Nesting atmospheric robot arms for high throughput

Abstract

This paper discloses a plurality of nested wafer handling robotic arms for moving semiconductor wafers between various wafer placement positions within a semiconductor processing tool. These nested wafer handling robotic arms can be configured such that each nested wafer handler can translate along a translation system and pick up and place wafers, regardless of the actions that other wafer handlers may be performing. Two wafer handling robotic arms can be configured in a nested configuration, allowing each wafer handling robot to simultaneously pick up or place wafers from a plurality of wafer placement positions, one of which is directly above the others.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a nested atmospheric robotic arm. Prior Technology

[0002] Semiconductor wafer handling tools may have a device front-end module assembly (EFEM) for transferring wafers from storage containers (e.g., front-open universal (or unified) wafer cassettes (FOUPs)) to processing chambers. The EFEM may have one or more wafer storage containers and one or more processing chamber loading ports, such as load lock chambers. A load lock chamber is a chamber that changes pressure to match the pressure of the wafer as it is transferred in and out. In some embodiments, the load lock chamber may have a single placement location for holding the wafer. In some other embodiments, the load lock chamber may have multiple wafer placement locations for holding multiple wafers. During wafer handling, the load lock chamber may wait for a wafer to be placed into each of these wafer placement locations before pressurizing the load lock chamber. In most cases, the EFEM may include a wafer handling robot for transferring wafers between storage containers, load lock chambers, and / or other locations. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In some embodiments, an apparatus for transferring wafers in a semiconductor processing tool may be provided. The apparatus may include: a first wafer handling robot arm; a second wafer handling robot arm; and a linear translation system configured to interface with the first and second wafer handling robot arms. The first and second wafer handling robot arms may each have a corresponding base. The apparatus may be configured to drive the bases independently back and forth along a horizontal translation axis, at least between a nested configuration and a non-nested configuration. The linear translation system, the first wafer handling robot arm, and the second wafer handling robot arm may be configured such that the base of the first wafer handling robot arm can be moved by the linear translation system along the translation axis through a first region and a second region, but not through a third region; and that the base of the second wafer handling robot arm can be moved by the linear translation system through the second and third regions, but not through the first region. The second region is located between the first and third regions.

[0004] In some embodiments of the device, the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm may each further include: a corresponding end effector; and two or more corresponding robot arm links, wherein the two or more corresponding robot arm links include at least (a) a corresponding first robot arm link having a corresponding first end and a corresponding second end, wherein the first end of the corresponding first robot arm link is rotatably connected to the corresponding base via a corresponding first rotary joint, such that the corresponding first robot arm link can rotate relative to the corresponding base about a corresponding first axis; and (b) a corresponding second robot arm link having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the corresponding second robot arm link is rotatably connected to the corresponding end effector via a corresponding second rotary joint, such that the corresponding end effector can rotate relative to the corresponding second robot arm link about a corresponding second axis.

[0005] In some embodiments of the device, the corresponding base of the first wafer handling robot arm and the corresponding base of the second wafer handling robot arm may each have a corresponding vertical drive mechanism, wherein the vertical drive mechanism is configured to drive the corresponding end effector to move along an axis parallel to the corresponding first axis.

[0006] In some embodiments of the device, the linear translation system may include a first set of linear guides, and both the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm may be movably connected to the first set of linear guides.

[0007] In some embodiments of the device, the linear translation system may have a first set of linear guides and a second set of linear guides, the first wafer handling robot arm may be movably connected to the first set of linear guides, and the second wafer handling robot arm may be movably connected to the second set of linear guides.

[0008] In some embodiments of the device, the bottom surface of the end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm may face the top surface of the second robot arm link of the first wafer handling robot arm.

[0009] In some embodiments of the device, the top surface of the end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm may face the bottom surface of the second robot arm link of the second wafer handling robot arm.

[0010] In some embodiments of the device, the substrate support surface of the end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm may be higher than the top surface of the first robot arm link of the first wafer handling robot arm by a first distance, and the substrate support surface of the end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm may be higher than the top surface of the first robot arm link of the second wafer handling robot arm by a second distance. The difference between the first distance and the second distance may be 10 mm ± 1 mm.

[0011] In some implementations of this device, each wafer handling robot arm may have a corresponding second end effector.

[0012] In some embodiments of the device, the device may further include a controller, wherein the controller has one or more memory devices and the one or more memory devices are communicatively connected to one or more processors.

[0013] In some embodiments of the device, the controller can be configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm to move at least between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the first and second wafer handling robot arms can be positioned such that the end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm is directly above the end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm, and the first axis of the second wafer handling robot arm is separated from the first axis of the first wafer handling robot arm by a first distance. In the second configuration, the first and second wafer handling robot arms can be positioned such that the end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm is separated from the end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm by a horizontal distance, and the first axis of the second wafer handling robot arm is separated from the first axis of the first wafer handling robot arm by a second distance, and the second distance can be greater than the first distance.

[0014] In some embodiments of the device, in the first configuration, the substrate support surface of the end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm may be 10 mm ± 1 mm lower than the substrate support surface of the end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm.

[0015] In some embodiments of the device, the controller can be configured to drive the linear translation system to move the corresponding base of one of the wafer handling robotic arms along the translation axis, while the corresponding base of the other wafer handling robotic arm remains stationary relative to the linear translation system.

[0016] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be configured to drive the linear translation system to move the corresponding base of the first wafer handling robot arm along the translation axis and in a first direction, and to drive the linear translation system to move the corresponding base of the second wafer handling robot arm along the translation axis and in a second direction.

[0017] In some embodiments of the device, the first direction and the second direction can be the same direction.

[0018] In some embodiments of the device, when the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm translate along a linear translation axis, the first axis of the first wafer handling robot arm and the first axis of the second wafer handling robot arm are kept separated by a first interval distance.

[0019] In some embodiments of the device, the first direction and the second direction can be different directions.

[0020] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up the first substrate from the first wafer placement position, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to pick up the second substrate from the second wafer placement position at the same time, wherein the first wafer placement position is located above or below the second wafer placement position.

[0021] In some embodiments of the device, the controller can be configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up the first substrate from the first wafer placement position, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to pick up the second substrate from the second wafer placement position at the same time, wherein the second wafer placement position is spaced horizontally from the first wafer placement position.

[0022] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate at the third wafer placement position, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate at the fourth wafer placement position, wherein the third wafer placement position is located above or below the fourth wafer placement position.

[0023] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate at the third wafer placement position, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate at the fourth wafer placement position, wherein the third wafer placement position is spaced a horizontal distance from the fourth wafer placement position.

[0024] In some embodiments of the device, the device may further include three or more loading ports and two or more load lock chambers. The three or more loading ports may be located on a first side of the linear translation system, and the two or more load lock chambers may be located on a second side of the linear translation system opposite to the first side, and the three or more loading ports may be configured to receive corresponding front-opening general purpose wafer cassettes.

[0025] In some embodiments of the device, the device may further include two or more aligners, wherein each aligner is located above a corresponding load lock chamber.

[0026] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up the first substrate from the first front-opening universal wafer cassette, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to pick up the second substrate from the first front-opening universal wafer cassette simultaneously.

[0027] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up the first substrate from the first front-opening universal wafer cassette, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to pick up the second substrate from the second front-opening universal wafer cassette simultaneously.

[0028] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate into the first load lock chamber, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate into the second load lock chamber.

[0029] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate on the first alignment device, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate on the second alignment device.

[0030] In some embodiments of the device, the controller may be further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate in the load lock chamber, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate on the alignment device.

[0031] In some embodiments of the device, the linear translation system can be a linkage-based translation system, wherein the linkage-based translation system has a first linkage group and a second linkage group, the first linkage group being connected to and supporting the base of the first wafer handling robot arm, and the second linkage group being connected to and supporting the base of the second wafer handling robot arm.

[0032] In some embodiments of the device, the linkage-based translation system may have a base, and each linkage group may have at least (a) a corresponding first link having a corresponding first end and a corresponding second end, wherein the first end of the corresponding first link is rotatably connected to the base of the linkage-based translation system via a corresponding first rotary joint, such that the corresponding first link can rotate relative to the base of the linkage-based translation system about a corresponding first axis; and (b) a corresponding second link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the corresponding second link is rotatably connected to the second end of the corresponding first link, and the second end of the corresponding second link is rotatably connected to the base of one of the wafer handling robotic arms via a corresponding rotary joint, such that the corresponding wafer handling robotic arm can rotate relative to the corresponding second link about a corresponding second axis.

[0033] In some embodiments of the device, the linkage-based translation system can be configured such that the second end of each second link is restricted to moving along the translation axis.

[0034] In some embodiments of the device, the linkage-based translation system can be configured such that the second end system of each second link is restricted to moving along a translation plane, wherein the translation plane is perpendicular to the first axes. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0035] Figure 1 shows a top view of an exemplary device front-end module.

[0036] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an exemplary nested wafer handling robot arm mounted on a translation system.

[0037] Figure 3 shows a top view of an exemplary wafer handling robot arm.

