AUTOMATED SPUTTERING TARGET PRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos.

60/644,929 filed January 19, 2005; 60/656,978 filed February 28, 2005; 60/657,054 filed February 28, 2005; 60/657,263 filed March 1, 2005; 60/646,244 filed January 24, 2005; and 60/656,977 filed February 28, 2005, all of which are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. The present invention relates to a system and method for manufacturing sputtering targets. The system is preferably automated in part or in its entirety.

SUMMARY

[0002] According to various embodiments, a system for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided comprising a plurality of sub systems that are designed and/or integrated to receive and process work pieces made from materials suitable for sputtering, for example, tantalum or niobium. The work pieces can be received already partially machined or with no prior machining, and the system according to various embodiments of the present teachings can provide for further processing to transform the work pieces into their final form, for use as sputtering targets.

[0003] The system and method according to various embodiments of the present teachings can process at least two different styles of product to produce the final sputtering targets. A work piece from which a sputtering target can be produced can be in the form of a circular flat disk, and if desired, the circular flat disk can be supported on a backing plate, wherein the backing plate can provide a means for holding the work piece during further processing. The circular flat disk type of work piece can be referred to as "disk type," and can be obtained in its preliminary machined form from monolithic or bonded assembly. A second style of work piece that can be manufactured into a sputtering target can be referred to as an

"HCM" style product, or Hollow Cathode Magnetron style product. The HCM style product can be in the form of a cylindrically-shaped work piece, closed at one end, for example, a top- hat shaped work piece, and can comprise a peripheral flange that can provide a contact surface for holding the work piece during further processing without contacting the critical machined surfaces of the work piece.

[0004] A system for manufacturing a sputtering target, according to various embodiments, can comprise a plurality of sub systems, including, but not limited to, a robotic part handling sub system, a machining sub system, a weighing sub system adapted to measure the weight of a part to be manufactured into a sputtering target, a grit blasting and arc spray sub system for applying particle trap surfaces to the sputtering target, a cleaning sub system adapted to clean a part to be manufactured into a sputtering target, an inspection sub system adapted to measure dimensions, surface finish and cleanliness of a part to be manufactured into a sputtering target, a helium leak check sub system for testing the vacuum integrity of the part, a packaging sub system for packaging the part in an at least class 100 inert gas environment, and a feedback control sub system adapted to provide control signals to one or more of the robotic handling sub system, the weighing sub system, the cleaning sub system, and the inspection sub system to control processing performed by one or more of the sub systems. [0005] The sub systems that make up the system according to various embodiments for manufacturing a sputtering target can be arranged at various stations, and the stations can be separated into one or more zones. A first zone can be provided comprising a plurality of stations, each of which can include a sub system for processing a work piece that is to be manufactured into a sputtering target.

[0006] A multi-tooled robot on a servo-controlled rail can be provided to transfer a work piece through a first zone comprising one or more of the following stations: an on-load station, a pre-machining weigh station, a computer numerically controlled machining station

adapted to machine the work piece to desired specifications, a post-machining weighing, marking and mark-verification station, a degrease cleaning and drying station, a part transfer station, an ultrasonic thickness measurement and end effector cleaning station, a helium mass spectrometer leak test station, a part holding station, an arc spray and grit blast station, and a part transfer station for transferring the work piece to a further cleaning zone. The further cleaning zone can comprise one or more of the following stations: an ultrasonic cleaning station, a nitrogen clean tunnel system, wherein the nitrogen clean tunnel system can comprise one or more of a part drying oven, a part cooling system, a part transfer system, a cleanliness and surface finish inspection system, a reject conveyor, and a bagging station. [0007] Additional features and advantages of the present teachings will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present teachings. The objectives and other advantages of the present teachings will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the description that follows.

[0008] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide a further explanation of the present teachings.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A sputtering target manufacturing system according to various embodiments of the present teachings can comprise a plurality of sub systems designed and/or integrated to receive rough formed metal pieces and process them to their final form, as sputtering targets. Two different styles of product, disk type and HCM, can be manufactured on the system. The targets can have any metal purity, texture, shapes, and/or grain size.

