Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

An end effector, substrate processing apparatus and method are provided that are configurable / reconfigurable to handle multiple sized substrates, curved substrates and / or warped substrates. The substrate processing apparatus includes a frame and a substrate transport arm having at least one end effector 350. The end effector includes a base 350B, and first and second substrate support teeth 350T1 and 350T2 depending from the base, at least one of which is movable relative to the base, each having a respective substrate contact 800A-800D that contacts and supports a substrate held by the end effector between the respective contacts over a substrate support sheet dimension span DS between the substrate contacts, and a drive section for changing the mutual distance between the substrate support teeth in situ.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application is a regular patent application claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 385,150, filed on September 8, 2016, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] [Technical Field] Exemplary embodiments generally relate to substrate processing apparatuses, and more particularly, to substrate handling.

Background Art

[0003] Handling substrates with one or more of high curvature, warp, and size variation is a challenge for robotic substrate handling apparatuses. Generally, each of these three substrate conditions requires a dedicated end - effector geometry. For example, (1) an end - effector for handling a single - size substrate may not be suitable for other - sized substrates, and (2) an end - effector for handling flat substrates may not be suitable for handling warped or curved substrates.

[0004] The location and position of a substrate within a substrate holding station also need to be detected as the substrate is transferred to and from the substrate holding station by a robotic substrate handling apparatus. Generally, a mapping device attached to the end - effector, such as on the teeth of the end - effector, is used to map the position and orientation of the substrate in a substrate holding station as the end - effector passes the substrate through the substrate holding station and moves a substrate scanning sensor. In another example, stationary sensors may be used to scan the substrate within the substrate holding station to determine its position and orientation. However, the ideal position of a substrate scanning sensor when attached to the teeth of an end - effector does not facilitate the ideal positioning of the teeth for handling the substrate.

[0005] Furthermore, a mapping device attached to an end effector for mapping a substrate is generally required to be very close to the substrate being mapped. The fact that the mapping device is very close to the substrate can be a problem when a curved and / or warped substrate is scanned or when substrates of multiple sizes / shapes are supported by the same end effector. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is advantageous to have an end effector solution that is configurable and reconfigurable to handle substrates of multiple sizes, curved substrates, and / or warped substrates. It is also advantageous to provide an end effector solution that is configurable and reconfigurable to provide both the ideal position of a substrate mapping sensor and the ideal position of substrate handling teeth for substrates of the same or different sizes, curved substrates, and / or warped substrates. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiments are described in the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0008]

Figure 1A

Figure 1B

Figure 1C

Figure 1D

Figure 1E

Figure 1F

Figure 1G

Figure 1H

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 2C

Figure 2D

Figure 2E

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 8A

Figure 8B

Figure 8C

Figure 9

Figure 10A

Figure 10B

Figure 11A

Figure 11B

Figure 12A

Figure 12B

Figure 13A

Figure 13B

Figure 13C

Figure 14A

Figure 14B

Figure 14C

Figure 15A

Figure 15B

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] As further described herein, referring to FIGS. 1A to 1D, a schematic diagram of a substrate processing apparatus or tool incorporating aspects of the disclosed embodiment is shown. The aspects of the disclosed embodiment are described below with reference to the drawings, but it should be understood that the aspects of the disclosed embodiment can be implemented in many forms. Further, elements or materials of appropriate size, shape or type can be arbitrarily used.

[0010] As described in more detail below, aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide a common end effector for handling and mapping any suitable workpiece, where the workpiece can be, for example, a semiconductor substrate, a discrete semiconductor device / chip, a reticle, a reticle carrier, or any other suitable tray (e.g., a JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) or JEDEC-style tray, or any other tray that holds one or more articles such as discrete semiconductor devices / chips), a carrier and / or tool used in semiconductor manufacturing, all of which are collectively referred to herein as "substrate." Aspects of the disclosed embodiments also provide for handling and mapping of curved substrates, warped substrates, and / or substrates of various sizes (e.g., substrates of 100 mm, 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 450 mm, etc.) using a common end effector (e.g., a single end effector solution), as will be described in more detail below. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide for handling of the substrate at contact positions determined for each substrate, for example, in response to one or more of the curvature, warp, and size of the substrate. As used herein, the term "bow" with respect to a substrate refers to the deviation from the central surface of the center point of the central surface of a free and non-damped substrate to a reference plane defined by the three corners of an equilateral triangle. The term "warp" with respect to a substrate refers to the difference between the maximum distance and the minimum distance from a reference plane of the central surface of a free and non-damped substrate. In one aspect, by varying the end effector / substrate contact positions (e.g., the substrate support sheet dimension span between substrate contacts), conveyance of the substrate by a common end effector is allowed in situations where the type, size, and / or shape of the substrate are constantly changing (e.g., substrates that differ in certain physical properties such as curvature, warp, and size).

[0011] In one aspect, the imaging device provides a common sensor for imaging one or more substrates disposed on an end effector and / or at a substrate holding station or other suitable location remote from the end effector. In one aspect, the common sensor provides both detecting the presence of a substrate on the end effector and mapping substrates at locations remote from the end effector (such as a substrate holding station). As described herein, in one aspect of the disclosed embodiments, a suitable sensor such as a camera or other imaging device is disposed on the substrate handling apparatus. The camera trains the controller of the substrate handling apparatus to sense substrates of different shapes, different flatness, and different sizes (for example, by providing substrate mapping data to facilitate changing the substrate support sheet dimension span between substrate contacts of the handling apparatus end effector for each substrate). In one aspect, the trained controller can reposition the end effector substrate contact positions (for example, the substrate support sheet dimension span between substrate contacts) to handle substrates having one or more of curvature conditions, warp conditions, and size differences using the common end effector of the substrate handling apparatus.

[0012] As used herein, the terms substrate and wafer are used interchangeably. Also, as used herein, the term substrate holding station refers to a substrate holding position within a processing module or any other suitable substrate holding position within a substrate processing apparatus such as, for example, a load port (or a substrate cassette held thereon), a load lock, a buffer station. The phrase mapping a substrate refers to determining the position, orientation, and / or physical condition (such as curvature, warp, etc.) of each substrate at a substrate holding station to pick up / place the substrate at the substrate holding station and to position the end effector relative to the substrate holding station.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a processing apparatus such as a semiconductor tool station or processing apparatus 11090 according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments is shown. Although semiconductor tool 11090 is shown in the drawings, aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to applications employing any tool station or robotic manipulator. In this example, tool 11090 is shown as a cluster tool, but aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be applied to any suitable tool station, such as, for example, the linear tool station described in U.S. Patent No. 8,398,355, issued March 19, 2013, entitled "Linearly Distributed Semiconductor Workpiece Processing Tool," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D. Tool station 11090 generally includes an atmospheric front end 11000, a vacuum load lock 11010, and a vacuum back end 11020. In other aspects, the tool station may have any suitable configuration. The respective components of the front end 11000, load lock 11010, and back end 11020 may be connected to a controller 11091 that can be part of any suitable control architecture, such as, for example, cluster architecture control. The control system may be a closed loop controller having a master controller, a cluster controller, and an autonomous remote controller as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,904,182, issued March 8, 2011, entitled "Scalable Motion Control System," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In other aspects, any suitable controller and / or control system may be utilized. Controller 11091 includes any suitable memory and processor including non-transitory program code for operating the processing apparatus described herein to handle and map the curved substrates, warped substrates, and / or substrates of various sizes described herein. For example, in one aspect, controller 11091 includes an embedded substrate placement command.In one aspect, the substrate placement command may be an integrated pick / place command for determining the distance between the substrate and the end effector of the substrate transfer device, as described herein. In one aspect, the substrate placement command may be an integrated pick / place command for moving the end effector to a predetermined position to acquire substrate mapping data for determining the position and / or state of one or more substrates at the substrate holding station. The controller is configured to determine the position of the substrate relative to the end effector and / or the substrate holding station and perform picking and placement of curved substrates, warped substrates, and / or substrates of various sizes. In one aspect, the controller receives a detection signal corresponding to one or more features of the end effector and / or the transfer arm of the substrate transfer device / robot and, as described herein, determines the position of the substrate relative to the end effector and / or the substrate holding station, performs picking and placement of curved substrates, warped substrates, and / or substrates of various sizes, and / or determines the position of one or more end effector tines.

[0014] In one aspect, the front end 11000 generally includes a load port module 11005 and a mini-environment 11060 such as, for example, an equipment front end module (EFEM). The load port module 11005 may be a 300 mm load port compliant with SEMI standards E15.1, E47.1, E62, E19.5 or E1.9, a front-opening or bottom-opening box / pod and a box opener / loader tool standard (BOLTS) interface compliant with cassettes. In other aspects, the load port module may be configured as a 200 mm wafer or 450 mm wafer interface, or any other suitable substrate interface such as, for example, a planar panel for a larger or smaller wafer or flat panel display. Although two load port modules 11005 are shown in FIG. 1A, in other aspects, any suitable number of load port modules may be incorporated into the front end 11000. The load port module 11005 may be configured to receive a substrate carrier or cassette 11050 from an overhead conveyor system, an automated guided vehicle, a manned vehicle, a rail vehicle, or any other suitable conveyance method. The load port module 11005 may interface with the mini-environment 11060 via a load port 11040. In one aspect, the load port 11040 enables passage of a substrate between the substrate cassette 11050 and the mini-environment 11060.

[0015] In one aspect, the mini-environment 11060 generally includes any suitable transfer robot 11013 that incorporates one or more aspects of the embodiments described herein. In one aspect, the robot 11013 may be, for example, a walking-mounted robot as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,002,840, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and in other aspects, any other suitable transfer robot having any suitable configuration. The mini-environment 11060 can provide a controlled clean zone for transferring substrates between multiple load port modules.