[0038] Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary nested wafer handling robot arm mounted on a translation system and in a nested configuration.

[0039] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an example of a wafer handling robotic arm.

[0040] Figure 6 shows an example of a translation system with a single set of linear guides.

[0041] Figure 7 shows an example of a translation system with two sets of linear guides.

[0042] Figures 8A to 8D illustrate schematic diagrams of a nested wafer handling robot arm located on a translation system after various translations.

[0043] Figure 9 illustrates a side view of an exemplary nested wafer handling robot arm in a nested configuration performing wafer picking.

[0044] Figure 10 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary nested wafer handling robotic arm mounted on a translation system.

[0045] Figure 11 illustrates another perspective view of an exemplary nested wafer handling robotic arm mounted on a translation system.

[0046] Figure 12 shows a perspective view of another example of a nested wafer handling robot arm mounted on a translation system.

[0047] Figure 13 illustrates this example of the nested wafer handling robot arm of Figure 12 in different configurations.

[0048] Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary device front-end module with a nested wafer handling robotic arm. Implementation

[0049] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the presented embodiments. The embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, conventional processing operations have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosed embodiments. While the disclosed embodiments will be described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it will be understood that these specific embodiments are not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments.

[0050] As semiconductor wafer processing tools continue to improve, yield (the number of wafers that such tools can process in a given time period) continues to be the benchmark for tool rating. A significant factor affecting tool yield is the time spent transferring wafers between different locations within the tool; in particular, wafer transfers within the Equipment Front-End Module (EFEM) can cause significant delays. This document provides a device with a nested wafer handling robot arm that can be used to improve wafer transfer efficiency and tool yield. In some embodiments, the device can be used to simultaneously transfer multiple wafers from a first location corresponding to each wafer to a second location corresponding to each wafer. By using a nested wafer handling robot arm, semiconductor wafer processing tools reduce the waiting time required for wafer transfer and allow the tool to significantly improve semiconductor processing time.

[0051] Figure 1 shows an example of an EFEM 102, a semiconductor wafer handling tool. Multiple nested wafer handling arms 103 are located within the EFEM 102. The nested wafer handling arms 103 are connected to a linear translation system 104. The nested wafer handling arms 103 consist of two wafer handling arms: a first wafer handling arm 106 and a second wafer handling arm 108. Located on the outside of the EFEM 102 are loading ports 110 that can accommodate wafer storage units, namely front-opening universal wafer cassettes (FOUPs) 112. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, there are four loading ports 110, each with a corresponding FOUP 112. In other embodiments, multiple loading ports may exist. The EFEM 102 may have multiple load lock chambers 114 opposite the loading ports 110. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two load lock chambers 114, each with a corresponding aligner 116 on its top. In some embodiments, EFEM 102 may have a single load lock chamber 114. FIG1 also features a controller 170, which has one or more processors 172 and a memory 174, which will be further described below.

[0052] Generally, EFEM 102 is the front end of the semiconductor processing tool and is an environment with atmospheric pressure or close to atmospheric pressure. Load port 110, FOUP 112, and nested wafer handling robotic arms 103 are located in the atmospheric environment. Load lock chamber 114 transfers semiconductor wafers between EFEM 102 and the processing chamber, which typically has a pressure below atmospheric pressure. Load lock chamber 114 can be bidirectional (accommodating both incoming and outgoing wafers) or unidirectional (accommodating only incoming or outgoing wafers). During the transfer of wafers between the atmospheric environment and the processing chamber, the load lock chamber can change the pressure within it. For example, when a semiconductor wafer to be processed is transferred from FOUP to the processing chamber, one of the wafer handling robotic arms 103 will transfer the semiconductor wafer to load lock chamber 114. Once the semiconductor wafer is in load lock chamber 114, the load lock chamber will change its internal pressure from atmospheric pressure to the pressure of the connected chamber. In some embodiments, the connected chamber is a transfer chamber. In some embodiments, the connected chamber is a processing chamber. A semiconductor wafer is transferred from the load lock chamber 114 to the connected chamber when the internal pressure of the load lock chamber matches the pressure of the connected chamber. In embodiments where the connected chamber is a transfer chamber, the semiconductor wafer can be transferred to the processing chamber via the transfer chamber. A similar process is performed when transferring the semiconductor wafer from the processing chamber to the atmosphere. The load lock chamber 114 can become a bottleneck in wafer yield because the semiconductor wafer must remain in the load lock chamber when the pressure changes. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, multiple wafers may be present, and these wafer systems can be transferred simultaneously through the load lock chamber 114. This can be used to increase wafer yield because multiple wafers can be transferred simultaneously from the atmosphere to the processing chamber, or from the processing chamber to the atmosphere, via the load lock chamber 114. In these embodiments, sequentially placing wafers into and sequentially removing wafers from the load lock chamber 114 slows down yield because the chamber must wait additional time for wafer loading before the internal pressure of the load lock chamber can be changed. A nested wafer handling robot arm 103 can be used to allow wafer pick-up and placement operations for locations within the EFEM 102 (e.g., load lock chamber 114) to be performed in parallel, potentially improving wafer yield.

[0053] In some embodiments, the nested wafer handling robot 103 and the linear translation system 104 can be used in a vacuum transfer module (not shown). The vacuum transfer module can be connected to two or more wafer processing modules. In some embodiments, the vacuum transfer module can also be connected to one or more load lock chambers, wherein the load lock chambers are configured to transfer wafers from the vacuum transfer module to the EFEM. The nested wafer handling robot 103 and the linear translation system can be used to increase wafer throughput because multiple wafers can be transferred simultaneously between wafer processing modules and / or load lock chambers by means of the nested wafer handling robot.

[0054] Figure 2 shows an isometric view of a nested wafer handling robot arm 203 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The nested wafer handling robot arm 203 can be used as the nested wafer handling robot arm 103 shown in Figure 1. The nested wafer handling robot arm 203 includes two wafer handling robots, namely a first wafer handling robot arm 206 and a second wafer handling robot arm 208. Each wafer handling robot arm has a base 218, a robot arm link, and an end effector 220. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, each wafer handling robot arm (206 and 208) has a corresponding base 218, a corresponding first arm link 222, a corresponding second arm link 224, and an end effector 220. In some embodiments, one or more wafer handling robot arms may have dual end effectors (not shown). Figure 3 shows examples of wafer handling robotic arms 307a-307c (collectively referred to as 307) that can be used in the nested wafer handling robotic arm 203, but other examples not shown are also possible. A first example of wafer handling robotic arm 307a has dual end effectors 320a and 320b. Wafer handling robotic arm 307a has two arm links, a first arm link 322 and a second arm link 324. Dual end effectors 320a and 320b are attached to the second arm link 324; however, in some embodiments, only a single end effector may be attached to the second arm link 324. In some embodiments, dual end effectors can be used to carry multiple wafers simultaneously. In some other embodiments, the first end effector 320a can be used to carry wafers to be processed, while the second end effector 320b can be used to carry processed wafers.

[0055] A second example 307b of the wafer handling robot shows a wafer handling robot with a single end effector 320 and three arm links. The first arm link 322 is rotatably connected to the base 318. The second arm link 324 is rotatably connected to the first arm link 322. The third arm link 325 is rotatably connected to the second arm link 324. The end effector 320 is rotatably connected to the third arm link 325. Compared to the wafer handling robot with two arm links shown in Figure 2, the third arm link 325 can be used to extend the reach of the wafer handling robot and give the robot more degrees of freedom.

[0056] Similarly, a third example 307c of a wafer handling robot arm shows a wafer handling robot arm with a single end effector 320 and four arm links. A first arm link 322 is rotatably connected to a base 318. A second arm link 324 is rotatably connected to the first arm link 322. A third arm link 325 is rotatably connected to the second arm link 324. A fourth arm link 327 is rotatably connected to the second arm link 325, and the end effector 320 is rotatably connected to the fourth arm link 327. Similar to a wafer handling robot arm with three links, a wafer handling robot arm with four links allows for extended reach and greater degrees of freedom, giving the robot arm more feasible configurations. The above examples are provided to illustrate some wafer handling robot arms that can be used as nested wafer handling robot arms. These examples are provided to illustrate and more clearly explain the features disclosed herein, and are not intended to be limiting; for example, other embodiments may include additional end effectors and / or arm links. In some cases, a single base can support multiple robotic arms, each with its own end effector.

[0057] Returning to Figure 2, each of these wafer handling robotic arms shown has two arm links and a single end effector 220. The first arm link 222 has two ends: a first end 230 and a second end 232. The first end 230 of the first arm link 222 is rotatably connected to the base 218 via a first rotary joint 226 and rotates about a first axis 228. The second arm link 224 has a first end 234 and a second end 236. The second arm link 224 at the first end 234 is rotatably connected to the first arm link 222 at the second end 232 via a rotary elbow joint 250. The end effector 220 is rotatably connected to the second arm link 224 at the second end 236 via a second rotary joint 238 and rotates about a second axis 240.

