Substrate conveyor equipment

Abstract

A substrate conveying device comprises: a torsional motion driver component having an outer periphery surrounding the rotation axis of the torsional motion driver component; and a torsional motion follower component comprising a main body portion and a bearing ring rotatably connected to the main body portion, wherein the torsional motion follower component is connected to the torsional motion driver component using an interface with substantially constant size, wherein the bearing ring is separated from the outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component so that the outer periphery is detached from the bearing ring as a whole.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is a non-provisional application of and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 644,053, filed on March 16, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The exemplary embodiments relate generally to automated processing equipment and, more particularly, to substrate transport equipment. Background Art

[0004] Typically, in semiconductor processing, a substrate is placed at a processing position in a predetermined position. The substrate is placed at a predetermined position by a substrate conveying device. These substrate conveying devices are configured with a drive system (e.g., a motor, a pulley, a belt, a band, etc.) that allows the substrate to be placed repeatably at a predetermined position. For example, conventional substrate conveying devices typically place substrates with a repeatability of about 100 μm. However, as technology advances and features on substrates become more and more complex, the placement accuracy of conventional substrate conveying devices may not be sufficient to repeatedly place substrates in processing positions with the desired accuracy corresponding to increasingly complex features.

[0005] It would be advantageous to provide a substrate conveyor having a substantially constant rigid torque coupling connecting an end effector of the substrate conveyor to a drive, for example, to substantially limit the effects of motor hysteresis between the drive and the arm linkage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiments are explained in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figures 1A to 1D is a schematic illustration of a substrate processing apparatus according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0008] Figure 1E and Figure 1F According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments Figures 1A to 1D A schematic illustration of a portion of a substrate processing apparatus;

[0009] Figure 1G to Figure 1M is a schematic illustration of a substrate processing apparatus according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0010] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D is a schematic illustration of a portion of a substrate transport drive section according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0011] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3Eis a schematic illustration of a delivery arm according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0012] Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a substrate transport apparatus according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments;

[0013] Figure 5 1 to 2 are diagrams showing aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Figure 4 Schematic illustration of portions of various aspects of a substrate transport apparatus illustrated in;

[0014] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, Figure 4 A perspective view of a schematic illustration of a portion of the substrate transport apparatus illustrated in FIG.

[0015] Figure 7 According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments Figure 5 A schematic illustration of a cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of a substrate transport apparatus illustrated in FIG.

[0016] Figure 8 According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments Figure 5 An enlarged partial cross-sectional front schematic illustration of a portion of the substrate transport apparatus illustrated in FIG.

[0017] Fig. 9 According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments Figure 5 An enlarged partial cross-sectional front schematic illustration of a portion of the substrate transport apparatus illustrated in FIG.

[0018] Fig.10 1 to 2 are diagrams showing aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Figure 4 A schematic plan view of a portion of various aspects of a substrate transport apparatus illustrated in FIG.

[0019] Fig.11 According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments Fig.10 A schematic illustration of a partial cross-sectional elevation view of a portion of a substrate transport apparatus illustrated in FIG.

[0020] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12B According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments Figure 5 and Fig.10 A schematic illustration of a portion of the substrate transport apparatus illustrated in FIG.

[0021] Fig.13 is a flow chart of a method of operating a substrate conveyor according to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Figures 1A to 1Mis a schematic illustration of a substrate processing apparatus according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Although aspects of the disclosed embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be embodied in many forms. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of element or material may be used.

[0023] Aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide for implementing a substrate transport device 104A ( Figure 4 ). The high-precision motion is a motion that provides the substrate transport device 104A with improved substrate placement repeatability compared to known substrate transport devices, and in some specific cases, provides substrate placement repeatability better than about 100 microns, so that the end effector of the substrate transport device 104A and the substrate carried thereon can be repeatedly extended along the wafer transport plane to place (or pick up) the substrate. For example, as will be described in more detail below, aspects of the disclosed embodiments configure the substrate transport device 104A to include a substantially constant-size interface 500 ( Figure 5 The substantially dimensionally constant interface 500 significantly increases the repeatability and accuracy of substrate placement by the substrate transport apparatus 104A by, for example, substantially eliminating friction couplings (and their inherent inconsistent or non-repeatable variations) within the drive system that may be (inconsistently) affected by the environment or other operating conditions of the substrate transport apparatus 104A.

[0024] In conventional substrate handling apparatus, variability in robot performance caused by, for example, thermal effects such as expansion and contraction, wear of robot components, displacement of robot components, motor hysteresis, etc., can be a source of repeatability errors in, for example, placement of substrates S and picking up from, for example, processing stations 130. For example, when the robot arm is subjected to temperature changes during processing, the robot arm may experience thermal expansion and contraction (as well as other thermal effects and / or other variability). These temperature changes affect the positioning of the robot arm, causing the center position of the end effector (e.g., a predetermined substrate holding position) to shift or have a position deviation Δ PV In order to reduce, for example, the transport arm 315' ( Figure 4 ) and increase repeatability and accuracy, the coupling (e.g., torque coupling) between the rotary drive component and the rotary follower component of the substrate transport device 104A of the transport arm 315' can be connected to the interface 500 ( Figure 5) connection, the interface 500 provides repeatability by its substantially constant interface throughout the range of arm motion (along all paths and trajectories, including optimal trajectories applying the maximum motor or rated motor τ with on-off control ("bang-bang" control). Suitable examples of arm motion ranges and trajectories are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,517,558, issued on December 13, 2016, entitled "Time-optimal trajectories for robotic transfer devices" (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), however the disclosed embodiments may be applied to any suitable trajectory. As will be further described below, the substantially dimensionally constant interface 500 is a rigid, substantially non-slip interface to achieve torque transfer of total torque (for all torque transients during arm motion control and across all torque transients) between the rotary drive component and the rotary follower component via substantially frictionless torque transfer.

[0025] According to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, processing equipment 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100H, such as, for example, a semiconductor tool station, is shown. Although a semiconductor tool station is shown in the figures, aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein may be applied to any tool station or application employing a torque coupling. In one aspect, the processing equipment 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100H, 100I is shown as having a cluster tool arrangement (e.g., having a substrate holding station connected to a central chamber), while in other aspects, the processing equipment may be a linear arrangement of tools 100L, 100M, as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,398,355, entitled "Linearly Distributed Semiconductor Workpiece Processing Tool," published on March 19, 2013 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety); however, aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be applied to any suitable tool station. The apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100H, 100I generally includes an atmospheric front end 101, at least one vacuum load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C, and a vacuum back end 103. The at least one vacuum load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C can be coupled to any suitable port(s) or opening(s) of the front end 101 and / or the back end 103 in any suitable arrangement. For example, in one aspect, the one or more load locks 102, 102A, 102B, 102C can be arranged in a side-by-side arrangement in a common horizontal plane, such as in a vacuum back end 103. Figures 1B to 1D and Figure 1G to Figure 1K In other aspects, one or more load locks can be arranged in a grid format such that at least two load locks 102A, 102B, 102C, 102D are arranged in rows (e.g., having spaced-apart horizontal planes) and columns (e.g., having spaced-apart vertical planes), such as Figure 1E In some other aspects, one or more load locks may be as shown in FIG. Figure 1A In yet another aspect, at least one load lock 102, 102E may be arranged as follows: Figure 1FIt should be understood that although the load locks are illustrated on the ends 100E1 or facets 100F1 of the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, in other aspects, one or more load locks may be arranged on any number of sides 100S1, 100S2, ends 100E1, 100E2, or facets 100F1-100F8 of the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F. Each of the at least one load lock may also include one or more wafer / substrate rest planes WRP ( Figure 1F ), wherein the substrate is held on a suitable support within a corresponding load lock. In other aspects, the tool station can have any suitable configuration. Components of each of the front end 101, at least one load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C, and the back end 103 can be connected to a controller 110, which can be part of any suitable control architecture (such as, for example, a cluster architecture control). The control system can be a closed-loop controller having a master controller (which in one aspect can be the controller 110), a cluster controller, and an autonomous remote controller, such as the controller disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,904,182, entitled "Scalable Motion Control System," issued on March 8, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In other aspects, any suitable controller and / or control system can be utilized.

[0026] In one aspect, the front end 101 generally includes a loadport module 105 and a microenvironment 106, such as, for example, an equipment front end module (EFEM). The loadport module 105 can be a box opener / loader to tool standard (BOLTS) interface that complies with SEMI standards E15.1, E47.1, E62, E19.5, or E1.9 for 300 mm loadports, front opening, or bottom opening boxes / pods and cassettes. In other aspects, the loadport module can be configured as a 200 mm wafer / substrate interface, a 450 mm wafer / substrate interface, or any other suitable substrate interface, such as, for example, larger or smaller semiconductor wafers / substrates, flat panels for flat panel displays, solar panels, reticles, or any other suitable object. Although in Figures 1A to 1D , Figure 1J and Figure 1K101 , three load port modules 105 are shown, but in other aspects, any suitable number of load port modules can be incorporated into the front end 101. The load port modules 105 can be configured to receive substrate carriers or cassettes C from an overhead conveyor system, an automatic guided vehicle, a human guided vehicle, a rail guided vehicle, or from any other suitable conveying method. The load port modules 105 can dock with the mini environment 106 through a load port 107. The load port 107 can allow a substrate to pass between the substrate cassette and the mini environment 106. The mini environment 106 generally includes any suitable transfer robot 108, which can be incorporated into one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein. In one aspect, the robot 108 can be a track mounted robot, such as described in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 6,002,840, issued on December 14, 1999, U.S. Patent No. 8,419,341, issued on April 16, 2013, and U.S. Patent No. 7,648,327, issued on January 19, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In other aspects, the robot 108 can be substantially similar to the robot described herein with respect to the back end 103. The mini-environment 106 can provide a controlled clean area for substrate transfer between multiple loadport modules.

[0027] At least one vacuum load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C may be located between and connected to the mini environment 106 and the back end 103. In other aspects, the load port 105 may be substantially directly coupled to at least one load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C or a transfer chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, wherein the substrate carrier C is drawn to the vacuum of the transfer chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, and the substrate is transferred directly between the substrate carrier C and the load lock or transfer chamber. In this aspect, the substrate carrier C may be used as a load lock, such that the process vacuum of the transfer chamber extends into the substrate carrier C. As can be appreciated, where the substrate carrier C is substantially directly coupled to the load lock via a suitable load port, any suitable transfer device may be disposed within the load lock, or otherwise accessible to the carrier C, for transferring substrates to and from the substrate carrier C. Note that the term "vacuum" as used herein may refer to a high vacuum, such as 10 -5Torr or lower. At least one load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C generally includes atmospheric and vacuum slot valves. The slot valves of the load locks 102, 102A, 102B (and for the processing station 130) can provide environmental isolation for evacuating the load lock after loading a substrate from the atmospheric front end and maintaining the vacuum in the transfer chamber when the lock is vented with an inert gas such as nitrogen. As will be described herein, the slot valves of the processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F (and the linear processing apparatus 100G, 100H) may be located in the same plane, in different vertically stacked planes, or a combination of slot valves located in the same plane and slot valves located in different vertically stacked planes (as described above with respect to the load ports) to accommodate the transfer of substrates to and from the processing station 130 and the load locks 102, 102A, 102B, 102C coupled to at least the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F. At least one load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C (and / or the front end 101) may also include an aligner for aligning a fiducial of the substrate to a desired position for processing or any other suitable substrate metrology equipment. In other aspects, the vacuum load lock can be located in any suitable location in the processing equipment and have any suitable configuration.

