20 cm (8 inches) or farther from the WaferSense APS. The WaferSense APS Wafer and Link have been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
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Laser The WaferSense APS is a Class 1 laser-based instrument. The laser is completely enclosed. During normal operation you will not be exposed to laser radiation. Hazard Symbols The meaning of the hazard symbol appearing on the equipment is as follows:...
Introduction ..................1.1 Chapter 2 Installing Your APS ............... 2.1 Installing the WaferSense APS Software ........2.2 Installing the Wireless Link ............2.5 Checking Communications Between the Link and the Wafer ..2.6 Registering Your APS Wafer for Calibration Service ....2.7 Running the ParticleView Application ..........
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Table of Contents Configuring the Display .............. 3.17 Selecting the Particle Size to Graph............. 3.17 Displaying Particle Density or Frequency .......... 3.17 Changing the Vertical Scale ..............3.18 Changing the Horizontal Scale ............3.19 Changing the Averaging Interval ............3.19 Changing Colors in ParticleView ............
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Table of Contents Printing the ParticleReview Window .......... 4.19 Chapter 5 Maintaining Your APS ..............5.1 Annual Factory Calibration and Battery Replacement ....5.3 Battery Use and Disposal ..............5.4 Chapter 6 Specifications ................. 6.1 System Requirements ..............6.1 Product Components ..............6.1 APS Hardware ................
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List of Illustrations Figure 1.1: WaferSense APS Label ............1.iii Chapter 1 Figure 1.1: WaferSense APS Controls and Indicators ......1.2 Chapter 2 Figure 2.1: The InstallShield Wizard ............2.2 Figure 2.2: Final Software InstallShield Screen ........2.3 Figure 2.3: Link Device Install Wizard ..........2.4 Figure 2.4: Final Link InstallShield Screen ..........
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Figure 4.18: The Custom Colors Palette ..........4.17 Figure 4.19: Station Information Dialog ..........4.18 Chapter 5 Figure 5.1: The About your APS Wafer Dialog ........5.3 Figure 5.2: APS Wafer Calibration Status Dialog ........5.4 Chapter 6 Figure 6.1: WaferSense APS Dimension Drawing ......... 6.2 viii...
Chapter 1 Introduction ® The CyberOptics Semiconductor WaferSense Airborne Particle Sensor (APS) measures airborne particles inside semiconductor process equipment. The ParticleView™ software application makes it easy to view particle measurements in real-time. The large display and wireless link let you place the computer at a convenient distance from the APS wafer. The APS operates at pressures 0.4 to 1.6 ATM.
The APS controls are visible on the outside of the device as shown below. Exhaust Fan intake Charging indicator On/Off switch Charging complete indicator Connect status Charging tabs New pair switch Figure 1.1: WaferSense APS Controls and Indicators The following chapter provides instructions for installing your APS system.
Chapter 2 Installing Your APS This chapter describes the procedures you need to perform to install your APS system and get it ready for use. For best results, perform the procedures in the order they are presented in this chapter: •...
• One free high-power USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 port To install the WaferSense APS software, do not plug in the link before you start. The software must be installed first using the following steps: 1. Log on using an account with Administrator privileges.
By default, the Setup program installs the ParticleView and ParticleReview applications in a new program group called WaferSense APS. Setup also installs an online copy of this user’s guide, which is available from the ParticleView and ParticleReview Help menus and in the WaferSense APS program group in the Windows Start menu.
Chapter 2. Installing Your APS 5. The WaferSense Link Device Installer starts automatically. Figure 2.3: Link Device Install Wizard 6. Click Next > and the wizard automatically completes the link installation. Figure 2.4: Final Link InstallShield Screen...
Chapter 2. Installing Your APS Installing the Wireless Link Before starting the wireless link installation, complete “Installing the WaferSense APS Software,” on page 2.2. To install the wireless link: 1. Turn on your computer. 2. Locate an unused, high-power USB port on your computer. The APS wireless link module requires a high-power USB port, such as the built-in ports on your computer and ports on USB hubs that have power cords.