[0058] The rotation of each rotary joint is driven by an actuator (not shown). In some embodiments, each rotary joint has its own actuator. In other embodiments, two or more rotary joints may share a single actuator. In these embodiments, two rotary joints may be rotatably connected to each other. For example, when the second rotary joint 238 and the elbow rotary joint 250 are rotatably connected to each other, the two rotary joints may be connected by a pulley and belt system (not shown) that causes the second rotary joint 238 to rotate simultaneously with the elbow rotary joint 250. By rotating at the first rotary joint 226, the rotating elbow joint 250, and the second rotary joint 238, each of these wafer handling robotic arms can move its respective end effector 220 relative to its respective first axis 228 located in the first rotary joint 226. The rotatable connection at the first rotary joint 226 between the first arm link 222 and the base 218 allows the respective end effector 220 to rotate about the first axis 228. The rotatable connection at the rotating elbow joint 250 between the first arm link 222 and the second arm link 224, and the rotatable connection at the second rotating joint 238 between the second arm link and the end effector 220, allow the end effector to extend outward and retract inward relative to the first axis 228. In some embodiments, the rotating elbow joint 250 may be rotatably connected to the second rotating joint 238 such that rotation of the elbow joint causes rotation of the second rotating joint, which in turn causes the end effector 220 to extend and retract radially relative to the first axis 228.

[0059] Each of the wafer handling robotic arms (206 and 208) may have a vertical drive mechanism (not shown) configured to move a corresponding end effector 220 along a z-drive axis 252. The z-drive axis 252 is parallel to a first axis 228. The vertical drive mechanism may be mounted in a base 218 and may move the end effector 220 together with the first arm link 222 and the second arm link 224 along the z-drive axis 252. For example, the vertical drive mechanism may be a linear drive assembly using a lead screw driven by a rotary motor.

[0060] Figure 4 shows a nested wafer handling robot 403 in a "perfect nesting" configuration, where the end effector 420A of the first wafer handling robot 406 is perpendicularly aligned with the end effector 420B of the second wafer handling robot 408. A perfect nesting configuration is a specific type of "nesting" configuration. A nesting configuration is one in which at least a portion of the end effector 420A of the first wafer handling robot 406 is positioned above or below the end effector 420b of the second wafer handling robot. Nesting configurations allow the nested wafer handling robot 403 to simultaneously pick up and place multiple wafers located above each other. A perfect nesting configuration is a configuration in which the end effectors are positioned such that the centers of the multiple wafers supported by the end effector are directly above / below each other; it should be understood that the "nesting" configurations mentioned herein include perfect nesting configurations and other nesting configurations. The "non-overlapping" configuration means that no part of the end effector 420 of the first wafer handling robot is above or below the end effector 420b of the second wafer handling robot.

[0061] Figure 4 shows a nested wafer handling robot arm 403 in a nested configuration, specifically a perfect nested configuration. In the nested configuration, the nested wafer handling robot arm 403 is configured such that each wafer handling robot arm can simultaneously pick up or place multiple wafers at a single FOUP. The nested wafer handling robot arm 403 can be configured to simultaneously pick up wafers from any two locations within the FOUP where wafers can be held, thus separating their corresponding end effectors. Generally, the wafer pitch in the FOUP is typically 10 mm from center to center (however, it will be understood that the discussion below can also apply to FOUP wafer pitches other than 10 mm, with appropriate substitutions). In this example, when the nested wafer handling robot arm 403 is in a nested configuration picking up wafers from the FOUP, the end effectors 420 should be vertically separated by multiples of 10 mm, such as 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, etc. To achieve a stacking configuration with a minimum vertical spacing (e.g., 10 mm), end effectors 420 can be installed in different ways for each of the wafer handling robotic arms (406 and 408). As shown, the first wafer handling robotic arm 406 has an end effector 420A, which is mounted such that the bottom surface 442 of the end effector faces the top surface 444 of the second arm link 424A. The second wafer handling robotic arm 408 has an end effector 420B, which is mounted such that the bottom surface 446 of the end effector faces the bottom surface 448 of the second arm link 424B. Considering the variable mounting configuration of the end effectors, the second arm links 424 (424a and 424b) of each wafer handling robotic arm can be mounted at different heights at the elbow rotary joint 450. In some embodiments, a height difference can be created by using a spacer 429 in one of the two wafer handling arms. For example, the second wafer handling arm 408 has a spacer 429 between the first arm link 422B and the second arm link 424B, while the first wafer handling arm 406 does not have a spacer. In some embodiments, both wafer handling arms may have spacers, but the spacer in the second wafer handling arm 408 may be higher than the spacer in the first wafer handling arm 406. Various end effector 420 mounting configurations enable the nested wafer handling arms to move into a nested configuration and pick up or place multiple wafers with minimal z-axis spacing.

[0062] In Figure 4, the illustrated embodiment has a first wafer handling robot arm 406 and a second wafer handling robot arm 408, each having a corresponding single end effector 420 (420a or 420b). Each end effector 420 is mounted to a corresponding second rotary joint 438. In some embodiments, each wafer handling robot arm may have a wrist rest (not shown) that adds an additional degree of freedom in the wrist axis. In this embodiment, the wrist rest is mounted between the second end 436 of the second arm link and the end effector 420, where the second rotary joint 438 is located. In some embodiments, each wafer handling robot arm may have two or more end effectors as shown in Figure 3 above. In some of these embodiments, these end effectors may each be rotatably connected to the same rotary joint. In some other embodiments, these end effectors may be connected to two different rotary joints and be able to rotate independently of each other.

[0063] The first wafer handling robot arm 406 and the second wafer handling robot arm 408 are each connected to a linear translation system 404. The linear translation system 404 has a frame 454 and a set of linear guides 456 attached to the frame. In some embodiments, the linear translation system 404 may have only one set of linear guides 456 for use by both the first wafer handling robot arm 406 and the second wafer handling robot arm 408. In some other embodiments, the linear translation system 404 may have two sets (not shown) of linear guides 456, one set for the first wafer handling robot arm 406 and the second set for the second wafer handling robot arm 408. The linear guides 456 may be, for example, rails, tracks, slides, etc. Figure 4 shows a linear translation system 404 with a single set of linear guides 456. Each of these wafer handling robotic arms is mounted to the set of linear guides 456, enabling each wafer handling robotic arm to move independently along the translation axis 458. The translation axis 458 is substantially parallel to the set of linear guides 456 and perpendicular to the first axis 428.

[0064] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an example of a wafer handling robot arm 506 that can be used in a nested wafer handling robot arm 103. As shown in Figure 5, the wafer handling robot arm 506 has a base 518 configured to translate along a set of linear guides 556. In another embodiment, the base 518 may be mounted on a plate (not shown) or a bracket (not shown), wherein the plate or bracket may be configured to slide along the set of linear guides. The base 518 may be driven by linear drive screws 580 (e.g., 580a, 580b). In the illustrated embodiment, there are a first linear drive screw 580a and a second linear drive screw 580b. The first linear drive screw 580a may be configured to drive the wafer handling robot arm 506, while the second linear drive screw 580b may be configured to drive a second wafer handling robot arm (not shown). This will be discussed further below with reference to Figure 6. The wafer handling robotic arm 506 may have an end effector 520, a first arm link 522, and a second arm link 524. The first arm link 522 is rotatably connected to the base 518 via a first rotary joint 526. The second arm link 524 is rotatably connected to the first arm link 522 via an elbow rotary joint 550. The end effector 520 is rotatably connected to the second arm link 524 via a second rotary joint 538. Motors 590, 592, and pulleys 582 can be used to move each of these arm links. This set of arm links and the end effector 520 can be moved along the z-direction by a vertical drive mechanism 586. In the example shown, the vertical drive mechanism 586 includes a z-axis drive motor 588 and a z-drive lead screw 587. The first motor 590 can be configured to control the rotation of the first arm link 522 about the first rotary joint 526. The second motor 592, in conjunction with the pulley 582, can be used to extend and retract the arm link. In some embodiments, the second motor 592 and pulley 582 can be configured to control the end effector 520. In the illustrated embodiment, the wafer handling robot arm 506 has an end effector drive motor 593, which is configured to drive the end effector 520 around the second rotary joint 538.

[0065] Figure 6 shows an example of a linear translation system 504. In the example shown, there is a single set of linear guides 556, accompanied by a first base 518a for a first wafer handling robot arm (not shown) and a second base 518b for a second wafer handling robot arm (not shown). In some embodiments, the bases 518 may be mounted on a plate or carriage configured to translate along the linear guides 556. The linear guides 556 are substantially parallel to the translation axis 558. Each base 518 can be driven along the translation axis 558 by a linear drive system. In this example, the linear drive system includes a linear drive motor 578 and linear drive screws 580 (580a and 580b). Each base 518 can be driven by a corresponding linear drive system. For example, a first base 518a for a first wafer handling robot arm can be driven by a first drive motor 578 and a first linear drive screw 580a, while a base 518b for a second wafer handling robot arm can be driven by a second drive motor 578b and a second linear drive screw 580b. In some embodiments, a control system (not shown) further discussed below may be able to control each of the linear drive motors 578a and 578b such that the base 518 of each wafer handling robot arm translates independently of the bases of other wafer handling robot arms along the translation axis 558.