[0016] The vacuum load lock 11010 may be disposed between and connected to the mini environment 11060 and the back end 11020. As used herein, the term vacuum means a high vacuum of 10 -5 Torr or less, in which the substrate is processed. The load lock 11010 generally includes an atmospheric slot valve and a vacuum slot valve. The slot valve evacuates the inside of the load lock after loading the substrate from the atmospheric front end and provides environmental isolation that can be employed to maintain the vacuum in the transfer chamber when venting the inside of the lock with an inert gas such as nitrogen. In one aspect, the load lock 11010 includes an aligner 11011 for aligning the reference of the substrate to a desired position for processing. In other aspects, the vacuum load lock may be disposed at any suitable location of the processing apparatus and may have any suitable configuration and / or measuring equipment.

[0017] The vacuum backend 11020 generally includes a transfer chamber 11025, one or more processing stations or modules 11030, and any suitable transfer robot or device 11014. The transfer robot 11014 can be disposed in the transfer chamber 11025 to transfer substrates between the load lock 11010 and the various processing stations 11030 as described below. The processing stations 11030 can operate on substrates through various film deposition, etching, or other types of processes to form electrical circuits or other desired structures on the substrates. Typical processes include, but are not limited to, plasma etching or other etching processes, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), implantation such as ion implantation, measurement, rapid thermal processing (RTP), dry flake atomic layer deposition (ALD), oxidation / diffusion, nitride formation, vacuum lithography, epitaxy (EPI), thin film processes using vacuum such as wire bonding and evaporation, or thin film processes using other vacuum pressures. The processing stations 11030 are connected to the transfer chamber 11025 such that substrates can be passed from the transfer chamber 11025 to the processing stations 11030 and vice versa. In one aspect, the load port module 11005 and the load port 11040 are substantially directly coupled to the vacuum backend 11020, and the cassette 11050 mounted on the load port substantially directly interfaces with (e.g., in one aspect, at least the mini-environment 11060 is omitted, and in other aspects, the vacuum load lock 11010 is also omitted such that the cassette 11050 is evacuated similar to the vacuum load lock 11010) the vacuum environment of the transfer chamber 11025 and / or the processing vacuum of the processing stations 11030 (e.g., the processing vacuum and / or the vacuum environment extends between the processing stations 11030 and the cassette 11050 and is common to them).

[0018] Referring now to FIG. 1C, there is shown a schematic plan view of a linear substrate processing system 2010 in which a tool interface section 2012 is generally facing (e.g., inwardly) and offset from the longitudinal axis X of a transport chamber 3018 such that the tool interface section 2012 is attached to the transport chamber module 3018. The transport chamber module 3018 can be extended in any suitable direction by attaching other transport chamber modules 3018A, 3018I, 3018J to interfaces 2050, 2060, 2070, as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,398,355, which is incorporated herein by reference. Each transport chamber module 3018, 3019A, 3018I, 3018J can include any suitable substrate transport 2080, including one or more aspects of the embodiments described herein, for transporting substrates through the processing system 2010, e.g., into and out of a processing module PM (in one aspect, this is substantially similar to the processing station 11030 described above). As can be appreciated, each chamber module can be capable of maintaining an isolated or controlled atmosphere (e.g., N2, clean air, vacuum).

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1D, a schematic elevation view of an exemplary processing tool 410 taken along the longitudinal axis X of the linear transfer chamber 416 is shown. In the aspect of the disclosed embodiment shown in FIG. 1D, the tool interface section 12 may typically be connected to the transfer chamber 416. In this aspect, the interface section 12 can define one end of the tool transfer chamber 416. As seen in FIG. 1D, the transfer chamber 416 may have, for example, another workpiece entry / exit station 412 at an end opposite the interface station 12. In other aspects, other entry / exit stations for inserting / removing the workpiece from the transfer chamber may be provided. In one aspect, the interface section 12 and the entry / exit station 412 may enable loading of the workpiece onto the tool and unloading of the workpiece from the tool. In other aspects, the workpiece may be loaded into the tool from one end and removed from the tool from the other end. In one aspect, the transfer 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., N2, clean air, vacuum). As described above, the configuration / arrangement of the workpiece stations that make up the transfer chamber modules 18B, 18i, the load lock modules 56A, 56 and the transfer chamber 416 shown in FIG. 1D is merely exemplary, and in other aspects, the transfer chamber may have a greater or fewer number of modules arranged in any desired module configuration. In the illustrated aspect, the station 412 may be a load lock. In other aspects, the load lock module may be arranged between end entry / exit stations (similar to station 412), or an adjacent transfer chamber module (similar to module 18i) may be configured to operate as a load lock.

[0020] Also, as described above, the transfer chamber modules 18B, 18i have one or more corresponding transfer devices 26B, 26i, which may include one or more aspects of the embodiments described herein disposed therein. The transfer devices 26B, 26i of each transfer chamber module 18B, 18i can cooperate to provide a workpiece transfer system linearly disposed within the transfer chamber. In this aspect, the transfer device 26B (substantially similar to the transfer devices 11013, 11014 of the cluster tool shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B) can have a general SCARA arm configuration (in other aspects, the transfer arm may have other desired arrangements, such as a linear slide arm 214 as shown in FIG. 2B or any other suitable arm having any suitable arm linkage mechanism). Suitable examples of arm linkage mechanisms can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 7,578,649 issued on August 25, 2009, U.S. Patent No. 5,794,487 issued on August 18, 1998, U.S. Patent No. 7,946,800 issued on May 24, 2011, U.S. Patent No. 6,485,250 issued on November 26, 2002, U.S. Patent No. 7,891,935 issued on February 22, 2011, U.S. Patent No. 8,419,341 issued on April 16, 2013, as well as U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 293,717 filed on November 10, 2011 and entitled "Dual Arm Robot", and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 861,693 filed on September 5, 2013 and entitled "Linear Vacuum Robot with Z Motion and Articulated Arm", the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one transfer arm may be derived from a conventional SCARA (horizontal articulated robot arm) type design including an upper arm, a band-driven forearm, and a band-restrained end effector, or a telescopic arm or any other suitable arm design.Examples of suitable transfer arms can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 117,415, filed on May 8, 2008, entitled "Substrate Transport Apparatus with Multiple Movable Arms Utilizing a Mechanical Switch Mechanism", and in U.S. Patent No. 7,648,327, issued on January 19, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The operations of the transfer arms may be independent of each other (e.g., the extension and retraction of each arm is independent of the other arms), may be operated via a lost motion switch, or the arms may be operably coupled in any suitable manner such that they share at least one common drive shaft. In yet another aspect, the transfer arm may have any other desired configuration, such as a frog leg arm 216 (FIG. 2A) configuration, a leap frog arm 217 (FIG. 2D) configuration, a symmetric arm 218 (FIG. 2C) configuration, etc. In another aspect, referring to FIG. 2E, the transfer arm 219 includes at least first and second articulated arms 219A, 219B, and each arm 219A, 219B includes an end effector 219E configured to hold at least two substrates S1, S2 side by side in a common transfer plane (each substrate holding position of the end effector 219E shares a common drive unit for picking up and placing the substrates S1, S2), and the distance DX between the substrates S1, S2 corresponds to a fixed distance between the side-by-side substrate holding positions.Suitable examples of transfer arms can be found in U.S. Patent No. 6,231,297, issued on May 15, 2001; U.S. Patent No. 5,180,276, issued on January 19, 1993; U.S. Patent No. 6,464,448, issued on October 15, 2002; U.S. Patent No. 6,224,319, issued on May 1, 2001; U.S. Patent No. 5,447,409, issued on September 5, 1995; U.S. Patent No. 7,578,649, issued on August 25, 2009; U.S. Patent No. 5,794,487, issued on August 18, 1998; U.S. Patent No. 7,946,800, issued on May 24, 2011; U.S. Patent No. 6,485,250, issued on November 26, 2002; U.S. Patent No. 7,891,935, issued on February 22, 2011; further, U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 293,717, filed on November 10, 2011, entitled "Dual Arm Robot"; and U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 270,844, filed on October 11, 2011, entitled "Coaxial Drive Vacuum Robot", the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments, in one aspect, are incorporated into the transfer arms of a linear transfer shuttle, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,293,066 and U.S. Patent No. 7,988,398, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0021] In the aspect of the disclosed embodiment shown in FIG. 1D, the arm of the transfer device 26B may be arranged to provide what is called a high-speed exchange arrangement so that it can quickly exchange wafers from / to the pick-up / placement position by transfer (e.g., pick up a wafer from the substrate holding position and then immediately place the wafer at the same substrate holding position). The transfer arm 26B may have any suitable drive section (e.g., coaxially arranged drive shafts, juxtaposed drive shafts, horizontally adjacent motors, vertically stacked motors, etc.) to provide any suitable number of degrees of freedom (e.g., independent rotations around the shoulder and elbow joints with Z-axis movement) for each arm. As can be seen in FIG. 1D, in this aspect, the modules 56A, 56, 30i may be arranged with a gap between the transfer chamber modules 18B, 18i, and may define a suitable processing module, one or more load locks LL, one or more buffer stations, one or more measurement stations, or any other desired stations. For example, gap modules such as load locks 56A, 56 and workpiece stations 30i may each have stationary workpiece supports / shelves 56S1, 56S2, 30S1, 30S2 that cooperate with the transfer arm to enable the transfer of workpieces along the length of the transfer chamber along the linear axis X of the transfer chamber. As an example, one or more workpieces may be carried into the transfer chamber 416 by the interface unit 12. One or more workpieces may be placed on the support of the load lock module 56A using the transfer arm 15 of the interface unit. One or more workpieces within the load lock module 56A may be movable between the load lock module 56A and the load lock module 56 by the transfer arm 26B within the module 18B, and in a similar continuous manner, between the load lock 56 and the workpiece station 30i by the arm 26i (within the module 18i), and between the station 30i and the station 412 by the arm 26i within the module 18i.This process may be wholly or partially reversed in order to move the (one or more) workpieces in opposite directions. Thus, in one aspect, the workpiece may be moved in any direction along axis X and to any position along the transport chamber, and may be loaded into and unloaded from any desired module (processing or otherwise) that communicates with the transport chamber. In other aspects, a gap transport chamber module having a static workpiece support or shelf may not be provided between transport chamber modules 18B, 18i. In such aspects, the transport arms of adjacent transport chamber modules can feed the workpiece directly from an end effector or from one transport arm to the end effector of another transport arm and move the workpiece through the transport chamber. The processing station module may operate on the substrate through various film deposition, etching, or other types of processes to form electrical circuits or other desired structures on the substrate. The processing station module may be connected to the transport chamber module to pass the substrate from the transport chamber to the processing station or vice versa. A suitable example of a processing tool having general features similar to the processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1D is described in U.S. Patent No. 8,398,355, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0022] FIG. 1E is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor tool station 11090A that is substantially similar to the semiconductor tool station described above. Here, the semiconductor tool station 11090A includes separate / individual in-line processing units 11030SA, 11030SB, 11030SC connected to a common atmospheric front end 11000. In this aspect, at least one of the in-line processing units 11030SA, 11030SB, 11030SC is configured to process substrates S1, S2, S3 having predetermined characteristics different from those of the substrates processed by the other in-line processing units 11030SA, 11030SB, 11030SC. For example, the predetermined characteristic can be the size of the substrate. In one aspect, for illustrative purposes only, the in-line processing unit 11030SA can be configured to process substrates with a diameter of 200 mm, the in-line processing unit 11030SB can be configured to process 150 mm substrates, and the in-line processing unit 11030SC can be configured to process 300 mm substrates. As described herein, at least one of the transfer devices 11013, 11014 is configured to transfer substrates S1, S2, S3 of different sizes that may be curved or warped using a common end effector. In one aspect, each of the load port modules 11050 is configured to hold and interface with cassettes 11050 that hold substrates S1, S2, S3 of different sizes on a common load port module. In other aspects, each load port module 11050 can be configured to hold a predetermined cassette corresponding to a substrate of a predetermined size. Processing substrates of different sizes using at least one common transfer device 11013, 11014 can increase throughput and decrease machine downtime with respect to single substrate batch processing.

