Patent ID: 7281741

Claim:
An end-effector for handling a microelectronic workpiece, comprising: a body; a plurality of spaced-apart abutments carried by the body, the plurality of abutments defining a workpiece-receiving area; an actuator carried by the body and associated with at least one of the abutments, the actuator being adapted to move the at least one associated abutment inwardly toward the workpiece-receiving area from a retracted position; and a detector including a first sensor positioned to detect movement of the at least one associated abutment inwardly from the retracted position and a second sensor positioned to detect movement of the at least one associated abutment inwardly beyond a position wherein the at least one associated abutment engages the edge of the workpiece, the detector being adapted to generate an error signal if the at least one associated abutment fails to engage an edge of a workpiece when the actuator moves the at least one associated abutment inwardly.