Dual-blade robot including vertically offset horizontally overlapping frog-leg linkages and systems and methods including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10453725-B2
Application number	US-201715708806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2017
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A dual-blade robot having overlapping frog-leg linkages is disclosed. The robot includes first and second arms, coplanar with each other and each rotatably coupled to a first blade, in a frog-leg configuration, and third and fourth arms, coplanar with each other and each rotatably coupled to a second blade, in a frog-leg configuration, where the third and fourth arms are vertically offset from the first and second arms. The third and fourth arms are configured to overlap at least a portion of the first and second arms when the first and second blades are in a retracted position. Methods of operating the robot and electronic device processing systems including the robot are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual-blade robot, comprising:
a first frog-leg linkage coupled to a first wrist connector and a first blade and configured to extend the first blade in a first direction; and
a second frog-leg linkage coupled to a second wrist connector and a second blade and configured to extend the second blade in a second direction opposite the first direction while the first blade is aligned in the first direction;
wherein the second frog-leg linkage is vertically offset from the first frog-leg linkage such that the second wrist connector overlaps the first wrist connector when the first blade and the second blade are each in a retracted position; and
wherein the first blade is oriented towards the first direction and the second blade is oriented towards the second direction while the first blade and the second blade are each in the retracted position.

2. The dual-blade robot of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hub; and
a first member rotatably coupled to the hub; wherein the first frog-leg linkage is rotatably coupled to the first member at a first location, and the second frog-leg linkage is rotatably coupled to the first member at a second location.

3. The dual-blade robot of claim 1 , wherein the first frog-leg linkage and the second frog-leg linkage are disposed within a first chamber.

4. A dual-blade robot, comprising:
a first frog-leg linkage coupled to a first blade and configured to extend the first blade in a first direction; and
a second frog-leg linkage coupled to a second blade and configured to extend the second blade in a second direction;
wherein the second frog-leg linkage is vertically offset from the first frog-leg linkage such that the second frog-leg linkage overlaps the first frog-leg linkage when the first blade and the second blade are each in a retracted position;
a hub having a first axis;
a first member rotatably coupled to the hub and rotatable about the first axis; and
a second member rotatably coupled to the hub and rotatable about the first axis;
wherein the first frog-leg linkage comprises:
a first arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first arm rotatably coupled to the first member and rotatable about a second axis, the second end of the first arm rotatably coupled to the first blade and rotatable about a third axis; and
a second arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second arm rotatably coupled to the second member and rotatable about a fourth axis, the second end of the second arm rotatably coupled to the first blade and rotatable about a fifth axis;
wherein the second frog-leg linkage comprises:
a third arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third arm rotatably coupled to the second member and rotatable about a sixth axis, the second end of the third arm rotatably coupled to the second blade and rotatable about the third axis; and
a fourth arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fourth arm rotatably coupled to the first member and rotatable about a seventh axis, the second end of the fourth arm rotatably coupled to the second blade and rotatable about the fifth axis;
wherein the first arm is nominally coplanar with the second arm, the third arm is nominally coplanar with the fourth arm, and the third and fourth arms are vertically offset from the first and second arms respectively.

5. The dual-blade robot of claim 4 , wherein the first blade is configured to extend outwardly from the hub in the first direction, the second blade is configured to extend outwardly from the hub in the second direction different from the first direction, and the first and second blades are nominally coplanar.

6. The dual-blade robot of claim 4 , wherein the first blade is configured to retract inwardly toward the hub, and the second blade is configured to retract inwardly toward the hub.

7. The dual-blade robot of claim 6 , wherein the third arm is configured to overlap the first arm when the first blade and the second blade are each in a retracted position, and the fourth arm is configured to overlap the second arm when the first blade and the second blade are each in the retracted position.

8. The dual-blade robot of claim 4 , wherein the first arm has an arcuate portion adjacent to the second axis and a straight portion adjacent to the third axis, the second arm has an arcuate portion adjacent to the fourth axis and a straight portion adjacent to the fifth axis, the third arm has an arcuate portion adjacent to the sixth axis and a straight portion adjacent to the third axis, and the fourth arm has an arcuate portion adjacent to the seventh axis and a straight portion adjacent to the fifth axis.

9. A cluster tool, comprising:
a transfer chamber;
a load lock coupled to the transfer chamber;
a process chamber coupled to the transfer chamber; and
a dual-blade robot having a first blade coupled to a first wrist connector and a second blade coupled to a second wrist connector, disposed within the transfer chamber, the dual-blade robot having a first frog-leg linkage and a second frog-leg linkage configured to extend the first blade in a first direction and to extend the second blade in a second direction opposite the first direction while the first blade is aligned in the first direction;
wherein the second frog-leg linkage is vertically offset from the first frog-leg linkage, and the second wrist connector overlaps the first wrist connector when the first frog leg linkage and the second frog-leg linkage are each in a retracted position; and
wherein the first blade is oriented towards the first direction and the second blade is oriented towards the second direction while the first frog leg linkage and the second frog leg linkage are each in the retracted position.

10. The cluster tool of claim 9 , wherein the first frog-leg linkage comprises:
a first arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first arm rotatably coupled to a first member and rotatable about a first axis, the second end of the first arm rotatably coupled to the first blade and rotatable about a second axis; and
a second arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second arm rotatably coupled to a second member and rotatable about a third axis, the second end of the second arm rotatably coupled to the first blade and rotatable about a fourth axis.

11. The cluster tool of claim 10 , wherein the process chamber is configured for an epitaxial growth operation, and each of the first blade and the second blade comprise quartz.

12. The cluster tool of claim 9 , wherein each of the load lock, the process chamber, and the transfer chamber are configured to be evacuated.

13. The cluster tool of claim 9 , wherein the process chamber is configured for a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition operation.

14. A cluster tool, comprising:
a transfer chamber;
a load lock coupled to the transfer chamber; a process chamber coupled to the transfer chamber; and a dual-blade robot having a first blade and a second blade, disposed within the transfer chamber, the dual-blade robot having a first frog-leg linkage and a second frog-leg linkage;
wherein the second frog-leg linkage is vertically offset from the first frog-leg linkage, and the second frog-leg linkage overlaps the first frog-leg linkage when the first frog-leg linkage and the second frog-leg linkage are each in a retracted position;
wherein the first frog-leg linkage comprises:
a first arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first arm rotatably coupled to a first member and rotatable about a first axis, the second end of the first

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Wirth Paul Z

Classifications

• H10P72/3304

  characterised by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/0606

  Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection · CPC title

• H10P72/0428 Primary

  Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting · CPC title

• B25J9/0087

  Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043) · CPC title