[0023] FIG. 1F is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor tool station 11090B that is substantially similar to the semiconductor tool station 11090. However, in this aspect, the processing module 11030 and the load port module 11005 are configured to process substrates of different sizes with respect to the semiconductor tool station 11090A as described above. In this aspect, the processing module 11030 can be configured to process substrates having different sizes, but in other aspects, processing modules corresponding to substrates of different sizes processed in the semiconductor tool station 11090B may be provided.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1G and 1H, aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be incorporated into a sorter and / or a stocker. In one aspect, the sorter and / or stocker can be used to sort or store substrates (such as those described above). By way of example, FIGS. 1G and 1H show an operating device 12000, which is substantially similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 7,699,573, issued on April 20, 2010, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Here, the operating device 12000 can be configured to operate substrates such as reticles, and in other aspects, the operating device 12000 can be configured to operate any suitable substrate. The operating device 12000 can be a modular device having a housing 12200 for maintaining a clean indoor environment within the housing 12200. The operating device 12000 includes an input / output station 12700 integrated into the housing 12200 including a panel 12600. Each panel 12600 also belongs to a modular input / output unit 12800. At one end of the opening 12900 of each panel 12600, a contour is provided that at least substantially corresponds to the outer contour of the various types of substrates (such as a reticle transfer box) processed by the operating device 12000. The opening 12900 is configured such that substrates are carried into and out of the operating device 12000 through the opening 12900. In one aspect, the operating device 12000 also includes drawers 12170, 12160 that are components of additional input / output units 12800 of the station 12700. The drawers 12170, 12160 can have different structural heights and can accommodate large transfer boxes when pulled out, for example, can accommodate more than one substrate, that is, larger transfer boxes can be introduced into the operating device 12000 via the drawers 12160, 12170. The operating device 12000 also includes at least one transfer device 11014 substantially similar to that described herein. The at least one transfer device is configured to transfer one or more substrates within the operating device 12000 for sorting, storage, or other processing operations.The configuration of the operating device 12000 described in this specification is exemplary, and in other embodiments, the operating device may have any suitable configuration for classifying and / or storing substrates in any suitable manner.

[0025] In one embodiment, the operating device 12000 may be included in the semiconductor tool station of FIGS. 1A-1F described above. For example, in one embodiment, the operating device 12000 may be incorporated into the atmospheric front end 11000 of the semiconductor tool station / system 11090, 2010, 11090A, 11090B as a load port and / or an atmospheric transfer chamber. Also, in other embodiments, the operating device may be incorporated into the vacuum back end 11020 of the semiconductor tool station / system 1090, 2010, 11090A, 11090B as a processing module and / or a transfer chamber. In one embodiment, the operating device 12000 may be connected to the atmospheric front end 11000 instead of the vacuum back end 11020. As can be understood, the operating device 12000 incorporating aspects of the disclosed embodiments can store a plurality of substrates of different shapes and / or sizes within a common housing using a common end effector.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 3A - 6B, for example, a schematic diagram is shown comparing the position of an ideal sensor for mapping a substrate at a substrate holding station with the position of ideal end effector teeth for handling the substrate. Here, an end effector 350 of any suitable substrate handling apparatus as described above includes a base 350B and one or more tines 350T1, 350T2 configured to hold and support the substrate. In one aspect, each tine 350T1, 350T2 includes substrate contacts 800A - 800D, and the substrate contacts 800A - 800D are one or more vacuum backside contacts, passive edge contacts, passive backside contacts, or any other suitable substrate contacts. In one aspect, the tines 350T1, 350T2 are interchangeable with other sets of tines 350T3, 350T4 and 350T5, 350T6 in any suitable manner and each set of tines 350T1 - 350T6 has different predetermined characteristics such as the type of substrate contact. For example, FIG. 14A shows passive edge contacts 1400 on tines 350T1, 350T2, FIG. 14B shows passive backside contacts 1401 on tines 350T3, 350T4, and FIG. 14C shows vacuum backside contacts on tines 350T5, 350T6. In this aspect, the end effector includes two tines 350T1, 350T2, and in other aspects, the end effector can be a paddle end effector having substrate contacts movable in accordance with the aspects of the disclosed embodiments.

[0027] Here, teeth 350T1, 350T2 include one or more sensors 360A, 360B disposed on teeth 350T1, 350T2. In one aspect, sensors 360A, 360B are disposed at the distal end of the teeth (e.g., opposite the base 350B), and sensors 360A, 360B form a through-beam sensor having a transmitter disposed on one tooth 350T1, 350T2 and a receiver disposed on the other tooth 350T1, 350T2. Sensors 360A, 360B are connected to any suitable controller such as controller 11091 and may be configured to map the substrate as described herein using, for example, controller 11091 to determine at least one of the substrate position, substrate shape, substrate curvature, and substrate warp within the substrate holding station. Controller 11091 is configured to determine the substrate support sheet dimension span DS of each mapped substrate based on the mapping data received from sensors 360A, 360B in any suitable manner. In one aspect, the substrate support sheet dimension span DS depends on the substrate size, substrate shape, substrate warp, and / or substrate curvature. In one aspect, the mapping data for each substrate is registered with the controller, and the controller may change the substrate support sheet dimension span DS on the fly when the transport device moves the end effector to pick up the substrate as described herein. In other aspects, the substrate support sheet dimension span DS may be determined on the fly when the transport device moves the end effector to pick up the substrate as described herein.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, for illustrative purposes only, at least one 300 mm substrate S300 is shown as being disposed on substrate holding station 300. In this aspect, mapping sensors 360A, 360B are disposed proximate to substrate S300 to map the position of substrate S300. Here, teeth 350T1, 350T2 are spaced apart from each other by distance X1 to provide a suitable spatial arrangement for disposing sensors 360A, 360B for mapping substrate S300. However, for handling substrate S300 at its ideal contact positions, teeth 350T1, 350T2 are spaced apart from each other by a distance X2 that is greater than distance X1. Similarly, FIGS. 4A and 4B show, for illustrative purposes only, at least one 200 mm substrate S200 disposed on substrate holding station 301, where the scanning / mapping distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 is distance X3 and the substrate handling distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 is a distance X4 that is greater than distance X3. FIGS. 5A and 5B show, for illustrative purposes only, at least one 150 mm substrate S150 disposed on substrate holding station 302, where the scanning / mapping distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 is distance X5 and the substrate handling distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 is a distance X6 that is greater than distance X5. FIGS. 6A and 6B show, for illustrative purposes only, at least one 100 mm substrate S100 disposed on substrate holding station 303, where the scanning / mapping distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 is distance X7 and the substrate handling distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 is a distance X8 that is greater than distance X7. Aspects of the embodiments described herein provide for at least one repositioning of teeth 350T1, 350T2 of end effector 350 such that teeth 350T1, 350T2 are spaced apart by distances X1, X3, X5, X7, respectively, to position sensors 360A, 360B at their respective ideal scanning positions on substrates S300, S200, S150, S100.