[0010] A multi-tooled robot on a servo-controlled rail can transfer the work in process through Zone 1, which can comprise an on-load station, a pre-machining weigh station, a CNC machining station, a post machining weighing, part marking and marking verification station, a degrease clean and dry station, a part transfer station, a vacuum cup end effector and stand, an ultrasonic thickness measurement and end effector cleaning station, a helium mass spectrometer leak test station, a part holding station, an arc spray and grit blast station, and a part transfer system adapted to transfer a work piece from Zone 1 into a Zone 2 that can comprise a Class 1000 or better Ultrasonic Cleaning Station.

[0011] A series of gantry robots, a class 100 clean room conveyor, and various lift devices can transfer the work piece through Zone 2, which can comprise the Class 1000 Ultrasonic Cleaning Station, and a Class 100 or Class 10 Nitrogen Clean Room System. The Class 100 or Class 10 Nitrogen Clean Room System can comprise a part drying oven, a part cooling section, a part transfer system, a cleanliness and surface finish inspection, a reject conveyor, and a bagging station.

[0012] A data management system can be coupled with the manufacturing system.

The data management system can track work in process, record pertinent data, coordinate the various sub system's operation and provide an interface for system performance and operation. The entire system can be designed such that minimal human intervention is required while insuring safe, reliable, and repeatable processing of the disk type and HCM products or other work pieces to be manufactured into finished sputtering targets. [0013] The sputtering target manufacturing system according to various embodiments can be designed and manufactured to allow automated and/or manual process steps for finishing disk type components, HCM components, and/or other work pieces suitable for sputtering targets, wherein inspection and component data tracking can be performed for all finished products, and one finished product can be produced approximately every 20 minutes.

[0014] The sputtering target manufacturing line can comprise sub systems and stations for processing up to four or more basic sizes of finished product that can include two sizes of disk type parts and two sizes of HCM parts, with several material variations being possible within these four basic sizes.

[0015] The disk type parts can be provided to the manufacturing line according to various embodiments on pallets or other similar transport devices. The preliminarily machined surface of desired sputtering material, for example, tantalum or niobium, can be oriented on the pallet with the machined side up. According to various embodiments, the disk type parts can be provided to the manufacturing line pre-machined in order to assure that the surface of the work piece opposite from the sputtering surface, for example, a surface comprising copper or an alloy thereof, is parallel to the sputtering surface to provide a circular disk of constant thickness. The preliminary machining can include the complete facing of the copper or copper alloy side opposite from the sputtering side, and preliminary machining of the final outer diameter of the part, such that the part does not require removal from the CNC machine used during the final processing in order to turn the part around and machine the other side in the CNC machine. According to various embodiments, the disk type can be machined on the copper or copper alloy side in an offline process so it does not need to be flipped in the CNC machining center. The disk type work piece can be gripped or handled on the outside diameter of a peripheral flange that can be preliminarily machined into the work piece. The gripping or handling can be performed using specially designed gripper jaws or other end effectors, for example, a vacuum end effector.

[0016] According to various embodiments, the HCM parts can be provided to the manufacturing line on pallets or other similar transport devices oriented with the open end of the work piece facing downward toward the pallet or transport device. The HCM parts can

