Substrate transport and alignment equipment

Abstract

This invention relates to a substrate conveying and alignment device, suitable for conveying and aligning a square substrate. It includes a conveying cavity, at least one processing cavity, and at least one infeed / outfeed cavity, wherein the conveying cavity connects the processing cavity and the infeed / outfeed cavity. A robotic arm is located within the conveying cavity and is used to move the substrate along a radial path and a circumferential path around a rotation axis, thereby transferring the substrate between the conveying cavity, the processing cavity, and the infeed / outfeed cavity. A first sensing unit and a second sensing unit are disposed on the radial path, and a third sensing unit is located on the circumferential path. The third sensing unit receives sensing data transmitted by the first, second, and third sensing units through a controller to determine the substrate's skewness data.

Claims

1. A substrate conveying and alignment device, comprising: One delivery cavity; At least one processing chamber is connected to the delivery chamber; At least one inlet / outlet chamber connected to the conveying chamber; a robotic arm located within the conveying chamber, the robotic arm including a rotating shaft and used to drive a substrate to move along a radial path and a circumferential path along the rotating shaft, so as to transfer the substrate between the conveying chamber, the processing chamber and the inlet / outlet chamber; at least one first sensing unit and at least one second sensing unit for sensing the substrate displaced along the radial path; at least one third sensing unit located within the conveying chamber for sensing the substrate displaced along the circumferential path; and a controller coupled to the first sensing unit, the second sensing unit and the third sensing unit, wherein the controller calculates a skew data of the substrate based on the sensing data transmitted by the first sensing unit, the second sensing unit and the third sensing unit.

2. The substrate conveying and alignment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying cavity includes a plurality of connecting gates and the processing cavity and the inlet / outlet cavity are connected through the plurality of connecting gates, the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit are located at the connecting gates and are used to sense the substrate passing through the connecting gates, and the third sensing unit is used to sense the displacement of the substrate in the conveying cavity.

3. The substrate transport and alignment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to the robotic arm and controls the robotic arm to adjust the position of the substrate based on the skew data of the substrate.

4. The substrate transport and alignment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is square, the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit are used to sense a first sensing point and a second sensing point of the substrate, and the third sensing unit is used to sense a third sensing point of the substrate.

5. The substrate transport and alignment device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller calculates a center of the substrate based on the first sensing point, the second sensing point and the third sensing point.

6. The substrate transport and alignment apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller calculates radial skew data of the substrate from the first sensing point and the second sensing point.

7. The substrate transport and alignment apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller calculates the skew data of the substrate from the radial skew data and the third sensing point.

8. The substrate transport and alignment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third sensing unit includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit being disposed on a first sidewall of the transport cavity, and a reflecting unit being disposed on a second sidewall of the transport cavity, the transmitting unit being used to project a light beam onto the reflecting unit, and the receiving unit being used to receive the light beam reflected by the reflecting unit.

9. The substrate transport and alignment apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third sensing unit includes a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, the transmitting unit being disposed on a first sidewall of the transport cavity, the receiving unit being disposed on a second sidewall of the transport cavity, the transmitting unit being used to generate a light beam, and the receiving unit being used to receive the light beam generated by the transmitting unit.

10. The substrate transport and alignment apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one mounting hole is provided on the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the transport cavity, and the transmitting unit and the receiving unit of the third sensing unit are respectively disposed in the mounting holes on the first sidewall and the second sidewall via an adapter.

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