[0029] Aspects of the embodiments described herein provide for repositioning of at least one of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 of the end effector 350, whereby the teeth 350T1, 350T2 are spaced apart by distances X2, X4, X6, X8 to position the teeth 350T1, 350T2 at the ideal substrate handling positions of their respective substrates S300, S200, S150, S100. Only substrates of 300 mm, 200 mm, 150 mm and 100 mm are illustrated in FIGS. 3A - 6B, but in other aspects, it should be understood that aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide for handling of substrates of any suitable shape and size. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments allow users of semiconductor tool stations, such as those described herein, to increase throughput and decrease machine setup and / or downtime by repositioning the teeth 350T1, 350T2 and using a common device (e.g., a common transfer apparatus having a common end effector common to a plurality of different sized substrates described herein) to handle different materials.

[0030] In one aspect, referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B, as described above, the transfer device (such as those described above) includes a camera 1300 disposed on the transfer device. In this aspect, the camera 1300 is disposed at the base 350B of the end effector 350, but in other aspects, the camera 1300 may be disposed on any suitable link of the transfer device. In still other aspects, the camera may be disposed away from the transfer device, such as at a stationary position of the semiconductor tool station (e.g., front end module, load lock, processing module, transfer chamber, etc.). In one aspect, the camera 1300 is configured to image one or more substrates on the end effector and / or at locations away from the end effector, such as a substrate holding station, using, for example, a controller 11091. In one aspect, the camera 1300 is configured to detect the presence of a substrate on the end effector 350 using, for example, a controller 11091. In one aspect, the camera 1300 is configured to simultaneously map one or more substrates at one or more substrate holding stations to determine one or more of the substrate position, substrate size, substrate shape, substrate curvature, and substrate warp in a single image of the substrate at the one or more substrate holding stations using, for example, a controller 11091. The controller 11091 is configured to determine the substrate support sheet dimension span of each mapped substrate based on the mapping data received from the camera 1300 in any suitable manner. In one aspect, the camera may be provided in place of sensors 350A, 350B, and in other aspects, the camera may be used in conjunction with sensors 360A, 360B. As can be appreciated, the throughput of substrate mapping can be increased by the camera 1300, for example, a single photo of one or more substrate holding positions is taken in place, and the mapping data is analyzed while the substrate transfer device (such as those described above) is moving, regardless of whether the substrate is being carried on the end effector 350.

[0031] In one aspect, the end effector may include any suitable sensor system for mapping and / or detecting a substrate held by or proximate to the end effector 350. For example, referring to FIG. 13C, in one aspect, one or more sensors 1350-1355 are mounted at fixed and known positions on the end effector 350 to sense the position / presence of the substrate S relative to the end effector 350 and / or the notch orientation. Data collected by the sensors 1350-1355 is transmitted, for example, to the controller 11091. In one aspect, the controller 11091 calculates the center of the substrate S and the position of its notch or flat prior to the substrate S being grasped by the end effector 350, in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 8,016,541, issued September 13, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Using the position data from the sensors 1350-1355, a known center of the end effector 130 is positioned directly below the calculated center of the substrate S, and the end effector 350 is raised until the contact points 800A-800D at the substrate support contact positions contact the substrate S to pick it up.

[0032] Sensors 1350 to 1355 can be of any suitable type, such as a capacitive, optical, acoustic, or ultrasonic sensor. As an example, when a capacitive sensor is used, the capacitance increases as the sensor moves under the wafer. For each sensor, a voltage output proportional to the impedance is generated, and the detected capacitance depends on the distance from sensors 1350 to 1355 to the bottom surface of the substrate S. This distance can vary if the substrate S is curved, warped, or tilted within the substrate holding station. Sensors 1350 to 1355 are disposed on the end effector 350 so as to pass under the substrate S, thereby providing the distance from the end effector to the wafer for lifting the substrate and, as will be described in more detail below, for determining whether a pick-up error has occurred. In one aspect, sensors 1350 to 1355 can also be used to determine whether there is a curvature, warp, or tilt of the substrate (in addition to or instead of cameras 1300 and / or sensors 360A, 360B) and to improve the robustness of the system.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 7A, schematic views of substrates S1, S2 showing curvature and / or warpage are shown. Here, the substrates are disposed in a substrate holding station 700 and are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined pitch P. When handling substrates S1, S2 having curvature and / or warpage characteristics, the teeth 350T1, 350T2 of the end effector 350 are picked up / positioned so as to avoid the teeth 350T1, 350T2 substantially contacting other substrates at the substrate holding station. For example, they are disposed at the ends or peripheries of substrates S1, S2 (e.g., proximate to the peripheries of substrates S1, S2). By disposing the teeth at the ends of substrates S1, S2, forcing the flatness of the substrates that can affect substrate processing can be prevented. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide for disposing teeth 350T1, 350T2 at predetermined positions for each substrate S1, S2 in order to pick up / position substrates S1, S2 at the substrate holding station 700. Also referring to FIG. 7B, the substrate handling intervals X2, X4, X6, X8 (see FIGS. 3A - 6B) between teeth 350T1, 350T2 for handling large substrates having curvature and / or warpage characteristics may not be provided for the conveyance of small substrates using the common end effector 350. For purposes of illustration only, substrates S1, S2 in FIG. 7A may be 300 mm substrates, and the teeth may be spaced apart by a distance X2 at least for conveying the curved / warped substrate S1. However, the distance X2 between teeth 350T1, 350T2 may interfere with the substrate supports of station 710 configured to hold small substrates, e.g., 200 mm substrates S3, S4, S5. As described above, aspects of the disclosed embodiments provide for adjusting at least one of teeth 350T1, 350T2 relative to other teeth 350T1, 350T2 to vary the distance between the teeth and the substrate support sheet dimension span DS of substrate contacts 800A - 800D of teeth 350T1, 350T2 for handling substrates S1 - S5 having different curvature, warpage, shape, and size characteristics using the common end effector 350.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 8A - 8C, in order to adjust the distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 and the substrate support sheet dimension span between contact points 800A - 800D (also referred to herein as the contact positions of teeth 350T1, 350T2), teeth 350T1, 350T2 are movably attached to the base 350B of the end effector 350. In one aspect, as seen in FIG. 8A, teeth 350T1, 350T2 are pivotally attached to the base 350B of the end effector 350 in any suitable manner such that teeth 350T1, 350T2 move in respective directions R1, R2 to change the distance RX1 between substrate contact positions 800A, 800B of teeth 350T1, 350T2 and the distance RX2 between substrate contact positions 800C, 800D. In one aspect, teeth 350T1, 350T2 are driven by a drive section 850 of any suitable end effector 350 such that the distance between teeth 350T1, 350T2 is changed in place (e.g., at least one tooth moves relative to the other tooth) and the substrate support sheet dimension span DS (e.g., corresponding to the distance between the teeth) extending between substrate contacts 800A - 800D of teeth 850T1, 850T2 is changed. In one aspect, teeth 350T1, 350T2 are pivotally attached to the base 350B and the drive section includes any suitable linear and / or rotational drive components for pivoting one or more of teeth 350T1, 350T2 relative to each other and relative to the base 350B to adjust the distances RX1, RX2 between substrate contacts 800A - 800D of teeth 350T1, 350T2.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 8B and 8C, in one aspect, teeth 350T1, 350T2 are attached to base 350B such that at least one of teeth 350T1, 350T2 is linearly movable relative to the other and relative to base 350B in directions D1, D2. Here, end effector 350 is shown holding a rectangular substrate SR and a circular substrate SC, but in other aspects, the substrate may have any suitable shape / size. In this aspect, drive section 850 of end effector 350 includes any suitable linear and / or rotational drive components that enable movement of one or more of teeth 350T1, 350T2. Referring also to FIG. 9, in one aspect, drive section 850 includes one or more suitable linear guides 900 that include at least one linear guide member 900G and at least one movable member 900M that moves along linear guide member 900G. In this aspect, each of teeth 350T1, 350T2 is attached to a respective movable member 900M to traverse in directions D1, D2 along linear guide member 900G. In one aspect, one or more stops 920 - 923 are provided to limit the linear movement of teeth 350T1, 350T2. Teeth 350T1, 350T2 are described herein as both being movable, but in other aspects, only a single tooth may be movable. Movable member 900M can be driven in any suitable manner to traverse linear guide member 900G.

[0036] Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, in one aspect, the drive section 850 of the end effector 350 includes a frog leg linkage configured to move the teeth 350T1, 350T2 in the D1, D2 directions. For example, the frog leg linkage includes a drive link 370 connected to pivot links 371A, 371B at a rotation axis A1. The pivot links 371A, 371B are connected to respective driven links 372A, 372B at a rotation axis A3. The pivot links 371A, 371B are pivotally attached to the base 350B at respective rotation axes A2A, A2B, and the driven links 372A, 372B are coupled to respective moving members 900M. Any suitable actuator 850A of the drive section 850 is connected to the drive link 370 to reciprocate the drive link 370 in the D3 direction. As the drive link 370 moves toward the teeth 350T1, 350T1, the pivot links 371A, 371B are rotated about the axes A2A, A2B, and the axes A3 of the pivot links 371A, 371B move toward each other in the R3, R4 directions. As the axes A3 move in the R3, R4 directions, the driven links move toward each other, and the teeth 350T1, 350T2 approach each other, reducing the distance DS between the substrate contacts 800A - 800D of the teeth 350T1, 350T2. Conversely, as the drive link 370 moves away from the teeth 350T1, 350T1 in the D3 direction, the pivot links 371A, 371B are rotated about the axes A2A, A2B, and the axes A3 of the pivot links 371A, 371B move away from each other in the R3', R4' directions. As the axes A3 move in the R3', R4' directions, the driven links move away from each other, and the teeth 350T1, 350T2 move further apart, increasing the interval / distance between the teeth 350T1, 350T2 and increasing the distance DS between the substrate contacts 800A - 800D of the teeth 350T1, 350T2.