also be gripped and handled on the outside diameter of a peripheral flange premachined into the work piece using gripper jaws or other end effectors, for example, a vacuum end effector. [0017] According to various embodiments, parts to be processed during one shift at an incoming product load station can be positioned within the loading area, and an operator can utilize a crane and hoist to transfer the parts from the pallets to locating fixtures. Once the locating fixtures are loaded the system can be started and a robot can remove parts from the locating fixtures and move them to various process stations as required. [0018] The incoming product load station can comprise a staging area for incoming product pallets suitable for one shift of plant production, for example, 7 parts. In this example, seven universal part fixtures can be provided to stage and position one shift of production parts for the robotic material handling system. A powered gravity roller conveyor can be provided to handle rejected parts, and can be, for example, 10 feet long, to allow parts rejected within the process to be staged for manual removal. A floor supported bridge crane workstation can be provided, for example, with a bridge length of approximately 10 feet and a runway length of approximately 23 feet, and can be supported using four corner columns at a height of approximately 12 feet. Total bridge crane loading capacity can be approximately 2000 Lbs (including lift hoist, vacuum lift end effector and product). The incoming product load station can further comprise an electric chain hoist that can be attached to the bridge crane. The hoist can feature a lift capacity of approximately 2000 Lbs. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the number of parts handled during a shift, the load capacities of handling equipment, and the dimensions of handling equipment including conveyors and cranes as referred to in these examples are exemplary only, and are not in any way limiting on the variety of different shift capacities, load capacities, and dimensions of the work piece handling equipment, including cranes and hoists, that can be employed within the scope of the present teachings. A mechanical vacuum lifting mechanism can also be provided for

handling the work pieces, and can comprise a compressed air powered vacuum generator and check valve, and a custom pad attachment and battery powered leak detector. A manually operated generator can be capable of handling up to approximately a 750-pound lift capacity. [0019] According to various embodiments, a material handling device for all stations included in the system outside of a downstream clean room environment can be, for example, a Fanuc 6 Axis Robot mounted to a linear robot transport unit (RTU) or rail (for example, the Fanuc M-900iA series of robots.) The robot on the rail can utilize a specific end of the arm gripper mechanism to lift and position disk type or HCM products to and from the various staging and process stations within the system. In some operations where the robot can be required to invert the part prior to loading at the next station, the robot's 6-axis capability along with a special static invert fixture can be utilized. The fixture can be designed such that it allows the robot to position and drop off the part to be inverted in a "vertical axis" orientation in the fixture, which then allows the robot to reposition itself on the opposite end of the part for regripping and retrieval. Product movement in the system can include the loading and unloading of all sub system equipment with the exception of the operator loading products to the staging fixtures at the incoming product load station, which can be handled by the Fanuc robot/RTU system.

[0020] According to various embodiments, the Fanuc M-900iA series of robots can be engineered for precision, user-friendly setup and maximum reliability. The robots can be supported by Fanuc's extensive service and parts network. The M-900iA can be a 6-axis, modular construction, electric servo-driven robot with a load capacity of 350 kilograms designed for a variety of manufacturing and system processes.

[0021] Some desirable features of the Fanuc M-900iA include wrist design suitability for harsh environments, small robotic footprints and reduced controller size to conserve space, slim arm and wrist assemblies to minimize interference with system peripherals and

allow operation in confined spaces, allow wrist moments and inertias to meet a variety of heavy handling challenges, and ease of integration and reliability while providing the highest uptime and productivity. Further features can include longer maintenance intervals, which can equate to lower operating costs, robust mechanical design features that can reduce down time, increase mean time between failure (MTBF) and minimize spare part requirements, and the use of high performance motion yielding fast cycle times and high throughput. [0022] According to various embodiments, features of the Fanuc M-900ϊA series of robots can include multiple controller type and mounting capabilities, a 6 axis of motion, and a slim profile design. Control of the Fanuc M-900iA series of robots can include a quick change amplifier (<5minutes), a fast boot time (<30 seconds), a standard Ethernet Port, a PCMCIA Software distribution, and easy connections to a variety of VO, including a number of distributed I/O networks.

[0023] According to various embodiments, the software of Fanuc M-900iA series of robots can include processing specific software packages for various applications, web-based software tools for remote connectivity, diagnostics and production monitoring, and machine vision for robot guidance and inspection.

[0024] According to various embodiments, the robotic transfer unit (RTU) can be a single carriage heavy duty, floor-mount that is approximately 40- inches wide. The RTU can transport the FANUC M-900iA robot and related equipment with a maximum static load rating of less than 6,000-lbs. including robot, payload, and peripherals. A center mounted cable carrier is included.

