Method and device for handling an article in the course of semiconductor fabrication
AssigneeQimonda AG
InventorsGerd Brueckner, Arthur Deutschlaender, Harald Heinrich, Germar Schneider, Steffen Schroeder
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for handling an article in semiconductor fabrication in which the article is completely separated from a gripper by a frozen liquid. The gripper includes a feeding device for introducing a liquid such as a high-purity water or a decontaminating liquid. The gripper also includes a cooling device for freezing the liquid. A suction take-in device applies negative pressure to hold the article against the frozen liquid.
Claims20
A method for handling an article in semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:
- freezing a liquid with a gripper to form a frozen liquid;
- gripping the article by the gripper, wherein the gripper remains completely separated from the article by the frozen liquid;
- thawing the frozen liquid after the handling of the article;
- and
- collecting a thawed frozen liquid by a collecting opening located spatially below the frozen liquid;
- and wherein a suction extraction opening, by which the thawed frozen liquid is extracted by suction, is used as the collecting opening.
A method for gripping an article with a gripper, the method comprising:
- freezing a liquid to form a frozen ring of liquid on an outer side of the gripper;
- placing the frozen ring of liquid onto the article;
- and
- applying a negative pressure between the article and the gripper, within the frozen ring of liquid to hold the article on the gripper.
A gripper for handling an article, comprising:
- a cooling device for freezing a liquid to form a frozen ring of liquid on an outer side of the gripper;
- and
- a suction take-in device for applying a negative pressure within the frozen ring of liquid, wherein the negative pressure is applied as soon as the frozen ring of liquid is placed onto an article to be handled;
- wherein, during the gripping of the article, the gripper is completely separated from the article by the frozen ring of liquid.
A method for handling an article in semiconductor fabrication, the method comprising:
- freezing a liquid with a gripper to form a frozen liquid;
- gripping the article by the gripper, wherein the gripper remains completely separated from the article by the frozen liquid;
- and wherein the frozen liquid comprises a decontaminating liquid formed from a dilute acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.