[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 11A and 11B, in one aspect, the drive section 850 of the end effector 350 includes a drive linkage having drive links 370' and driven links 372A', 372B'. The drive link 370' is connected to any suitable actuator 850A in a manner similar to movement in the D3 direction. Each driven link 372A', 372B' is connected at one end to the drive link 370' about axis A4 and at the other end to its respective movable member 900M about axis A5. Here, as the drive link 370' moves in the D3 direction toward the teeth 350T1, 350T2, the movable members 900M move away from each other in the D1, D2 directions, and the teeth 350T1, 350T2 move further apart, increasing the spacing between the teeth 350T1, 350T2 and increasing the distance DS between the substrate contacts 800A - 800D of the teeth 350T1, 350T2. As the drive link 370' moves away from the teeth 350T1, 350T2 in the D3 direction, the movable members 900M move toward each other in the D1, D2 directions, bringing the teeth 350T1, 350T2 closer to each other and decreasing the distance DS between the substrate contacts 800A - 800D of the teeth 350T1, 350T2.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, the drive section 850 of the end effector 350 includes a ball screw drive section. The ball screw drive section includes a screw member 1201 attached to the base 350B of the end effector 350. The screw member 1201 includes a drive portion 1200 that connects the screw member 1201 to any suitable actuator 850A via any suitable transmission 1200T (belt, band, cable, gear, etc.). When driven, the actuator 850A rotates the drive portion 1200 (and thus the screw member 1201) about the longitudinal axis of the screw member 1201. The driven members 1202, 1203 are attached to the screw member 1201, and when the screw member 1201 rotates, the driven members move along the screw member 1201 in directions D1 and D2, increasing or decreasing the distance between the teeth 350T1, 350T2, and increasing or decreasing the distance DS between the substrate contacts 800A - 800D of the teeth 850T1, 850T2. They are connected to and rotationally fixed to their respective movable members 900M.

[0039] Although FIGS. 8A - 12B illustrate the configuration of an exemplary drive section 850, it should be understood that in other embodiments, the drive section 850 of the end effector 350 may have any suitable configuration for increasing or decreasing the distance between the teeth 350T1, 350T2, and thus increasing or decreasing the distance between the substrate contacts of the teeth 350T1, 350T2.

[0040] During operation, the controller 11091 is configured to change in situ, for example, in one aspect, the distance between teeth 350T1 and 350T2, and thus the substrate support sheet dimension span DS extending between substrate contacts 800A - 800D of teeth 350T1 and 350T2, while the substrate transfer device is in motion. In one aspect, in order to compensate for one or more predetermined characteristics of an individual substrate, within the same or different batches of substrates, the distance DS can be changed from substrate to substrate, and these predetermined characteristics include the amount of curvature of the substrate, the amount of warp of the substrate (where curvature and warp define the flatness of the substrate), the shape of the substrate, and the size of the substrate (e.g., the diameter of a circular substrate, the length / width of a rectangular substrate, etc.). As can be understood, the curvature or warp of a substrate can affect the size of the substrate, and a curved and / or warped substrate may have a size smaller than that of a corresponding nominally sized substrate (e.g., a 300 mm curved and / or warped wafer may have a diameter / size smaller than 300 mm). As an example, the distance DS can be changed for each substrate among a plurality of substrates arranged in a common stack (e.g., the substrates have a common nominal diameter that varies depending on the curvature and / or warp of the substrate within a predetermined tolerance). In another example, the distance DS can be changed between substrates arranged in different stacks such that the substrates in one stack have a predetermined common nominal diameter and the substrates in another different stack have a different predetermined common nominal diameter (e.g., one stack includes 300 mm substrates while another stack includes 200 mm substrates).

[0041] For example, referring also to FIG. 17, in one aspect, the controller 11091 can move the substrate transfer and end effector 350 towards the substrate holding station to pick up the substrate (FIG. 17, block 1700). During or simultaneously with the movement towards the substrate holding station (e.g., in-situ within the common movement of the transfer device), for example, the camera 1300 and / or sensors 360A, 360B provide mapping data to the controller 11091 for one or more substrates disposed at the substrate holding position (FIG. 17, block 1710). When sensors 360A, 360B are employed for mapping, the controller adjusts the teeth 350T1, 350T2 to the mapping positions shown, for example, in FIGS. 3A, 4A, 5A, and 6A, where the nominal size of the substrate at the substrate holding station has been previously provided to the controller 11091. The mapping data is provided to the controller 11091 during the movement of the transfer device towards the substrate holding station (e.g., in-situ within the common movement of the transfer device), and the controller 11091 determines the substrate support sheet dimension span of one or more substrates at the substrate holding station (FIG. 17, block 1720). The controller 11091 moves the teeth 350T1, 350T2 of the end effector 350 in-situ within the common movement to adjust the spacing between the teeth such that the distance DS between the substrate contacts 800A - 800D of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 corresponds to (e.g., substantially matches) the determined substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrate to be picked up (FIG. 17, block 1730).

[0042] In one aspect, referring to FIG. 9, the movement of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 between two positions (defining, for example, at least two different substrate support sheet dimension spans) is controlled, for example, by the mechanical stops 920, 921, 922, 923 of the end effector 350, and the movement is effected by the end drive section 850 of the end effector, which can be under the control of the controller 11091. In one aspect, the stops 920, 921, 922, 923 are disposed at both ends of the movement of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 to provide two different substrate support sheet dimension spans.

[0043] In one aspect, the movement of teeth 350T1, 350T2 may be controlled in any suitable manner, such as by controller 11091, to have a variable / reconfigurable substrate support sheet dimension span DS, where the distance DS includes a range of, for example, two or more different substrate support sheet dimension span positions at which teeth 350T1, 350T2 engage the substrate. In one aspect, referring again to FIGS. 3A - 6B, teeth 350T1, 350T2 have common substrate contacts 800A - 800F, each of which engages the substrate at each of the substrate support sheet dimension span positions. For example, when substrates of substantially the same size are placed in a stack, the common substrate contacts engage each substrate in the stack as each respective substrate S is picked up. In one aspect, the common substrate contacts (see also contacts 800E, 800F) engage different substrates, such as when the substrates have different sizes and teeth 350T1, 350T2 are positioned at respective substrate support sheet dimension span positions of substrates of different sizes.

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, in one aspect, the range of different substrate support sheet dimension span positions is brought about by using the controller 11091 to determine the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 relative to each other and / or to a base (such as a reference feature of the base 350B, where in one aspect the reference feature is the known center line CL of the base 350B). For one, the end effector 350 includes any suitable sensor system for tracking / determining the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2. Although both teeth 350T1, 350T2 are described as being movable, it should be understood that in some aspects only a single tooth may be movable as described above. In one aspect, the sensor system includes any suitable sensor 1500, such as a capacitive, inductive, optical, etc. The sensor 1500 interacts with the respective teeth 350T1, 350T2 in any suitable manner to sense the positions of the respective teeth 350T1, 350T2. As can be understood, when the movements of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 are coupled via a ball screw, a frog leg or other linkage as described above and a single drive moves both teeth, the locations of the other teeth 350T1, 350T2 are automatically known based on the coupled movement and a predetermined known relationship between the teeth 350T1, 350T2, so a single sensor may be provided to sense the position of one of the teeth 350T1, 350T2. In some embodiments, the movements of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 are independent. For example, the teeth 350T1, 350T2 can be moved at different speeds at different times and / or to positions that are not symmetric with respect to the center line of the end effector 350. When the movements of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 are independent, sensors may be provided for each tooth that moves independently.

[0045] In one aspect, one or more teeth 350T1, 350T2 include a sensor track 1510 that forms one or more of an absolute encoder 1510A and an incremental encoder 1510N. The sensor 1500 is disposed on the end effector 350 and senses the sensor track 1510 using the controller 11091 to determine the relative positions of the one or more teeth 350T1, 350T2 or the position relative to a known position of the end effector, such as the center line CL of the end effector 350. By using the sensor track 1510 to determine the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2, the substrate contacts 800A - 800D of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 can be positioned at a predetermined substrate engagement position corresponding to the substrate support sheet dimension span position determined for any given substrate at any location along the movement range of the teeth 350T1, 350T2.

[0046] In one aspect, one or more teeth 350T1, 350T2 include one or more flags 1520 that interact with the sensor 1500 to determine the positions of the one or more teeth 350T1, 350T2 using the controller 11091. In one aspect, the one or more flags 1520 can be arranged to form one or more absolute and incremental encoders so that the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 can be adjusted over the movement range of the teeth 350T1, 350T2. In other aspects, the flags may be arranged at predetermined positions corresponding to predetermined substrate support sheet dimension span positions of the end effector. In one aspect, each flag 1520 may be individually distinguishable so that the positioning of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 can be done by sensing only one flag 1520. In other aspects, the controller 11091 can be configured to "count" (e.g., additively or subtractively) the number of flags detected to continuously determine the location of the teeth 350T1, 350T2.

[0047] In one aspect, the flag 1520 and / or the sensor track 1510 can be used by the controller 11091 to perform failure recovery of the end effector 350 of the transfer device, for example, when a power loss or emergency stop occurs substantially without human / operator intervention within a semiconductor tool station. For example, in one aspect, the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 determined using the flag 1520 and / or the sensor track 1510 are registered in the memory of the controller 11091 during a power loss, and when the power is restored, the controller 11091 reads the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 from the memory (as if they were in the positions before the power loss). If the last known positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 are registered in the controller 11091, when the power is restored, the automatic initialization of the end effector can be disabled so that the end effector continues to operate based on the registered positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2.