[0025] According to various embodiments, the end effector for the system can include a custom designed product specific part gripper assembly, one for both disk type and HCM products. The end effector can contain various active and static tooling features such as a direct current electric powered linear actuator, a vacuum holding device, and a fixed reference

tooling feature to perform the gripping, locating, and holding functions as required during the loading and unloading of products within the system. The end effector can be designed to accommodate all sizes of parts in the part families. The end effector's gripping and locating mechanisms can allow it to grip the parts from either the top or the bottom as needed for machine tool loading/unloading, invert over mechanism loading/unloading, and other process equipment loading/unloading requirements.

[0026] According to various embodiments, a further sub system can comprise a weighing station, wherein the weighing station can comprise a scale that can be used to weigh each part as they first enter the system prior to loading for the next operation in both disk type and HCM products. The scale can compare the actual weight of the selected part with the expected correct raw part weight stored within the system controller. Acceptable parts are sent on for further processing by the system. In the event of an improperly positioned part by the operator, the scale can identify the incorrect part and can signal the robot to reject the part. [0027] According to various embodiments, the weighing station can comprise a

Cardinal Floor Hugger scale mounted to the plant floor close to the incoming product load station. The Cardinal scale can have a platform size of 3 feet X 3 feet with output graduations in increments of .2 lbs. The scale features can include a smooth top plate, four hermetically sealed stainless steel load cells, trim resistors for section sealing in addition to calibration adjustments in weight displays, self-checking load cells, and adjustable leveling feet mounted to each load cell. The scale can be equipped with an indicator type operator display and can include an interface card to allow communication with the control system. Parts can be placed into and retrieved from nest fixtures attached to the scale top plate by the robot. It can be assumed that raw part weights for all products, styles, sizes, and materials differ by a sufficient amount to allow the scale to detect an incorrect product part when weighed.

[0028] According to various embodiments, an impact printer can also be provided, wherein the printer can be adapted to engrave a desired word, for example, "CABOT", a desired logo, the customer part number, the revision, and the serial number. A Telesis single pin impact printer can include a 1-1/2" x 2-1/2" marking window capable of dot matrix characters in a variety of sizes and styles with dot density from about 10 to 200 dots per inch and can be held in position by a robot. Disk type parts can be marked on the back and HCM parts can be marked on the circumference of the flange.

[0029] According to various embodiments, a further downstream sub system can comprise a degrease and clean station and a drying station that can accept both disk type and HCM parts from upstream computer numerically controlled machining centers and can process them one at a time to remove residual cutting fluids, chips and other debris from the machining process. An example of a desirable degrease and clean station and drying station is the Alliance "Aquamate SF", which is a top loading cabinet-style part cleaning system designed for batch processing for low volume parts cleaning. The SF-Series can offer easy top loading. A canopy can be hinged at the rear of the machine. When open, the front edge of the canopy can be beyond the center of a turntable, allowing a part to be loaded/unloaded by the material-handling robot for fast efficient cleaning. The part can be stationery and a spray nozzle can move around the part to perform the degreasing and cleaning. An air knife can be provided to pass over the part after cleaning for drying of the part. The custom top loading type cabinet washer can include stainless steel construction, automatic canopy opening and closing, multiple spray nozzle cleaning, full cascade rinse, and heated air blow-off cycles. The corrosion-resistant spray system can feature an adjustable "clip-on" nozzle for easy maintenance, a vertical seal less pump, auto-fill piping, and a level control with low water safety shut-off. The system can feature a recirculating wash and rinse pump system with solution filtration and can incorporate removable strainer baskets and filter screens for 100%