[0028] The vacuum back end 103 generally includes a transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, one or more processing stations or modules 130, and any suitable number of substrate transport devices 104, the substrate transport device 104 including one or more transport robots, which may include one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein. The transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F may have any suitable shape and size, for example, in accordance with the SEMI standard E72 guidelines. The substrate transport device 104 and the one or more transport robots will be described below and may be at least partially located within the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F to transport substrates between the load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 120C and the various processing stations 130 (or between the cassette C located at the load port and the various processing stations 130). In one aspect, the substrate transport apparatus 104 may be removable from the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F as a modular unit such that the substrate transport apparatus 104 complies with SEMI Standard E72 guidelines.

[0029] The processing station 130 can operate on the substrate through a variety of deposition, etching or other types of processes to form circuits or other desired structures on the substrate. Typical processes include, but are not limited to, thin film processes using vacuum, such as plasma etching or other etching processes, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma vapor deposition (PVD), implantation such as ion implantation, metrology, rapid thermal processing (RTP), dry stripping atomic layer deposition (ALD), oxidation / diffusion, nitride formation, vacuum lithography, epitaxy (EPI), wire bonder and evaporation or other thin film processes using vacuum pressure. The processing station 130 is communicatively connected to the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F in any suitable manner (such as through a slot valve SV) to allow the substrate to be transferred from the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F to the processing station 130 and vice versa. The slot valves SV of the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F may be arranged to allow connection of dual (e.g., more than one substrate processing chamber within a common housing) or side-by-side processing stations 130T1-130T8, single processing stations 130S, and / or stacked processing modules / load locks ( Figure 1E and Figure 1F As further described below, the substrate transport apparatus achieves repeatability and accuracy across the entire range and variation of temperature and pressure / vacuum to which the substrate transport apparatus is subjected, which corresponds to a process within a corresponding processing apparatus.

[0030] Note that transfer of substrates to and from a processing station 130, a load lock 102, 102A, 102B, 102C (or cassette C) coupled to a transfer chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F may occur when one or more arms of the substrate transport apparatus 104 are aligned with a predetermined processing station 130 along the extension and retraction axis R of the substrate transport apparatus 104. In accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiments, one or more substrates may be transferred to a corresponding predetermined processing station 130 individually or substantially simultaneously (e.g., such as when a substrate is transferred from a predetermined processing station 130). Figure 1B , Figure 1C , Figure 1D and Figure 1G to Figure 1K In one aspect, the substrate transport apparatus 104 can be mounted on a boom arm 143 (see, e.g., Figure 1D and Figure 1G to Figure 1I), wherein the boom arm 143 has a single boom link or multiple boom links 121, 122 or a linear bracket 144, such as described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 892,849, filed on October 18, 2013 and entitled “Processing Apparatus” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 904,908, filed on November 15, 2013 and entitled “Processing Apparatus” and International Patent Application No. PCT / US13 / 25513, filed on February 11, 2013 and entitled “Substrate Processing Apparatus”, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0031] Reference now Figure 1L , shows a schematic plan view of a linear wafer processing system 100G, wherein a tool interface segment 2012 is mounted to a transport chamber module 3018 such that the interface segment 2012 generally faces (e.g., inwardly) but is offset from the longitudinal axis X of the transport chamber 3018. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,398,355, previously incorporated herein by reference, the transport chamber module 3018 may be extended in any suitable direction by attaching other transport chamber modules 3018A, 3018I, 3018J to the interface 2050, 2060, 2070. Each transport chamber module 3018, 3018A, 3018I, 3018J includes any suitable wafer transport apparatus 2080, which may include one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, for transporting wafers throughout the processing system 100G and into and out of, for example, a processing module PM. As can be appreciated, each chamber module may be capable of maintaining an isolated or controlled atmosphere (e.g., N 2 , clean air, vacuum).

[0032] refer to Figure 1M , shows a schematic elevation view of an exemplary processing tool 100H such as may be taken along the longitudinal axis X of the linear transport chamber 416. Figure 1M In the aspects of the disclosed embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the tool interface section 12 may be typically connected to the transport chamber 416. In this aspect, the interface section 12 may define one end of the tool transport chamber 416. As shown in FIG. Figure 1MAs seen in FIG. 1 , the transport chamber 416 may have another workpiece entry / exit station 412, for example, at the end opposite the interface station 12. In other aspects, other entry / exit stations for inserting / removing workpieces from the transport chamber may be provided. In one aspect, the interface section 12 and the entry / exit station 412 may allow for loading and unloading of workpieces from the tool. In other aspects, workpieces may be loaded into the tool from one end and removed from the other end. In one aspect, the transport chamber 416 may have one or more transfer chamber modules 18B, 18i. Each chamber module may be capable of maintaining an isolated or controlled atmosphere (e.g., N 2 , clean air, vacuum). As noted earlier, Figure 1M The configuration / arrangement of the transport chamber modules 18B, 18i, load lock modules 56A, 56, and workpiece stations that form the transport chamber 416 shown in the drawings is merely exemplary, and in other aspects, the transport chamber may have more or fewer modules arranged in any desired modular arrangement. In the illustrated aspect, the station 412 may be a load lock. In other aspects, the load lock module may be located between end entry / exit stations (similar to the station 412), or an adjacent transport chamber module (similar to the module 18i) may be configured to operate as a load lock.

[0033] As also noted above, the transport chamber modules 18B, 18i have one or more corresponding substrate transport devices 26B, 26i located therein, which may include one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein. The substrate transport devices 26B, 26i of the corresponding transport chamber modules 18B, 18i may cooperate to provide a linearly distributed workpiece transport system 420 in the transport chamber. In this aspect, the substrate transport device 26B may have a general SCARA arm configuration (however, in other aspects, the transport arm may have any other desired arrangement as described below).

[0034] exist Figure 1M In accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiments shown in , the arms and / or end effectors of the conveyor apparatus 26B may be arranged to provide what may be referred to as a quick exchange arrangement that allows the conveyor apparatus to rapidly exchange wafers from a pick / place position. The substrate conveyor apparatus 26B may have any suitable drive sections (e.g., coaxially arranged drive shafts, side-by-side drive shafts, horizontally adjacent motors, vertically stacked motors, etc.) that are used to provide each arm with any suitable number of degrees of freedom (e.g., independent rotation about shoulder and elbow joints and Z-axis motion). As shown in Figure 1MAs seen in FIG. 1 , in this aspect, modules 56A, 56, 30i may be interstitially located between transfer chamber modules 18B, 18i and define suitable processing modules, (one or more) load locks, (one or more) buffer stations, (one or more) metrology stations, or (one or more) any other desired stations. For example, gap modules such as load locks 56A, 56 and workpiece stations 30i each have fixed workpiece supports / shelves 56S1, 56S2, 30S1, 30S2 that cooperate with substrate conveying equipment to enable conveying of workpieces along the linear axis X of the conveying chamber through the length of the conveying chamber. By way of example, (one or more) workpieces may be loaded into the conveying chamber 416 via the interface section 12. (One or more) workpieces may be positioned on (one or more) supports of the load lock module 56A using the substrate conveying equipment 15 of the interface section. The workpiece(s) in the load lock module 56A can be moved between the load lock module 56A and the load lock module 56 by the substrate conveyor 26B in the module 18B, and in a similar and continuous manner, the substrate conveyor 26i (in the module 18i) is used to move between the load lock 56 and the workpiece stage 30i, and the substrate conveyor 26i in the module 18i is used to move between the station 30i and the station 412. This process can be reversed in whole or in part to move the workpiece(s) in the opposite direction. Thus, in one aspect, the workpiece can be moved in any direction along the axis X and moved to any position along the conveyor chamber, and can be loaded into and unloaded from any desired module (processing module or other module) in communication with the conveyor chamber. In other aspects, the gap conveyor chamber module with a static workpiece support or shelf may not be arranged between the conveyor chamber modules 18B, 18i. In such an aspect, the substrate conveyor of the adjacent conveyor chamber module can directly transfer the workpiece from one end effector or one conveyor arm to the end effector or conveyor arm of another substrate conveyor device to move the workpiece through the conveyor chamber. The processing station module can operate on the wafer through various deposition, etching or other types of processes to form circuits or other desired structures on the wafer. The processing station module is connected to the transport chamber module to allow the wafer to be transferred from the transport chamber to the processing station and vice versa. Figure 1D A suitable example of a processing tool having similar general features to the processing apparatus depicted in is described in U.S. Patent No. 8,398,355, which was previously incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0035] Reference now Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 2C , Figure 2DIn one aspect, the substrate transport apparatus 104 includes at least one drive section 200, 200A, 200B, 200C and at least one robotic arm, such as the robotic arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 described below. Note that the illustrated substrate transport apparatus 104 is exemplary and may otherwise have any suitable configuration substantially similar to that described in U.S. Application No. 14 / 568,742, entitled “Substrate transport apparatus” and filed on December 12, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One or more robotic arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 may be coupled to a respective drive shaft of one of the drive sections 200, 200A-200C as described herein at any suitable connection CNX, such that rotation of the drive shaft(s) effects movement of the respective transport arm(s) 314, 315, 316, 317, 318. As will be described below, in one aspect, the transport arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 are interchangeable from a plurality of different interchangeable transport arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 so as to change from one transport arm to another at the connection CNX to the drive section.

[0036] At least one drive section 200, 200A, 200B, 200C is mounted to any suitable frame of the processing apparatus 100A-100H. In one aspect, as noted above, the substrate transport apparatus 104 can be mounted to the linear slide 144 or the boom arm 143 (note that the boom arm can also include one or more aspects of the present disclosure as described herein) in any suitable manner, wherein the linear slide and / or the boom arm 143 has a drive section substantially similar to the drive sections 200, 200A, 200B, 200C described herein. At least one drive section 200, 200A, 200B, 200C can include a common drive section that includes a frame 200F that houses one or more of the Z-axis drive 270 and the rotational drive section 282. The interior 200FI of the frame 200F can be sealed in any suitable manner, as will be described below. In one aspect, the Z-axis drive can be any suitable drive configured to move the transfer arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 along the Z-axis. Figure 2A In the embodiment of the present invention, the Z-axis drive is shown as a screw-type drive, but in other aspects, the drive can be any suitable linear drive, such as a linear actuator, a piezoelectric motor, etc. The rotary drive section 282 can be configured as any suitable drive section, such as, for example, a harmonic drive section. For example, the rotary drive section 282 may include any suitable number of coaxially arranged harmonic drive motors 280, such as in Figure 2B As can be seen in FIG. 2 , the drive section 282 includes, for example, three coaxially arranged harmonic drive motors 280, 280A, 280B. In other aspects, the drives of the drive section 282 can be positioned side by side and / or in a coaxial arrangement. In one aspect, Figure 2A The rotary drive section 282 shown in FIG. 1 includes one harmonic drive motor 280 for driving shaft 280S, however, in other aspects, the drive section may include any suitable number of harmonic drive motors 280, 280A, 280B ( Figure 2B ), which corresponds to any suitable number of drive shafts 280S, 280AS, 280BS ( Figure 2B ).