[0048] In one aspect, when power is restored to the transfer device and automatic initialization is provided, the absolute encoder (e.g., provided by the sensor track 1510 or the flag 1520) described above can provide the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 when the power is restored. In one aspect, when the absolute encoder is provided by the flag 1520, the flag 1520 may include n flags, and each flag corresponds to a predetermined substrate support sheet dimension span position of the teeth 350T1, 350T2. For example, flag 0 corresponds to the open position of the teeth, flag 1 corresponds to the first substrate support sheet dimension span position, flag 2 corresponds to the second substrate support sheet dimension span position, and flag n corresponds to the nth substrate support sheet dimension span position.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 13C, 15A, 15B and 16, end effector 350 and controller 11091 are configured to provide a feedback loop for repositioning end effector 350 and teeth 350T1, 350T2 when a substrate pick-up error is detected. Controller 11091, as described above, positions end effector 350 at a predetermined position of the substrate holding station so as to substantially match the substrate support sheet dimension span DS position of end effector 350 with the substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrate to be picked up, and adjusts teeth 350T1, 350T2. Controller 11091 moves end effector 350 a predetermined amount to pick up the substrate (FIG. 16, block 1600). In one aspect, one or more of sensors 1350 - 1355 and / or camera 1300 transmit a substrate detection signal indicating whether a substrate is present on end effector 350 to controller 11091 (FIG. 16, block 1610). In one aspect, the capacitance or inductance of sensors 1350 - 1355, or the image from camera 1300, may indicate the distance between sensors 1350 - 1355 (and thus substrate contacts 800A - 800D) and the substrate. If the presence of a substrate is detected on the end effector, the substrate is picked up (FIG. 16, block 1630), and the position of the substrate on the end effector is confirmed by any suitable method, such as using sensors 1350 - 1355 and / or camera 1300 (FIG. 16, block 1640).

[0050] If the presence of the substrate is not detected on the end effector 350, the controller performs an incremental movement of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 to adjust the substrate support sheet dimension span DS position of the end effector 350 (FIG. 16, block 1620). In one aspect, the adjustment of the substrate support sheet dimension span DS position is performed by the flag 1520 and / or the sensor track 1510, and the absolute scale, incremental scale, or continuous scale provided by the flag 1520 and / or the sensor track 1510 provides feedback for the control regarding the positions of the teeth 350T1, 350T2. The incremental movement of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 may be any suitable predetermined distance. As can be understood, the incremental movement of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 may be performed after the end effector is retracted from the substrate holding station and / or after the end effector returns to the end effector pick-up position (for example, to provide a gap between the teeth 350T1, 350T2 and the substrate within the substrate holding station). The end effector 350 is repositioned to pick up the substrate (FIG. 16, block 1600), and a determination of substrate presence is made after the pick-up attempt to determine whether the substrate is present on the end effector 350 (FIG. 16, block 1610). If the substrate is present, the substrate is picked up and its position is confirmed (FIG. 16, blocks 1630, 1640). If the presence of the substrate is not detected, blocks 1600-1620 are repeated over a predetermined range of movement of the teeth 350T1, 350T2 or until the presence of the substrate is detected in block 1610. In one aspect, if the teeth move over a predetermined range and the presence of the substrate is not detected, an error occurs and the controller 11091 performs a remapping of the substrate holding station to determine the cause of the pick-up error and / or to update the mapping data of the substrate within the substrate holding station.

[0051] Referring again to FIGS. 1E, 1F and 3A - 6B described herein, the controller and end effector 350 are configured to change the distances X1 - X8 between the teeth 350T1, 350T2 of the end effector 350, and thus the distance DS between the substrate contacts 800A, 800C of one tooth 350T1 and the substrate contacts 800B, 800D of the other tooth 350T2, based on one or more predetermined characteristics (e.g., size, curvature, warp, etc.) of the substrate being transported. As seen in FIGS. 1E and 1F, the semiconductor tool stations 11090A, 11090B are configured to process substrates of different sizes. For example, substrate S2 has a predetermined nominal size, substrate S1 has a size smaller than the predetermined nominal size of substrate S2, and substrate S3 has a size larger than the predetermined nominal size of substrate S2. In one aspect, the substrate transfer devices 11013, 11014 each include an end effector 350, and in other aspects, the substrate transfer device disposed within the chamber 11010 of FIG. 1E may not include an adjustable end effector 350, such as when substrates of a single size are processed by the respective processing modules 11030SA - 11030SC.

[0052] In one aspect, for illustrative purposes, referring to the substrate transfer apparatus 11013 and FIG. 18, the controller 11091 moves the transfer apparatus 11013, for example, to the substrate holding station 11050S2, where the substrate of the substrate holding station 11050S2 is mapped and the substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrate is determined in situ as described above (FIG. 18, block 1800). The teeth 350T1, 350T2 of the end effector 350 are adjusted in situ as described above (FIG. 18, block 1810). The substrate S2 is picked up from the substrate holding station 11050S2 and transferred, for example, to a predetermined one of the load lock / transfer chambers 11010 (FIG. 18, block 1820). In one aspect, after the placement of the substrate S2, the controller moves the transfer apparatus 11013, for example, to the substrate holding station 11050S1, where the substrate of the substrate holding station 11050S1 is mapped and the substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrate is determined in situ as described above (FIG. 18, block 1800). The teeth 350T1, 350T2 of the end effector 350 are adjusted in situ as described above (FIG. 18, block 1810). The substrate S1 is picked up from the substrate holding station 11050S1 and transferred, for example, to a predetermined one of the load lock / transfer chambers 11010 (FIG. 18, block 1820). In one aspect, after the placement of the substrate S1, the controller moves the transfer apparatus 11013, for example, to the substrate holding station 11050S3, where the substrate of the substrate holding station 11050S3 is mapped and the substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrate is determined in situ as described above (FIG. 18, block 1800). The teeth 350T1, 350T2 of the end effector 350 are adjusted in situ as described above (FIG. 18, block 1810). The substrate S3 is picked up from the substrate holding station 11050S3 and transferred, for example, to a predetermined one of the load lock / transfer chambers 11010 (FIG. 18, block 1820).

[0053] In one aspect, for illustrative purposes, referring to substrate transfer device 11013 and FIG. 19, controller 11091 moves transfer device 11013, for example, to positioning common end effector 350 at substrate holding station 11050S2 configured to receive / hold a first type of substrate (FIG. 19, block 1900). As described above, the substrates at substrate holding station 11050S2 are mapped and the substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrates is determined in place. Teeth 350T1, 350T2 of end effector 350 are adjusted in place such that substrate S2 is picked up from substrate holding station 11050S2 using common end effector 350 (FIG. 19, block 1910) and conveyed, for example, to a substrate holding station configured to receive a first type of substrate, such as a predetermined one of load lock / transfer chamber 11010, and placed therein, being adjusted in place as described above. In one aspect, after placement of substrate S2, the controller moves transfer device 11013, for example, to positioning common end effector 350 at substrate holding station 11050S1 configured to receive / hold a second type of substrate (FIG. 19, block 1930). Here, the substrates at substrate holding station 11050S1 are mapped and the substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrates is determined in place as described above. Teeth 350T1, 350T2 of end effector 350 are adjusted in place as described above. Substrate S1 is picked up from substrate holding station 11050S1 using common end effector 350 and conveyed, for example, to a substrate holding station configured to receive a second type of substrate, such as a predetermined one of load lock / transfer chamber 11010 (FIG. 19, block 1940) and placed therein (FIG. 19, block 1950). In one aspect, after placement of substrate S1, the controller moves transfer device 11013, for example, to positioning the common end effector at substrate holding station 11050S3 configured to receive / hold a third type of substrate (FIG. 19, block 1960).Here, the substrate of the substrate holding station 11050S3 is mapped, and the substrate support sheet size span of the substrate is determined in place as described above. The teeth 350T1 and 350T2 of the end effector 350 are adjusted in place as described above. The substrate S3 is picked up from the substrate holding station 11050S3 using the common end effector 350 and conveyed to a substrate holding station configured to receive a third type of substrate, such as a predetermined one of the load lock / transfer chamber 11010 (FIG. 19, block 1970), and placed there (FIG. 19, block 1980).

[0054] As can be understood, substrates S1 to S3 of different sizes can be picked up for conveyance to and from the processing module 11030 in any suitable order. In one aspect, if the substrate holding station (such as a substrate cassette placed on the load port 11050) is pre-mapped such that a predetermined characteristic of the substrate at that substrate holding station is determined by the controller 11091, remapping of the substrate holding station may be omitted.

[0055] In one aspect, the substrate transfer device 11014 picks up different substrates S1 to S3 from a common substrate holding station such as the load lock 11010 of FIG. 1F, and the teeth 350T1 and 350T2 of the end effector 350 of the transfer device 11014 are pre-determined by conveying the substrates S1 to S3 using the transfer device 11013 and adjusted based on the substrate data recorded in the controller 11091. In one aspect, if necessary, the pre-determined substrate data may be confirmed by the transfer device 11014 when picking up the substrates S1 to S3 from the substrate holding station 11010 such that further adjustment is made for the teeth 350T1 and 350T2 of the transfer device 11014. In yet another aspect, the substrate data (such as predetermined characteristics including size, curvature, and warp) may be determined for each pick-up performed by each of the transfer devices 11013 and 11014.

