Buffer for substrate transport apparatus and substrate transport apparatus including the buffer

Abstract

A substrate transport apparatus includes: a chamber having a base and two substrate transport ports juxtaposed with each other in a common side of the chamber; at least two juxtaposed arms inside the chamber, each arm with a fixed terminal joint about which the arm rotates and extends, the terminal joint being common to and joining each arm to each other arm within the chamber and to the base via the common terminal joint where the at least two juxtaposed arms rotate as a unit about the common terminal joint, each arm respectively having at least one arm link and an end effector dependent therefrom; a drive section; and a substrate buffer within the chamber with more than one substrate buffer stations, each substrate buffer station is movably joined within the chamber to the base so as to move within the chamber from an on position to an off position.

Description

BUFFER FOR SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATETRANSPORT APPARATUS INCLUDING THE BUFFERCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States provisional patent application numbers 63 / 581,512 filed on September 8, 2023 and 63 / 685,401 filed on August 21, 2024, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND1. Field

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to robotic systems, and more particularly, to robotic transport systems.2. Brief Description of Related Developments

[0003] In, for example, semiconductor processing, there is a trend towards narrow or elongated vacuum systems. These narrow vacuum systems have increasing footprints, particularly in length. Generally, vacuum robots that move in Cartesian coordinates (referred to as a yaw robot) are employed in these elongated vacuum systems. However, as the length or footprint of the elongated vacuum system grows, so does the reach required by the vacuum robots. To accommodate the increase in reach, the links of the vacuum robot arms increase in length / size resulting in heavier arm structure with increased inertia, which places increases demands on the motors driving each axis of the robot arm. In some applications, to increase semiconductor production throughput the robot arms are operated at higher accelerations which further increases the demands on the motors(e.g., such as a demand for torque output by the motors). In some aspects, the motors for driving the robot arm are located in a common motor housing (such as in a coaxial or side-by-side arrangement where the motor output is output through a coaxial drive shaft arrangement); while in other aspects, some of the motors are distributed within the robot arm itself. As may be realized, placement of the motors within the arm serves to increase the weight and inertia of the arm structure.

[0004] Customers also continue to build systems with the configuration of having side-by-side process module or holding stations that require either individual process / service for one process side while also allowing the automation to be enabled to load both sides for parallel processing on the side-by-station. In most cases, these cluster tool chambers are configured in a square or pentagon shaped chamber with sufficient size to enable each facet to have a pair of process modules side-by-side. These process modules are usually configured so that they share process gas facilities but can be either operational at the same time or independently shut down for either sequence matching or service.

[0005] Typically controlling the orientation of a substrate (e g., notch location on a substrate) is not controlled during substrate transport. Such orientation control is not generally possible with a three-axis dual SCARA arm, as the wrist axes are not controllable as the wrist axes re typically slaved to the forearms. When multiple robots in the same system handle wafers (ex. ATM and VAC robots) with varying handoff angles, the substrate orientation will rotate as it passes through the tool.

[0006] Accordingly, the present disclosure addresses a number of those issues.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The foregoing aspects and other features of the present disclosure are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0008] Figs. 1 A-1I are schematic illustrations of substrate processing apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0009] Figs. 2A-2J are schematic illustrations of exemplary substrate transfer apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure, and which may be employed in any of the substrate processing apparatus of Figs. 1A-1I;

[0010] Figs. 3A-3C are schematic illustrations of an exemplary brushless electrical machine in accordance with the present disclosure, and that may be incorporated at one or more joints of any of the substrate transport apparatus described herein;