[0066] Figure 7 shows an example linear translation system with two sets of linear guides 556, namely a first set of linear guides 556a and a second set of linear guides 556b. A first base 518a is attached to the first set of linear guides 556a, and a second base 518b is attached to the second set of linear guides 556b. Both sets of linear guides are substantially parallel to the translation axis 558. Each base 518 can be driven by a corresponding linear drive system. The first base 518a can be driven along the first set of linear guides 556a by a first linear drive motor 578a and a first linear drive screw 580a. The second base 518b can be driven along the second set of linear guides 556b by a second linear drive motor 578b and a second linear drive screw 580b. Similar to the single linear guide system in Figure 6, these two sets of linear guides allow each base 518 to be driven independently of the others along the translation axis 558.

[0067] The linear translation system 504 is configured such that a first wafer handling robot arm via a first base 518a can translate independently of a second wafer handling robot arm via a second base 518b. Each linear drive system can be controlled independently, allowing each base 518 to move independently of the others (however, the movement of one base may be limited by the positioning of the other bases, since both bases can translate through at least some common areas). For example, the first base 518a can travel along a translation axis 558 in a first direction, while the second base 518b remains stationary. In this example, a first linear drive motor 578a can drive a first linear drive screw 580a, causing the first base 518a to move in the first direction. Simultaneously, the second linear drive motor 578b can be idle, thus allowing the second base 518b to remain stationary. In another example, the first base 518a and the second base 518b can translate in the same direction but at different speeds. In this example, the first linear drive motor 578a drives the first linear drive screw 580a at a first rate, causing the first base 518a to move at a first speed in a first direction. The second linear drive motor 578b drives the second linear drive screw 580b at a second rate, causing the second base 518b to move at a second speed in the first direction. Therefore, the first base 518a and the second base 518b can both move at different speeds in the first direction. Since each base 518 can be controlled independently of the other bases, each of these wafer handling robotic arms (which are mounted on their respective bases) can be controlled to translate along the translation axis 558 independently of the other wafer handling robotic arms. The examples provided above illustrate various embodiments. These examples are provided as examples and to illustrate the embodiments more clearly, and are not intended to be limiting.

[0068] Returning to Figure 4, according to some embodiments, the linear translation system 404 has three translation regions along the translation axis 458: a first region 460, a second region 462, and a third region 464. The second region 462 is located between the first region 460 and the third region 464. As long as one of the wafer handling robotic arms 406 or 408 does not obstruct the path, the other wafer handling robotic arm of 406 or 408 can be translated along the translation axis to any position within the second region 462. For example, the first wafer handling robotic arm 406 can be translated along the translation axis 458 such that the base 418 of the first wafer handling robotic arm is located in either the first region 460 or the second region 462. The base 418 of the first wafer handling robot arm 406 cannot translate into the third region because the base 418 of the second wafer handling robot arm 408 cannot move further, thus blocking the base 418 of the first wafer handling robot arm 406. Similarly, the second wafer handling robot arm 408 can translate along the translation axis 458, allowing its base 418 to translate at various points in the second and third regions 462 and 464. Similar to the first wafer handling robot arm 406 and the third region 464, the base 418 of the second wafer handling robot arm 408 cannot enter the first region 460 because the base 418 of the first wafer handling robot arm 406 cannot move further and would block the base 418 of the second wafer handling robot arm from moving into the first region 460.

[0069] Figures 8-A, 8-B, 8-C, and 8-D are four examples showing two wafer handling robotic arms performing independent translations. The following examples are provided to further illustrate various embodiments. These examples are provided as examples and to illustrate the embodiments more clearly, and are not intended to be limiting. The figures show a top view of a linear translation system 804, a schematic diagram of the base of a first wafer handling robotic arm 806, and a schematic diagram of the base of a second wafer handling robotic arm 808. The linear translation system 804 has three translation regions, namely a first region 860, a second region 862, and a third region 864, and a translation axis 858, which represents the direction in which the wafer handling robotic arms can translate. There are two figures in each figure, where Figure (1) shows the initial position of each wafer handling robotic arm, and Figure (2) shows the position of each wafer handling robotic arm after translation.

[0070] Figure 8-A shows one wafer handling robot arm translating to a new position along translation axis 858, while another wafer handling robot arm remains stationary relative to the translation axis. As shown in Figures (1) and (2), the base of the first wafer handling robot arm 806 remains in the same position in the second region 862, therefore the first wafer handling robot arm does not translate. The base of the second wafer handling robot arm 808 has been translated from the position in the second region 862 in Figure (1) to a new position in the third region 864 in Figure (2). The translation of the second wafer handling robot arm between the two figures is indicated by arrows. As this example shows, the second wafer handling robot arm can translate along translation axis 858 while the first wafer handling robot arm remains stationary.

[0071] Figure 8-B shows two wafer handling robotic arms simultaneously translating along translation axis 858. The bases of the first wafer handling robotic arm 806 and the second wafer handling robotic arm 808 are both translated along translation axis 858 from their respective initial positions in Figure (1) to their final positions in Figure (2). When both wafer handling robotic arms are translating to the right along translation axis 858, the base of the second wafer handling robotic arm 808 moves a greater distance along translation axis 858 than the base of the first wafer handling robotic arm 806. Since the translation of the base of the second wafer handling robotic arm 808 is greater than the translation of the base of the first wafer handling robotic arm 806, the distance between the bases of the first and second wafer handling robotic arms in Figure (2) is greater than the distance between the two wafer handling robotic arms in Figure (1).

[0072] Figure 8-C shows two wafer handling robotic arms translating to the right along translation axis 858 from their respective initial positions in Figure (1) to their final positions in Figure (2). The two robotic arms are translated the same distance to the right along translation axis 858. The distance between the base of the first wafer handling robotic arm 806 and the base of the second wafer handling robotic arm 808 in the initial positions in Figure (1) is the same as the distance between the two wafer handling robotic arms after translation, as shown in Figure (2). During the actual translation, the two robotic arms can translate simultaneously at the same speed, keeping the distance between them constant throughout the translation; alternatively, they can travel at different speeds and vary the distance.

[0073] Figure 8-D shows two wafer handling robotic arms translating along translation axis 858 in different directions. The base of the first wafer handling robotic arm 806 translates to the left along translation axis 858, while the base of the second wafer handling robotic arm 808 translates to the right along translation axis 858. As shown, both wafer handling robotic arms originate from the second region 862. The base of the first wafer handling robotic arm 806 translates to the left into the first region 860, while the base of the second wafer handling robotic arm 808 translates to the right into the third region 864. As shown in these four examples, these wafer handling robotic arms can translate simultaneously and independently along translation axis 858 in two different directions, at different speeds, or in the same direction by different amounts. By enabling each of these wafer handling robotic arms to translate independently along translation axis 858, the two wafer handling robotic arms can operate independently of each other, thereby improving tooling efficiency and increasing wafer yield. For example, two wafer handling robotic arms can each pick up processed wafers from a load chamber and place each wafer into a corresponding and possibly separated FOUP (e.g., FOUPs located at opposite ends of a series of FOUPs). They can similarly pick up wafers to be processed simultaneously from individual FOUPs (which may be similarly separated), and both move toward the load chamber in the second region 862 and place these wafers into the load chamber. This can occur simultaneously, thereby reducing the time spent loading and unloading wafers in multiple wafer load chambers.

[0074] Returning to Figure 4, the nested wafer handling robotic arms 403 are in a nested configuration. In this configuration, the end effector 420A of the first wafer handling robotic arm 406 and the end effector 420B of the second wafer handling robotic arm 408 are positioned above each other. This allows the two wafer handling robotic arms to pick up or place wafers from two locations, one of which is above the other. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the wafer handling robotic arms may be able to pick up wafers from two different slots in a single FOUP 112. In another example, one of these wafer handling robotic arms places a wafer on the aligner 116 while the other simultaneously places a second wafer in the load lock chamber 114. Side views of these two examples are shown in Figures 9-A and 9-B.

[0075] Figure 9-A shows a side view of a nested wafer handling robot arm 903 in a nested configuration; that is, the end effector 920 of one wafer handling robot arm is directly above the end effectors of the other wafer handling robot arm. In this example, the end effector 920B of the second wafer handling robot arm 908 is located above the end effector 920A of the first wafer handling robot arm 906. The positions of these two robots are designed to simultaneously place wafers in two different locations, with one location directly above the other. In this example, the top position is the aligner 916, which is directly above the bottom position – the load lock chamber 914. As described above, the load lock chamber is used to transfer wafers from an environment with atmospheric pressure to a processing chamber or vacuum transfer chamber (not shown), which typically has a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. The aligner 916 is used to rotate the wafer before it enters the load lock chamber 914 to ensure that the wafer is correctly oriented for wafer processing. These two wafer handling arms can place the equivalent end effector directly above each other. The corresponding vertical drive mechanism (not shown) of each wafer handling arm moves the corresponding end effector along the z-axis, such that the end effector is spaced equidistantly between the wafer support surface 966 in the aligner 916 and the wafer support surface 966 in the load lock chamber 914. When the two wafer handling arms are in a nested position, they can simultaneously pick up wafers, simultaneously place wafers, or allow one wafer handling arm to pick up a wafer while the other places it. For example, the second wafer handling arm 908 can place a wafer in the aligner 916 while the first wafer handling arm 906 picks up a wafer located in the load lock chamber 914. This allows for alignment of the wafer in the aligner while removing the wafer from the load lock chamber.

