Patent ID: 6254155
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: B25J,H01L

Abstract:
An end effector capable of reliably releasing a thin wet wafer, the large surface area and small thickness of the wafer preventing the thin wafer from reliably releasing from the end effector, comprising:a wafer handling portion having underside and having a wafer contacting surface located on the underside of said wafer handling portion wherein the wafer contacting surface has a plurality of vacuum orifices; anda sheet of absorbent, thin resilient material affixed to the wafer contacting surface wherein the sheet has a pattern of perforations corresponding to the vacuum orifices so as to lie between an acquired wafer and the wafer contacting surface to absorb the moisture on the wafer and reduce the surface tension of the moisture to prevent the moisture on the wafer from forming a film that holds the wafer onto the wafer contacting surface.