[0037] The harmonic drive motor 280 may have a high capacity output bearing so that the components of the magnetic fluid seals 276, 277 are at least partially centered and supported by the harmonic drive motor 280 during the desired rotation T and extension R movement of the substrate conveying device 104 with sufficient stability and clearance. Note that the magnetic fluid seals 276, 277 may include several parts that form a substantially concentric coaxial seal, as will be described below. In this example, the rotary drive section 282 includes a housing 281 that accommodates one or more drive motors 280, which may be substantially similar to the drive motors described above and / or described in U.S. Patents 6845250, 5899658, 5813823 and 5720590, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The magnetic fluid seals 276, 277 may be toleranced to seal each drive shaft 280S, 280AS, 280BS in the drive shaft assembly. In one aspect, no magnetic fluid seals may be provided. For example, the drive section 282 may include a drive having a stator that is substantially sealed from the environment in which the transfer arm operates, while the rotor and drive shaft share the environment in which the arm operates. Suitable examples of drive sections that do not have magnetic fluid seals and that may be employed in aspects of the disclosed embodiments include the MagnaTran® 7 and MagnaTran® 8 robot drive sections from Brooks Automation, Inc., which may have a sealed canister arrangement, as will be described below. Note that the drive shaft(s) 280S, 280AS, 280BS may also have a hollow construction (e.g., having a hole extending longitudinally along the center of the drive shaft) to allow a wire 290 or any other suitable item to pass through the drive assembly for connection to, for example, another drive segment mounted to the drive segment 200, 200A, 200B, 200C (as described in U.S. patent application No. 15 / 110130 filed on July 7, 2016 and published on November 10, 2016 as US 2016 / 0325440, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), any suitable position encoder, controller and / or at least one transfer arm 314, 315, 316, 317, 318. As can be appreciated, each of the drive motors of the drive sections 200, 200A, 200B, 200C may include any suitable encoder configured to detect the position of the corresponding motor for determining the position of the end actuator 314E, 315E, 316E, 317E1, 317E1, 318E1, 318E2 of each transport arm 314, 315, 316, 317, 318.

[0038] In one aspect, the housing 281 may be mounted to a carriage 270C that is coupled to the Z-axis drive 270 such that the Z-axis drive 270 moves the carriage (and the housing 281 thereon) along the Z-axis. As may be appreciated, in order to seal the controlled atmosphere in which the transport arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 operate relative to the interior 200FI of the drive section 200, 200A, 200B, 200C (which may operate in an atmospheric pressure ATM environment), the drive section 200, 200A, 200B, 200C may include one or more of the bellows seal 275 and the magnetic fluid seals 276, 277 described above. The bellows seal 275 may have one end coupled to the bracket 270C and another end coupled to any suitable portion of the frame 200F such that the interior 200FI of the frame 200F is isolated from the controlled atmosphere in which the transfer arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 operate.

[0039] In other aspects, as noted above, a drive may be provided on carriage 270C, such as the MagnaTran® 7 and MagnaTran® 8 robotic drive segments from Brooks Automation, Inc., which have stators that are sealed from the atmosphere in which the transfer arm operates without magnetic fluid seals. For example, see also Figure 2C and Figure 2D , the rotary drive section 282 is configured such that the motor stator is sealed relative to the environment in which the conveyor arm operates, while the motor rotor shares the environment in which the conveyor arm operates. Figure 2C , a three-axis rotary drive section 282 is illustrated. In this aspect, there are three motors 280', 280A', 280B', each having a rotor 280R', 280AR', 280BR' coupled to a respective drive shaft 280A, 280AS, 280BS. Each motor 280', 280A', 280B' also includes a respective stator 280S', 280AS', 280BS', which may be sealed relative to the atmosphere in which the (one or more) conveying arms operate by respective tank seals 280SC, 280ACS, 280BCS. As can be appreciated, any suitable encoder / sensor may be provided for determining the position of the drive shaft (and the (one or more) arms operated by the (one or more) drive shafts). As can be appreciated, in one aspect, Figure 2C The drive shaft of the motor shown in FIG. 2 may not allow the wire 290 to be fed through, while in other aspects, any suitable seal may be provided so that the wire can pass through, for example, Figure 2C The hollow drive shaft of the motor shown in FIG.

[0040] Figure 2DThe drive section 200C illustrated in FIG. 200C includes a four-motor nested or concentric configuration such that four drive shafts 126S1-126S4 are coaxially arranged and four motors 126M1-126M4 are arranged in a nested coaxial arrangement. For example, motor 126M1 is nested within motor 126M2 (e.g., radially surrounded by motor 126M2), and motor 126M3 is nested within motor 126M4. The nested motors 126M1, 126M2 are coaxially arranged relative to the nested motors 126M3, 126M4 such that the nested motors 126M1, 126M2 are coaxially disposed above the nested motors 126M3, 125M4. However, it should be understood that the motors 126M1-126M4 may have any suitable arrangement, such as a stacked arrangement, a side-by-side arrangement, or a plurality of motors 126M1-126M4. Figure 2D In other aspects, the motors can be a low profile planar or "pancake" style robot drive configuration in which the motors are concentrically nested within each other in a manner substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 8,008,884, entitled "Substrate Processing Apparatus with Motors Integral to Chamber Walls," issued on August 30, 2011; and U.S. Patent No. 8,283,813, entitled "Robot Drive with Magnetic Spindle Bearings," issued on October 9, 2012, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0041] Although the motor is illustrated as a rotary motor, in other aspects, any suitable motor(s) and / or suitable drive transmission(s) may be used, such as, for example, a direct drive linear motor, a linear piezoelectric electric motor, a linear induction motor, a linear synchronous motor, a brushed or brushless linear motor, a linear stepper motor, a linear servo motor, a reluctance motor, etc. Examples of suitable linear motors are described, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 286,186, entitled “Linear Vacuum Robot with Z Motion and Articulated Arm,” filed Oct. 31, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 159,034, entitled “Substrate Processing Apparatus,” filed Jun. 13, 2011; and U.S. Patent No. 7,901,539, entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Transporting and Processing Substrates,” published Mar. 8, 2011; U.S. Patent No. 8,293,066, entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Transporting and Processing Substrates,” published Oct. 23, 2012; U.S. Patent No. 8,419,341, entitled “Linear Vacuum Robot with Z Motion and Articulated Arm,” published Oct. 23, 2012 Arm”, published on April 16, 2013; U.S. Patent No. 7,575,406, entitled “Substrate Processing Apparatus”, published on August 18, 2009; and U.S. Patent No. 7,959,395, entitled “Substrate Processing Apparatus”, published on June 14, 2011, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0042] Reference now FIG. 3A to FIG. 3E, the boom arm 143 and / or the substrate transport apparatus 104 may include any suitable arm linkage(s). Suitable examples of arm linkage mechanisms can be found in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7578649, issued on August 25, 2009, U.S. Patent No. 5794487, issued on August 18, 1998, U.S. Patent No. 7946800, issued on May 24, 2011, U.S. Patent No. 6485250, issued on November 26, 2002, U.S. Patent No. 7891935, issued on February 22, 2011, U.S. Patent No. 8419341, issued on April 16, 2013, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 293717, entitled “Dual Arm Robot” and filed on November 10, 2011, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 293717, entitled “Linear Vacuum Robot with Z Motion and Articulated Arm” and filed on September 5, 2013. 13 / 861,693, the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one transfer arm, boom arm 143, and / or linear slide 144 of each substrate transport device 104 may be derived from a conventional SCARA arm 315 (selectively compliant articulated robot arm) ( Figure 3C ) type design, which includes an upper arm 315U, a driven forearm 315F and a constrained end effector 315E, or is derived from a telescopic arm or any other suitable arm design, such as a Cartesian linear slide arm 314 ( Figure 3B ). Suitable examples of transport arms can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 117,415, entitled "Substrate Transport Apparatus with Multiple Movable Arms Utilizing a Mechanical Switch Mechanism," filed on May 8, 2008, and U.S. Patent No. 7,648,327, published on January 19, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0043] The transfer arms may operate independently of one another (e.g., each arm may extend / retract independently of the other arms), may be operated by lost motion switches, or may be operably coupled in any suitable manner such that the arms share at least one common drive axis. In still other aspects, the transfer arms may have any other desired arrangement, such as a frog-leg arm 316 ( Figure 3A ) structure, frog arm 317 ( Figure 3E ) structure, double symmetrical arm 318 ( Figure 3D) structure, etc. Suitable examples of the transport arm can be found in the following documents: U.S. Patent 6231297 issued on May 15, 2001, U.S. Patent 5180276 issued on January 19, 1993, U.S. Patent 6464448 issued on October 15, 2002, U.S. Patent 6224319 issued on May 1, 2001, U.S. Patent 5447409 issued on September 5, 1995, U.S. Patent 7578649 issued on August 25, 2009, U.S. Patent 5794487 issued on August 18, 1998, U.S. Patent 7946800 issued on May 24, 2011, U.S. Patent 6485250 issued on November 26, 2002, U.S. Patent 7891935 issued on February 22, 2011, and the patent entitled "Dual Arm 10, 2011, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 293,717, entitled “Coaxial Drive Vacuum Robot” and filed on November 10, 2011, and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 270,844, entitled “Coaxial Drive Vacuum Robot” and filed on October 11, 2011, the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Note that the boom arm 143 may have a configuration substantially similar to the transport arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, wherein the substrate transport apparatus 104 is mounted to the boom arm 143 in place of the end effectors 315E, 316E, 317E1, 317E1, 318E1, 318E2. As can be appreciated, according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, (one or more) transport arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 are rotatably connected to the corresponding drive sections 200, 200A, 200B, 200C so that the corresponding drive sections 200, 200A, 200B, 200C achieve essentially frictionless torque transmission from the drive sections 200, 200A, 200B, 200C to the transport arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 to achieve articulated movement of the transport arms 314, 315, 316, 317, 318 relative to a frame (such as frame 200F or any suitable frame of the processing tools 100A-100H). As will be described in more detail below, any suitable controller, such as controller 110 , is coupled to the drive sections 200 , 200A, 200B, 200C in any suitable manner to drive the drive sections 200 , 200A, 200B, 200C to effect articulation of the transport arms 314 , 315 , 316 , 317 , 318 .

[0044] Reference now Figure 4 , according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments, an exemplary substrate transport device 104A is illustrated. The substrate transport device 104A is substantially similar to the substrate transport device 104A described above with respect to Figures 1A to 1D and Figure 1G to Figure 1KThe substrate transport apparatus 104 described herein may be used in any suitable atmospheric or vacuum environment, such as the environments described above with respect to the processing apparatuses 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100H. In one aspect, the substrate transport apparatus 104A may be at least partially disposed in an exemplary transport chamber 125', which may be substantially similar to any of the transport chambers 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F described above.