filtration of all solutions. The Alliance system can be a stand-alone system controlled by an Allen Bradley programmable logic controller (PLC) with communication to the main system controller. Control panels can be NEMA 12, designed and assembled to meet NEC standards. [0030] According to various embodiments, a leak test station can be provided at which an helium mass spectrometer leak test can be performed on all HCM parts to detect leak paths through the flange welds of all finished machined HCM parts. The station can consist of an HCM specific leak test fixture/chamber designed to accommodate both sizes of HCM parts, at least one Varian Helium Leak Detector instrument, and an appropriate pump, valve, pressure transducer, and regulator to connect the leak test circuitry to the test fixture/chamber. A blower can be connected to the test circuit and fixture/chamber and can be utilized to purge remaining helium from test circuits and fixture/chamber areas following the test cycle. Test fixture/chamber can utilize o-ring seal designs for sealing the test chamber on the HCM parts. Additionally, the HMS test equipment can be integrated to a machine frame to provide a complete test cell. The HMS Leak Test station can be a stand-alone system controlled by an Allen Bradley PLC with communication to the main system controller. [0031] The helium mass spectrometer leak test system can also be used to test the vacuum integrity of the o-ring seal on the disk type or HCM style parts. [0032] According to various embodiments, dimensional inspection can be performed on all disk type and HCM parts for conformance to part geometry and tolerance of all finished machined parts. The Mitutoyo CMM Machine can have a work cell range to accommodate all 7 parts and uses the latest technologies.

[0033] According to various embodiments, the CMM System can communicate with an electronic device through Digital I/O and file outputs in the system database. Additionally, a custom fixture can be mounted to the CMM table to accept the part for measurement.

[0034] According to various embodiments, a further downstream processing station can be provided with a grit blast machine that can be designed to automatically etch the outer flange area of the work pieces (disk type parts and HCM parts.) The machine configuration can include an acoustical steel cabinet to enclose the grit blast process. Mounted on the front of the grit blast cabinet can be a vertical sliding door. This fixture can automatically open access to the cabinet for part loading and retract to remove parts once the cycle is completed. The part fixtures can include a spindle fixture that rotates the parts during the grit blast process. According to various embodiments, the machine controller can send a signal to the machine to indicate what style part is to be processed. The part to be grit blasted can be placed into the fixture by the robot end effector. When the part is properly loaded onto the fixture a separate Fanuc LR Mate robot will then load the required masking. The fixture can begin to rotate and the grit blast nozzle can be turned on to etch the flange area of the part. When grit blasting is complete, the media flow to the nozzle can be turned off and compressed air can be used to remove residual abrasive from the part. After the part is blown off, the spindle rotation stops and the door opens. The Fanuc M16i overhead robot can remove the masking, and a second blow off operation can be completed. Spent media can be blown off the parts before the parts are unloaded from the cabinet. The M900i robot on the rail can remove the finished part from the fixture.

[0035] According to various embodiments, the grit blast machine can provide the most uniform and reliable blasting performance possible. Spent media can be recovered pneumatically from the hopper-shaped floor of the cabinet. A cyclone can remove the fines and dust from the reclaimed media. A screening system can be used to insure that a consistent media size is always provided to the blast nozzles. The grit flow rate to the blast nozzle can be monitored and the air pressure to the blast nozzle can be closed-loop controlled. As media breaks down from the blast process it can be replenished with new media. An Allen Bradley

PLC can be provided to control the operation of the machine. The operator interface can be a monitor connected to the controller.

[0036] According to various embodiments, a further downstream station can be provided comprising an arc spray machine that can be designed to automatically apply an aluminum coating or other coating to the outer flange of a work piece, for example, the disk type parts. The arc spray machine can operate very much the same as the grit blast machine. A vertical door can open to allow parts in and out of the machine. When the parts are in the machine's fixture, they rotate beneath an arc spray gun for a precise amount of time to build up the proper coating. When the arc spray process is complete the parts are unloaded with a robot. As with the grit blast machine, the arc spray machine can be controlled with an Allen Bradley PLC. The masking can be loaded and unloaded automatically as described in the grit blast section.

