System and method for monitoring wafer handling and a wafer handling machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016336206-A1
Application number	US-201615223882-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, machines, and methods for monitoring wafer handling are disclosed herein. A system for monitoring wafer handling includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is capable of being secured to an assembled wafer handling machine. The controller is in electronic communication with the sensor and includes control logic. The control logic is configured to store a reference output of the sensor when the wafer handling machine is aligned and is configured to generate an indication signal when a difference between the reference output and a current output of the sensor exceeds a threshold.

First claim

1 . A system for monitoring wafer handling, the system comprising:
a sensor capable of being secured to a wafer handling machine; and a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and including control logic to:
store a reference output of the sensor when the wafer handling machine is aligned; and
generate an indication signal when a difference between the reference output and a current output of the sensor during a wafer handling cycle exceeds a threshold,
wherein the control logic is configured to store the reference output and generate the indication signal independent of signals from an automation control module of the wafer handling machine.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control logic is configured to generate the indication signal based entirely on the difference between the reference output and the current output.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is independent of the automation control module of the wafer handling machine.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a tilt sensor configured to be secured to the wafer handling machine.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the tilt sensor is a first tilt sensor, and wherein the system further comprises a second tilt sensor configured to be secured to the wafer handling machine.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors including at least one of a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, and a harmonics sensor.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control logic is further configured to command inhibition of automated delivery of semiconductor wafers to the wafer handling machine based on the indication signal.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further includes a button, and wherein the control logic is further configured to store the reference output when the button is pressed based entirely on output from the sensor.

9 . A wafer processing system comprising:
a wafer handling machine having a robotic arm and an automation control module, wherein the automation control module is configured to control movement of the robotic arm to move wafers into and out of the wafer handling machine; and a monitoring system independent of the wafer handling machine, the monitoring system comprising:
a sensor secured to the wafer handling machine; and
a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and independent of the automation control module, the controller including control logic to:
store a reference output of the sensor when the wafer handling machine is aligned; and
generate an indication signal when a difference between the reference output and a current output of the sensor during a wafer handling cycle exceeds a threshold.

10 . The wafer processing system of claim 9 , further comprising an infrastructure configured to deliver semiconductor wafers to the wafer handling machine; and wherein the control logic is configured to communicate with the infrastructure to command inhibition of automated delivery of the semiconductor wafers to the wafer handling machine based on the indication signal.

11 . The wafer processing system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is a tilt sensor.

12 . The wafer processing system of claim 11 , wherein the tilt sensor is a first tilt sensor, and wherein the monitoring system further comprises a second tilt sensor.

13 . The wafer processing system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of sensors including at least one of a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, and a harmonics sensor.

14 . The wafer processing system of claim 9 , wherein the controller further includes a button, and wherein the control logic is further configured to store the reference output in response to a press of the button and based entirely on an output of the sensor.

15 . A method of monitoring wafer handling, the method comprising:
storing a reference output of a sensor when a wafer handling machine is aligned independent of an automation control module of the wafer handling machine, wherein the sensor is secured to the wafer handling machine; and generating an indication signal when a difference between the reference output and a current output of the sensor exceeds a threshold based in no part on signals from the automation control module.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising securing the sensor to a component of an assembled semiconductor wafer handling machine.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein securing the sensor further includes securing at least one of a tilt sensor, a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, and a harmonics sensor.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising inhibiting, with factory automation infrastructure, automated delivery of semiconductor wafers to the wafer handling machine based on the indication signal.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising securing a first tilt sensor to a robotic arm of the wafer handling machine and includes securing a second tilt sensor to a load port of the wafer handling machine.

Assignees

• Globalfoundries Inc

Inventors

• Miner Stephen B
• Fosnight William John
• Gallagher Ryan J

Classifications

• H10P72/7602

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/1924

  characterised by atmosphere control · CPC title

• H10P72/0606 Primary

  Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection · CPC title

• H10P72/50

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title

• H10P72/0608 Primary

  of substrates stored in a container, a magazine, a carrier, a boat or the like · CPC title