[0076] Figure 9-B shows a nested wafer handling robot arm 903 in a nested configuration, about to pick up a wafer from a FOUP 912. The FOUP 912 is located on the loading port 910 of an EFEM (not shown). As discussed above in Figure 1, multiple FOUPs can be docked in a single EFEM. The FOUP 912 has multiple slots 968 for storing semiconductor wafers. Generally, these slots 968 in the FOUP 912 are spaced 10 mm apart. The nested wafer handling robot arm 903 is able to position its respective end effectors 920 such that the distance between two end effectors matches the position of the corresponding slot 968 from which each wafer handling robot arm will pick up the wafer. For example, if a wafer handling robot arm is picking up a wafer from consecutive slots 968 in the FOUP 912, the end effector 920 of one wafer handling robot arm will be located 10 mm directly above the end effector of another wafer handling robot arm. The nested wafer handling robot arm 903 can simultaneously pick up corresponding wafers from corresponding slots 968 in the same FOUP 912. In another example, the nested wafer handling robot arm 903 can simultaneously place corresponding wafers into corresponding slots 968 in the same FOUP 912. In yet another example, the nested wafer handling robot arm 903 can simultaneously pick up wafers from corresponding slots 968 in the FOUP while another wafer handling robot arm simultaneously places wafers into corresponding slots in the same FOUP.

[0077] A nested wafer handling robot arm can simultaneously pick up and place wafers at horizontally spaced positions. Figure 10 shows an isometric view of a nested wafer handling robot arm 1003, which is preparing to pick up wafers from a plurality of positions spaced a horizontal distance apart. In the example shown, the first wafer handling robot arm 1006 and the second wafer handling robot arm 1008 are preparing to pick up wafers at wafer placement positions on the same side as the linear translation system 1004. In a previous example, the nested wafer handling robot arm 1003 picked up and placed wafers at a plurality of positions located above each other. In this example, the end effectors 1020 of both the first wafer handling robot arm 1006 and the second wafer handling robot arm 1008 are positioned a horizontal distance apart from each other. Each wafer handling robot arm may have a vertical drive mechanism that can be used to place the corresponding end effector at the height of another end effector on another wafer handling robot arm. The vertical drive mechanism allows each wafer handling arm to simultaneously pick up and place wafers at a position that is aligned with (or not aligned with, for example, at different FOUP wafer heights) a second position where another wafer handling arm is picking up and / or placing wafers. In some cases, there may be a horizontal distance between these two positions where two wafer handling arms are picking up and / or placing wafers, and these two positions may be at different heights from each other.

[0078] Figure 11 shows another isometric view of the nested wafer handling robotic arms 1103 spaced a horizontal distance apart. The first wafer handling robotic arm 1106 and the second wafer handling robotic arm 1108 are prepared to pick up wafers from multiple wafer positions at the far end of the linear translation system 1104. The two wafer handling robotic arms are located at the farthest end of the linear translation system 1104, with the first wafer handling robotic arm 1106 located in a first region 1160 of the linear translation system, and the second wafer handling robotic arm 1108 located in a third region 1164 of the linear translation system. As previously described, the two wafer handling robotic arms can independently pick up and place wafers at multiple positions spaced a horizontal distance apart from each other. In this example, the two wafer handling robotic arms are picking up wafers, and the corresponding bases 1118 of these wafer handling robotic arms are located in individual regions of the linear translation system 1104.

[0079] In the example shown in Figure 11, two nested wafer handling robotic arms 1103 are shown positioned on a first side of a linear translation system 1104. In some embodiments (not shown), a first wafer handling robotic arm may be mounted on the first side of the linear translation system, while a second wafer handling robotic arm may be mounted on a second side of the linear translation system. Each wafer handling robotic arm may be configured to travel along the entire length of the translation system.

[0080] The linear translation system described above is an example of a linear translation system that can be used to provide the nested wafer handling robot arm described herein; another linear translation system is described below with reference to Figures 12 and 13.

[0081] Figure 12 is an isometric view of another example of a nested wafer handling robot arm, wherein the nested wafer handling robot arm has a linkage-based translation system 1204. In the example shown, the wafer handling robot arm includes two wafer handling robot arms, namely a first wafer handling robot arm 1206 and a second wafer handling robot arm 1208. Each wafer handling robot arm has a corresponding base 1218, robot arm links, and end effectors 1220. Each wafer handling robot arm in this example has two arm links, namely a first arm link 1222 and a second arm link 1224; however, other similar configurations may feature wafer handling robot arms with different numbers of arm links (e.g., three or four arm links).

[0082] In the illustrated linkage-based translation system 1204, the linkage-based translation system 1204 has a linkage-based translation system base 1294. The linkage-based translation system base 1294 has two translation link sleeves 1291a and 1291b. Each translation link sleeve 1291 is connected to and supports a corresponding wafer handling robotic arm. The first translation link sleeve 1291a is connected to the base 1218 of the first wafer handling robotic arm 1206, while the second translation link sleeve 1291b is connected to the base 1218 of the second wafer handling robotic arm 1208. In some embodiments, each translation link sleeve 1291 may have two or more links. In the illustrated embodiment, each translation link sleeve 1291 has two links, namely a first link 1295 and a second link 1296. In some embodiments, the first link 1295 and the second link 1296 may have the same dimensions. In some embodiments, the links may have different dimensions; for example, the first link 1295 may be longer than the second link 1296. In the illustrated embodiment, the first link 1295 and the second link 1296 of each translation link assembly 1291 have the same dimensions.

[0083] Each first end of the first link 1295 is rotatably connected to the base 1294 of the link-based translation system via a corresponding first rotary joint 1210, and each first end is rotatable about a first rotation axis 1211. In some embodiments, each first link 1295 can be configured to rotate 360° about the first rotation axis 1211, and can rotate in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. In these embodiments, each first link 1295 can rotate such that the second end of the first link can move to or through a position directly below the base 1294 of the link-based translation system. Similarly, in these embodiments, each first link 1295 can also rotate such that the second end of the first link can move to or through a position directly above the base 1294 of the link-based translation system. In some embodiments, depending on the length of the arm link, a cavity can be provided in the floor below the base 1294 of the link-based translation system. The cavity allows each of the connecting arms to rotate downwards, enabling its elbow joint (between the first link 1295 and the second link 1296) to swing downwards and enter the cavity, avoiding impact with the floor and allowing the base 1218 to be positioned closer to the floor (compared to other configurations). Each first end of the second link 1296 is rotatably connected to the corresponding second end of the first link 1295 via a corresponding second rotary joint 1212, and each first end is rotatable about a corresponding second rotation axis 1213. Each second rotation axis 1213 is substantially parallel to the first rotation axis 1211. The base 1218 of each wafer handling robotic arm is rotatably connected to the corresponding second end of the second link 1296 of the corresponding translation link assembly 1291 via a third rotatable joint 1214.

[0084] The illustrated linkage-based translation system 1204 enables the first wafer handling robot arm 1206 and the second wafer handling robot arm 1208 to move independently of each other. In some embodiments, the linkage-based translation system 1204 may be characterized by a translation link assembly 1291, which can be driven by a plurality of motors located in the linkage-based translation system base 1294, such that each of the linkage-based translation systems 1204 has more than one single degree of freedom, enabling the wafer handling robot arm to move in any direction along the translation plane 1215. The translation plane 1215 is perpendicular to the first rotation axis 1211. For example, each of these linkage-based translation systems 1204 can be configured to move its supported wafer handling robot arm along a horizontal axis 1216 or a vertical axis 1217, or to move its supported wafer handling robot arm in a direction or along a path, wherein the direction or path has components along both the horizontal axis 1216 and the vertical axis 1217. In these embodiments, the vertical movement of the end effectors of the wafer handling robot arms 1206 and 1208 can be facilitated by actuation of the translation linkage assembly 1291, rather than by actuators in their bases 1218.

[0085] In other embodiments of the linkage-based translation system, the range of motion of the translation linkage sleeves can be more limited; for example, each may have only a single degree of freedom. In such embodiments, a single drive motor can drive each translation linkage sleeve to rotate its first link 1295 relative to the linkage-based translation system base 1294. The remaining links of each translation linkage sleeve and their respective supported bases 1218 can be kinematically linked to the motion of the first link of the translation linkage sleeve 1291 such that such rotation results in the supported base 1218 translating along the horizontal axis 1216 without rotation or vertical translation (for the purposes of this disclosure, slight displacements due to gravitational loads and flexures of the translation links are not considered translational motions).