Chapter 2. Installing Your APS Checking Communications Between the Link and the Wafer To complete the installation, verify that the APS wafer and link can communicate: 1. The APS wafer operates from an internal rechargeable battery. Before using the APS wafer for the first time, charge it for two hours.
These services can be performed only at the factory. To help you keep track of the next service date so you can schedule this service when it is convenient, register your WaferSense APS wafer with the factory. When you start the ParticleView application (see “Running the ParticleView Application,”...
Chapter 2. Installing Your APS Running the ParticleView Application To start the ParticleView application: 1. From the Windows Start > Programs menu, choose WaferSense APS > ParticleView. The ParticleView application starts, as shown in Figure 2.5. Initializing communications usually takes less than a second. For information on using ParticleView , see Chapter “Using Your...
Chapter 2. Installing Your APS 2. If ParticleView displays the WaferSense APS Calibration Registration dialog, as shown in Figure 2.6, you haven’t registered your APS wafer. Follow the instructions in the dialog to complete the registration. Figure 2.6: Calibration Registration Dialog...
Chapter 2. Installing Your APS Technical Support CyberOptics Semiconductor offers free technical support to customers. If the APS hardware or software appear to be malfunctioning, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to assist you. When you contact us, please make sure that you have the following information available: •...
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Chapter 2. Installing Your APS Technical support is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time. • Toll free: 800-366-9131 (US and Canada only) • E-mail: CSsupport@cyberoptics.com • Internet: www.Cyberoptics.com 2.11...
Chapter 3 Using Your APS This chapter gives you instructions for performing the following tasks with the Airborn Particle Sensor (APS) wafer: • Opening and closing the charging case • Using the APS wafer buttons and status lights • Making a simple particle measurement run •...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Opening and Closing the Charging Case The APS wafer comes in a plastic charging case that is used for storing the wafer when not in use and for charging the rechargeable battery in the wafer (see “Using the Rechargeable Battery,”...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Using the APS Wafer Buttons and Status Lights APS wafers have two buttons: • ON OFF. Turns the APS wafer on and off. If the ParticleView application isn’t running, the APS wafer turns off automatically after 30 minutes. •...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Making a Simple Particle Measurement Run The APS wafer detects particles by size, sending the data to the ParticleView application in nearly real time. ParticleView displays the readings graphically and numerically, showing particle measurements by particle size. You can place the APS wafer in a piece of equipment, run the equipment through its paces, and watch the ParticleView display for particle measurements that might indicate a problems with the equipment.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Figure 3.3: Reading the ParticleView Display • Numerical and graphical displays. The top-left quadrant of the ParticleView display shows the particle measurements in numerical form. As the APS wafer detects particles, it assigns them to “bins” based on particle size. The displayed numbers are particle measurements averaged over a time interval (see “Changing the Averaging Interval,”...
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Chapter 3. Using Your APS • Particle frequency and particle density. ParticleView displays particle measurements as either particle frequency (number of particles per unit time) or as particle density (number of particles per volume). For more information, see “Displaying Particle Density or Frequency,” on page 3.17.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Setting the Purge and Measurement Times When you click START, the APS wafer measures particles for the specified measurement time, or until you click STOP. Prior to beginning the measurement, to purge the particle sensor, the APS wafer runs its fan for a period of time without measuring particles.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Monitoring for Excessive Particle Levels You can use the Go/No-Go feature in ParticleView to monitor the particle measurements for excessive levels and to indicate when your specified thresholds are exceeded. When a Go/No- Go alarm is active, and a measurement is in progress, the Go/No-Go Alarm area of the display indicates the current Go/No-Go condition as shown inFigure 3.5.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS To set the Go/No-Go threshold: 1. Click Configure Go/No-Go (see Figure 3.6). Configure Go/No-Go Figure 3.6: Setting the Go/No-Go Thresholds The Set Go/No-Go Threshold dialog is displayed, as shown in Figure 3.7. Threshold type Threshold Level Figure 3.7: Set Go/No-Go Threshold Dialog 2.