[0037] According to various embodiments, a further downstream zone comprising a downstream cleaning sub system can comprise equipment sections, stations, and positions inside a nitrogen tunnel/clean room portion of the system which can include the nitrogen tunnel with its entrance and exit antechambers. A Portable 1000 Clean Room with an ultrasonic cleaning system can include a cleaning section for an ultrasonic bath with laminar flow, including a Lexan side wall, a support structure, a door, and a HEPA filtration with monitoring. Products can enter the nitrogen tunnel system and travel through a cleaning process that can comprise a four station cleaning system of three deionized (D.I.) water cleaning and rinse tanks plus a filtered air blow off tank. Both disk type and HCM parts can be retrieved from the conveyor by the gantry robot and submerged in the Ambient Water Rinse Tank with DJ. water. The gantry robot can then move the part into the ultrasonic cleaning tank for a specified time period. After removal from the ultrasonic tank, the gantry robot can move the part to a heated rinse tank. The part can be placed into the air blow dry tank by the gantry robot.

Filtered air can be used to blow the part dry. Part orientation during the cleaning process can be maintained to maximize draining and minimize water capture, and the part can be repositioned back onto the conveyor travel position after blow drying by the gantry robot. The cleaning equipment can be enclosed in the portable Clean Room with the internal environment equaling a class 1000 (or better) cleanroom. Transport of the parts from process to process as listed above can be by a Gantry Robot system equipped with a custom end effector to grip the outside diameter of the peripheral flange on the parts. Parts returning to the conveyor transport system enter the drying oven section of the nitrogen tunnel following the blow-dry cycle for a 2 hour drying process. The ultrasonic cleaning tank section can comprise a first station: ambient D.I. Water Rinse with an approximate tank size of 30" Front to Back x 32" Left to Right x 34" deep, 4-sided overflow weir, a resistivity monitor with an alarm, a cove corner, and a sanitary heat exchanger to cool water before entering the tank. The ultrasonic cleaning tank section can further include a second station comprising: hot temperature ultrasonic cleaning with an approximate tank size of 30" Front to Back x 32" Left to Right x 34" deep, 40 KHz Unltrasonic, a 4-Sided overflow weir, a low level safety, an overtemp safety, a resistivity monitor with alarm, and cove corners. The ultrasonic cleaning tank section can further include a third station comprising: hot D.I. water rinse with an approximate tank size of 30" Front to Back x 32" Left to Right x 34" deep, a 4-sided overflow weir, a resistivity monitor with alarm, and cove corners. The ultrasonic cleaning tank section can further include a fourth station comprising: filtered air blow dry with parallel opposed blow-off headers.

[0038] According to various embodiments, a nitrogen tunnel can be utilized to enclose a portion of a process line that can be specified as a class 100 clean room classification. The nitrogen tunnel can utilize a sliding door type entry and exit section, and a section barrier entry door as required to separate and maintain minimal cross contamination between various process chambers, while allowing part movement between the different

process sections. The nitrogen tunnel can be a custom designed system that can enclose a Nitrogen Tunnel Conveyor System, a Drying Oven, one or more Nitrogen Tunnel Gantry Systems, a Cleanliness Inspection, a Surface Finish Inspection Station, and a Nitrogen Tunnel Bagging Section. The Drying Oven section can incorporate the Nitrogen Tunnel equipment providing filtered nitrogen at > 77 Degrees C (170 Degrees F) for at least two hours. The nitrogen tunnel can include an automatic door to the drying oven, a drying oven chamber that can include a laminar flow and all associated components, and an exit chamber door from the drying oven. The nitrogen tunnel can further include a cooling section for cooling parts with laminar flow, an inspection and handling that can include a nitrogen purge, a box, a plate, and an antistatic window. The nitrogen tunnel can further include an exit ante-chamber for rejected parts, a bagging station Glove Box with laminar flow that includes boxes, plates and antistatic windows, an exit ante-chamber door for good parts, an environmental control for the entire nitrogen tunnel system, and an Nitrogen Tunnel Conveyor System. [0039] According to various embodiments, Clean Room Rated Conveyor sections can be used to transport parts, both disk type and HCM into, through, and out of the nitrogen tunnel/clean room portion of the system allowing the parts to ride directly on the conveyor rollers without the use of any part pallets or fixtures. The Slip-Torque conveyor units can provide transportation of disk type and HCM products, in a single lane, for instance, at a conveyor speed of approximately 10 feet per minute and a rate of 3 parts per hour. Other speeds can be used.

