# US 11,114,329 B2 · Methods for loading or unloading substrate with evaporator planet

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- Number: US 11,114,329 B2
- Document ID: US11114329B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/734,540
- Filed: 2020-01-06
- Published: 2020-10-08
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-08
- Assignees: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
- Applicants: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
- Inventors: Michael J. Seddon; Heng Chen Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114329B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/7602: {the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance}
- H10P 14/6332: {using thermal evaporation (formation of epitaxial layers by a deposition process H10P14/6349)}
- H10P 72/3218: {Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers}
- H10P 72/3402: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices}
- H10P 72/3412: {Batch transfer of wafers}
- H10P 72/50: for positioning, orientation or alignment
- H10P 72/53: {using optical controlling means}
- H10P 72/7402: {Wafer tapes, e.g. grinding or dicing support tapes}
- H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile}
- H10P 72/7621: {characterised by supporting two or more semiconductor substrates}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Implementations of methods of loading an evaporator may include, using a robotic arm, removing a substrate from a cassette and centering the substrate on a substrate aligner. The method may include aligning the substrate using the substrate aligner. The substrate may also include removing the substrate from the substrate aligner using the robotic arm and loading the substrate into a first available pocket of a planet of an evaporator using the robotic arm. The method may also include rotating the planet to a second available pocket after detecting a presence of the substrate in the first available pocket.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for loading a substrate into an evaporator, the method comprising:
using a robotic arm, removing a substrate from a cassette and centering the substrate on a substrate aligner;
aligning the substrate using the substrate aligner;
removing the substrate from the substrate aligner using the robotic arm;
loading the substrate into a first available pocket of a planet of an evaporator using the robotic arm; and
rotating the planet to a second available pocket after detecting a presence of the substrate in the first available pocket.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the absence of the substrate from the robotic arm after loading the substrate into a first available pocket using one of an optical sensor or a vacuum sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the presence of the substrate in the first available pocket is detected using a sensor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising loading additional substrates in the planet until there are no available pockets.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein there is no carrier coupled to the substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an average thickness of less than 39 microns.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an average thickness of less than 10 microns.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is coupled to a backgrinding tape.

### Claim 9

A method for unloading a substrate from an evaporator dome, the method comprising:
providing an evaporator planet comprising a plurality of pockets, each pocket comprising a substrate loaded thereon;
removing one of the plurality of substrates from one of the pockets in the planet using a robotic arm;
placing the substrate on a substrate aligner using the robotic arm and centering the substrate using the substrate aligner;
removing the substrate from the substrate aligner using the robotic arm; and
placing the substrate into a cassette using the robotic arm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting substrates in the cassette using optical sensors in the cassette.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising: repeating removing each of the substrates until there are no substrates in any of the plurality of pockets.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting a presence of the substrate using a sensor in the robotic arm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate has an average thickness of less than 39 microns.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein each substrate includes an evaporated layer of material on a side of the substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising removing the substrate from the cassette.

### Claim 16

A method for loading and unloading a substrate into an evaporator, the method comprising:
loading a substrate by:
providing a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first side of the substrate comprises an active area, the substrate comprised within a cassette;
using a robotic arm, unloading the substrate from the cassette onto a substrate aligner;
aligning the substrate using the substrate aligner; and
using the robotic arm, loading the substrate into an available pocket in an evaporator planet,
rotating the evaporator planet to another available pocket; and
unloading the substrate by:
rotating the evaporator planet to a pocket containing the substrate;
unloading the substrate from the pocket using the robotic arm;
loading the substrate into the substrate aligner using the robotic arm;
aligning the substrate using the substrate aligner;
unloading the substrate from the substrate aligner using the robotic arm; and
loading the substrate into the cassette, using the robotic arm.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the unloaded substrate comprises a material on the second side of the substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate is not coupled to a carrier.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate is coupled to a backgrinding tape.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate comprises an average thickness of less than 39 microns.