Patent · US Expired

Automated wafer lapping system

US5679055A · kind A · utility

53Cited by
5References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 31, 1996
Grant dateOct 21, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 31, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB24B49/04
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An automated wafer lapping system including a robot which loads wafers from a cassette into a wafer carrier on a lapping machine one at a time and one after another. The robot is capable of delivering lapped wafers to a thickness gauging device for measuring the wafer thickness and recalibrating the lapping machine between each run. Openings in the wafer carriers for receiving wafers are sized closely to the wafer for minimal relative motion between the wafer and carrier. A centering jig and search program for the robot facilitate fast location of the wafers in the openings. The lapping system also inspects wafers for defects and sorts them accordingly after lapping.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.