[0045] The substrate transport device 104A includes a base 400BA having a drive section 200' disposed therein. The substrate transport device 104A further includes a transport arm 315' rotatably coupled to the drive section 200'. The transport arm 315' includes an upper arm 401, a forearm 402, and an end effector 403. Note that although the drive section 200' is depicted and described as a three-axis drive section (substantially similar to the above description of Figure 2C 200 ′ may have any suitable drive segment configuration, such as that described above with respect to Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Figure 2D Furthermore, although the transport arm 315' is depicted and described as having the same Figure 3C A generally similar configuration is depicted for a conventional SCARA arm 315, but the transport arm 315' may have any suitable arm configuration, such as the arm configurations 314, 316, 317, 318 described above. As can be appreciated, the substrate transport apparatus 104A may be any other suitable substrate transport apparatus having at least one torque coupling between a rotary drive component driving a rotary follower component.

[0046] As can be appreciated, the substrate transport apparatus 104A is connected to and communicates with any suitable controller (such as the controller 110 described above) so that the controller 110 can control the movement of the transport arm 315'. More specifically, the controller 110 includes a controller module 110M that is configured to command positional movement of the substrate transport apparatus 104A in a known and controlled manner to move the end effector 403 of the transport arm 315' to any desired position within the processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G, 100H (i.e., within the range of the substrate transport apparatus 104A). For example, the transport arm 315' can be coupled to the drive section 200', which can be any suitable drive section such as the drive sections previously described (i.e., harmonic drive, fixed base drive, three-axis drive, etc.), and can include a controller module 110M having any suitable non-transitory program code for implementing the operation of the substrate transport apparatus 104A. In one aspect, the controller 110 can be configured as an on-off controller for using the maximum torque τ of the drive section 200' max To produce time-optimal motion of at least a portion of the substrate transport device 104A (such as the end effector 403). The drive section 200' may include any desired position determining device (e.g., such as a position or motor encoder 296; Figure 2A ), which is connected to the controller module 110M of the controller 110. The encoder 296 sends any suitable signal(s) to the controller module 110M, thereby enabling the controller module 110M to determine the position of a predetermined point on the delivery arm 315' (such as the center of the end effector or any other suitable location) relative to the delivery chamber 125'.

[0047] exist Figure 4 In the exemplary embodiment shown in , the drive section 200 'is disposed in a base 400BA that houses a multi-axis drive spindle assembly 410 and three motors 420, 421, 422. The multi-axis drive spindle assembly 410 has three drive shafts 410A, 410B, 410C that are arranged, for example, in a coaxial configuration. In this aspect, the drive shafts 410A, 410B, 410C are constructed of stainless steel, but may be any other suitable material. As noted above, in other aspects, the drive section may have more or less than three motors and more or less than three drive shafts.

[0048] The three motors 420, 421, 422 each include a stator 420ST, 421ST, 422ST and a rotor 420RT, 421RT, 422RT, which are coupled to a corresponding one of the inner drive shaft 410A, the intermediate drive shaft 410B, and the outer drive shaft 410C. Each stator 420ST, 421ST, 422ST generally includes an electromagnetic coil and is fixedly attached to the base 400BA at a different vertical height or position along the base 400BA. Each rotor 420RT, 421RT, 422RT is composed of a permanent magnet, but may alternatively include a magnetic induction rotor that does not have a permanent magnet and can be rotatably coupled to each corresponding drive shaft 410A, 410B, 410C according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein. A variety of bearings may be provided around the drive shafts 410A, 410B, 410C and the base 400BA to allow each drive shaft 410A, 410B, 410C to rotate independently relative to each other and the base 400BA. Each drive shaft 410A, 410B, 410C may be provided with a suitable position sensor / encoder to provide a position signal for the respective drive shaft 410A, 410B, 410C to the controller 110 for determining the rotational position of the drive shafts 410A, 410B, 410C relative to each other and / or relative to the base 400BA. Any suitable sensor / encoder may be used, such as an optical or inductive sensor.

[0049] Still reference Figure 4 , the upper arm 401 of the transport arm 315' is coupled to the outer drive shaft 410C of the drive section 200' at the shoulder 404 of the substrate transport device 104A through a substantially dimensionally constant interface, so that the outer drive shaft 410C and the upper arm 401 rotate together as a unit around the shoulder rotation axis Z1 with repeatability and accuracy as further described below. The upper arm 401 generally includes an upper arm housing 401H and an upper arm bearing ring 401BC.

[0050] The forearm 402 is coupled to the upper arm 401 at the elbow 405 of the substrate transport device 104A via an elbow drive shaft assembly 430. The forearm 402 generally includes a forearm housing 402H and a forearm bearing ring 402BC (depending from the forearm housing 402H in a manner similar to that described in more detail below and independent of the elbow drive shaft assembly 430 within the housing). The inner drive shaft 410A is operably coupled to a first transmission 470 in the upper arm 401. The first transmission 470 includes a drive pulley 471, an idler pulley 472, and a drive belt 473. The drive pulley 471 is coupled to the inner drive shaft 410A through a substantially constant interface (as will be further described below) and is connected to the idler pulley 472 through a drive belt 473. The idler wheel 472 is coupled to the elbow outer drive shaft 431 of the elbow drive shaft assembly 430 (also as will be further described below) through a substantially constant-size interface, so that the idler wheel 472 and the elbow outer drive shaft 431 rotate accurately and repeatably as a unit. The elbow drive shaft assembly 430, which connects the forearm 402 to the upper arm 401, is rotatably supported from the upper arm 401 by suitable bearings that allow the elbow drive shaft assembly 430 to rotate relative to the upper arm 401 about the elbow rotation axis Z2. The forearm 402 is coupled to the elbow outer drive shaft 431 of the elbow drive shaft assembly 430 through a substantially constant-size interface, so that the elbow outer drive shaft 431 and the forearm 402 rotate accurately and repeatably as a unit about the axis Z2. When the drive pulley 471 of the first transmission 470 in the upper arm 401 rotates through the inner drive shaft 410A of the drive section 200', the forearm 402 rotates about the axis Z2. Thus, the inner drive shaft 410A of the drive section 200 ′ is used to independently rotate the forearm 402 relative to the upper arm 401 .

[0051] The end effector 403 is coupled to the forearm 402 via a wrist drive shaft 440 at the wrist 406 of the substrate transport device 104A. The intermediate drive shaft 410B is operably coupled to a second transmission 480 in the upper arm 401. The second transmission 480 in the upper arm 401 includes a drive pulley 481, an idler pulley 482, and a drive belt 483. The drive pulley 481 is coupled to the intermediate drive shaft 410B of the multi-axis drive spindle assembly 410 in the drive section 200' via a substantially constant interface. The idler pulley 482 is coupled to the elbow inner drive shaft 432 of the elbow drive shaft assembly 430 (connecting the forearm 402 to the upper arm 401) via a substantially constant interface. The drive belt 483 connects the drive pulley 481 to the idler pulley 482. The elbow inner drive shaft 432 of the elbow drive shaft assembly 430 is operably coupled to a third transmission 490 in the forearm 402. The third transmission 490 in the forearm 402 includes a drive pulley 491, an idler pulley 492, and a drive belt 493. The drive pulley 491 is coupled to the elbow inner drive shaft 432 of the elbow drive shaft assembly 430 through a substantially constant interface. The idler pulley 492 is coupled to the wrist drive shaft 440 through a substantially constant interface. The drive belt 493 connects the drive pulley 491 to the idler pulley 492. The wrist drive shaft 440 is rotatably supported from the forearm 402 by a suitable bearing that allows the wrist drive shaft 440 to rotate relative to the forearm 402 about the wrist rotation axis Z3. The end effector 403 is coupled to the wrist drive shaft 440 through a substantially constant interface so as to accurately and repeatably rotate as a unit about the axis Z3. When the idler pulley 492 of the third transmission 490 rotates through the drive pulley 491, the end effector 403 rotates about the axis Z3. The drive pulley 491 is in turn rotated by the elbow inner drive shaft 432 of the elbow shaft assembly 430. When the idler 482 of the second transmission 480 in the upper arm 401 is rotated by the intermediate drive shaft 410B of the drive section 200', the elbow inner drive shaft 432 rotates. Thus, the end effector 403 can be independently rotated about the axis Z3 relative to the forearm 402 and the upper arm 401 with repeatability and accuracy as described further below.

[0052] Each of the rotatable couplings of the substrate transport apparatus 104A is defined by a torque coupling between a rotational or torsional motion driver component 530 (i.e., with reference to each of the driving components, e.g., drive shafts 410A, 410B, 410C, 431, 432, 440; rotors 420RT, 421RT, 422RT; and idler pulleys 472, 482, 492) and a rotational or torsional motion follower component 535 (i.e., with reference to each of the driven components, e.g., arm links 401, 402, 403; pulleys 471, 481, 491; and drive shafts 410A, 410B, 410C, 431, 432, 440). Note that in some cases, a torsional motion driver component may also be a torsional motion follower component. For example, the elbow internal drive shaft 432 is a torsional motion follower component relative to the torque coupling between the elbow internal drive shaft 432 and the idler 482, and is also a torsional motion driver component relative to the torque coupling between the elbow internal drive shaft 432 and the drive pulley 491. In one aspect, the rotation follower component 535 is at least partially located inside the rotation drive component 530, such that the rotation drive component 530 is disposed around at least a portion of the rotation follower component 535 (e.g., the elbow internal drive shaft 432 is at least partially located inside the idler 482). In another aspect, the rotation driver component 530 is at least partially located inside the rotation follower component 535, such that the rotation follower component 535 is disposed around at least a portion of the rotation drive component 530 (e.g., the elbow internal drive shaft 432 is at least partially located inside the drive pulley 491). Each torsional motion driver component 530 and the corresponding torsional motion follower component 535 are coupled together to utilize an interface 500, 500' ( Figure 5 and Fig.10 ) transfer torque between each other via essentially frictionless torque transfer.

[0053] For example, refer to Figures 5 to 9 , a torque coupling 499 (eg, between a torsional motion driver component 530 (eg, the inner elbow drive shaft 432) and a torsional motion follower component 535 (eg, the drive pulley 491) will be described in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Figure 4 ). Note that while aspects of the disclosed embodiments are described herein with specific reference to, for example, the torque coupling 499 between the drive shaft 432 within the elbow and the drive pulley 491 for convenience only, one or more other torque couplings of the substrate transport apparatus 104A may have substantially similar features and be coupled in substantially the same manner as previously noted.

