Author: claimsbot

1. A cleaning method using a cleaning apparatus including (1) an adhesive sheet including a base material and an adhesive surface, (2) a flexible conductive sheet in contact with the base material of the adhesive sheet, and (3) a pressing member configured to press the flexible conductive sheet onto the adhesive sheet, the pressing member including (a) a voltage applying mechanism configured to apply either of a positive or a negative voltage to the flexible conductive sheet at a point in time and (b) a pressing force controlling mechanism configured to press the adhesive sheet onto a curved surface of a portion of a vacuum processing apparatus to be cleaned by the cleaning apparatus from above the flexible conductive sheet, the cleaning method comprising:
a first step of pressing the pressing member by a pressing force controlled via the pressing force controlling mechanism so as to press the flexible conductive sheet and the adhesive sheet in order to closely adhere the adhesive surface of the adhesive sheet to the curved surface of the portion of the vacuum processing apparatus to be cleaned by the cleaning apparatus; and
a second step of applying either of a positive or a negative voltage at a point in time to the flexible conductive sheet or applying voltage having temporally changed polarity from the voltage applying mechanism;
wherein _ the first step removes particles attached to the curved surface of the portion of the vacuum processing apparatus to be cleaned by the cleaning apparatus, while the second step generates electrostatic attraction force to attract and remove particles attached to the curved surface of the portion of the vacuum processing apparatus to be cleaned by the cleaning apparatus.
2. The cleaning method according to claim 1,
the cleaning method further comprising:
a third step of removing the adhesive sheet after the second step;
a fourth step of pressing the pressing member by a pressing force controlled by the pressing force controlling mechanism, in order to press the flexible conductive sheet onto a new adhesive sheet so as to closely adhere the adhesive surface of the new adhesive sheet to the curved surface of the portion of the vacuum processing apparatus to be cleaned by the cleaning apparatus; and
a fifth step of applying a DC voltage having an opposite polarity from the polarity of a DC voltage applied to the flexible conductive sheet by the voltage applying mechanism if a DC voltage is applied in the second step;
wherein the second step includes applying either one of a positive or negative DC voltage, or applying voltage having temporally changed polarity; and
wherein _ the electrostatic attraction force generated by the fifth step attracts and removes particles charged with a polarity opposite from that of particles attracted and removed by the second step attached to the curved surface of the portion of the vacuum processing apparatus to be cleaned by the cleaning apparatus.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. Apparatus for testing a component of a drive train of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising
an output drive line for connection to an output of the component,
an input drive line for connection to an input of the component,
the input and output drive lines being operable to test the component with a predetermined combinations of drive speed and torque,
wherein each of the input and output drive lines has a coupling for engaging with a corresponding coupling of the component and each of the drive lines is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the component,
the coupling of one of the input and output drive lines having a radially facing engagement surface and an axially facing reference surface, the engagement surface of the coupling of the drive line being for engaging with a corresponding radially facing engagement surface of the component the coupling of the component having an axially facing reference surface,
and
a controller arranged to move the said one of the drive lines towards the component so that the engagement surfaces of the coupling and component engage, with their reference surfaces spaced by a predetermined amount, and
to initiate testing of the component whilst maintaining the said engagement and the said predetermined amount of spacing.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is arranged to move the coupling of the drive line into engagement with the said corresponding coupling of the component to bring the said reference surfaces being in abutment and then to move the coupling of the drive line away from abutment by the said predetermined amount.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the coupling of the drive line has a support member defining the said reference surface and supporting a plurality of engagement members for engaging corresponding engagement parts of the said coupling of the component, the controller being arranged to sense abutment of the reference surfaces after the engagement members engage with the said corresponding engagement parts of the component.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is arranged to move the said one of the drive lines at a predetermined rate from a preset position, at which the coupling of the drive line is not engaged with the corresponding coupling of the component, to a further position in which the couplings of the drive line and component are engaged.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller is arranged to move the drive line at a rate higher than said predetermined rate from a reference position towards the component up to the said preset position.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said coupling is on the input drive line.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said coupling is on the output drive line.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a sensor for sensing the distance between the reference surface of the drive line and the reference surface of the component, the controller being arranged to respond to the sensed distance to bring the reference surface of the coupling of the drive line to a position spaced from the reference surface of the component by the said predetermined amount.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support for supporting the component in a predetermined position relative to the drive line and a sensor on the support for sensing the position of the reference surface of the component relative to the support, the controller being arranged to respond to the sensed distance to bring the reference surface of the coupling of the drive line to a position spaced from the reference surface of the component by the said predetermined amount.
