-and-release mechanism;
the access hole traversing into the transfer enclosure; and
the lock-and-release mechanism being externally mounted to the transfer enclosure, adjacent to the access hole.
7. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 6 comprises:
each of the plurality of I/O cassettes being detachably attached to the selected port by the lock-and-release mechanism.
8. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
the pick-and-place robot arm comprises a grasping end and a fixed end;
the fixed end being pivotably connected within the transfer enclosure, offset from the plurality of I/O ports and the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station; and
the grasping end being positioned adjacent to the plurality of I/O ports and the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station.
9. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber, a carrier-interfacing platen, a high-voltage electrostatic generator, and a ground;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the carrier-interfacing platen being mounted within the interior chamber;
the carrier-interfacing platen being electrically connected to the high-voltage electrostatic generator;
the carrier-interfacing platen being electrically connected to the ground; and
the carrier-interfacing platen being electronically connected to the control unit.
10. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
the bonding/de-bonding station further comprises a voltage-and-current sensor;
the voltage-and-current sensor being electrically connected in between the carrier-interfacing platen and the high-voltage electrostatic generator; and
the voltage-and-current sensor being electronically connected to the control unit.
11. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
a pressure regulation system;
a hatch;
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station being hermetically sealed by the hatch;
the pressure regulation system being in fluid communication with the interior chamber of the bonding/de-bonding station; and
the pressure regulation system being electronically connected to the control unit.
12. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
an alignment system;
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the alignment system being integrated into the interior chamber; and
the alignment system being electronically connected to the control unit.
13. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
an in-situ electrometer;
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the in-situ electrometer being integrated into the interior chamber; and
the in-situ electrometer being electronically connected to the control unit.
14. An automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus comprises:
a transfer enclosure;
a pick-and-place robot arm;
a bonding/de-bonding station;
a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports;
a plurality of I/O cassettes;
a control unit;
a pressure regulation system;
a hatch;
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber;
each of the plurality of I/O ports being integrated into the transfer enclosure;
an entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the transfer enclosure;
the plurality of I/O ports and the bonding/de-bonding station being distributed about the transfer enclosure;
each of the plurality of I/O cassettes being engaged into a selected port from the plurality of I/O ports;
the pick-and-place robot arm being operatively mounted within the transfer enclosure, wherein the pick-and-place robot arm is used to transport items amongst the plurality of I/O cassettes and the bonding/de-bonding station;
the pick-and-place robot arm and the bonding/de-bonding station being electronically connected to the control unit;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station being hermetically sealed by the hatch;
the pressure regulation system being in fluid communication with the interior chamber of the bonding/de-bonding station; and
the pressure regulation system being electronically connected to the control unit.
15. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises:
a stack of semiconductive wafers;
a stack of mobile electrostatic carriers;
a stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies;
the plurality of I/O cassettes comprises a first I/O cassette, a second I/O cassette, and a third I/O cassette;
the stack of semiconductive wafers being housed with the first I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to grasp a single wafer from the stack of semiconductive wafers out of the first I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to insert a single wafer into the stack of semiconductive wafers within the first I/O cassette;
the stack of mobile electrostatic carriers being housed with the second I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to grasp a single carrier from the stack of mobile electrostatic carriers out of the second I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to insert a single carrier into the stack of mobile electrostatic carriers within the second I/O cassette;
the stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies being housed with the third I/O cassette;
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to grasp a single assembly from the stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies out of the third I/O cassette; and
the pick-and-place robot arm being configured to insert a single assembly into the stack of bonded wafer-carrier assemblies within the third I/O cassette.
16. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises:
the transfer enclosure comprises a first face and a second face;
the pick-and-place robot arm comprises a grasping end and a fixed end;
the first face and the second face being positioned parallel to each other;
the first face and the second face being positioned opposite to each other about the transfer enclosure;
each of the plurality of I/O ports being integrated into the first face;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the second face;
the fixed end being pivotably connected within the transfer enclosure, offset from the plurality of I/O ports and the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station; and
the grasping end being positioned adjacent to the plurality of I/O ports and the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station.
17. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises:
each of the plurality of I/O ports comprises an access hole and a lock-and-release mechanism;
the access hole traversing into the transfer enclosure;
the lock-and-release mechanism being externally mounted to the transfer enclosure, adjacent to the access hole; and
each of the plurality of I/O cassettes being detachably attached to the selected port by the lock-and-release mechanism.
18. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises:
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber, a carrier-interfacing platen, a high-voltage electrostatic generator, a ground, and a voltage-and-current sensor;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the carrier-interfacing platen being mounted within the interior chamber;
the carrier-interfacing platen being electrically connected to the high-voltage electrostatic generator;
the carrier-interfacing platen being electrically connected to the ground;
the carrier-interfacing platen being electronically connected to the control unit;
the voltage-and-current sensor being electrically connected in between the carrier-interfacing platen and the high-voltage electrostatic generator; and
the voltage-and-current sensor being electronically connected to the control unit.
19. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises:
an alignment system;
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the alignment system being integrated into the interior chamber; and
the alignment system being electronically connected to the control unit.
20. The automated electrostatic bonding/de-bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprises:
an in-situ electrometer;
the bonding/de-bonding station comprises an interior chamber;
the entrance of the bonding/de-bonding station traversing into the interior chamber;
the in-situ electrometer being integrated into the interior chamber; and
the in-situ electrometer being electronically connected to the control unit.