[0056] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus

[0057] a frame and

[0058] at least one substrate transfer arm connected to the frame, the at least one substrate transfer arm having at least one end effector, each end effector comprising

[0059] a base configured to be coupled to each substrate transfer arm,

[0060] a first and a second substrate support tooth attached to the base and subordinate to the base, at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth being movable relative to the base, each of the first and second substrate support teeth having a respective substrate contact, each substrate contact being spaced between the respective substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth by a substrate support sheet dimension span, and each of the first and second substrate support teeth being configured to contact and support a substrate held by the end effector between the respective contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth;

[0061] an end effector drive section configured to change the mutual distance between the first and second substrate support teeth in place and to change the substrate support sheet dimension span between the substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth from a first substrate support sheet dimension span to a different second substrate support sheet dimension span.

[0062] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes at least one substrate sensor disposed on at least one substrate transfer arm, the at least one substrate sensor being configured to determine the substrate support sheet dimension span in place.

[0063] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one substrate sensor is attached to each of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0064] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes at least one substrate sensor, and the at least one substrate sensor includes a camera attached to a base and configured to image one or more substrates at a substrate holding station.

[0065] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one substrate sensor is configured to determine one or more substrate characteristics for each substrate at a substrate holding station.

[0066] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, at least one substrate sensor is configured to determine a substrate support sheet dimension span during mapping of at least one substrate at a substrate holding station and prior to the pick-up operation of at least one substrate transfer arm.

[0067] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth include vacuum back contacts.

[0068] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth include passive edge contacts.

[0069] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth include passive back contacts.

[0070] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes third and fourth substrate support teeth having predetermined characteristics different from those of the first and second substrate support teeth, and the first and second substrate support teeth are detachably connected to a base so as to be replaceable with the third and fourth substrate support teeth.

[0071] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the predetermined characteristics include different substrate contacts.

[0072] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first and second substrate support teeth are pivotally attached to the base.

[0073] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes a linear slide that movably couples at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth to the base.

[0074] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes a frog leg drive linkage coupled to the linear slide and configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0075] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes at least one drive link coupled to the linear slide and configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0076] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes a ball screw drive coupled to the linear slide and configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0077] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes at least one stop member disposed on the base and configured to limit movement of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0078] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a controller coupled to at least one substrate transfer arm, the controller being configured to

[0079] lift movement of the substrate transfer arm,

[0080] adjustment of a substrate support sheet dimension span for picking up a substrate having a nominal dimension larger than a predetermined substrate dimension, and

[0081] configured to perform one or more of adjusting a substrate support sheet dimension span for picking up a substrate having a nominal dimension smaller than a predetermined substrate dimension.

[0082] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a controller connected to at least one substrate transfer arm and configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth to change a substrate support sheet dimension span.

[0083] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes an encoder configured to determine a position of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to a predetermined position of the end effector.

[0084] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes one or more flags configured to determine a position of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to a predetermined position of the end effector.

[0085] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes at least one substrate detection sensor and a controller connected to the at least one substrate detection sensor, the controller being configured to repeatedly move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to the other of the first and second substrate support teeth in response to a null substrate detection signal from the at least one substrate detection sensor during a pick-up operation.

[0086] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate support sheet dimension span is in the range between a minimum substrate support sheet dimension span and a maximum substrate support sheet dimension span, and at least one end effector picks up a substrate having a diameter in the range of 100 mm to 450 mm and a curved or warped substrate using first and second substrate support teeth that are common to each pick-up, and the distance between the first and second substrate support teeth is variable to change the substrate support sheet dimension span.

[0087] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a substrate processing apparatus

[0088] a frame,

[0089] at least one substrate transfer arm connected to the frame, the at least one substrate transfer arm having at least one end effector, each end effector

[0090] a base configured to be coupled to each substrate transfer arm,

[0091] a gripping portion having first and second substrate support teeth attached to and dependent on the base, at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth being movable relative to the base, each of the first and second substrate support teeth having a respective substrate contact point, each substrate contact point being configured to support a substrate held by the end effector at a substrate support sheet dimension span between the first and second substrate support teeth, the gripping portion having more than one different substrate support sheet dimension span common to the first and second substrate support teeth, the gripping portion;

[0092] At least one substrate sensor connected to the base and configured to determine the substrate support sheet dimension span between the first and second substrate support teeth from more than one different substrate support sheet dimension spans of the gripping part, wherein the determination of the substrate support sheet dimension span is performed by the operation of only one of at least one substrate transfer arm for picking up and gripping the substrate at the substrate holding station, the at least one substrate sensor,

[0093] and an end effector drive section configured to change the mutual distance between the first and second substrate support teeth in place based on the determined substrate support sheet dimension span.

[0094] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the determination of the substrate support sheet dimension span is performed simultaneously with the transfer arm operation by the transfer arm operation for picking up the substrate from the substrate holding station.

[0095] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one substrate sensor is attached to each of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0096] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one substrate sensor is attached to the base and includes a camera configured to image one or more substrates at the substrate holding station.

[0097] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one substrate sensor is configured to determine one or more substrate characteristics for each substrate at the substrate holding station.

[0098] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the at least one substrate sensor is configured to determine the substrate support sheet dimension span during the mapping of at least one substrate at the substrate holding station and before the picking operation of at least one substrate transfer arm.

[0099] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth include vacuum back contacts.

[0100] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth include passive edge contacts.

[0101] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth include passive back contacts.

[0102] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes third and fourth substrate support teeth having predetermined characteristics different from those of the first and second substrate support teeth, and the first and second substrate support teeth are detachably connected to the base so as to be replaceable with the third and fourth substrate support teeth.

[0103] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the predetermined characteristics include different substrate contacts.

[0104] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first and second substrate support teeth are pivotally attached to the base.

[0105] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes a linear slide that movably connects at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth to the base.

[0106] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes a frog leg drive linkage connected to the linear slide and moving at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0107] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes at least one drive link coupled to the linear slide and configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0108] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes a ball screw drive coupled to the linear slide and configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0109] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes at least one stop member disposed on the base and configured to limit movement of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

[0110] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a controller connected to at least one substrate transfer arm, the controller being configured to

[0111] perform one or more of a pick-up movement of the substrate transfer arm,

[0112] adjustment of the mutual substrate support sheet dimension span between the first and second substrate support teeth for picking up a substrate having a nominal dimension larger than a predetermined substrate dimension, and

[0113] adjustment of the mutual substrate support sheet dimension span between the first and second substrate support teeth for picking up a substrate having a nominal dimension smaller than a predetermined substrate dimension.

[0114] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a controller connected to at least one substrate transfer arm and configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to each other.

[0115] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes an encoder configured to determine the position of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to a predetermined position of the end effector.

[0116] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the end effector drive section includes one or more flags configured to determine the position of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to a predetermined position of the end effector.

[0117] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes at least one substrate detection sensor and a controller connected to the at least one substrate detection sensor, and the controller is configured to repeatedly move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to the other of the first and second substrate support teeth in response to a null substrate detection signal from the at least one substrate detection sensor during a pick-up operation.

[0118] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the substrate processing apparatus further includes a controller configured to calculate and determine a substrate support sheet dimension span based on a signal from at least one substrate sensor and to adjust the first and second substrate support teeth such that the distance between respective substrate contact points of the first and second substrate support teeth is substantially the same as the determined substrate support sheet dimension span.

[0119] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the distance between the first and second substrate support teeth is variable to change the substrate support sheet dimension span such that the substrate support sheet dimension span is in the range between a minimum substrate support sheet dimension span and a maximum substrate support sheet dimension span, and at least one end effector picks up substrates having a diameter in the range of 100 mm to 450 mm and curved or warped substrates using the first and second substrate support teeth common to each pick-up.

[0120] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a method for substrate processing includes

[0121] transporting a substrate having a first size using a common end effector of a substrate transfer arm having a variable gripping configuration; and

[0122] transporting a substrate having a second size different from the first size using the common end effector.

[0123] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the first size is a nominal substrate size greater than or equal to a predetermined substrate size, and the variable gripping configuration of the common end effector is configured to pick up and transport a substrate having the nominal substrate size. Further, using the common end effector, the common end effector is configured to pick up a substrate having the nominal substrate size from a substrate holding station configured for substrates of the first size and place the substrate having the nominal substrate size into a substrate holding station configured for substrates of the first size.

[0124] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the second size is another nominal substrate size smaller than the predetermined substrate size, and the method further includes using the common end effector to place a substrate of the second size into a different substrate holding station configured to receive substrates of the other nominal substrate size but not substrates of the first size.

[0125] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes changing in place the distance between first and second substrate support teeth of the variable gripping configuration and changing the substrate support sheet dimension span between the substrate contact points of the first and second substrate support teeth from a first substrate support sheet dimension span to a different second substrate support sheet dimension span.

[0126] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes determining a substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrate during mapping of the one or more substrates at the substrate holding station before lifting the one or more substrates from the substrate holding station.

[0127] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the method further includes determining a substrate support sheet dimension span of the substrate in accordance with the operation of a substrate transfer arm for lifting and gripping the substrate from the substrate holding station.

[0128] According to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments, the determination of the substrate support sheet dimension span is at least partially performed by the operation of a substrate transfer arm for lifting and gripping the substrate from the substrate holding station.

[0129] It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiments are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Further, the mere fact that different features are recited in mutually different dependent or independent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be used advantageously, and such combinations are within the scope of aspects of the present invention.