10. Apparatus for testing a component of a drive train of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising
an output drive line for connection to an output of the component,
an input drive line for connection to an input of the component,
the input and output drive lines being operable to test the component with a predetermined combination of drive speed and torque,
wherein each of the input and output drive lines has a coupling for engaging with a corresponding coupling of the component and each of the drive lines is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the component,
the coupling of one of the input and output drive lines having a radially facing engagement surface and an axially facing reference surface, the engagement surface of the coupling of the drive line being for engaging with a corresponding radially facing engagement surface of the component the coupling of the component having an axially facing reference surface, and
a controller arranged to move the said one of the drive lines towards the component so that the engagement surfaces of the coupling and component engage, and substantially zero axial force is applied to the component and
to initiate testing of the component whilst maintaining the said engagement and substantially zero axial force is applied to the component.
11. A method of testing a component of a drive train of a vehicle, using a test apparatus comprising
an output drive line for connection to an output of the component,
an input drive line for connection to an input of the component,
the input and output drive lines being operable to test the component with a predetermined combination of drive speed and torque,
wherein each of the input and output drive lines has a coupling for engaging with a corresponding coupling of the component and each of the drive lines is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the component,
the coupling of one of the input and output drive lines having a radially facing engagement surface and an axially facing reference surface, the engagement surface of the coupling of the drive line being for engaging with a corresponding radially facing engagement surface of the component the coupling of the component having an axially facing reference surface, the method comprising,
moving the said one of the drive lines towards the component so that the engagement surfaces of the couplings of the drive line and component engage, with their reference surfaces spaced by a predetermined amount,
testing of the component whilst maintaining the said engagement and the said predetermined amount of spacing, and
moving the input drive line towards the component so that the reference surface of the coupling of the drive line moves into engagement with, and abuts, the corresponding reference surface of the component and then moving the drive line away from abutment by the said predetermined amount whilst maintaining the said engagement, and testing the component whilst maintaining the said engagement and predetermined spacing.
12. A method of testing a component of a drive train of a vehicle, using a test apparatus comprising
an output drive line for connection to an output of the component,
an input drive line for connection to an input of the component,
the input and output drive lines being operable to test the component with a predetermined combination of drive speed and torque,
wherein each of the input and output drive lines has a coupling for engaging with a corresponding coupling of the component and each of the drive lines is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the component,
the coupling of one of the input and output drive lines having a radially facing engagement surface and an axially facing reference surface, the engagement surface of the coupling of the drive line being for engaging with a corresponding radially facing engagement surface of the component the coupling of the component having an axially facing reference surface, the method comprising,
moving the said one of the drive lines towards the component so that the engagement surfaces of the couplings of the drive line and component engage, with their reference surfaces spaced by a predetermined amount,
testing of the component whilst maintaining the said engagement and the said predetermined amount of spacing, and
measuring the distance from the reference surface of the drive line to the reference surface of the component and controlling movement of the said one of the drive lines towards the component in dependence on the measured distance so that the engagement surfaces of the couplings of the drive line and component engage, with their reference surfaces spaced by a predetermined amount.
13. A method of testing a component of a drive train of a vehicle, using a test apparatus comprising
an output drive line for connection to an output of the component,
an input drive line for connection to an input of the component,
the input and output drive lines being operable to test the component with a predetermined combination of drive speed and torque,
wherein each of the input and output drive lines has a coupling for engaging with a corresponding coupling of the component and each of the drive lines is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the component,
the coupling of one of the input and output drive lines having a radially facing engagement surface and an axially facing reference surface, the engagement surface of the coupling of the drive line being for engaging with a corresponding radially facing engagement surface of the component the coupling of the component having an axially facing reference surface, the method comprising,
moving the said one of the drive lines towards the component so that the engagement surfaces of the couplings of the drive line and component engage, with their reference surfaces spaced by a predetermined amount,
testing of the component whilst maintaining the said engagement and the said predetermined amount of spacing, and
measuring the distance from the reference surface of the component to a reference position on a support of that component, which reference position is at a preset spacing from a reference position of the drive line and controlling movement of the drive line towards the component in dependence on the measured distance so that the engagement surfaces of the couplings of the drive line and component engage, with their reference surfaces spaced by a predetermined amount.