[0086] The linkage translation system 1204 can move the wafer handling robotic arms such that their bases 1218 are spaced horizontally. As shown in Figure 12, the bases 1218 of the two wafer handling robotic arms are aligned with each other. The first wafer handling robotic arm 1206 is positioned directly in front of the base 1294 of the linkage translation system 1204, while the second wafer handling robotic arm 1208 is positioned to the right of the linkage-based translation system base 1294. Similar to the linear translation system described above, the linkage translation system 1204 can move the bases 1218 of the wafer handling robotic arms independently of each other.

[0087] Figure 13 shows a wafer handling robot arm in a nested configuration with a linkage-based translation system 1204. In the nested wafer configuration, the end effector 1220a of the first wafer handling robot arm 1206 is located directly above the end effector 1220b of the second wafer handling robot arm 1208. The linkage-based translation system 1204 allows the bases 1218 of the wafer handling robots to be moved adjacent to each other, allowing each wafer handling robot arm to position its corresponding end effector in a position perpendicularly aligned with the end effectors of other wafer handling robots. It will be understood that this side-by-side configuration of the bases 1218 can also be obtained by translating other positions of the linkage assembly 1291. Therefore, the linkage-based translation system 1204 can be used to generate translational movements of the wafer handling robotic arms 1206 and 1208, which are similar to those that can be obtained using the linear translation systems previously discussed herein; and it will be appreciated that the movements described above for the aforementioned linear translation system embodiments can also be replicated using the linkage-based translation system shown in Figures 12 and 13.

[0088] Linkage-based translation systems can be used in semiconductor wafer processing tools. For example, a linkage-based translation system can be used in an EFEM (Electrical Embedded Frame). In another example, a linkage-based translation system can be used in a vacuum transfer module. When a linkage-based translation system is used in an EFEM, the base of the system can be located on either side of the EFEM. Generally, the EFEM may have one or more FOUPs on a first side and one or more load lock chambers on a second side opposite the first side (see Figure 1). In some embodiments, the linkage-based translation system can be mounted on the first side (i.e., the same side as the one or more FOUPs). In some embodiments, the linkage-based translation system can be mounted on the second side (i.e., the same side as the one or more load lock chambers).

[0089] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of EFEM 1402. Located in EFEM 1402 are nested wafer handling robotic arms 1403, namely a first wafer handling robotic arm 1406 and a second wafer handling robotic arm 1408. Four FOUPs 1412 are shown: a first FOUP 1412a, a second FOUP 1412b, a third FOUP 1412c, and a fourth FOUP 1412d. In the shown embodiment, there are two load lock chambers 1414, namely a first load lock chamber 1414a and a second load lock chamber 1414b, and two aligners 1416, namely a first aligner 1416a and a second aligner 1416b, each of which is positioned above its respective load lock chamber. The nested wafer handling robotic arm 1403 includes a first wafer handling robotic arm 1406 and a second wafer handling robotic arm 1408, and its base is configured to translate along a translation axis 1458 of a linear translation system (not shown). Each of these wafer handling robotic arms can perform operations independently of the other. For example, depending on the positioning of each of the wafer handling robotic arms, each wafer handling robotic arm can perform operations such as picking up wafers, placing wafers, and translating along the translation axis. While any one wafer handling robotic arm can perform operations independently of the other, the two wafer handling robotic arms can cooperate to increase the wafer throughput of the tool. The table below lists examples of how the nested wafer handling robotic arms 1403 cooperate. The following examples are provided to further illustrate various embodiments. These examples are provided as examples and to illustrate the embodiments more clearly, and are not intended to be limiting.

[0090] In the first example, the first wafer handling robot arm 1406 and the second wafer handling robot arm 1408 perform operations to transfer the first and second wafers from the first FOUP 1412a to the load lock chamber 1414. The first and second wafer handling robot arms 1406 and 1408 are translated along a translation axis 1458 to a position where they can pick up the wafers from the first FOUP 1412a, for example, adjacent to each other, wherein the first rotary joints of the two wafer handling robot arms are approximately equidistant from a central axis perpendicular to the translation axis and passing through the center of the first and second wafers. After the bases of each wafer handling robot arm are positioned, the two wafer handling robot arms can be driven into a nested configuration, wherein the end effectors of each wafer handling robot arm are positioned in front of the first FOUP 1412a and one is above the other, for example, with their respective top surfaces vertically spaced 10 mm apart. Next, the two wafer handling robotic arms can simultaneously pick up the corresponding wafers from the first FOUP 1412a. In some embodiments, the picking actions can be substantially simultaneous; while in other embodiments, the picking actions can be sequential between the respective end effectors. After each wafer handling robotic arm picks up the corresponding wafer, the wafer handling robotic arms can translate along the translation axis 1458, such that the first wafer handling robotic arm 1406 approaches the first aligner 1416a and the first load lock chamber 1414a, while the second wafer handling robotic arm 1408 approaches the second aligner 1416b and the second load lock chamber 1414b, as shown in FIG14. The first wafer handling robotic arm 1406 can place the first wafer into the first aligner 1416a, while the second wafer handling robotic arm 1408 simultaneously places the second wafer into the second aligner 1416b. The two aligners 1416 rotate and align their corresponding wafers. After wafer alignment, two wafer handling robotic arms can simultaneously pick up the corresponding wafers from the corresponding aligners 1416. The first wafer handling robotic arm 1406 can place the first wafer into the first load chamber 1414a, while the second wafer handling robotic arm 1408 can simultaneously place the second wafer into the second load chamber 1414b. The operations of moving the first and second wafers can be performed in parallel, that is, at least partially simultaneously.

[0091] In some embodiments of EFEM 1402, an alignment device is absent, and wafers can be placed directly from FOUP 1412 into load lock chamber 1414. In this embodiment, after a wafer handling robot picks up the corresponding wafer from the appropriate FOUP 1412, each wafer handling robot places its corresponding wafer into the corresponding load lock chamber 1414. For example, a first wafer handling robot 1406 carrying a first wafer from a first FOUP 1412a can place the first wafer directly from the first FOUP 1412a into a first load lock chamber 1416a, while a second wafer handling robot 1408 carrying a second wafer from the first FOUP 1412a will simultaneously place the second wafer directly from the first FOUP 1412a into a second load lock chamber 1416b.

[0092] Alternatively, two wafer handling arms can perform a similar process, but instead of picking from a single FOUP, they can pick from two different FOUPs 1412. In this example, the first wafer handling arm 1406 picks up the first wafer from the second FOUP 1412b, while the second wafer handling arm 1408 simultaneously picks up the second wafer from the fourth FOUP 1412d (it will be understood that in other embodiments, different FOUPs can be selected or picked from different FOUPs). The two wafer handling arms will continue the process described above, so that after each wafer is picked up simultaneously from its corresponding FOUP 1412, the two wafers are simultaneously placed into the alignment unit 1416 and / or the load lock chamber 1414.

[0093] In another example, two wafer handling arms can operate to ensure the load lock chamber system is in continuous or near-continuous use and experiences minimal delay from wafer loading or unloading operations. In this example, the first wafer can be processed and prepared to move from the first load lock chamber 1414a back to atmospheric pressure conditions in EFEM 1402. The first wafer handling arm 1406 can pick up the second wafer from the second FOUP 1412b and place it in the first aligner 1416a. The second wafer handling arm 1408 can simultaneously pick up the first wafer from the load lock chamber 1414a and place it in the fourth FOUP 1412d. The second wafer handling arm can then pick up the third wafer from the third FOUP 1412c. After the second wafer is aligned, the first wafer handling arm can pick up the first wafer from the aligner 1416a. Next, the first wafer handling arm can place the first wafer from the aligner 1416a into the first load lock chamber 1414a, while the second wafer handling arm places the third wafer from the FOUP 1412c into the first aligner 1416a. For this purpose, both wafer handling arms can move back into the stacking configuration. By handling wafers in this way, once one wafer handling arm picks up a wafer from the load lock chamber 1414a, the other wafer handling arm is ready to place a new wafer into the load lock chamber. This ensures more efficient use of the load lock chambers and reduces wafer loading wait time.

[0094] By equipping the EFEM 1402 with two wafer handling arms, it may be possible to increase the tool's throughput. Compared to a tool in the EFEM with a single wafer handling arm, two wafer handling arms can pick up two wafers from the FOUP and simultaneously place both wafers into the load lock chamber. This can double the throughput. For example, considering a system with a single EFEM wafer handling arm, the average cycle time for the wafer handling arm to pick up a wafer from the FOUP, travel to the load lock chamber, place the wafer in the load lock chamber, remove the processed wafer from the load lock chamber, travel to the FOUP, and place the wafer in the FOUP is 13.4 seconds. If the load lock chamber requires two wafers and there is only one wafer handling arm, two such cycles need to be performed sequentially, requiring a total of 26.8 seconds for the wafer handling arm to load both wafers into the load lock chamber. However, if the same example system is equipped with two wafer handling robotic arms, each robotic arm can simultaneously pick up the corresponding wafer from the FOUP, move to the load lock chamber, place the wafer in the load lock chamber, pick up the processed wafer from the load lock chamber, move to the FOUP, and place the processed wafer in the FOUP; therefore, each wafer handling robotic arm can load two wafers into the load lock chamber within the cycle time of loading a single wafer. Thus, although these wafer handling robotic arms operate at the same rate, they can accomplish twice the work of a single wafer handling robotic arm. In the first example, assuming throughput is the bottleneck, a single wafer handling robotic arm can load approximately 269 wafers per hour. In the second example, assuming throughput is the tooling bottleneck, a dual wafer handling robotic arm can load approximately 537 wafers per hour.