Claims

1. A frame arranged to hold a substrate container having a stacked substrate therein, A substrate transfer arm connected to the frame, the substrate transfer arm having an end effector, the end effector comprising: A base configured to be connected to the substrate transfer arm, First and second substrate support teeth attached to the base and subordinate to the base, at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth being movable relative to the base, the first and second substrate support teeth having substrate contacts, the substrate contacts being such that the respective substrate contacts of the first and second substrate support teeth contact the substrate held by the end effector at a substrate support sheet span dimension between the respective substrate contacts and are configured to support the substrate, the first and second substrate support teeth; A substrate transfer arm having; A camera arranged to observe the stacked substrate through a side opening of the substrate container and image a side profile of each stacked substrate, the image of the side profile of each stacked substrate resulting in a determination of the amount of warp or curvature for a selected substrate among the respective stacked substrates, the camera; Based on the determination of the warp or curvature, change the mutual distance between the first and second substrate support teeth to a selected substrate support sheet span dimension, move the end effector to a position inside the substrate container directly below the selected substrate among the stacked substrates, and move the end effector upward to lift and support the selected substrate among the stacked substrates by the end effector, and re-move the selected substrate among the stacked substrates from the substrate container. An end effector drive section configured to; A substrate processing apparatus comprising.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera is arranged on the substrate transfer arm and the camera is configured to determine the substrate support sheet span dimension in place.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the camera is attached to each of the first and second substrate support teeth.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein mapping of the laminated substrate by the camera for determining the warp or curvature of each of the laminated substrates is performed at least in part by imaging an edge of the substrate.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the camera is configured to determine one or more substrate characteristics for each of the laminated substrates.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the camera is configured to determine the substrate support sheet span dimension during mapping of the laminated substrate and prior to a pick-up operation of the substrate transfer arm.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising third and fourth substrate support teeth having predetermined characteristics different from those of the first and second substrate support teeth, wherein the first and second substrate support teeth are detachably connected to the base so as to be interchangeable with the third and fourth substrate support teeth.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the different predetermined characteristics include different substrate contacts.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second substrate support teeth are pivotally attached to the base.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end effector drive section includes a linear slide movably connecting at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth to the base.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the end effector drive section further includes a drive link connected to the linear slide for moving at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth.

12. The end effector drive section is connected to the linear slide and further includes a ball screw drive section that moves at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10.

13. Further comprising a controller connected to the substrate transfer arm, The controller, The pick-up movement of the substrate transfer arm, Adjustment of the substrate support sheet span dimension for picking up a substrate with a nominal dimension larger than a predetermined substrate dimension, and Adjustment of the substrate support sheet span dimension for picking up a substrate with a nominal dimension smaller than a predetermined substrate dimension, The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, configured to perform one or more of the above.

14. Further comprising a controller connected to the substrate transfer arm, configured to move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth and change the substrate support sheet span dimension. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

15. The end effector drive section includes an encoder configured to determine the position of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to a predetermined position of the end effector. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

16. The end effector drive section includes one or more flags configured to determine the position of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to a predetermined position of the end effector. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the camera and a controller connected to the camera, wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to the other of the first and second substrate support teeth in response to a null substrate detection signal from the camera during a pick-up operation.

18. The substrate support sheet span dimension is in a range between a minimum substrate support sheet span dimension and a maximum substrate support sheet span dimension, and the end effector uses the first and second substrate support teeth that are common to the pick-up of substrates having a diameter in the range of 100 mm to 450 mm and curved or warped substrates, respectively, and the distance between the first and second substrate support teeth is changed to change the substrate support sheet span dimension. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

19. A frame arranged to hold a substrate container having stacked substrates therein, A substrate transfer arm connected to the frame, the substrate transfer arm having an end effector, the end effector A base configured to be connected to the substrate transfer arm, A gripping portion having first and second substrate support teeth attached to the base, at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth being movable relative to the base, each of the first and second substrate support teeth having a substrate contact point, and the substrate contact points of the first and second substrate support teeth contact a substrate held by the end effector at a substrate support sheet span dimension between the respective substrate contact points and are configured to support the substrate. A gripping portion And a substrate transfer arm having A camera arranged to observe the stacked substrates through a side opening of the substrate container and image the side profiles of the respective stacked substrates, wherein an image of the side profile of each of the stacked substrates results in a determination of the amount of warp or curvature for a selected one of the respective stacked substrates. Based on the determination of the warp or curvature, the mutual distance between the first and second substrate support teeth is changed to a selected substrate support sheet span dimension, and the end effector is moved to a position inside the substrate container directly below the selected substrate among the stacked substrates, and by moving the end effector upward, the end effector lifts and supports the selected substrate among the stacked substrates, and is configured to re-move the selected substrate among the stacked substrates from the substrate container. A substrate processing apparatus comprising the same.

20. The determination of the substrate support sheet span dimension is performed in situ simultaneously with the transfer arm operation by the transfer arm operation for picking up the substrate from the substrate holding station, according to the substrate processing apparatus of claim 19.

21. The camera is subordinate to the end effector, according to the substrate processing apparatus of claim 19.

22. The camera is configured to map the stacked substrates by imaging, at least in part, the edges of the substrates to determine the respective warp or curvature of the stacked substrates, according to the substrate processing apparatus of claim 19.

23. The camera is configured to determine one or more substrate characteristics for each of the stacked substrates, according to the substrate processing apparatus of claim 19.

24. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the camera is configured to determine the substrate support sheet span dimension during mapping of the stacked substrate and before the pick-up operation of the substrate transfer arm.

25. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each of the substrate contact points of the first and second substrate support teeth includes at least one of a vacuum back contact point, a passive edge contact point, and a passive back contact point.

26. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising third and fourth substrate support teeth having predetermined characteristics different from those of the first and second substrate support teeth, wherein the first and second substrate support teeth are detachably connected to the base so as to be replaceable with the third and fourth substrate support teeth.

27. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the different predetermined characteristics include different substrate contact points.

28. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first and second substrate support teeth are pivotally attached to the base.

29. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the end effector drive section includes a linear slide that movably connects at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth to the base.

30. The substrate processing apparatus further comprises a controller connected to the substrate transfer arm, wherein the controller performs one or more of the pick-up movement of the substrate transfer arm, the adjustment of the mutual substrate support sheet span dimension between the first and second substrate support teeth for picking up a substrate having a nominal dimension larger than a predetermined substrate dimension, and the adjustment of the mutual substrate support sheet span dimension between the first and second substrate support teeth for picking up a substrate having a nominal dimension smaller than a predetermined substrate dimension. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is configured to perform one or more of the above.

31. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the end effector drive section includes one or more flags configured to determine the position of at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to a predetermined position of the end effector.

32. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising the camera and a controller connected to the camera, wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly move at least one of the first and second substrate support teeth relative to the other of the first and second substrate support teeth in response to a null substrate detection signal from the camera during a pick-up operation.

33. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a controller configured to calculate and determine the substrate support sheet span dimension based on a signal from the camera and to adjust the first and second substrate support teeth such that a distance between the respective substrate contact points of the first and second substrate support teeth is substantially the same as the determined substrate support sheet span dimension.

34. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the substrate support sheet span dimension is in a range between a minimum substrate support sheet span dimension and a maximum substrate support sheet span dimension, and the distance between the first and second substrate support teeth is changed to change the substrate support sheet span dimension such that the end effector picks up substrates having a diameter in a range of 100 mm to 450 mm and curved or warped substrates using the first and second substrate support teeth that are common to each pick-up.

35. A method for substrate processing, comprising: transporting a substrate having an outer circumference of a first size using a common end effector of a substrate transfer arm having a variable gripping configuration; transporting a substrate having an outer circumference of a second size different from the outer circumference of the first size using the common end effector; Observing the substrates stacked through the side opening of the substrate container and using a camera arranged to image the side profiles of the respective stacked substrates to determine the amount of warp or curvature for the selected substrate among the respective stacked substrates, Based on the determination of the amount of warp or curvature of the selected substrate among the respective stacked substrates, changing the mutual distance between the first and second substrate support teeth to the selected substrate support sheet span dimension corresponding to each of the substrates having the outer periphery of the first size and the substrates having the outer periphery of the second size, moving the end effector to the position inside the substrate container directly below the selected substrate among the stacked substrates, and moving the end effector upward to lift and support the selected substrate among the stacked substrates by the end effector, re-moving the selected substrate among the stacked substrates from the substrate container, and transporting each of the substrates having the outer periphery of the first size and the substrates having the outer periphery of the second size A method comprising.

36. The outer periphery of the first size is a nominal substrate size equal to or greater than a predetermined substrate size, the variable gripping configuration of the common end effector is configured to pick up and transport a substrate having the nominal substrate size, and further using the common end effector, pick up a substrate having the nominal substrate size from a substrate holding station configured for substrates with an outer periphery of the first size and place the substrate having the nominal substrate size into a substrate holding station configured for substrates with an outer periphery of the first size. The method according to claim 35.

37. The outer periphery of the second size is another nominal substrate size smaller than the predetermined substrate size, and the method further includes using the common end effector to place a substrate with an outer periphery of the second size into a different substrate holding station configured to receive substrates with the other nominal substrate size but not substrates with an outer periphery of the first size. The method according to claim 36.

38. The method according to claim 35, further comprising determining a substrate support sheet span dimension of a substrate during mapping of the stacked substrates in the substrate holding station, before picking up the selected substrate from among the respective stacked substrates from the substrate holding station using the camera.

39. The method according to claim 35, further comprising determining a substrate support sheet span dimension of a substrate in accordance with an operation of the substrate transfer arm for picking up and gripping the substrate from the substrate holding station.

40. The determination of the substrate support sheet span dimension is at least partially performed by an operation of the substrate transfer arm for picking up and gripping the substrate from the substrate holding station, according to the method of claim 39.

Images