[0054] As noted above, the torsional motion follower component 535 is coupled to the torsional motion driver component 530. More specifically, the torsional motion follower component 535 is coupled to the torsional motion driver component 530 using a substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 (also referred to as a contact torque transfer interface) to transfer torque from the torsional motion driver component 530 to the torsional motion follower component 535. In one aspect, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 is a rigid, substantially non-slip interface. The substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 is configured such that the rigid, substantially non-slip interface has a predetermined repeatable bi-directional rigidity and substantially non-slip contact at the substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500. The predetermined repeatable bi-directional rigidity and substantially non-slip contact enable torque transfer of torque from, for example, the torsional motion driver component 530 to the torsional motion follower component 535 via substantially frictionless transfer. As noted above, the controller 110 may be a switch-type controller configured to apply a maximum torque τ to the substrate transport apparatus 104A max The substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 is configured to be rigid and substantially invariant (with respect to producing improved motion repeatability over known substrate handling apparatuses and, in some specific cases, better than about 100 microns of motion repeatability over the entire range of motion in the transient state) for each direction (i.e., bidirectional) of torque applied to the torque coupling. For example, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 is rigid and substantially invariant from zero applied torque to a maximum applied torque + τ max and each transient in between is rigid and substantially unchanged. In addition, the substantially dimensionally unchanged interface 500 is rigid and substantially unchanged throughout the torque transient, wherein the direction of the applied torque is switched to the opposite direction (i.e., from +τ to +τ). max to -τ max , such as when the substrate transport apparatus 104A is fully extended and the torque is switched to retract the substrate transport apparatus 104A). The substantially dimensionally constant interface 500 is switched at each transient torque (ie, from −τ max to +τ max ) is rigid and substantially constant throughout the application of . In one aspect, note that τ maxis the maximum rated motor torque, such as would be applied by a controller that achieves optimal (i.e., time-optimal) "on-off" control of the substrate conveyor apparatus motion profile. In one aspect, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 is also configured to be rigid and substantially invariant at all times, including during teaching / setting up the substrate conveyor apparatus 104A to operate under steady-state operating conditions, including under vacuum and at any temperature. The substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 is configured to be rigid and substantially invariant for all temperature ranges during operation, for example, in a processing station 130, which may operate at temperatures of about 400°F or greater. The substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 is configured to be rigid and substantially invariant at both "cold" temperatures (i.e., during initial warm-up or when not operating) and operating temperatures (e.g., the operating temperatures of the processing station 130 or conveyor chambers 125A-F).

[0055] In this aspect, the torsional motion driver component 530 has an outer periphery 530E ( Figure 6B ), the outer periphery surrounds the elbow rotation axis Z2. The torsional motion driver component 530 includes a driver component position reference surface 699 and a seating surface 698 ( Figure 6B ). The driver component position reference surface 699 partially defines the interface 500 which is substantially dimensionally constant, as will be further described below.

[0056] The torsional motion follower component 535 includes a main body portion 510 and a bearing ring 511 rotatably coupled to the main body portion 510. The main body portion 510 of the torsional motion follower component 535 includes a follower component position reference surface 599 and a follower engagement surface 910 ( Fig. 9 In one aspect, the torsional motion follower component 535 further includes at least one bearing 512 ( Figure 8 ), the bearing body 510 is placed on the bearing ring 511. The bearing ring 511 includes a thread 511T ( Figure 8 ), the thread 511T is configured to couple with, for example, the thread 402T of the arm link housing 402H (eg, the forearm 402). Figure 7 and Figure 8As can be best seen in FIG. 5 , in one aspect, the bearing races 512A, 512B of at least one bearing 512 are independently suspended from, for example, a torsional motion follower component 535, from the torsional motion driver component 530, such that the bearing ring 511 is independent of the torsional motion driver component 530 (i.e., the bearing ring 511 is not directly coupled to the torsional motion driver component 530, such that the outer periphery 530E of the torsional motion driver component 530 is entirely separated from the bearing ring 511 (e.g., when compared to a conventional SCARA torque coupling, in which the bearing ring is suspended from or directly disposed on or against the drive shaft in a friction coupling). In one aspect, the bearing ring 511 is also separate from the interface 500, which has a substantially constant dimension. The bearing ring 511 can be constructed of stainless steel or any other suitable material, and can have a low coefficient of thermal expansion. For example, the bearing ring 511 can be constructed of 17-H900 stainless steel, which has, for example, a thermal expansion coefficient of -100 - 70°F (-73 - 5.8×10 6 in / in / ℉ (10.4 µm / m·K), an average thermal expansion coefficient of 6.0×10-1 at a temperature range of 70 - 200℉ (21 - 93℃). 6 in / in / ℉(10.8 µm / m·K), an average thermal expansion coefficient of 6.3×10 in / in / ℉(10.8 µm / m·K) over a temperature range of 70 - 600℉ (21 - 316℃) 6 in / in / ℉ (11.3 µm / m·K) or 6.5×10- 6 An average coefficient of thermal expansion of in / in / ℉ (11.7 µm / m·K). In one aspect, the bearing ring 511 includes a drive feature.

[0057] The driver component position reference surface 699 of the torsional motion driver component 530 and the follower component position reference surface 599 of the main body portion 510 of the torsional motion follower component 535 are arranged in a predetermined alignment that sets a predetermined position of the torsional motion driver component 530 and the torsional motion follower component 535 relative to each other. In one aspect, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 has a configuration that complements the driver component position reference surface 699 of the torsional motion driver component 530 and the follower component position reference surface 599 of the torsional motion follower component 535. With this configuration, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 engaged with the driver component position reference surface 699 and the follower component position reference surface 599 achieves a repeatable predetermined concentric position of the substantially dimensionally invariant interface 500 relative to both the torsional motion follower component 535 and the torsional motion driver component 530.

[0058] Still reference Figures 5 to 9 , in one aspect, the substrate transport device 104A further includes a torque rod 550 (also referred to as a rotary torque transfer coupling), a first biasing member 560, and a second biasing member 565. In one aspect, the torque rod 550 includes a first end 550E1 having a first wedge surface 551 disposed thereon, a second end 550E2 having a second wedge surface 552 disposed thereon, a thrust surface 555 disposed between the first end 550E1 and the second end 550E2, and at least one torque rod attachment member 553, 554. The torque rod 550 is configured to be seated on (or seated on) the seating surface 698 of the torsional motion driver component 530 and is coupled to the torsional motion driver component 530 via the torque rod attachment members 553, 554 (e.g., threaded gap cover bolts configured to be substantially only used for axial loading from engagement with the torsional motion driver component 530 and the torque rod 550). At least one torque rod attachment component 553, 554 is configured to preload the torque rod 550 relative to the torsional motion driver component 530, and may be, for example, a nut and bolt, a screw, or any other suitable fastener component. The torque rod 550 is further configured to be coupled to a torsional motion follower component 535 (as described herein) to achieve coupling of the torsional motion follower component 535 to the torsional motion driver component 530. In other aspects, the torsional motion driver component and the torque rod element may be formed as a single-piece unit (e.g., integral) such that the torsional motion driver component and the torque rod define a single-piece unit. Figure 5 and Fig. 9 As illustrated in , such an integrated one-piece unit of a torsional motion driver component and torque rod is similarly coupled to the torsional motion follower component 535 using a first biasing component 560 and a second biasing component 565 .

[0059] In one aspect, the torque rod 550 partially defines the substantially constant dimension interface 500. For example, in one aspect, the substantially constant dimension interface 500 is disposed on the torque rod 550 and simultaneously engages the torsional motion driver component 530 and the torsional motion follower component 535. Such engagement of the torque rod 550 with the torsional motion driver component 530 and the torsional motion follower component 535 simultaneously enables the transfer of rotational motion / torsion (or torque) from the torsional motion driver component 530 to the torsional motion follower component 535. In one aspect, the thrust surface 555 of the torque rod 550 is configured to engage the driver component position reference surface 699 of the torsional motion driver component 530 and define at least a portion of the substantially constant dimension interface 500. The engagement of the thrust surface 555 with the driver component position reference surface 699 defines a controlled distributed contact thrust interface 800 ( Figure 5), the interface is configured to distribute a substantially uniform thrust load from the torsional motion driver component 530 to the torque rod 550 across the face of the interface 500 of substantially constant dimension. The preload between the respective thrust faces 555 of the torque rod 550 and the position reference surface 699 of the torsional motion driver component 530 is applied as described (via the attachment components 553, 554) such that at τ max and intermediate transients to produce a substantially uniform thrust load across the interface. In aspects of the integral torsional motion driver component and torque rod formed as a single-piece unit, the thrust interface is eliminated, and the torque rod portion can be shaped in plan and cross-section to achieve a substantially uniform torque and motion transfer load distribution commensurate with the uniform transfer load. As can be appreciated, the engagement between the torsional motion follower component 535 and the integral integral torsional motion driver component and torque rod is maintained separate from the outer peripheral surface of the integral integral torsional motion driver component and torque rod, which is oriented tangential to the rotation of the torsional motion driver component 550 and the torsional motion follower component 535.

[0060] As in Figure 6B and Figure 6C As best seen in FIG. 1 , in one aspect, each of the first biasing member 560 and the second biasing member 565 includes a body 561, 566, a wedge-shaped engagement surface 560WS, 565WS, a pin 562, 567, and an attachment member 563, 568, respectively. The first biasing member 560 and the second biasing member 565 are configured to engage the respective first end 550E1 and the second end 550E2 of the torque rod 550. More specifically, the wedge-shaped engagement surfaces 560WS, 565WS of the first biasing member 560 and the second biasing member 565 are configured to engage the respective ones of the first wedge surface 551 and the second wedge surface 552 defining the pressure surface of the torque rod 550. The engagement between each biasing member 560, 565 and the respective first end 550E1 and the second end 550E2 is configured to position the torque rod 550 (and the substantially dimensionally unchanged interface 500) disposed on the driver component position reference surface 699 relative to the follower component position reference surface 599. Although aspects of the disclosed embodiments are described herein as having a wedge-shaped surface, in other aspects the torque rod 550 can be positioned in any suitable manner, such as being machined through the side of a torsional motion follower component as described below, or in any other suitable manner.

[0061] In one aspect, the pins 562, 567 are configured to pin (or positionally secure) each respective biasing member 560, 565 to the torsional motion follower member 535 such that the torque load 930 is transmitted from the torsional motion driver member 530 to the torsional motion follower member 535 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1 ) through the pins 562, 567. Fig. 9 , the torque load is reacted at the follower engagement surface 910). As can be appreciated, the biasing member defines a link oriented along and by the wedge interface and is preloaded (to full rotation) at the pin coupling so that the biasing member is rigidly aligned with the substantially dimensionally constant interface 500. The biasing member is configured to be simultaneously pinned to the torsional motion follower member 535 and engage with the respective first and second ends 550E1, 550E2 of the torque rod 550 to transfer the torque load 930 from the torsional motion driver member 530 through the torque rod 550 to the follower engagement surface 910 of the torsional motion follower member 535.

[0062] The attachment members 563, 568 may be substantially similar to the torque rod fastener members 553, 554 described above. The attachment members 563, 568 are configured to secure and rigidly lock the respective first biasing members 560 and second biasing members 565 in place, thereby substantially simultaneously engaging the first end 550E1 and second end 550E2 of the torque rod 550, wherein the pins 562, 567 pin the respective first biasing members 563 and second biasing members 568 to the torsional motion follower member 535. The attachment members 563, 568 force the wedge engagement surfaces 560WS, 565WS of the first biasing members 563 and second biasing members 568 to engage the first wedge surface 551 and second wedge surface 552 of the torque rod 550, causing the torque rod 550 to be pushed / pressed against the driver member position reference surface 699 and the follower member position reference surface 599. With the first biasing member 560 and the second biasing member 565 being tightened, a preload is applied to the end control surface 920 ( 920 ) of each biasing member 560 , 565 at each end 550E1 , 550E2 of the torque rod 550 . Fig. 9 ). In one aspect, the attachment members 563, 568 are further configured to act like a spring when tightened so that any thermal growth changes are absorbed by the elasticity of the connection.

