Substrate transfer robot with chamber and substrate monitoring capability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9691650-B2
Application number	US-89028110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2010
Priority date	Sep 29, 2009
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a transfer robot that having at least one image sensor disposed thereon is provided. The transfer robot includes a lift assembly having a first drive assembly for moving a first platform relative to a second platform in a first linear direction, an end effector assembly disposed on the second platform and movable in a second linear direction by a second drive assembly, the second linear direction being orthogonal to the first linear direction, at least one image sensor, and a lighting device associated with the at least one image sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transfer robot for use in a vacuum environment, the transfer robot comprising:
a lift assembly having a first drive assembly for moving a first platform relative to a second platform in a first linear direction;
an end effector assembly disposed on the second platform and movable in a second linear direction by a second drive assembly, the second linear direction being orthogonal to the first linear direction, wherein the end effector assembly comprises two independently movable end effector modules;
a plurality of hermetically sealed conduits movably coupled between the first platform and the second platform and coupled to the end effector assembly;
a first image sensor coupled to the lift assembly in a position below the end effector modules, wherein the end effector modules are movable relative to the first image sensor; and
a lighting device associated with the first image sensor.

2. The transfer robot of claim 1 , further comprising a second image sensor that is coupled to and movable with the end effector assembly.

3. The transfer robot of claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor is coupled to and movable with the second platform.

4. The transfer robot of claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor comprises a hermetically sealed enclosure.

5. The transfer robot of claim 4 , wherein the enclosure includes a plurality of fluid channels formed therein.

6. The transfer robot of claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor comprises an actuator to move the image sensor relative to the transfer robot.

7. The transfer robot of claim 1 , wherein the end effector assembly comprises a wrist and a plurality of fingers extending from the wrist, and a second image sensor is coupled to the wrist.

8. The transfer robot of claim 1 , wherein each end effector module comprises a wrist and a plurality of fingers extending from the wrist.

9. The transfer robot of claim 8 , wherein each of the end effector modules include a second image sensor.

10. The transfer robot of claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor comprises a scanner.

11. The transfer robot of claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor comprises a linear scanner sized to scan the entire width of a substrate disposed on the end effector assembly.

12. A transfer robot for use in a vacuum environment, comprising:
a lift assembly comprising a first base rotatably coupled to a second base;
a plurality of support members coupling the second base to a platform;
a first drive assembly for moving the platform relative to the second base in a first linear direction;
a plurality of hermetically sealed fluid conduits movably coupled between the second base and the platform with rotatable vacuum seals at points of movement of the plurality of support members;
an end effector assembly disposed on the platform and movable in a second linear direction by a second drive assembly, the second linear direction being substantially orthogonal to the first linear direction; and
a first image sensor coupled to one end of the platform in a position below the end effector assembly.

13. The transfer robot of claim 12 , wherein the first image sensor is disposed in an enclosure.

14. The transfer robot of claim 13 , wherein the enclosure includes a plurality of fluid channels disposed therein.

15. The transfer robot of claim 12 , wherein the first image sensor is movable in a third linear direction, the third linear direction being substantially orthogonal to the first linear direction.

16. The transfer robot of claim 12 , wherein a second image sensor is coupled to and movable with the end effector assembly.

17. The transfer robot of claim 12 , wherein the end effector assembly comprises at least two stacked and independently movable end effector modules, each end effector module comprising a wrist and a plurality of fingers extending from the wrist.

18. The transfer robot of claim 17 , wherein each of the end effector modules include a second image sensor.

19. The transfer robot of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of support members further comprise:
a first pair of support members having a first end rotatably coupled to the second base and a second end coupled to the platform by a first linear assembly; and
a second pair of support members rotatably coupled to the platform and a second end coupled to the second base by a second linear assembly, the first pair and second pair of support members coupled together at a center thereof, and the first drive assembly provides a motive force to the plurality of support members to change the angle of the second pair of support members relative to the first pair of support members to move the platform in the first linear direction.

20. The transfer robot of claim 12 , wherein the first image sensor comprises a scanner.

21. The transfer robot of claim 12 , wherein the first image sensor comprises a linear scanner sized to scan the entire width of a substrate disposed on the end effector assembly.

22. A method for transferring a substrate from a transfer chamber to a processing chamber, the method comprising:
providing a substrate on an end effector module disposed on a robot in the transfer chamber at vacuum pressures;
transferring the substrate along a travel path through an opening between a processing chamber and the transfer chamber;
viewing a lower surface of the substrate using an image sensor and lighting devices disposed on the robot as the substrate is transferred to the processing chamber; and
flowing a coolant through hermetically sealed conduits disposed on the robot to maintain a temperature of the end effector module and the image sensor to be less than a temperature of the substrate.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the image sensor is disposed in a housing having a pressure that is greater than a pressure in the transfer chamber.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the image sensor is disposed in a housing that is in communication with a cooling fluid source.

Assignees

• Kurita Shinichi
• Matsumoto Takayuki
• Anwar Suhail
• Inagawa Makoto
• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Kurita Shinichi
• Matsumoto Takayuki
• Anwar Suhail
• Inagawa Makoto

Classifications

• H10P72/0606

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

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H01L21/67742 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L21/67259

  Electricity · mapped topic