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Chapter 3. Using Your APS need to set that display choice in the main window (see “Displaying Particle Density or Frequency,” on page 3.17). 3. Under Threshold Level, in Assert No-Go When >= specify the numerical value of the alarm threshold, the bin to apply the threshold to by selecting an option from the Particles drop-down menu, and the frequency or density units from the Per menu, and the Averaging Interval.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Recording the Particle Measurements You can record the particle measurement data to a log file and then play it back later. For information on playing back log files, see “Viewing Log Files,” on page 4.1. Log files include the particle measurement data and user-specified data (see “Including User- Specified Information in the Log File,”...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Placing Marks in a Log File At the start of recording and at No-Go and other events, ParticleView automatically places marks in the log file. In addition to marks created automatically by ParticleView, you can manually create your own marks in a file while you are recording, and you can add annotations to the marks.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS 3. In the Annotate Mark dialog, type the text you want to record with the mark location in the file and click OK. You can’t add another mark until you click OK. If you don’t want to be prompted with the Annotate Mark dialog when you click Add a Mark, the next time the dialog appears, check Don’t show this dialog and click OK.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Log File Director y Location By default, ParticleView writes log entries to the directory My Documents\APS Files\. If you prefer, you can specify a different directory (see “Changing the Log File Directory,” on page 3.16). Log File Names By default, log file names are automatically assigned by ParticleView and consist of the serial number for the APS wafer followed by the date and time (see...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Importing Log Files Into Other Applications If you want to be able to import log files into other programs, such as MATLAB or Microsoft Excel, you need to have ParticleView write log files in comma-delimited format (also called comma-separated-values or CSV files) as well as the standard binary .apsdata file format.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS The layout of the data in the comma-delimited file is in columns as displayed in Figure 3.15. Marks are not saved. ParticleView writes data to the file once per second Figure 3.15: Layout of Comma-Delimited File Changing the Log File Director y By default, ParticleView writes log entries to the directory My Documents\APS Files\.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Configuring the Display You can change the way particle measurements are displayed by selecting which particle size bin to graph, by choosing to display either particle density or particle frequency, by changing the vertical and horizontal scales, by changing the averaging interval, and by changing the colors of traces and other elements in the display.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Density or Frequency Figure 3.17: Displaying Particle Density or Frequency Changing the Vertical Scale You can set the vertical scale for the particle measurement graph. The scale is in particles per unit time when displaying particle frequency, or in particles per unit volume when displaying particle density.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Changing the Horizontal Scale You can set the horizontal scale for the particle measurement graph. You set the scale by specifying the time between the divisions on the horizontal axis. The horizontal scale setting affects only the display of the particle measurements. The APS wafer always sends measurements once per second to ParticleView, and log files always record measurements at increments of one second.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS To change the averaging interval: In the Display Controls, under Averaging Interval, choose the interval in seconds • or minutes for averaging the particle measurements. The new setting takes effect immediately. Averaging Interval Figure 3.20: Horizontal Scale For example, you know the airflow through the APS wafer is 0.1 cubic feet per minute but you want to average the particle count over one cubic foot of air.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Display Element Description Indicator Vertical line in the right edge of the graph where the most recent measurement data first appears Annotations Vertical lines representing system- or user-defined marks Go/No-Go Lines Horizontal line showing current active Go/No-Go threshold Grid Lines Horizontal and vertical section lines Text...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Figure 3.22: The Custom Colors Palette 3. Click on the color you want to use for the display element and click OK. To reset all colors to the default values: • From the Settings > Select Colors menu item, choose Restore Defaults to All. To reset only the background color to the default value: •...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Printing the ParticleView Window You can print an image of the ParticleView window to have a graphical record of the session. To print an image of the ParticleView window: 1. Choose File > Print. 2. In the Print dialog, click OK. You can also select a printer other than the default and change the printer setup, or see a preview of what ParticleView will print: •...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Monitoring the Operating Temperature The operating range for the APS wafer to achieve the specified accuracy for readings is 20 °C to 45 °C. The APS wafer can withstand exposure to 60 °C for brief periods. The Temperature monitor in the APS wafer status area of the ParticleView window (see Figure 3.23) shows the...