[0040] According to various embodiments, the conveyor units can be utilized inside the nitrogen tunnel including Shuttleworth's Slip-Trak, class 100 clean room, chain driven conveyor, and can further include an extruded aluminum frame, a solid black 21 mm roller on 22.7 mm center, and an aluminum bushing cover. A Slip-Trak, class 100 clean room conveyor

with additional components to meet the preferred 170 degree F specification can be located in the drying oven portion of the nitrogen tunnel.

[0041] According to various embodiments, the Nitrogen Tunnel Gantry can consist of two separate gantry robots, one for transporting parts through the Ultrasonic Cleaning Section, and one to transport parts through the Cleanliness and Surface Inspection area. Both Gantry Systems can incorporate the use of several Servo Driven clean room motors for most of the linear motion in the system. The custom end effector tooling can be designed to grip the outside diameter of the flange on the parts. The second gantry located near the Cleanliness and Surface Finish Inspection can be the same style construction as the one utilized in the Ultrasonic Cleaning area. The sizing of the unit varies however. Disk type and HCM products can exit the cooling section and can be positioned for pick up by the second gantry robot. The parts can be lifted from the conveyor using a vacuum end effector and placed onto the inspection fixture. The inspection process first inspects the part for Cleanliness, and then performs a Surface Finish Inspection.

[0042] According to various embodiments, the Cleanliness Inspection can consist of two identical sets of cleanliness inspection equipment, one positioned over the fixture to inspect the tantalum (or other metal) area of the disk type parts from above, and one positioned under the fixture to inspect the tantalum (or other metal) area inside the HCM "Bowl" from below the fixture. The inspection process can illuminate the part surface with the ultraviolet light source using the vision inspection camera with a fixed focal length lens inspecting for "Unclean Areas" on the metal. The two sets of cleanliness inspection equipment can comprise a UV light source that can be mounted to illuminate as evenly as possible the tantalum (or other metal) surface of the part from a fixed rigid mounting position along with a vision inspection camera that can be positioned to focus on as much as possible the subject area of the tantalum (or other metal) surface from a fixed rigid mounting position.

[0043] According to various embodiments, the Surface Finish Inspection equipment can utilize the same part fixture and can be initiated following a satisfactory cleanliness inspection process. Surface Finish of the parts can be checked using a finish inspection probe mounted on a three axis slide with a rotary actuator; one for the probe can be over the fixture to inspect the tantalum (or other metal) area of the disk type parts from above, and in the second position one can be under the fixture to inspect the vertical wall of the tantalum (or other metal) area inside the HCM "Bowl" from below the fixture. The surface finish inspection probe can be mounted to multi axis programmable servo driven linear slides to move the inspection probe into and out of the inspection area so as to not interfere with the previous cleanliness inspection process. [0044] An alternative method of conducting the cleanliness inspection can be to use a laser and measure the specular and diffuse reflectance from the sputtering target surface. This same techinque is used to inspect particle contamination on silicon wafers in the integrated circuit maufacturing process. KLM/Tencor manufactures this type of equipment for silicon wafer inspection.

[0045] A futher alternative method for cleanliness inspection is to use a vaccum device to pull air and particles from the surface and measure the particle content in the air stream. [0046] The ultraviolet method for cleanliness inspection has an inherent speed advantage over the alternative methods.