[0063] In one aspect, the first biasing member 560 and the second biasing member 565 in the secured position remain substantially separated from the torsional motion follower member 535 (i.e., there is a gap GAP between each of the first biasing member 560 and the second biasing member 565 and the main body portion 510 of the torsional motion follower member 535). Fig. 9 )). The biasing members 560, 565 maintain a gap GAP between the main body portion 510 of the torsional motion follower member 535 allowing for substantially frictionless transfer of torque from the torsional motion driver member 530 to the torsional motion follower member 535.

[0064] In one aspect, the torque rod 550 defines an end controlled thrust interface 900 at each of the first end 550E1 and the second end 550E2. The thrust or torque load 930 is transmitted from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces 900 to the corresponding follower engagement surface 910 of the torsional motion follower component 535. In one aspect, the thrust load torque transmission from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces 900 to the corresponding follower engagement surface 910 is a substantially frictionless transmission. In one aspect, the end controlled thrust interface 900 is arranged relative to the torsional motion follower component 535 and the controlled distributed contact thrust interface 800 ( Figure 5 ) has a predetermined substantially constant position. In one aspect, the compressive load is transferred from the torsional motion driver component 530 to the thrust face 555 of the substantially constant-size interface 500, and from the end controlled thrust interface 900 of each of the first end 550E1 and the second end 550E2 of the torque rod 550 to the torsional motion follower component 535, so as to achieve the transfer of torsional motion and total torque from the torsional motion driver component 530 across the substantially constant-size interface 500, wherein the compressive load is substantially separated from the friction load.

[0065] In one aspect, the torsional motion follower component 535 further includes a preload belt to pulley coupling 515 connected to the torsional motion follower component 535. The preload belt to pulley coupling 515 is configured to couple the drive belt 593 to the torsional motion follower component 535. The preload belt to pulley coupling 515 includes an attachment member 518, a belt attachment member 519 ( Figure 6C ) and biasing member 570 ( Figure 6C ). The attachment member 518 is configured to couple the preload belt to pulley coupling 515 to the main body 510 of the torsional motion follower member 535. The belt attachment member 519 is configured to attach the belt 593 to the preload belt to pulley coupling 515. The biasing member 570 is substantially similar to the first biasing member 560 and the second biasing member 565 described above, and includes an attachment member 517 and a pin 516 substantially similar to the pins 562, 567 described above, which is used to pin the preload belt to pulley coupling 515 to the main body 510 of the torsional motion follower member 535. The biasing member 570 is configured so that the thrust load 600 from the belt 593 is reacted by the torsional motion follower member 535 at the pin 516, substantially similar to that described above.

[0066] In another example, refer to Fig.10 , Fig.11 and FIG. 12A to FIG. 12B, a torsional motion follower component 535' (e.g., upper arm 401) is coupled to a torsional motion driver component 530' (e.g., outer drive shaft 410C) using a substantially constant-size interface 500' to transfer torque from the torsional motion driver component 530' to the torsional motion follower component 535'. The substantially constant-size interface 500' is substantially similar to the substantially constant-size interface 500 described above. In this aspect, the torsional motion driver component 530' has an outer periphery 530E' surrounding the shoulder rotation axis Z1 and a channel 1000 configured such that the intermediate drive shaft 410B and the inner drive shaft 410A can pass through the center of the torsional motion driver component 530'. The torsional motion driver component 530' includes a driver component position reference surface 699'. The driver component position reference surface 699' partially defines the substantially constant-size interface 500', as will be further described below.

[0067] The upper arm 401 includes a main body portion 510' and a Fig.11 ) is substantially similar to that described above with respect to the torsional motion follower component 535. The main body portion 510' of the upper arm 401 includes a follower component position reference surface 599'. Substantially similar to the torsional motion driver component 530, the outer periphery 530E' of the torsional motion driver component 530' is a completely free surface (i.e., the bearing ring 511' is not directly coupled to the torsional motion driver component 530'). In addition, the bearing ring 511' is also separated from the interface 500', which has substantially unchanged dimensions.

[0068] The driver component position reference surface 699' of the torsional motion driver component 530' and the follower component position reference surface 599' of the main body portion 510' of the upper arm 401 are arranged in a predetermined alignment that sets a predetermined position of the torsional motion driver component 530' and the upper arm 401 relative to each other. The substantially dimensionally constant interface 500' has a configuration that complements the driver component position reference surface 699' of the torsional motion driver component 530' and the follower component position reference surface 599' of the upper arm 401, and achieves a repeatable predetermined concentric position of the substantially dimensionally constant interface 500' relative to both the upper arm 401 and the torsional motion driver component 530'.

[0069] Still reference Fig.10 , Fig.11 and FIG. 12A to FIG. 12B, the torque rod 550' includes a first end 550E1', a second end 550E2', a thrust surface 555' disposed between the first end 550E1' and the second end 550E2', and torque rod attachment components 553', 554'. Substantially similar to the torque rod 550 described above, the torque rod 550' is configured to be coupled to the torsional motion driver component 530' via the torque rod attachment components 553', 554' to preload the torque rod relative to the torsional motion driver component 530'. The torque rod 550' is further configured to be coupled to the upper arm 401, thereby achieving the coupling of the upper arm 401 to the torsional motion driver component 530'. In this aspect, when the torque rod 550' is coupled to the torsional motion driver component 530', the torque rod 550' defines a portion of the channel 1000.

[0070] In one aspect, the torque rod 550' partially defines the substantially constant-size interface 500'. For example, in one aspect, the substantially constant-size interface 500' is disposed on the torque rod 550' and simultaneously engages the torsional motion driver component 530' and the upper arm 401. Such engagement of the torque rod 550' with the torsional motion driver component 530' and the upper arm 401 simultaneously enables torsional transfer from the torsional motion driver component 530' to the upper arm 401. In one aspect, the thrust face 555' of the torque rod 550' is configured to engage the driver component position reference surface 699' of the torsional motion driver component 530' and define at least a portion of the substantially constant-size interface 500'. The engagement of the thrust face 555' with the driver component position reference surface 699' defines a controlled distributed contact thrust interface 800' that is configured to distribute a substantially uniform thrust load from the torsional motion driver component 530' to the torque rod 550' across the face of the substantially constant-size interface 500'.

[0071] The first biasing member 560' and the second biasing member 565' can operate substantially similarly to the biasing members 560, 565 described above. Fig. 12B As shown in the figure, the torque rod 550" can be pinned to the upper arm 401 through one or more side portions 401S1, 401S2 of the upper arm 401. The pin 1010 is inserted into the recessed hole 1020 at each end 550E1", 550E2" of the torque rod 550". The tapered surface 1021 within the recessed hole 1020 is configured to interface with the tapered surface 1011 of the pin 1010 to position the torque rod 550" similarly to the description above regarding the biasing members 560, 565.

[0072] In one aspect, the torque rod 550' defines an end controlled thrust interface at each of the first end 550E1' and the second end 550E2'. Thrust loads are transferred from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces to the corresponding follower engagement surface of the upper arm 401. In one aspect, the thrust load torque transfer from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces 900' to the corresponding follower engagement surface 910' is a substantially frictionless transfer. In one aspect, the end controlled thrust interface is arranged to have a predetermined substantially constant position relative to the upper arm 401 and the controlled distributed contact thrust interface 800'.

[0073] In one aspect, the compressive load is transferred from the torsional motion driver component 530' to the thrust surface 555' of the substantially dimensionally constant interface 500' and from the end controlled thrust interface of each of the first end 550E1' and the second end 550E2' of the torque rod 550' to the upper arm 401 in a manner similar to that described above so as to effect transfer of torsional motion and total torque from the torsional motion driver component 530' across the substantially dimensionally constant interface 500', wherein the compressive load is substantially separated from the friction load.

[0074] Reference now Fig.13 , exemplary operations of aspects of the disclosed embodiments will be described. In one aspect, method 1300 includes providing a torsional motion follower component ( Fig.13 , block 1201), such as a torsional motion follower component 535, which includes a bearing ring 511 and a body portion 510. The method further includes coupling the torsional motion follower component 535 to a torsional motion driver component, such as a torsional motion driver component 530 ( Fig.13 , frame 1202). The bearing ring 511 is separated from the outer periphery 410BE of the torsional motion driver component 530, so that the outer periphery 410BE is completely separated from the bearing ring 511. The torsional motion driver component 530 is rotated by the second transmission device 480, which is driven by the intermediate drive shaft 410B of the drive section 200'. The torque provided to the torsional motion driver component 530 by the second transmission device 480 is transmitted to the torsional motion follower component 535 via the interface 500, which has substantially unchanged dimensions.

[0075] In one aspect, the method further includes coupling the torsional motion follower component 535 to the torsional motion driver component 530 using a torque rod 550. The torque rod 550 simultaneously engages the torsional motion driver component 530 and the torsional motion follower component 535 and enables the transfer of torsional motion from the torsional motion driver component 530 to the torsional motion follower component 535 ( Fig.13, block 1203). In one aspect, the torque rod 550 defines an end controlled thrust interface 900 at each of the first end 550E1 and the second end 550E2. Thrust loads are transferred from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces 900 to the respective follower engagement surfaces 910 of the torsional motion follower component 535. In one aspect, the method further includes transferring a compressive load from the torsional motion driver component 530 to the thrust face 555 of the substantially dimensionally constant interface 500 and from the end controlled thrust interface 900 of each of the first end 550E1 and the second end 550E2 to the torsional motion follower component 535 to effect transfer of torsional motion and total torque from the torsional motion driver component 530 across the substantially dimensionally constant interface 500, wherein the compressive loads are substantially decoupled from the friction loads.

[0076] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a substrate conveying device is provided, comprising: a torsional motion driver component having an outer periphery surrounding a rotation axis of the torsional motion driver component; and a torsional motion follower component comprising a main body portion and a bearing ring rotatably coupled to the main body portion, the torsional motion follower component being coupled to the torsional motion driver component using an interface having a substantially constant size, wherein the bearing ring is separated from the outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component so that the outer periphery is entirely separated from the bearing ring.

[0077] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the bearing ring is separated from the outer peripheral surface oriented tangentially to the rotation of the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component, so that the outer peripheral surface oriented tangentially to the rotation of the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component is completely separated from the bearing ring.

[0078] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the bearing ring is separated from the interface with substantially unchanged dimensions.

[0079] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a torsional motion driver component has a driver component position reference surface, and a torsional motion follower component has a follower component position reference surface, wherein the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface are in a predetermined alignment state, which predetermined alignment state sets a predetermined position of the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component relative to each other.

[0080] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the interface having substantially constant dimensions has a construction that complements a driver component position reference surface of a torsional motion driver component and a follower component position reference surface of a torsional motion follower component, such that a repeatable predetermined position of the interface having substantially constant dimensions relative to both the torsional motion follower component and the torsional motion driver component is achieved through engagement of the interface having substantially constant dimensions with the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface.

[0081] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the repeatable predetermined position is a concentric position.

[0082] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the torque rod is configured to connect a torsional motion follower component to a torsional motion driver component, wherein an interface having substantially constant dimensions is disposed on the torque rod and simultaneously engages the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component and realizes torsional transmission from the torsional motion driver component to the torsional motion follower component.

