Applications
- Shipping/receiving area: Wafer transfers are used to move incoming wafers from a shipping cassette to a WIP production cassette.
- Epitaxial area: Wafer transfers are used to move incoming wafers from a shipping cassette to a WIP production or specialty EPI process cassette.
- Wet chemistry areas: Wafer transfers are used to move wafers between a WIP production cassette to a wet process Teflon PFA cassette when they enter wet chemistry areas.
- Thermal process bake areas: Wafer transfers are used to move wafers between a WIP production cassette and metal or quartz cassettes when they enter thermal process bake process areas
- Metrology and inspection areas: Wafer transfers may also occur in metrology and inspection areas where wafers are analyzed and inspected for defects and other quality control measures.
- Probe and test areas: Wafer transfers are used to move incoming wafers from a shipping cassette to a WIP production cassette.
- Odd-Even Split Lots: Specialty wafer transfers are used to split parent lots into odd (13) and even (12) groups. Splitting the parent lot into odd and even groups is a common practice in semiconductor manufacturing that helps to ensure quality, consistency, and efficiency in the production process.
- Wafer Flipping/Inverting: Wafer transfers are used to move wafers from one cassette to another that has been inverted 180°. In semiconductor manufacturing, there are various processes that involve working on the backside of a wafer. These processes can include backside lithography, etching, deposition, and bonding, among others. To carry out these processes, the manufacturer needs to flip the wafer over so that the backside is facing up.
The WHS-T1 SafeGuard series is the most advanced bulk wafer transfer system on the market, offering superior precision and safety for handling delicate wafers. One of the only systems specifically designed for thin wafer transfers, it is highly effective at transferring warped or bowed wafers without causing edge abrasion or mechanical shock, ensuring higher yields and reduced defects. The system’s compact footprint makes it ideal for cleanroom environments with limited space, offering both performance and efficiency.
The WHS-T1 is designed for 76 mm to 200 mm wafers, including InP, GaAs, GaN, and SiC compound wafers. Its motorized 25-set transfer arm gently lifts wafers from the cassette, eliminating the need for sliding wafer in a cassette or risking thin wafer positioning on a vertical movement system. The SafeGuard's touchscreen interface and light tower provide real-time communication to the operator, indicating system status and transfer progress for streamlined operations.
For wafer flipping/inverting applications, the WHS-T1 can be specially ordered with a stage that supports both standard and inverted cassette loading, allowing the h-bar to be positioned "up” or “down” This enables operators to transfer wafers out of the cassette, manually invert the cassette, and return the wafers, making it ideal for backside processing.
The WHS-T1 is ISO 3 (FS209E Class 1) cleanroom compatible and SEMI compliant, handling both high- and low-profile cassettes. Manufactured in an ISO9001 certified facility and CE certified, the WHS-T1 is the industry’s most advanced, reliable solution for bulk wafer transfers in high-precision semiconductor environments.