[0047] According to various embodiments, acceptable parts are transferred by the gantry robot to the conveyor going to the Nitrogen Tunnel Bagging Section upon completion of the surface finish inspection while rejects are placed on the conveyor to the reject discharge "antechamber" and out of the nitrogen tunnel for manual removal from the system. [0048] According to various embodiments, the Nitrogen Tunnel Bagging Section can be a nitrogen tunnel fitted with a glove box on two sides and can be used to manually place finished acceptable disk type and HCM parts into first an inner clean shipping bag and second

an outer clean shipping bag to provide a double bagged finish part prior to the part exiting the Nitrogen Tunnel. The acceptable parts can enter the bagging section of the nitrogen tunnel via the Slip Trac conveyor after passing both final inspections. The part can be positioned at the first bagging station where a lift device elevates the part off of the conveyor surface. The operators can retrieve a bag from a supply of bags placed previously inside the tunnel, and working through the glove box, slip the bag material over the part and the lift device. The bag can be placed on the lift device, vacuum heat sealed, returned to the conveyor, and transferred off of and away from the lift device to a second position. The operator can position the open end of the bag for sealing and actuate the bag sealer to complete the first layer of bagging. The part and bag can travel to the first lift device and then the process can be repeated over the inner bag. The completed part with double bags can travel through the exit "Antechamber" to the unload position for removal from the system and loading to the final shipping container.

[0049] According to various embodiments, the automated process equipment at each station can be mounted on heavy-duty steel bases (e.g., hot rolled) and component risers as necessary. The steel bases can provide a solid mounting and reference surface to build up the custom equipment required at each station. The mounting base tops and other impact surfaces can be blanchard ground, shot-peened, and/or painted as the application allows or blanchard ground and plated and/or clad as the application demands. (Such demands are typically due to size limitations or constant exposure to substances that can be "caustic" to painted surfaces).

[0050] According to various embodiments, other custom fabricated metal components can be appropriately coated to prevent oxidation and wear. One or more of a variety of coatings, for example, paint, black oxide, anodization, electroless nickel, flash chrome, or thin dense chrome can be used. Hardened steel touch tooling or wear surfaces can be plated

with thin dense chrome (TDC), which can produce a very hard-finished surface (approximately Rockwell #C70). Equipment mounting structures can be painted to any specifications.

[0051] According to various embodiments, all system programs can be coded according to Advanced Automation's strict coding standards in a modular format. By following this standard, each program (and its subroutines) can be formatted as a logical "state-machine", a programming style that produces easy to understand, logically flowing sequences. Using this method can improve the readability and ease of maintenance of the code.

[0052] According to various embodiments, the machine logic can be implemented as an event-based rather than time-based control algorithm. Automated equipment can include feedback sensors to verify performance of scheduled actions. For instance, grippers do not close until a pick-and-place downstroke can be completed and a component can be present in the fixture. As a matter of design practice, systems typically can include sensors at both ends of an actuation, extending positions to make sure they got there, and then retracting positions to make sure they come back. Sensors can include verifying that parts can be present in escapements and grippers only when they should be. Sequencing failures can be thus diagnosed and reported.

[0053] According to various embodiments, sub-supplier equipment can be programmed according to their internal standards, and preferably has common interface with the rest of the system. All sub-supplier equipment can be "slaved" to the "zone controllers" provided by Advanced Automation.

[0054] According to various embodiments, the system can be built with controls- interlocked guarding to ensure personnel safety during operation, generally using safety rated keyed interlock switch components with solenoid latching. Interlock switches can be

generally used in conjunction with physical barrier guard structures. Physical barrier-type guarding can be constructed from painted steel or extruded aluminum strut structures with either Lexan polycarbonate or wire mesh panels. System guarding can comply with relevant OSHA, ANSI-RIA, and other regulatory agency requirements for this type of equipment. [0055] Applicants specifically incorporate the entire contents of all cited references in this disclosure. Further, when an amount, concentration, or other value or parameter is given as either a range, preferred range, or a list of upper preferable values and lower preferable values, this is to be understood as specifically disclosing all ranges formed from any pair of any upper range limit or preferred value and any lower range limit or preferred value, regardless of whether ranges are separately disclosed. Where a range of numerical values is recited herein, unless otherwise stated, the range is intended to include the endpoints thereof, and all integers and fractions within the range. It is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific values recited when defining a range. [0056] Other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the present specification and practice of the present invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the present specification and examples be considered as exemplary only with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims and equivalents thereof.