Substrate transport vacuum platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11769680-B2
Application number	US-202117519057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2021
Priority date	Jan 21, 2014
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus including a first device configured to support at least one substrate thereon; and a first transport having the device connected thereto. The transport is configured to carry the device. The transport includes a plurality of supports which are movable relative to one another along a linear path; at least one magnetic bearing which at least partially couples the supports to one another. A first one of the magnetic bearings includes a first permanent magnet and a second magnet. The first permanent magnet is connected to a first one of the supports. A magnetic field adjuster is connected to the first support which is configured to move the first permanent magnet and/or vary influence of a magnetic field of the first permanent magnet relative to the second magnet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a vacuum chamber having a first environment;
a first voltage converter located outside of the vacuum chamber in a second environment;
a stationary power transfer member located inside the vacuum chamber and connected to the first voltage converter by a feedthrough which extends from the first voltage converter into the vacuum chamber;
an enclosure movably mounted inside the vacuum chamber for linear movement along the vacuum chamber, where the enclosure forms a third environment sealed from the first environment;
a movable power transfer member connected to the enclosure, where the movable power transfer member is configured to move with the enclosure when the enclosure is linearly moved along the vacuum chamber, where the movable power transfer member is configured and located relative to the stationary power transfer member to transfer power from the stationary power transfer member to the movable power transfer member;
a second voltage converter located inside the enclosure, where the enclosure seals the second voltage converter from the first environment inside the vacuum chamber;
a robot connected to the enclosure, where the robot has at least one movable arm and is configured to support at least one substrate thereon, where the robot is at least partially inside the enclosure in the third environment and at least partially outside of the enclosure in the first environment of the vacuum chamber;
where the second voltage converter is connected to at least one motor of the robot inside the third environment of the enclosure.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where the stationary power transfer member comprises a first capacitive interface, where the movable power transfer member comprises a second capacitive interface, where the first and second capacitive interfaces are sized, shaped and located relative to each other to provide a non-contacting capacitive power coupling.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 where the first and second capacitive interfaces are sized, shaped and located relative to each other to allow heat transfer between the first and second capacitive interfaces.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 where the capacitive interfaces comprise interleaved opposing surfaces configured to transfer heat to one another by radiation and convection as a function of pressure.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where the apparatus comprises:
at least one magnetic bearing which at least partially couples the enclosure with the vacuum chamber, where a first one of the magnetic bearings comprises a first permanent magnet and a second magnet, where the first permanent magnet is connected to a first support; and
a magnetic field adjuster connected to the first support which is configured to move the first permanent magnet and/or vary influence of a magnetic field of the first permanent magnet relative to the second magnet.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a first data communications link located outside of the vacuum chamber in the second environment;
a stationary communications feedthrough located inside the vacuum chamber and connected to the first data communications link, where the stationary communications feedthrough extends through a wall of the vacuum chamber into the vacuum chamber;
a movable communications feedthrough connected to the enclosure, where the movable communications feedthrough is configured to move with the enclosure when the enclosure is linearly moved along the vacuum chamber, where the movable communications feedthrough is configured and located relative to the stationary communications feedthrough to transfer data signals between the stationary communications feedthrough and the movable communications feedthrough as the enclosure moves in the vacuum chamber, where the movable communications feedthrough does not physically contact the stationary communications feedthrough;
a second data communications link located inside the enclosure, where the enclosure seals the second data communications link from the first environment inside the vacuum chamber;
where the second data communications link is connected to at least one sensor and/or motor controller inside the third environment of the enclosure, where the enclosure seals the second data communications link from the first environment inside the vacuum chamber.

7. An apparatus comprising:
a vacuum chamber having a first environment;
a first data communications link located outside of the vacuum chamber in a second environment;
a stationary communications feedthrough connected to a wall of the vacuum chamber, where the stationary communications feedthrough is coupled to the first data communications link;
an enclosure movably mounted inside the vacuum chamber for linear movement along the vacuum chamber, where the enclosure forms a third environment sealed from the first environment;
a movable communications feedthrough connected to the enclosure, where the movable communications feedthrough is configured to move with the enclosure when the enclosure is linearly moved along the vacuum chamber, where the movable communications feedthrough does not physically contact the stationary communications feedthrough;
a second data communications link located inside the enclosure and coupled to the movable communications feedthrough, where the movable communications feedthrough is configured and located relative to the stationary communications feedthrough to allow transfer of data signals through the stationary communications feedthrough and the movable communications feedthrough between the first data communications link and the second data communications link as the enclosure moves in the vacuum chamber;
a robot connected to the enclosure, where the robot comprises at least one movable arm and is configured to support at least one substrate thereon, where the robot is at least partially inside the enclosure in the third environment and at least partially outside of the enclosure in the first environment of the vacuum chamber;
where the second data communications link is coupled to at least one sensor and/or at least one motor controller inside the third environment of the enclosure, where the enclosure and the movable communications feedthrough at least partially seal the second data communications link from the first environment inside the vacuum chamber.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising:
a first voltage converter located outside of the vacuum chamber in the second environment;
a stationary power transfer member located inside the vacuum chamber and connected to the first voltage converter by a feedthrough which extends through a wall of the vacuum chamber;
a movable power transfer member connected to the enclosure, where the movable power transfer member is configured to move with the enclosure when the enclosure is moved along the vacuum chamber, where the movable power transfer member is configured and located relative to the stationary power transfer member to transfer power from the stationary power transfer member to the movable power transfer member;
a second voltage converter located inside the enclosure, where the enclosure seals the second voltage converter from the first environment inside the vacuum chamber,
where the second voltage converter is connected to at least one electrical component inside the third environment of the enclosure and sealed from the first environment by the enclosure.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 where the stationary power transfer member comprises a first capacitive interface, where the movable power transfer member comprises a second capacitive interface, where the first and

Assignees

• Persimmon Tech Corporation

Inventors

• Hofmeister Christopher
• Hosek Martin

Classifications

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/3204 Primary

  using magnetic elements · CPC title

• H02J50/90

  involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment · CPC title

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• H02J50/12

  of the resonant type · CPC title