Wafer fabrication robotic interface unit

A robotic interface system for transferring wafers between a wafer coater/developer unit and a wafer stepper unit, comprising:

• a wafer coater/developer unit adapted for coating a wafer with photoresist and presenting said coated wafer at a pickup location within said coater/developer unit;
• a wafer stepper unit adapted for selectively exposing said coated wafer and presenting said exposed wafer at a dipod location within said wafer stepper unit;
• a robotic interface unit placed adjacent to said wafer stepper unit, said robotic interface unit comprises:
• a platform upon which at least one discharge cassette and at least one feed cassette are located;
• first means for moving said coated wafer from said pickup location to said feed cassette;
• a robotic arm moveable in three dimensions and having an upper extendable surface adapted for lifting said coated wafer at a point on the backside surface of the wafer and moving said coated wafer from said feed cassettes to said wafer stepper unit and for moving said exposed wafer from said dipod location to said discharge cassettes;
• and
• second means for moving said exposed wafer from said discharge cassettes to a dropoff location within said wafer coater/developer unit.

A method for moving wafers into a wafer stepper unit comprising the steps of:

• placing a robotic interface unit having an arm adapted for three dimensional movement adjacent to a wafer stepper unit;
• activating a computer having a stored program movement of said arm;
• moving said arm in response to said program movement between said wafer stepper unit and a wafer storage location configured upon said robotic interface unit;
• placing a wafer upon an upper surface of said arm;
• moving said wafer between said wafer storage location and said wafer stepper in response to movement of said arm;
• generating location signals corresponding to a location of said wafer within said wafer stepper and said wafer storage location;
• storing said location signals within said computer;
• displaying said location signals upon a monitor associated with said computer;
• activating a keyboard associated with said computer to cause a change in said location signal;
• storing the change in said location signals within said computer;
• and
• displaying the change in said location signals upon a monitor associated with said computer.

A method for moving wafers into a wafer stepper unit comprising the steps of:

• placing a robotic interface unit having an arm adapted for three dimensional movement adjacent to a wafer stepper unit;
• activating a computer having a stored program movement of said arm;
• moving said arm in response to said program movement between said wafer stepper unit and a wafer storage location configured upon said robotic interface unit;
• attaching said robotic interface unit between a wafer coater/developer unit and said wafer stepper unit;
• and
• moving said arm between said wafer stepper unit and said wafer coater/developer unit.