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Using the Rechargeable Battery The APS wafer operates from an internal rechargeable battery. From a full charge, the battery provides about four hours of continuous use. Before using your APS wafer for the first time, charge it for two hours.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Contact points for charging the battery Figure 3.25: Contact Points for Charging the Battery 4. Plug the charger line adapter into a 100 V AC to 240 VAC supply and plug the other end into the charging case charging port. The Charging light is on while the APS wafer is charging.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Monitoring the Wireless Connection to the APS Wafer The ParticleView application communicates with the APS wafer by using a Bluetooth wireless link. The wireless link has a range of up to 30 ft (10 m). The Connection indicator in the APS wafer status area of the ParticleView window shows the quality of the wireless connection between the APS wafer and the link module.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Monitoring the Pressure, Laser, Fan, and Coincidence In addition to connection, battery, and temperature, ParticleView includes indicators for the status of the atmospheric pressure, the laser, the fan, and the coincidence: • Fan. The APS wafer uses a fan to flow gases in the local atmosphere through the particle detector.
If a laser failure occurs, the APS wafer needs to be serviced. Do not attempt to operate it again until it is serviced. For information on sending the APS wafer to CyberOptics for servicing, refer to page 5.3...
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Chapter 3. Using Your APS Low Pressure Environment In low pressure environments below 300 Torr (0.4 atmosphere), the APS wafer responds in order to prevent damage, resulting in the following event: Pressure below 300 T orr. The APS wafer’ s fan turns off. The laser remains on and •...
You can change this pairing, so that you can use your APS wafer with a different APS link module, or vice versa. Link modules for different CyberOptics WaferSense products, such as Auto Gapping Sensors (AGS), are not interchangeable.
Chapter 3. Using Your APS Saving Your Settings Each time you exit the ParticleView application, it saves your current settings for Go/No-Go threshold, horizontal scale, vertical scale, and other display settings, and log file directory in the Windows registry. The next time you start ParticleView, it restores those saved settings. You can also tell ParticleView to save your settings to a file you specify, and you can have ParticleView read those settings back at any time.
Chapter 4 Viewing Log Files The ParticleReview application lets you replay log files that you previously recorded using ParticleView. This chapter provides instructions for performing the following tasks using ParticleReview: • Running ParticleReview • Using the playback controls • Working with marks •...
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Running ParticleReview To review a log file created in ParticleView: 1. From the Windows Start > Programs menu, choose WaferSense APS > ParticleReview. The ParticleReview application starts, as shown in Figure 4.1. displaying the controls and the graphical window used to review log files.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files 3. Choose a log file for playback and click Open. ParticleReview opens the log file and displays the traces at the beginning of the file (see Figure 4.2). Play button Figure 4.2: Opening a Log File 4.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Using the Playback Controls You can play a log file forward or in reverse, pause during playback, and jump ahead or back by using the playback controls (see Figure 4.3) You can also move around in log files by jumping to marks (see “Working with Marks,”...
