Robot for simultaneous substrate transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11948817-B2
Application number	US-202217965491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2022
Priority date	Jul 12, 2019
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a transfer region housing defining an internal volume. A sidewall of the transfer region housing may define a sealable access for providing and receiving substrates. The systems may include a plurality of substrate supports disposed within the transfer region. The systems may also include a transfer apparatus having a central hub including a first shaft and a second shaft concentric with and counter-rotatable to the first shaft. The transfer apparatus may include a first end effector coupled with the first shaft. The first end effector may include a plurality of first arms. The transfer apparatus may also include a second end effector coupled with the second shaft. The second end effector may include a plurality of second arms having a number of second arms equal to the number of first arms of the first end effector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A substrate processing system comprising:
a transfer region housing defining a transfer region, wherein a sidewall of the transfer region housing defines a sealable access for providing and receiving substrates;
a plurality of substrate supports disposed within the transfer region; and
a transfer apparatus comprising:
a central hub including a first shaft and a second shaft extending about and concentric with the first shaft, wherein the second shaft is counter-rotatable with the first shaft,
a first end effector coupled with the first shaft, the first end effector comprising a plurality of first arms having a number of first arms equal to a number of substrate supports of the plurality of substrate supports, wherein:
the first end effector further comprises a plurality of first end pieces; and
each first end piece of the plurality of first end pieces comprises a first contact member that engages a lateral surface of a substrate and does not include a horizontally extending shelf, and

a second end effector coupled with the second shaft, the second end effector comprising a plurality of second arms having a number of second arms equal to the number of first arms of the first end effector, wherein:
the second end effector further comprises a plurality of second end pieces; and
each second end piece of the plurality of second end pieces comprises a second contact member that engages the lateral surface of the substrate.

2. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each first contact member comprises a roller.

3. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
each first contact member comprises an electrically conductive material;
each first contact member is coupled with one or more electrical leads; and
each first contact member generates an electrostatic force to engage the substrate.

4. The substrate processing system of claim 3 , wherein the one of more electrical leads extend through the first shaft.

5. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each first contact member and each second contact member extend vertically to a similar plane extending orthogonally to the central hub.

6. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the first end effector and the second end effector are vertically offset relative to one another along the central hub.

7. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each first end piece of the plurality of first end pieces comprises a spring loaded plunger that is coupled with a respective one of the first contact members.

8. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each first end piece is configured to releasably engage an edge of a substrate against a corresponding second end piece.

9. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the central hub is vertically translatable along a central axis of the central hub.

10. A method of transferring a substrate, the method comprising:
receiving a substrate at a first substrate support within a transfer region of a substrate processing system, the substrate processing system including a transfer apparatus comprising:
a central hub including a first shaft and a second shaft extending about and concentric with the first shaft,
a first end effector coupled with the first shaft, the first end effector comprising a plurality of first arms, wherein:
the first end effector further comprises a plurality of first end pieces; and
each first end piece of the plurality of first end pieces comprises a first contact member that engages a lateral surface of a substrate, and

a second end effector coupled with the second shaft, the second end effector comprising a plurality of second arms having a number of second arms equal to a number of first arms of the first end effector, wherein:
the second end effector further comprises a plurality of second end pieces; and
each second end piece of the plurality of second end pieces comprises a second contact member that engages the lateral surface of the substrate;

rotating the first shaft in a first direction about a central axis of the central hub;
rotating the second shaft in a second direction about the central axis of the central hub;
applying a force against a lateral surface of the substrate with the first contact member, engaging the lateral surface of the substrate with the first contact member of a first respective arm of the plurality first arms and the second contact member of a second respective arm of the plurality of second arms;
co-rotating the first respective arm and the second respective arm about the central axis to reposition the substrate; and
delivering the substrate to a second substrate support of the substrate processing system.

11. The method of transferring a substrate of claim 10 , further comprising disengaging the substrate from the transfer apparatus by rotating the first shaft in the second direction about the central axis and rotating the second shaft in the first direction about the central axis.

12. The method of transferring a substrate of claim 10 , further comprising, subsequent engaging the substrate, lifting the substrate from the first substrate support by translating the transfer apparatus vertically within the transfer region.

13. The method of transferring a substrate of claim 10 , further comprising, subsequent engaging the substrate, recessing the first substrate support from the substrate.

14. The method of transferring a substrate of claim 10 , wherein engaging the lateral surface of the substrate comprises applying an electrostatic force to the substrate via the first contact member of the first respective arm.

15. The method of transferring a substrate of claim 14 , wherein the lateral surface of the substrate comprises using a spring-loaded plunger coupled with the first contact member of the first respective arm to mechanically force the lateral surface of the substrate against the second contact member of the second respective arm.

16. The method of transferring a substrate of claim 10 , wherein the substrate processing system includes at least four substrates, and wherein engaging the substrate comprises simultaneously engaging the at least four substrates with the first end effector and the second end effector.

17. The method of transferring a substrate of claim 10 , further comprising, prior to delivering the substrate to the second substrate support, delivering the substrate to an alignment hub positioned between the first substrate support and the second substrate support.

18. A substrate processing system comprising:
a transfer region housing defining a transfer region, wherein a sidewall of the transfer region housing defines a sealable access for providing and receiving substrates;
a plurality of substrate supports disposed within the transfer region; and
a transfer apparatus comprising:
a central hub including a first shaft and a second shaft extending about and concentric with the first shaft, wherein the second shaft is independently rotatable from the first shaft,
a first end effector coupled with the first shaft, the first end effector comprising a plurality of first arms extending radially outward from the central hub to a distal end of each first arm of the plurality of first arms, wherein:
each first arm is characterized by an arcuate shape extending along a first arc path to the distal end of each first arm;
the first end effector further comprises a plurality of first end pieces; and
each first end piece of the plurality of first end pieces comprises a first

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Carlson Charles T
• Schaller Jason M
• Bonecutter Luke
• Blahnik David

Classifications

• H10P72/0454

  surrounding a central transfer chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/7602 Primary

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/50

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title

• H10P72/0464 Primary

  characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/7612

  characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins · CPC title