# US 12,217,993 B2 · Wafer notch automated aligner

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- Number: US 12,217,993 B2
- Document ID: US12217993B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/519,382
- Filed: 2021-11-04
- Published: 2023-03-16
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-15
- Assignees: National Tsing Hua University
- Applicants: National Tsing Hua University
- Inventors: Wei-Chang Yeh; Shi-Yi Tan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217993B2

## CPC

- H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers}
- H10P 72/50: for positioning, orientation or alignment
- B65G 47/90: Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
- H10P 72/0618: {using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

Provided is a wafer notch automated aligner, including a main body, a wafer rotation mechanism, and a wafer positioning mechanism. The main body has a wafer boat placement portion. The wafer rotation mechanism is disposed on the main body and includes a rotor, the rotor extends through the wafer boat placement portion, and an angle between an axis of the rotor and the main body is between 0° and 90°. The wafer positioning mechanism is disposed on the main body and includes a positioning member, the positioning member extends through the wafer boat placement portion, and an axis of the positioning member is parallel to the axis of the rotor. Hence, a plurality of wafers is disposed in a stepped arrangement by the inclined rotor and the inclined positioning member, and the wafer notch automated aligner can rotate wafers, align notches, and identify wafer identifications.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wafer notch automated aligner, comprising:
a main body, having a wafer boat placement portion;
a wafer rotation mechanism, disposed on the main body and includes a rotor, a driving device and a first support, the rotor extending through the wafer boat placement portion, and forming an angle between an axis of the rotor and the main body greater than 0° and less than 90°, the driving device being located at a first side of the wafer boat placement portion, a driving shaft of the driving device being connected to a first end of the rotor, the first support being disposed on the main body, being located to a second side of the wafer boat placement portion, and supporting a second end of the rotor; and
a wafer positioning mechanism, disposed on the main body and comprising a positioning member, a base and a second support, the positioning member extending through the wafer boat placement portion, and an axis of the positioning member being parallel to the axis of the rotor, the base being disposed on the main body and located at the first side of the wafer boat placement portion, a first end of the positioning member being connected to the base, the second support being disposed on the main body, being located to the second side of the wafer boat placement portion, and supporting a second end of the positioning member;
a power supply device, disposed on the main body; and
a control device, disposed on the main body and being electrically connected to the driving device and the power supply device, wherein
the power supply device provides power to the control device, and
the control device controls the driving shaft of the driving device to drive the rotor to rotate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wafer notch automated aligner according to claim 1, wherein the wafer rotation mechanism further comprises a moving device, the moving device is disposed on the main body and is located at the first side of the wafer boat placement portion, the driving device is disposed on the moving device, and the control device is electrically connected to the moving device, the moving device controls the driving device to move toward or away from the positioning member to adjust the distance between the rotor and the positioning member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wafer notch automated aligner according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a second fixing seat and a plate body, the second fixing seat is disposed on the main body and is located at the first side of the wafer boat placement portion, the plate body is disposed on the second fixing seat, and an axis of the plate body is parallel to the axis of the rotor; the plate body is disposed with a plurality of positioning holes; the positioning holes are different height positions and have different distances from the rotor; the first end of the positioning member selectively passes through one of the positioning holes to adjust the distance between the rotor and the positioning member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wafer notch automated aligner according to claim 1, wherein the first support can adjust the angle between the axis of the rotor and the main body by adjusting the height or by adjusting the distance to the driving device; and wherein, the second support can adjust the angle between the axis of the positioning member and the main body by adjusting the height or by adjusting the distance to the base.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wafer notch automated aligner according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a second fixing seat and a plate body, the second fixing seat is disposed on the main body and is located at the first side of the wafer boat placement portion, the plate body is pivoted on the second fixing seat, and the first end of the positioning member is connected to the plate body, and the plate body can rotate with respect to the second fixing seat to adjust the angle between the axis of the positioning member and the main body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wafer notch automated aligner according to claim 1, wherein the driving device is a DC stepper motor, and the power supply device is a DC portable power supply.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wafer notch automated aligner according to claim 1, wherein
the main body has a plurality of air inlets and a plurality of air outlets, the air inlets communicate with the inside of the main body, and the air outlets communicate with the inside of the main body; and
the wafer notch automated aligner further comprises at least one exhaust fan, the at least one exhaust fan is disposed inside the main body and located on one side of the air inlets, the control device is electrically connected to the at least one exhaust fan, and the at least one exhaust fan is used to guide outside air through the air inlets to enter the main body and exit through the air outlet holes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The wafer notch automated aligner according to claim 1, further comprising:
a first camera and a second camera; wherein, the first camera is disposed on the main body and located at the first side of the wafer boat placement portion, electrically connected to the control device, and used to capture images of markings of the wafers from the front of the plurality of wafers; and wherein, the second camera is disposed on the main body and located at a third side or a fourth side of the wafer boat placement portion, electrically connected to the control device, and used to capture images of the markings of the wafers from the side surfaces of the wafers.