Robot with integrated aligner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9299598-B2
Application number	US-201314139362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

A robot with an integrated aligner is provided that allows for the alignment of a semiconductor wafer while the semiconductor wafer transits between multiple stations. The robot with an integrated aligner may contain a rotational wafer support configured to rotate and/or translate, one or multiple robotic arms, and a sensor. The robot may pick and place the semiconductor wafer with the robotic arm from or into a station and from or onto the rotational wafer support. The robot may be configured to rotate the semiconductor wafer into a desired orientation when the semiconductor wafer is on the rotational wafer support. The rotation of the semiconductor wafer into a desired orientation may be aided the sensor. The robot may have a positioning mechanism which moves it between different positions in a semiconductor tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a base configured to be installed in a semiconductor tool;
a rotatable wafer support configured to rotate about a rotational axis, wherein:
the rotatable wafer support is directly or indirectly supported by the base, and
the rotatable wafer support is configured to support a semiconductor wafer such that the semiconductor wafer is substantially centered on the rotational axis;

a first robotic arm, including:
a first end rotatably connected to the base,
a second end configured to support the semiconductor wafer,
a first link connected to the base,
a second link connected to the first link,
a first pivot joint, and
a second pivot joint; and

a positioning mechanism configured to translate the base, including the first robotic arm and the rotatable wafer support, from a first position to a second position, wherein:
the rotatable wafer support is separate from the second end,
the first robotic arm is configured to place the semiconductor wafer on the rotatable wafer support,
the rotatable wafer support is configured to rotate the semiconductor wafer after the semiconductor wafer is placed on the rotatable wafer support,
the first pivot joint provides for rotational motion of the first link with respect to the base about a first pivot rotational axis,
the second pivot joint provides for rotational motion of the second link with respect to the first link about a second pivot rotational axis, and
a first link distance between the first pivot rotational axis and the second pivot rotational axis is less than a second link distance between the second pivot rotational axis and a wafer reference axis, the wafer reference axis defined as being coaxial with a wafer center axis of the semiconductor wafer when the semiconductor wafer is supported by the second end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first robotic arm is a multi-link arm.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the multi-link arm includes at least two links and the two links are configured to be at an acute angle with respect to one another when the first robotic arm is in position for placing the semiconductor wafer on the rotatable wafer support.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to determine when the semiconductor wafer is in an aligned position on the rotatable wafer support.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable wafer support translation mechanism configured to translate the rotatable wafer support relative to the base in a plane substantially normal to the rotational axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second robotic arm.

7. An apparatus comprising:
a positioning mechanism;
a base, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to move the base between a plurality of positions within the apparatus;
a rotatable wafer support configured to rotate about a rotational axis, wherein the rotatable wafer support:
is directly or indirectly supported by the base,
moves with the base, and
is configured to support a semiconductor wafer; and

a first robotic arm, including:
a first end rotationally connected to the base;
a second end configured to support the semiconductor wafer;
a first link connected to the base;
a second link connected to the first link;
a first pivot joint; and
a second pivot joint, wherein:
the first robotic arm is configured to place the semiconductor wafer on the rotatable wafer support such that the semiconductor wafer is substantially centered on the rotational axis,
the rotatable wafer support is configured to rotate the semiconductor wafer after the semiconductor wafer is placed on the rotatable wafer support,
the rotatable wafer support is separate from the second end,
the first pivot joint provides for rotational motion of the first link with respect to the base about a first pivot rotational axis,
the second pivot joint provides for rotational motion of the second link with respect to the first link about a second pivot rotational axis, and
a first link distance between the first pivot rotational axis and the second pivot rotational axis is less than a second link distance between the second pivot rotational axis and a wafer reference axis, the wafer reference axis defined as being coaxial with a wafer center axis of the semiconductor wafer when the semiconductor wafer is supported by the second end.

8. The apparatus in claim 7 , wherein the first robotic arm is a multi-link arm.

9. The apparatus in claim 8 , wherein the multi-link arm includes at least two links and the two links are configured to be at an acute angle with respect to one another when the first robotic arm is in position for placing the semiconductor wafer on the rotatable wafer support.

10. The apparatus in claim 7 , wherein the positioning, mechanism further comprises a track guide.

11. An apparatus comprising:
a first location;
a second location;
a base;
a rotatable wafer support directly or indirectly supported by the base, wherein the rotatable wafer support is configured to support a semiconductor wafer;
a first robotic arm, including:
a first end rotationally connected to the base,
a second end configured to support the semiconductor wafer,
a first link connected to the base,
a second link connected to the first link,
a first pivot joint, and
a second pivot joint; and

a controller with one or more processors and a memory, wherein the one or more processors, the memory, the first robotic arm, and the rotatable wafer support are communicatively coupled and the memory stores program instructions for controlling the one or more processors to:
cause the first robotic arm to pick the semiconductor wafer from the first location,
cause the first robotic arm to place the semiconductor wafer on the rotatable water support,
cause the rotatable wafer support to align the semiconductor wafer after the semiconductor wafer is placed on the rotatable wafer support by rotating the rotatable wafer support,
cause the first robotic arm to pick the semiconductor wafer from the rotatable wafer support after the semiconductor wafer has been aligned, and
cause the first robotic arm to place the semiconductor wafer into the second location, wherein:
the rotatable wafer support is separate from the second end,
the base, including the first robotic arm and the rotatable wafer support, is configured to be movable between different positions within the apparatus,
the first pivot joint provides for rotational motion of the first link with respect to the base about a first pivot rotational axis,
the second pivot joint provides for rotational motion of the second link with respect to the first link about a second pivot rotational axis, and
a first link distance between the first pivot rotational axis and the second pivot rotational axis is less than a second link distance between the second pivot rotational axis and a wafer reference axis, the wafer reference axis defined as being coaxial with a wafer center axis of the semiconductor wafer when the semiconductor wafer is supported by the second end.

12. The apparatus in claim 11 , wherein the first location is a semiconductor wafer cassette.

13. The apparatus in claim 11 , wherein the second location is a load-lock.

14. The apparatus in claim 11 , wherein the memory further comprises program instructions for controlling the one or more processors to:
cause the base to move from a first position to a second position; and
cause the base to move from the second position to the first position.

15. The ap

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp
• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Blank Richard M

Classifications

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/50 Primary

  for positioning, orientation or alignment · CPC title

• H01L21/68 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y10S414/136

  including wafer orienting means · CPC title

• H01L21/67742

  Electricity · mapped topic