Patent · US Active

Position sensor system for substrate transfer robot

US8041450B2 · kind B2 · utility

507Cited by
64References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 4, 2007
Grant dateOct 18, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 17, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/68707
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate handling chamber, a pair of position sensors, and a substrate transfer robot. Each of the sensors comprises an emitter configured to emit a beam of light, and a receiver configured to receive the light beam. The substrate transfer robot comprises an end effector and a robot actuator. The end effector is configured to hold a substrate such that the substrate has a same expected position with respect to the end effector every time the substrate is held. The robot actuator is configured to move the end effector within the handling chamber to transfer substrates among a plurality of substrate stations. An edge of a substrate held in the expected position by the end effector can partially block a light beam of one of the position sensors, while another end of the end effector partially blocks a light beam of the other position sensor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.