[0083] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torque rod includes a first end, a second end, and a thrust surface disposed between the first end and the second end, wherein the thrust surface defines at least a portion of an interface having a substantially constant dimension and is configured to engage a driver component position reference surface of a torsional motion driver component.

[0084] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, engagement of the thrust face with the driver component position reference surface defines a controlled distributed contact thrust interface configured to distribute a substantially uniform thrust load from a torsional motion driver component across a face of the interface having substantially constant dimensions.

[0085] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torque rod defines an end-controlled thrust interface at each of the first end and the second end, wherein thrust loads are transferred from each of the end-controlled thrust interfaces to a corresponding follower engagement surface of the torsional motion follower component.

[0086] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, thrust load torque transfer from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces to the corresponding follower engagement surface is a substantially frictionless transfer.

[0087] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, an end controlled thrust interface is configured to have a predetermined substantially constant position relative to a torsional motion follower component and a controlled distributed contact thrust interface.

[0088] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the first end includes a first wedge surface and the second end includes a second wedge surface, wherein the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface are configured to engage with corresponding first biasing members and second biasing members to position the substantially dimensionally constant interface relative to the follower member position reference surface and preload the end control surfaces of the biasing members.

[0089] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, each of the first biasing member and the second biasing member includes a wedge-shaped engagement surface to engage a corresponding one of the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface, wherein the engagement between each biasing member and the first end and the second end positions and strengthens the biasing member.

[0090] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a compressive load is transferred from a torsional motion driver component to a thrust surface of a substantially dimensionally constant interface and from an end control thrust interface at each of a first end and a second end to a torsional motion follower component to effect transfer of torsional motion and total torque from the torsional motion driver component across the substantially dimensionally constant interface, wherein the compressive load is substantially decoupled from the friction load.

[0091] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, each biasing member is pinned to the torsional motion follower member such that the reaction load is transmitted to the torsional motion follower member through the pin.

[0092] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface is a substantially frictionless coupling between the torsional motion follower component and the torsional motion driver component.

[0093] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component is a completely free surface.

[0094] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion follower component is a pulley.

[0095] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a preload belt-to-pulley coupling is connected to a pulley.

[0096] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion follower component is an arm link.

[0097] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component is a drive shaft.

[0098] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component is a drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

[0099] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component is one of an inner drive shaft or an outer drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

[0100] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the arm link housing, wherein the torsional motion follower component further includes at least one bearing that seats the main body portion on the bearing ring, wherein the bearing race of the at least one bearing is suspended from the arm link housing independently of the torsional motion driver component.

[0101] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the bearing ring is suspended from the arm link housing independently of the torsional motion driver component.

[0102] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion follower component includes stainless steel.

[0103] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component includes stainless steel.

[0104] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the bearing ring has a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0105] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the bearing ring includes a drive feature.

[0106] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface is rigid and substantially invariant for each direction of torque applied from the torsional motion driver component to the torsional motion follower component.

[0107] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface is rigid and substantially invariant at a maximum torque in an applied direction and throughout a torque transient, wherein the direction of the applied torque switches in an applied direction opposite to another maximum torque.

[0108] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface is rigid and substantially invariant throughout the application of each torque transient between a maximum torque and another maximum torque.

[0109] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes providing a torsional motion follower component including a bearing ring and a body portion, wherein the torsional motion follower component is coupled to a torsional motion driver component via a substantially dimensionally constant interface, wherein the bearing ring is separated from an outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component such that the outer periphery is entirely separated from the bearing ring.

[0110] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the bearing ring is separated from the interface with substantially unchanged dimensions.

[0111] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a torsional motion driver component has a driver component position reference surface, and a torsional motion follower component has a follower component position reference surface, wherein the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface are in a predetermined alignment state, which predetermined alignment state sets a predetermined position of the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component relative to each other.

[0112] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the interface having substantially constant dimensions has a construction that complements a driver component position reference surface of a torsional motion driver component and a follower component position reference surface of a torsional motion follower component, such that a repeatable predetermined position of the interface having substantially constant dimensions relative to both the torsional motion follower component and the torsional motion driver component is achieved through engagement of the interface having substantially constant dimensions with the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface.

[0113] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the repeatable predetermined position is a concentric position.

[0114] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a torque rod is provided, which is configured to connect a torsional motion follower component to a torsional motion driver component, thereby simultaneously engaging the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component with an interface of substantially constant size provided on the torque rod, and achieving torsional transmission from the torsional motion driver component to the torsional motion follower component.

[0115] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torque rod includes a first end, a second end, and a thrust surface disposed between the first end and the second end, wherein the thrust surface defines at least a portion of an interface having substantially constant dimensions, and the method further includes engaging a driver component position reference surface of a torsional motion driver component with the thrust surface.

[0116] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, engaging the thrust face with the driver component position reference surface defines a controlled distributed contact thrust interface configured to distribute a substantially uniform thrust load from a torsional motion driver component across a face of the interface having substantially constant dimensions.

[0117] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torque rod defines an end-controlled thrust interface at each of the first end and the second end, and the method further includes transferring the thrust load from each of the end-controlled thrust interfaces to a corresponding follower engagement surface of the torsional motion follower component.

[0118] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the transfer of thrust loads from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces to the corresponding follower engagement surface is a substantially frictionless transfer.

[0119] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, an end controlled thrust interface is configured to have a predetermined substantially constant position relative to a torsional motion follower component and a controlled distributed contact thrust interface.

[0120] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the first end includes a first wedge surface and the second end includes a second wedge surface, and the method further includes engaging the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface with corresponding first biasing members and second biasing members to position the interface having a substantially constant dimension relative to the follower member position reference surface and preload the end control surface of the biasing member.

[0121] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, each of the first biasing member and the second biasing member includes a wedge-shaped engagement surface to engage a corresponding one of the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface, wherein the engagement between each biasing member and the first end and the second end positions and strengthens the biasing member.

[0122] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a compressive load is transferred from a torsional motion driver component to a thrust face of a substantially dimensionally constant interface and from an end control thrust interface at each of a first end and a second end to a torsional motion follower component to effect transfer of torsional motion and total torque from the torsional motion driver component across the substantially dimensionally constant interface, wherein the compressive load is substantially decoupled from the friction load.

[0123] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, each biasing member is pinned to the torsional motion follower member, and the reaction load is transmitted to the torsional motion follower member through the pin.

[0124] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substantially dimensionally invariant interface is a substantially frictionless coupling between the torsional motion follower component and the torsional motion driver component.

[0125] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component is a completely free surface.

[0126] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion follower component is a pulley.

[0127] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a preload belt-to-pulley coupling is connected to a pulley.

[0128] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion follower component is an arm link.

[0129] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component is a drive shaft.

[0130] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component is a drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

[0131] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component is one of an inner drive shaft or an outer drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

[0132] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the body portion is mounted on a bearing ring using at least one bearing, wherein a bearing race of the at least one bearing is suspended from the arm link housing independently of the torsional motion driver component.

[0133] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the bearing ring is suspended from the arm link housing independently of the torsional motion driver component.

[0134] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion follower component includes stainless steel.

[0135] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the torsional motion driver component includes stainless steel.

[0136] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the bearing ring has a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0137] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the bearing ring includes a drive feature.

[0138] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a substrate processing tool is provided. The substrate processing tool includes: a tool frame; and a substrate conveyor connected to the tool frame and having: a rotary drive component that is movably connected to rotate relative to the tool frame and generate torque; a rotary follower component that is connected to the rotary drive component to follow the movement of the rotary drive component relative to the tool frame by torque applied from the rotary drive component to the rotary follower component; and a rotary torque transfer coupling having a contact torque transfer interface between the rotary drive component and the rotary follower component, the contact torque transfer interface being a rigid, substantially non-slip interface that is configured such that the rigid, substantially non-slip interface has a predetermined repeatable bidirectional rigidity and substantially non-slip contact at the contact torque transfer interface to achieve bidirectional torque transfer of torque from the rotary drive component across the rotary torque transfer coupling to the rotary follower component via substantially frictionless transfer.

[0139] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotational follower component is located at least partially within the rotational drive component such that the rotational drive component is disposed around at least a portion of the rotational follower component.

[0140] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotary driver component is located at least partially within the rotary follower component such that the rotary follower component is disposed around at least a portion of the rotary drive component.

[0141] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate transport device is a high-precision motion substrate transport device.

[0142] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a high precision motion substrate transport apparatus has high precision motion with a repeatability of motion better than about 100 microns.

[0143] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a rotary drive component has a driver component position reference surface, and a rotary follower component has a follower component position reference surface, wherein the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface are in a predetermined alignment state, which sets a predetermined position of the rotary drive component and the rotary follower component relative to each other.

[0144] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the contact torque transfer interface has a construction that supplements a driver component position reference surface of a rotating drive component and a follower component position reference surface of a rotating follower component, so that a repeatable predetermined position of the contact torque transfer interface relative to both the rotating follower component and the rotating drive component is achieved through engagement of the contact torque transfer interface with the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface.

[0145] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the repeatable predetermined position is a concentric position.

[0146] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a contacting torque transfer interface simultaneously engages a rotary drive component and a rotary follower component and enables torsional transfer from the rotary drive component to the rotary follower component.

[0147] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a rotary torque transfer coupling includes a first end, a second end, and a thrust surface disposed between the first end and the second end, wherein the thrust surface defines at least a portion of a contact torque transfer interface and is configured to engage a driver component position reference surface of a rotary drive component.

[0148] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, engagement of the thrust face with the driver component position reference surface defines a controlled distributed contact thrust interface configured to distribute a substantially uniform thrust load from a rotating drive component across the face of the contact torque transfer interface.

[0149] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a rotary torque transfer coupling defines an end controlled thrust interface at each of a first end and a second end, wherein thrust loads are transferred from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces to a corresponding follower engagement surface of a rotary follower component.

[0150] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, thrust load torque transfer from each of the end controlled thrust interfaces to the corresponding follower engagement surface is a substantially frictionless transfer.

[0151] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, an end control thrust interface is configured to have a predetermined substantially constant position relative to a rotary follower component and a controlled distributed contact thrust interface.

[0152] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the first end includes a first wedge surface and the second end includes a second wedge surface, wherein the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface are configured to engage with corresponding first biasing members and second biasing members to position the rotary torque transfer coupling relative to the follower member position reference surface and preload the end control surface of the biasing member.

[0153] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, each of the first biasing member and the second biasing member includes a wedge-shaped engagement surface to engage a corresponding one of the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface, wherein the engagement between each biasing member and the first end and the second end positions and strengthens the biasing member.

[0154] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a compressive load is transferred from a rotary drive component to a thrust face of a rotary torque transfer coupling and from an end control thrust interface at each of a first end and a second end to a rotary follower component to effect transfer of torsional motion and total torque from the rotary drive component across a contact torque transfer interface, wherein the compressive load is substantially separated from the friction load.

[0155] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, each biasing member is pinned to the rotary follower member such that the reaction load is transmitted to the rotary follower member through the pin.

[0156] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the outer periphery of the rotary drive component is a completely free surface.

[0157] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotary follower component is a pulley.

[0158] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a preload belt-to-pulley coupling is connected to a pulley.

[0159] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotary follower component is an arm link.

[0160] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotational drive component is a drive shaft.