14. A method of testing a component of a drive train of a vehicle, using a test apparatus comprising
an output drive line for connection to an output of the component,
an input drive line for connection to an input of the component,
the input and output drive lines being operable to test the component with a predetermined combination of drive speed and torque,
wherein each of the input and output drive lines has a coupling for engaging with a corresponding coupling of the component and each of the drive lines is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the component,
the coupling of one of the input and output drive lines having a radially facing engagement surface and an axially facing reference surface, the engagement surface of the coupling of the drive line being for engaging with a corresponding radially facing engagement surface of the component the coupling of the component having an axially facing reference surface, the method comprising,
moving the said one of the drive lines towards the component so that the engagement surfaces of the couplings of the drive line and component engage, with their reference surfaces spaced by a predetermined amount,
testing of the component whilst maintaining the said engagement and the said predetermined amount of spacing, and
testing a component with different values of spacing of the reference surfaces of the coupling and component to determine empirically the optimum spacing which provides consistent test results and using the empirically determined value as the said predetermined amount.

1. A method for large scale integration of quartz-based devices with an electronic host wafer comprising the steps of:
selecting a plurality of quartz-based devices according to their possession of desired characteristics, wherein each selected quartz-based device is attached to an individual handle wafer;
attaching the quartz-based devices with the individual handle wafer to the electronics host wafer to form an array of quartz-based devices on the electronics host wafer;
bonding the quartz-based devices to the electronics host wafer; and then
removing the individual handle wafer from the each of the quartz-based devices.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of dicing and electrically characterizing and tuning the quartz-based devices prior to the step of selecting the plurality of quartz-based devices.
3. The method according to claim 1 in which the quartz-based devices are resonators and the step of selecting the plurality of quartz-based devices according to their possession of desired characteristics comprises the step of selecting the resonators according to their resonant frequencies or equivalent circuit parameters.
4. The method according to claim 1 in which the step of attaching comprises picking and placing.
5. The method according to claim 1 in which the step of attaching comprises placing the quartz-based devices in contact with the electronics host wafer serially to form the array of quartz-based devices on the electronics host wafer.
6. The method according to claim 1 in which the step of attaching comprises the steps of attaching each of the plurality of quartz-based devices to a group handle and then moving the group handle in order to contact the quartz-based devices to the electronics host wafer to form a predetermined array of quartz-based devices on the electronics host wafer.
7. The method according to claim 6 in which the step of attaching comprises the steps of attaching each of the individual handles of each of the plurality of quartz-based devices to the group handle and then moving the group handle in order to contact the quartz-based devices to the electronics host wafer to form the predetermined array of quartz-based devices on the electronics host wafer.
8. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of removing the group handle after the step of bonding the quartz-based devices to the electronics host wafer.
9. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of removing the group handle after the step of bonding the quartz-based devices to the electronics host wafer.
10. The method according to claim 1 in which the steps of attaching and bonding are carried out with a multi-chip die bonder.
11. The method according to claim 1 in which the step of bonding comprises applying a conductive epoxy to the bonding sites and curing the conductive epoxy.
12. The method according to claim 1 in which the step of bonding comprises heating the electronic host wafer to a preselected temperature.
13. The method according to claim 1 in which the step of bonding further comprises individually compressing the quartz-based devices to the electronics host wafer.
14. The method according to claim 1 in which each of the quartz-based devices has a surface with at least one electrode and the step of bonding comprises causing a low temperature compression bond between the electrode and an electrode on the electronics host wafer.
15. The method according to claim 14 in which the low temperature compression bond is chosen from the group consisting of AuIn, AuSn, and CuSn bonds.
16. A method for large scale integration of quartz-based resonators with an electronics host wafer comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of quartz-based resonators possessing desired resonant frequencies, each of the resonators having at least one electrode formed on a first surface of the quartz-based resonator and being attached to an individual handle wafer;
placing the plurality of quartz-based resonators in contact with the electronics host wafer to form an array of quartz-based resonators on a surface of the electronics host wafer wherein at least one electrode of each quartz-based resonator is in electrical communication with an electrode disposed on the surface of the electronics host wafer;
bonding the plurality of quartz-based resonators to the electronics host wafer; and
removing the individual handle wafers from the plurality of quartz-based resonators.