[0095] As described above, in some embodiments, the controller may be part of the nested wafer handling robot arm described herein. Figure 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example controller 170, which has one or more processors 172 and memory 174, which may be integrated with the electronics used to control the operation of the first wafer handling robot arm 106, the second wafer handling robot arm 108, the linear translation system 104, the load lock chamber 114, and the alignment device 116. Depending on the processing requirements and / or system type, the controller may be programmed to control any of the processes disclosed herein, such as those controlling the linear translation system 104 and the nested wafer handling robot arm 103, as well as other processes or parameters not described herein, such as the delivery of processing gases, temperature settings (e.g., heating and / or cooling), pressure settings, vacuum settings, power settings, radio frequency (RF) generator settings, RF matching circuit settings, frequency settings, flow rate settings, fluid delivery settings, positioning and operation settings, and wafer transfer in and out of a tool and other transport tools and / or load lock chamber connected or coupled to a particular system.

[0096] It will be understood that the wafer handling robot arm discussed and illustrated herein can be configured with arm links of equal length (e.g., first and second arm links of equal length) or arm links of unequal length (e.g., first and second arm links of unequal length). Therefore, even if two arm links of a wafer handling robot arm are shown as equal in length in a particular drawing (where length refers to the distance between multiple axes of rotation associated with opposite ends of the link), it should be understood that those illustrated links can also be designed to be unequal in length. Similarly, if two arm links of a wafer handling robot are shown as unequal in length in a particular drawing, it should also be understood that the illustrated links can also be designed to be the same length.

[0097] In a broad sense, a controller is defined as an electronic component having various integrated circuits, logic, memory, and / or software to receive instructions, send instructions, control operations, enable cleaning operations, enable endpoint measurements, etc. The integrated circuits include chips storing program instructions in firmware, digital signal processors (DSPs), chips defined as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), PLDs, and / or one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers that execute program instructions (e.g., software). Program instructions can be instructions transmitted to the controller as various independent settings (or program files) that define operational parameters for performing specific steps on a semiconductor wafer, for the semiconductor wafer, or for the system. In some embodiments, the operational parameters may be part of a recipe defined by a process engineer to complete one or more processing steps during the fabrication of one or more layers, materials, metals, oxides, silicon, silicon dioxide, surfaces, circuits, and / or wafer dies.

[0098] In some embodiments, the controller may be part of or coupled to a computer integrated into and coupled to the system, or otherwise networked with the system, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller may reside in the cloud or in whole or in part in the FAB host computer system, allowing remote access to the substrate processing. The computer may enable remote access to the system to monitor the current progress of processing operations, view the history of past processing operations, view trends or performance metrics from multiple processing operations, change parameters of the current processing, set processing steps after the current processing, or start a new processing. In some examples, the remote computer (e.g., a server) may provide processing recipes to the system via a network, which may include a local area network or the Internet. The remote computer may include a user interface that allows input or programming of parameters and / or settings, which are then transmitted from the remote computer to the system. In some examples, the controller receives instructions in the form of data, wherein the instructions specify parameters used for each processing step to be performed during one or more operations. It should be understood that the parameters may be specific to the type of step to be performed and the type of tool the controller is configured to connect to or control. Therefore, as described above, the controller may be distributed, for example, by comprising one or more discrete controllers, which are networked together and operate toward a common purpose (e.g., the steps and control described herein). An example of a controller distributed for this purpose would be one or more integrated circuits located on a chamber, which are connected to one or more integrated circuits remotely located (e.g., on a platform layer or as part of a remote computer) and integrated to control the processing on the chamber.

[0099] Without limitation, the exemplary nested wafer handling robotic arm and linear translation system disclosed herein can be installed in or as part of a semiconductor processing tool, wherein the semiconductor processing tool has plasma etching chambers or modules, deposition chambers or modules, spin-wash chambers or modules, metal plating chambers or modules, cleaning chambers or modules, edge etching chambers or modules, physical vapor deposition (PVD) chambers or modules, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers or modules, atomic layer deposition (ALD) chambers or modules, atomic layer etching (ALE) chambers or modules, ion implantation chambers or modules, track chambers or modules, and possibly any other semiconductor processing systems relating to or used in the processing and / or manufacturing of semiconductor wafers.

[0100] As described above, depending on the one or more processing steps to be performed by the tool, the controller may be connected to one or more other tool circuits or modules, other tool components, clustered tools, other tool interfaces, adjacent tools, neighboring tools, tools distributed throughout the plant, main computer, another controller, or tools used in material handling to bring the substrate container into and out of the tool location and / or loading port of the semiconductor manufacturing plant.

[0101] It should be understood that when the phrases "for each of one or more items" or "for each of one or more items" are used in this document, including both single and plural groups of items, the meaning of the phrase "for each" is that it is used in programming languages ​​to refer to each item in any group of items referenced. For example, if the totality of the referenced items is a single item, then "each" will only refer to that single item (although in fact, the dictionary definition of "each" often defines the term as "each of two or more items"), and does not mean that there must be at least two such items. Similarly, the terms "set" or "subset" should not be assumed by themselves to necessarily contain plural items; it should be understood that a set or subset may contain only one member or more members (unless the context indicates otherwise).

[0102] The use of ordinal references (if any) such as (a), (b), (c)... in this disclosure and the claims is to be understood as not conveying any particular order or sequence unless such order or sequence is explicitly indicated. For example, if there are three steps labeled (i), (ii), and (iii), it should be understood that these steps can be performed in any order (or even simultaneously, unless otherwise specified). For example, if step (ii) involves moving an element created in step (i), then step (ii) can be considered to occur at some point in time after step (i). Similarly, if step (i) involves moving an element created in step (ii), it should be understood that the opposite is true. It should also be understood that the ordinal reference "first" (e.g., "first item") used herein should not be construed as implying or inherently implying the necessary existence of a "second" instance, such as "second item".

[0103] Unless otherwise stated, the term "between" as used herein, and when used with a range of numbers, should be understood to include both the beginning and end of the range. For example, "between 1 and 5" should be understood to include the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and not just the numbers 2, 3, and 4.

[0104] It should be understood that all combinations of the foregoing concepts (assuming these concepts are not contradictory) are considered part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of the claimed subject matter at the end of this disclosure are considered part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. It should also be understood that the terms expressly used herein (which may also appear in any disclosure incorporated as references) should be given the most consistent meaning.

[0105] It should be understood that while the above disclosure focuses on one or more specific exemplary embodiments, it is not limited to the examples discussed, but can also be applied to similar variations and mechanisms, and such similar variations and mechanisms are also contemplated within the scope of this disclosure.

[0106] While some details have been described for clarity of understanding of the foregoing embodiments, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims. It should be noted that many alternative methods exist for implementing the processes, systems, and apparatus of the presented embodiments. Therefore, the presented embodiments are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive, and are not limited to the details given herein.

