PRI awarded second key patent for 30 mm wafer fab automation technology
Billerica, MA
PRI Automation, Inc. has been awarded a second patent for its Virtual Cassette technology, the only system capable of transferring wafers from carrier to cluster tool without reorienting them, according to the company. Entitled “Straight Line Wafer Transfer System,” the patent covers a version of PRI`s Virtual Cassette designed for cluster tools. Efficient batch wafer transfer capability provided by the Virtual Cassette is crucial for the use of Front Opening Unified Pods and open cassettes, both of which will be standard in 300 mm wafer fabs. — SES