17. The method according to claim 16 in which the step of bonding comprises bonding the at least one electrode of the quartz-based resonator to the electrode disposed on the surface of the electronics host wafer.
18. The method according to claim 16 in which the step of placing is done serially with a pick and place device.
19. The method according to claim 16 further comprising the following steps prior to placing the plurality of quartz-based resonators, each attached to the individual handle wafer, in contact with the electronics host wafer:
providing a group handle with pre-arranged depressions for receiving the plurality of quartz-based resonators; and
placing the plurality of quartz-based resonators into the depressions on the group handle.
20. The method according to claim 19 in which the step of placing the quartz-based resonators in contact with the electronics host wafer to form the array of quartz-based resonators on the electronics host wafer comprises using a pick and place device in cooperation with the group handle.
21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising the step of removing the group handle from the quartz-based resonators.
22. The method according to claim 21 wherein each individual handle wafer of each quartz-based resonator is detached from the group handle following the step of bonding to the electronics host wafer.
23. The method according to claim 19 in which the group handle is a wafer.
24. The method according to claim 23 in which the group handle is made of silicon.
25. The method according to claim 16 in which the individual handle wafer is made of silicon.
26. The method according to claim 16 in which the individual handle wafer has a cavity formed therein for receiving at least a part of the quartz-based resonator.
27. The method according to claim 26 further comprising the step of removing the individual handle wafers follows the step of bonding to the electronics host wafer.
28. The method according to claim 16 in which the individual handle wafer is engaged to pick up and place the quartz-based resonator on the electronics host wafer.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An inspection system comprising:
a prism having a first end and a second end, where an inspection item is placed a predetermined distance from the first end of the prism and the second end provides an image of the inspection item; and
an image data system disposed at the second end of the prism, the image data system generating two or more sets of two-dimensional image data of different surface areas of the inspection item.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an area inspection system coupled to the image data system, the area inspection system receiving two-dimensional image data from one of a plurality of areas of a field of view area.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a prism rotation controller coupled to the prism, the prism rotation controller setting a rotation speed of the prism.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an image data acquisition control coupled to the image data system, the image data acquisition control setting an image capture rate.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising an area analysis system receiving the image data and generating inspection item area image data.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising an inspection item identification system receiving the image data and generating inspection item image data.
7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a component identification system receiving the image data and generating component image data.
8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a component inspection system receiving the image data and generating component passfail data.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the image data system comprises means for generating two or more pixel arrays of image data from a prism within a field of view.
10. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for identifying component edges from image data generated by the prism.
11. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for setting an image capture rate.
12. A method for inspection comprising:
receiving image data of a first area of an inspection item from a prism;
generating first area two-dimensional image data using an electronic image data system;
receiving image data of a second area of the inspection item from the prism;
generating second area two-dimensional image data using the electronic image data system;
receiving image data of a third area of the inspection item from the prism;
generating third area two-dimensional image data using the electronic image data system;
receiving image data of a fourth area of the inspection item from the prism;
generating fourth area two-dimensional image data using the electronic image data system; and
wherein the inspection items is inspected using the first area image data, the second area image data, the third area image data, and the fourth area image data.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the item is a semiconductor package.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first area image data corresponds to a first area of a semiconductor package, the second area image data corresponds to a second area of the semiconductor package, the third area image data corresponds to a third area of the semiconductor package, and a fourth area image data corresponds to a fourth area of the semiconductor package.
15. A method for inspecting components comprising:
receiving image data of a first area of an assembly from a prism;
generating first area two dimensional image data that includes a first section of the assembly using an electronic image data system;
receiving image data of a second area of the assembly from the prism;
generating second area two dimensional image data that includes a second section of the assembly using the electronic image data system.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first section and the second section are each areas of semiconductor packages, and the prism generates image data of different areas of the semiconductor packages.
17. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating a plurality of two-dimensional set of image data, each set including one of a plurality of areas of the assembly.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising identifying different non-linear areas of the assembly in the image data.
19. The method of claim 15 further comprising analyzing the second area image data based on a predetermined angular relationship to the first area image data.