[0161] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotary drive component is a drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

[0162] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotary drive component is one of an inner drive shaft or an outer drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

[0163] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the arm link housing, wherein the rotary follower component further includes at least one bearing seating the body portion on a bearing ring, wherein a bearing race of the at least one bearing is suspended from the arm link housing independently of the rotary drive component.

[0164] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the bearing ring is suspended from the arm link housing independently of the rotary drive component.

[0165] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotary follower component comprises stainless steel.

[0166] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the rotary drive component comprises stainless steel.

[0167] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the bearing ring has a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0168] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the bearing ring includes a drive feature.

[0169] In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the contact torque transfer interface is rigid and substantially invariant for each direction of torque applied from the torsional motion driver component to the torsional motion follower component.

[0170] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the contact torque transfer interface is rigid and substantially unchanged at a maximum torque in an applied direction and throughout a torque transient, the direction of the applied torque being switched in an applied direction opposite to another maximum torque.

[0171] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the contact torque transfer interface is rigid and substantially unchanged throughout the application of each torque transient between a maximum torque and another maximum torque.

[0172] It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely an illustration of aspects of the disclosed embodiments. A variety of alternatives and modifications may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, the aspects of the disclosed embodiments are intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the mere fact that different features are recited in mutually different dependent or independent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features may not be advantageously used, and such a combination remains within the scope of aspects of the present invention.

Claims

1. A substrate conveying device, comprising: a torsional motion driver component having an outer periphery surrounding an axis of rotation of the torsional motion driver component; as well as A torsional motion follower component includes a main body portion and a bearing ring rotatably connected to the main body portion, wherein the torsional motion follower component is connected to the torsional motion driver component using a dimensionally constant interface, wherein the dimensionally constant interface is a rigid, non-slip interface, and the bearing ring is separated from the outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component so that the outer periphery is completely separated from the bearing ring.

2. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that The bearing ring is separated from the dimensionally constant interface.

3. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The torsional motion driver component has a driver component position reference surface, and the torsional motion follower component has a follower component position reference surface, wherein the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface are in a predetermined alignment state, and the predetermined alignment state sets a predetermined position of the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component relative to each other.

4. The substrate conveying device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The dimensionally invariant interface has a structure that complements the driver component position reference surface of the torsional motion driver component and the follower component position reference surface of the torsional motion follower component, so that the dimensionally invariant interface is engaged with the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface to achieve a repeatable predetermined position of the dimensionally invariant interface relative to both the torsional motion follower component and the torsional motion driver component.

5. The substrate conveying device according to claim 3, characterized in that: It further includes a torque rod, which is configured to connect the torsional motion follower component to the torsional motion driver component, wherein the dimensionally unchanged interface is arranged on the torque rod and simultaneously engages the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component and realizes torsion transmission from the torsional motion driver component to the torsional motion follower component.

6. The substrate transport device according to claim 5, characterized in that The torque rod includes a first end, a second end, and a thrust surface disposed between the first end and the second end, wherein the thrust surface defines at least a portion of the dimensionally constant interface and is configured to engage the driver component position reference surface of the torsional motion driver component.

7. The substrate transport device according to claim 6, characterized in that The first end includes a first wedge surface and the second end includes a second wedge surface, wherein the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface are configured to engage with corresponding first and second biasing members to position the dimensionally constant interface relative to the follower member position reference surface and preload the end control surfaces of the corresponding first and second biasing members.

8. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that The dimensionally constant interface is a frictionless coupling between the torsional movement follower part and the torsional movement driver part.

9. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component is a completely free surface.

10. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that The torsional motion follower component is a pulley.

11. The substrate transport device according to claim 10, characterized in that Further included is a preload belt-to-pulley coupling connected to the pulley, wherein the preload belt-to-pulley coupling is configured to couple a drive belt to the pulley.

12. The substrate transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that The torsional motion follower component is an arm link.

13. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that The torsional motion drive component is a drive shaft.

14. The substrate transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that The torsional motion drive component is a drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

15. The substrate conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that The torsional motion drive component is one of an inner drive shaft or an outer drive shaft of a multi-axis drive spindle.

16. The substrate transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that Further comprising an arm link housing, wherein the torsional motion follower component further comprises at least one bearing seating the body portion on the bearing ring, wherein a bearing race of the at least one bearing depends from the arm link housing independently of the torsional motion driver component.

17. The substrate transport device according to claim 16, characterized in that The bearing ring is suspended from the arm link housing independently of the torsional motion driver component.

18. The substrate transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that The dimensionally invariant interface is invariant for each direction of applied torque from the torsional motion driver component to the torsional motion follower component.

19. The substrate transport device according to claim 18, characterized in that The dimensionally invariant interface is invariant at a maximum torque in the direction of the applied torque and throughout a torque transient wherein the direction of the applied torque switches in an applied direction opposite to another maximum torque.

20. A substrate conveying device comprising: a torsional motion driver component having an outer periphery surrounding an axis of rotation of said torsional motion driver component; as well as A torsional motion follower component comprises a main body portion and a bearing ring rotatably connected to the main body portion, wherein the torsional motion follower component is connected to the torsional motion driver component using a dimensionally invariant interface, wherein the dimensionally invariant interface is a rigid, non-slip interface, and the bearing ring is disengaged from the outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component so that the outer periphery is released from the bearing ring as a whole.

21. A method comprising: providing a torsional motion follower assembly including a bearing ring and a body portion; Wherein, the torsional motion follower component is connected to the torsional motion driver component via a dimensionally constant interface, wherein the dimensionally constant interface is a rigid, non-slip interface, and the bearing ring is separated from the outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component so that the outer periphery is completely detached from the bearing ring.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that The bearing ring is separated from the dimensionally constant interface.

23. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that The torsional motion driver component has a driver component position reference surface, and the torsional motion follower component has a follower component position reference surface, wherein the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface are in a predetermined alignment state, and the predetermined alignment state sets a predetermined position of the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component relative to each other.

24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that The dimensionally invariant interface has a structure that complements the driver component position reference surface of the torsional motion driver component and the follower component position reference surface of the torsional motion follower component, so that the dimensionally invariant interface is engaged with the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface to achieve a repeatable predetermined position of the dimensionally invariant interface relative to both the torsional motion follower component and the torsional motion driver component.

25. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that It further includes providing a torque rod, which is configured to connect the torsional motion follower component to the torsional motion driver component, thereby simultaneously engaging the torsional motion driver component and the torsional motion follower component with the dimensionally constant interface provided on the torque rod, and realizing the torsional transmission from the torsional motion driver component to the torsional motion follower component.

26. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that The dimensionally constant interface is a frictionless coupling between the torsional movement follower part and the torsional movement driver part.

27. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that The outer periphery of the torsional motion driver component is a completely free surface.

28. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that Further comprising positioning the body portion on the bearing ring using at least one bearing, wherein a bearing race of the at least one bearing is suspended from an arm linkage housing of a substrate transport apparatus independently of the torsional motion drive component, wherein the body portion is housed within the arm linkage housing.

29. A substrate processing tool comprising: Tool framework; as well as a substrate conveyor connected to the tool frame and having: a rotary drive member movably connected so as to rotate relative to the tool frame and generate torque, a rotary follower member connected to the rotary drive member so as to follow the rotary drive member movement relative to the tool frame by the torque applied from the rotary drive member to the rotary follower member, and A rotary torque transfer coupling having a contact torque transfer interface between the rotary drive component and the rotary follower component, wherein the contact torque transfer interface is a rigid, non-slip interface, and the rigid, non-slip interface is configured so that the rigid, non-slip interface has predetermined repeatable bidirectional rigidity and non-slip contact at the contact torque transfer interface, so as to achieve bidirectional torque transfer of the torque from the rotary drive component across the rotary torque transfer coupling to the rotary follower component via frictionless transmission.

30. The substrate processing tool of claim 29, wherein: The rotation follower component is at least partially located within the rotation drive component such that the rotation drive component is disposed around at least a portion of the rotation follower component.

31. The substrate processing tool of claim 29, wherein: The rotational drive component is located at least partially within the rotational follower component such that the rotational follower component is disposed around at least a portion of the rotational drive component.

32. The substrate processing tool of claim 29, wherein: The substrate conveyor is a high-precision motion substrate conveyor.

33. The substrate processing tool of claim 32, wherein: The high-precision motion of the high-precision motion substrate transport device has a repeatable accuracy of motion of 25 μm or less.

34. The substrate processing tool of claim 29, wherein: The rotary drive component has a driver component position reference surface and the rotary follower component has a follower component position reference surface, wherein the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface are in a predetermined alignment state, and the predetermined alignment state sets a predetermined position of the rotary drive component and the rotary follower component relative to each other.

35. The substrate processing tool of claim 34, wherein: The contact torque transfer interface has a structure that complements the driver component position reference surface of the rotating drive component and the follower component position reference surface of the rotating follower component, so that the contact torque transfer interface can be engaged with the driver component position reference surface and the follower component position reference surface to achieve a repeatable predetermined position of the contact torque transfer interface relative to both the rotating follower component and the rotating drive component.

36. The substrate processing tool of claim 34, wherein: The rotary torque transfer coupling includes a first end, a second end, and a thrust surface disposed between the first end and the second end, wherein the thrust surface defines at least a portion of the contact torque transfer interface and is configured to engage the driver component position reference surface of the rotary drive component.

37. The substrate processing tool of claim 36, wherein: The first end includes a first wedge surface and the second end includes a second wedge surface, wherein the first wedge surface and the second wedge surface are configured to engage with corresponding first and second biasing members to position the rotational torque transfer coupling relative to the follower member position reference surface and preload the end control surfaces of the corresponding first and second biasing members.

38. The substrate processing tool of claim 37, wherein: Each of the respective first and second biasing members includes a wedge-shaped engagement surface to engage a respective one of the first and second wedge surfaces, wherein engagement between each of the respective first and second biasing members and the first and second ends positions and reinforces each of the respective first and second biasing members.

39. The substrate processing tool of claim 38, wherein: A compressive load is transferred from the rotary drive component to the thrust surface of the rotary torque transfer coupling and from the end control thrust interface of each of the first end and the second end to the rotary follower component to effect transfer of torsional motion and total torque from the rotary drive component across the contact torque transfer interface, wherein the compressive load is decoupled from the friction load.

40. The substrate processing tool of claim 39, wherein: Each biasing member is pinned to the rotary follower member such that reaction loads are transmitted to the rotary follower member through the pin.

41. The substrate processing tool of claim 29, wherein: The outer periphery of the rotary drive component is a completely free surface.

42. The substrate processing tool of claim 29, wherein: The rotation follower component is a pulley.

43. The substrate processing tool of claim 42, wherein: Further included is a preload belt-to-pulley coupling connected to the pulley, wherein the preload belt-to-pulley coupling is configured to couple a drive belt to the pulley.

44. The substrate processing tool of claim 29, wherein: The contact torque transfer interface is rigid and invariant for each direction of applied torque from the rotary drive component to the rotary follower component.

45. The substrate processing tool of claim 44, wherein: The contact torque transfer interface is rigid and unchanged at a maximum torque in the direction of applied torque and throughout a torque transient, wherein the direction of applied torque switches in an applied direction opposite to another maximum torque.

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