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Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Speed. The speed control lets you choose a playback speed from 1x to 10x. Playing a file containing 600 data points at 1x takes about 60 seconds; at 10x, the same file plays in about 6 seconds.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Working with Marks Marks indicate points of interest within log files. Every log file has marks at the beginning and at the end of the file and at No-Go events. You can also create your own marks in a file while you are recording in ParticleView and while you are viewing the file in ParticleReview, and you can add annotations to the marks.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files When marks are visible in the trace display, the marks are indicated by a vertical red line with an annotation (see Figure 4.5). Annotation Mark Figure 4.5: Marks and Annotations Adding Marks to a File You can add marks to a file whenever playback is paused.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Editing Existing Marks You can edit the annotation text that is associated with a user-created mark. You can also delete a user-created mark from a file. You can’t edit or delete the Begin or End marks. To delete or edit a mark: 1.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Monitoring for Excessive Particle Levels If you used the Go/No-Go feature in ParticleView to monitor the particle measurements for excessive levels for frequency or density, when you view the log file in ParticleReview, the Go/ No-Go feature will also be active.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Reviewing Go/No-Go Thresholds To set or reset the Go/No-Go threshold: 1. Click Configure Go/No-Go (see Figure 4.10). Configure Go/No-Go Figure 4.10: Setting the Go/No-Go Thresholds The Set Go/No-Go Threshold dialog is displayed, as shown in Figure 4.11.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files 3. Configure the alarm parameters. For the Density alarm set the four values: Assert No-Go When >= for the numerical value of the alarm threshold, the Particles bin to apply the threshold to, the Per Detected density units for the threshold, and the Averaging Interval to apply to the stream of bin readings.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Changing Log Files You can open a log file using the Open Log File command on the File menu, as described in “Running ParticleReview ,” on page 4.2. If you have previously opened files in ParticleReview , the last few files you opened are listed in the Log file pull-down menu.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Configuring the Display You can change the way particle measurements are displayed in the numeric and the graph display by selecting which particle size bin to graph, by choosing to display either particle density or particle frequency, by changing the vertical and horizontal scales, by changing the averaging interval, and by changing the colors of traces and other elements in the display.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Reviewing Graphs and Resetting Parameters When playback starts, the graph shows one line for the particle measurement data. The running average trace is blank until the first averaging interval, selected by the Averaging Interval controls, has completed, then displaying a second line on the graph. To choose which particle bin to graph: 1.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Changing Colors in ParticleReview You can change the colors used to display traces and other elements of the display. Figure 4.16: Menu of Graph Display Elements The table below shows the display elements that you can change: Display Element Description Trace Bar N...
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files To change colors: 1. From the Settings > Select Colors menu item, choose the display element you want to change. The color palette is displayed (Figure 4.17). Figure 4.17: The Color Palette 2. If you want to use one of the existing color definitions, skip to the next step. If you want to define a custom color, click Define Custom Colors.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Figure 4.18: The Custom Colors Palette 3. Click on the color you want to use for the display element and click OK. To reset all colors to the default values: • From the Settings > Select Colors menu item, choose Restore Defaults to All. To reset only the background color to the default value: •...
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Displaying User-Specified Information from the Log File Operator, T ool, Station, and Comment are user-specified text in ParticleView that can be recorded in a log file along with the particle data. To display the user-specified information for a log file: 1.
Chapter 4. Viewing Log Files Printing the ParticleReview Window You can print an image of the ParticleReview window to have a graphical record of the session. To print an image of the ParticleReview window: 1. Choose File > Print. 2. In the Print dialog, click OK. You can also select a printer other than the default and change the printer setup, or see a preview of what ParticleReview will print: •...
Periodic calibration and battery replacement is the only regular maintenance your APS wafer requires: Annual Calibration and Battery Replacement. Once a year, you should have • your APS wafer calibrated and the internal rechargeable battery replaced by returning the APS wafer to the CyberOptics factory.
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APS wafer or on the link module. • Laser Safety. The WaferSense APS is a Class 1 laser-based instrument. The laser is completely enclosed. During normation operation you will not be exposed to laser radiation. However, you must take certain precautions or you may expose yourself to hazardous radiation in the form of intense, focused, visible light.
Chapter 5. Maintaining Your APS Annual Factor y Calibration and Battery Replacement Every twelve months, you should return your APS wafer to the CyberOptics factory, where we will calibrate the APS wafer and replace the internal rechargeable battery. You can find the date when the APS wafer was last calibrated at the factory by choosing the Help >...
APS Wafer Calibration Status dialog, as shown in Figure 5.2. Figure 5.2: APS Wafer Calibration Status Dialog If you drop the APS wafer or suspect that it is no longer in calibration, contact CyberOptics Semiconductor technical support (see “Technical Support,” on page 2.12).
Chapter 6 Specifications System Requirements To run the WaferSense APS software and link, your computer must have: • Windows XP , Windows Vista, or Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit) operating systems • One free high-power USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 port Product Components •...
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