[0107] 102: Equipment Front-End Module (EFEM) 103: Stacked Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 104: Linear Translation System 106: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 108: Second wafer handling robotic arm 110: Loading port 112: Front-Opening Universal Wafer Container (FOUP) 114: Load Lock Chamber 116: Aligner 170: Controller 172: Processor 174: Memory 203: Nested Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 206: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 208: Second wafer handling robotic arm 218: Base 220: End effector 222: First arm linkage 224: Second arm linkage 226: First rotary joint 228: First Axis 230: First end of the first arm connecting rod 232: Second end of the first arm connecting rod 234: First end of the second arm connecting rod 236: Second end of the second arm connecting rod 238: Second rotary joint 240: Second Axis 250: Rotary elbow joint 252:z drive shaft 307, 307a, 307b, 307c: Wafer handling robotic arms 320, 320a, 320b: End effectors 322: First arm linkage 324: Second arm linkage 325: Third arm linkage 327: Fourth Arm Linkage 403: Nested Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 404: Linear Translation System 406: First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 408: Second Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 420, 420A, 420B: End effectors 424, 424A, 424B: Second arm connecting rod 428: First Axis 429: Spacer 436: Second end of the second arm connecting rod 438: Second rotary joint 442: Bottom surface 444: Top surface of the second arm connecting rod 446: Bottom surface 448: Bottom surface of the second arm connecting rod 450: Elbow Rotary Joint 454: Frame 456: Linear Guide 458: Translation axis 460: Area 1 462: Second Region 464: Third Region 504: Linear Translation System 506: Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 518: Base 518a: First base 518b: Second base 520: End Effector 522: First arm linkage 524: Second arm linkage 526: First rotary joint 538: Second rotary joint 550: Elbow Rotary Joint 556: Linear Guide 556a: First group of linear guides 556b: Second set of linear guides 558: Translation axis 578: Linear drive motor 578a: First linear drive motor 578b: Second drive motor 580: Linear drive screw 580A: First linear drive screw 580B: Second linear drive screw 582: Pulley 586: Vertical Drive Mechanism 587:z Drive Lead Screw 588: Z-axis drive motor 590, 592: Motor 593: End effector drive motor 804: Linear Translation System 806: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 808: Second Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 858: Translation axis 860: Area 1 862: Second Area 864: Third Region 903: Nested Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 906: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 908: Second Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 910: Loading port 912:FOUP 914: Load Lock Chamber 916: Aligner 920, 920A, 920B: End effectors 966: Wafer support surface 968: slot 1003: Stacked Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1004: Linear Translation System 1006: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1008: Second Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1020: End Effector 1103: Nested Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1104: Linear Translation System 1106: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1108: Second Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1118: Base 1160: First Region 1164: Third Region 1204: Translational System Based on Linkage 1206: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1208: Second Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1210: First rotary joint 1211: First Rotation Axis 1213: Second Rotation Axis 1214: Third rotatable joint 1215: Translation of the plane 1216: Horizontal axis 1217: Vertical axis 1218: Base 1220, 1220a, 1220b: End effectors 1222: First arm linkage 1224: Second arm linkage 1291: Translation Linkage Sleeve 1291a: First translation link sleeve 1291b: Second translation linkage sleeve 1294: Base of a translation system based on linkages 1295: First Link 1296: Second Link 1402:EFEM 1403: Nested Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1406: The First Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1408: Second Wafer Handling Robotic Arm 1412:FOUP 1412a: First FOUP 1412b: Second FOUP 1412c: Third FOUP 1412d: Fourth FOUP 1414: Load Lock Chamber 1414a: First load lock chamber 1414b: Second load lock chamber 1416: Aligner 1416a: First Aligner 1416b: Second Aligner 1458: Translation axis

Claims

1. An apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool, comprising: First wafer handling robotic arm; Second wafer handling robotic arm; A linear translation system is interfaced with the first and second wafer handling robotic arms, wherein: each of the first and second wafer handling robotic arms has a corresponding base and a corresponding first end effector; the device is configured to drive the bases independently to move back and forth along a horizontal translation axis, at least between a nested configuration and a non-nested configuration; the linear translation system, the first wafer handling robotic arm, and the second wafer handling robotic arm are configured such that: the base of the first wafer handling robotic arm can be moved by the linear translation system along the translation axis through a first region and a second region, but not through a third region, and the base of the second wafer handling robotic arm can be moved by the linear translation system through the second and third regions, but not through the first region, the second region being located between the first and third regions. The first end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm is connected to the link of the first wafer handling robot arm from above, and the first end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm is connected to the link of the second wafer handling robot arm from below.

2. The apparatus for transferring wafers in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm each further include: Two or more corresponding robotic arm links, wherein the two or more corresponding robotic arm links include at least (a) a corresponding first robotic arm link having a corresponding first end and a corresponding second end, wherein the first end of the corresponding first robotic arm link is rotatably connected to the corresponding base via a corresponding first rotary joint, such that the corresponding first robotic arm link can rotate relative to the corresponding base about a corresponding first axis; (b) a corresponding second robotic arm link having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the corresponding second robotic arm link is rotatably connected to the corresponding first end effector via a corresponding second rotary joint, such that the corresponding first end effector can rotate about a corresponding second axis relative to the corresponding second robotic arm link.

3. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the respective base of the first wafer handling robot arm and the respective base of the second wafer handling robot arm each have a respective vertical drive mechanism, wherein the vertical drive mechanism is configured to drive the respective first end effector to move along an axis parallel to the respective first axis.

4. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool, as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the linear translation system includes a first set of linear guides, and both the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm are movably connected to the first set of linear guides.

5. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the linear translation system has a first set of linear guides and a second set of linear guides, the first wafer handling robot arm is movably connected to the first set of linear guides, and the second wafer handling robot arm is movably connected to the second set of linear guides.

6. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom surface of the first end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm faces the top surface of the second robot arm link of the first wafer handling robot arm.

7. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top surface of the first end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm faces the bottom surface of the second robot arm link of the second wafer handling robot arm.

8. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool, as described in claim 7, wherein: The substrate support surface of the first end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm is higher than the top surface of the first robot arm link of the first wafer handling robot arm by a first distance, the substrate support surface of the first end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm is higher than the top surface of the first robot arm link of the second wafer handling robot arm by a second distance, and the difference between the first distance and the second distance is 10 mm ± 1 mm.

9. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm each have a corresponding second end effector.

10. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a controller having one or more memory devices, and the one or more memory devices being communicatively connected to one or more processors.

11. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm to move at least between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein: In the first configuration, the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm are positioned such that the first end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm is located directly above the first end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm, and the first axis of the second wafer handling robot arm is separated from the first axis of the first wafer handling robot arm by a first distance. In the second configuration, the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm are positioned such that the first end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm is separated from the first end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm by a horizontal distance, and the first axis of the second wafer handling robot arm is separated from the first axis of the first wafer handling robot arm by a second distance, and the second distance is greater than the first distance.

12. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 11, wherein, In this first configuration, the substrate support surface of the first end effector of the first wafer handling robot arm is 10 mm ± 1 mm lower than the substrate support surface of the first end effector of the second wafer handling robot arm.

13. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to drive the linear translation system to move a corresponding base of one of the first wafer handling arm and the second wafer handling arm along the translation axis, while a corresponding base of the other of the first wafer handling arm and the second wafer handling arm remains stationary relative to the linear translation system.

14. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to drive the linear translation system to move a corresponding base of a first wafer handling arm along the translation axis and in a first direction, and to drive the linear translation system to move a corresponding base of a second wafer handling arm along the translation axis and in a second direction.

15. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first direction and the second direction are the same direction.

16. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as described in claim 15, wherein, When the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm translate along the translation axis, the first axis of the first wafer handling robot arm and the first axis system of the second wafer handling robot arm remain separated by a first interval distance.

17. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first direction and the second direction are different directions.

18. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up a first substrate from a first wafer placement position and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously pick up a second substrate from a second wafer placement position, wherein the first wafer placement position is located above or below the second wafer placement position.

19. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up a first substrate from a first wafer placement position, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously pick up a second substrate from a second wafer placement position, wherein the second wafer placement position is spaced horizontally from the first wafer placement position.

20. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate at a third wafer placement position, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate at a fourth wafer placement position, wherein the third wafer placement position is located above or below the fourth wafer placement position.

21. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate at a third wafer placement position, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate at a fourth wafer placement position, wherein the third wafer placement position is spaced a horizontal distance from the fourth wafer placement position.

22. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 1 further includes three or more loading ports and two or more load lock chambers, wherein the three or more loading ports are located on a first side of the linear translation system, the two or more load lock chambers are located on a second side of the linear translation system opposite to the first side, and each of the three or more loading ports is configured to receive a corresponding front-opening universal wafer cassette.

23. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 22 further includes two or more aligners, wherein each aligner is located above a respective load lock chamber.

24. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up a first substrate from a first front-opening universal wafer cassette, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously pick up a second substrate from the first front-opening universal wafer cassette.

25. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to pick up a first substrate from a first front-opening universal wafer cassette, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously pick up a second substrate from a second front-opening universal wafer cassette.

26. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate in a first load lock chamber, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate in a second load lock chamber.

27. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate on the first alignment device, and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate on the second alignment device.

28. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to drive the first wafer handling robot arm to place the first substrate in the load lock chamber and to drive the second wafer handling robot arm to simultaneously place the second substrate on the alignment device.

29. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool, as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the linear translation system is a linkage-based translation system, wherein the linkage-based translation system has a first linkage and a second linkage, the first linkage being connected to and supporting the base of the first wafer handling arm, and the second linkage being connected to and supporting the base of the second wafer handling arm.

30. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 29, wherein the linkage-based translation system has a base, and each of the first linkage group and the second linkage group has at least (a) a corresponding first link having a corresponding first end and a corresponding second end, wherein the first end of the corresponding first link is rotatably connected to the base of the linkage-based translation system via a corresponding first rotary joint, such that the corresponding first link is capable of being steered relative to the linkage-based translation system about a corresponding first axis. The base rotates; and (b) a corresponding second link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the corresponding second link is rotatably connected to the second end of the corresponding first link, and the second end of the corresponding second link is rotatably connected to the base of one of the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm via a corresponding rotary joint, such that one of the first wafer handling robot arm and the second wafer handling robot arm can rotate about a corresponding second axis relative to the corresponding second link.

31. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 30, wherein the linkage-based translation system is configured such that the second end of each second link is restricted to movement along the translation axis.

32. The apparatus for transferring a wafer in a semiconductor processing tool as claimed in claim 30, wherein the linkage-based translation system is configured such that the second ends of each second link are restricted to movement along a translation plane, wherein the translation plane is perpendicular to the first axes.

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