[0011] Fig. 4 is an exemplary top plan view of a substrate processing apparatus, such as those of Figs. 1 A-2J, including a buffer in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0012] Fig. 5 is an exemplary top plan view of a substrate processing apparatus, such as those of Figs. 1A-2J, including a buffer in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0013] Fig. 6 is an exemplary top perspective illustration of a portion of the substrate processing apparatus of Fig. 5 (where such structure applies equally to the substrate processing apparatus of Fig. 4) in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0014] Figs. 7A-7E illustrate an exemplary substrate swap with the buffer of Fig. 5 (the operations of the exemplary substrate swap applying equally to the buffer of Fig. 4) in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0015] Fig. 8 is an exemplary flow diagram of a fast swapping of substrates in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0016] Fig. 9 illustrates an exemplary load lock of the substrate processing apparatus described herein that is serviced by the substrate transfer apparatus described herein in accordance with the present disclosure, the load lock being commensurate with a popular load lock configuration that is widely adopted in the industry;

[0017] Fig. 10 is a schematic top view illustration of the portion of the substrate processing apparatus of Figs. 4-7E driven by a motor arrangement such as of Figs. 21 and 2J in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0018] Figs. 11A and 11B illustrate an exemplary pick / place operation of the portion of the substrate processing apparatus of Fig. 10; and

[0019] Fig. 12 is an exemplary flow diagram of an exemplary method in accordance with the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following detailed description is meant to assist the understanding of one skilled in the art, and is not intended in any way to unduly limit claims connected or related to the present disclosure.

[0021] The following detailed description references various figures, where like reference numbers refer to like components and features across various figures, whether specific figures are referenced, or not.

[0022] The word “each” as used herein refers to a single object (i.e., the object) in the case of a single object or each object in the case of multiple objects. The words “a,” “an,” and “the” as used herein are inclusive of “at least one” and “one or more” so as not to limit the object being referred to as being in its “singular” form.

[0023] Figs. 1 A-1I are schematic illustrations of substrate processing apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure. Although the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure could be embodied in many forms. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

[0024] The present disclosure may provide one or more of: a robot architecture that integrates motors into one or more joints of the robot arm, where the motors are high-torque compact motors that may reduce the driven mass and overall size of the robot arm links; and operation of this robot architecture in one or more of vacuum and atmospheric environments.

[0025] The substrate buffer or buffer system 2000, 2000A (see Figs. 4 and 5) may be employed with a dual arm transport apparatus / robot. The buffer 2000, 2000A may be disposed above the dual arms (but may be disposed below depending on whether the robot is mounted to a top or bottom of a transfer chamber) and arranged in what may be referred to as a carousel arrangement where substrate holding stations of the buffer 2000, 2000A are rotated above the arms to align desired substrate holding stations of the buffer 2000, 2000A with the end effectors of the arms so as to effect substrate handoff between the buffer 2000, 2000A and the arms. The buffer 2000, 2000A may provide for a substrate throughput for the dual arm transport apparatus / robot that is substantially the same as the substrate throughput as a four-arm transport apparatus / robot (without the buffer 2000, 2000A) and with the same Z-axis (e.g., vertical movement) limitations (see Fig. 9).

[0026] Still referring to Figs. 1A-1I, the processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G such as for example a semiconductor tool station, is shown in accordance with the present disclosure. Although a semiconductor tool station is shown in the drawings, the present disclosure described herein can be applied to any tool station or application employing robotic manipulators. The processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, lOOG are shown as having cluster tool arrangements (e.g. having substrate holding stations connected to a central chamber), although the processing apparatus may be a linearly arranged tool; however the presentdisclosure may be applied to any suitable tool station. The apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G generally include an atmospheric front end 101, at least one vacuum load lock 102, 102A, 102B and a vacuum back end 103. The at least one vacuum load lock 102, 102A, 102B may be coupled to any suitable port(s) or opening(s) of the front end 101 and / or back end 103 in any suitable arrangement. For example, the one or more load locks 102, 102A, 102B may be arranged in a common horizontal plane in a side-by-side arrangement as can be seen in Figs. IB, 1D-1H, although: the one or more load locks may be arranged in a grid format such that at least two load locks 102A, 102B, 102C, 102D are arranged in rows (e.g. having spaced apart horizontal planes) and columns (e g. having spaced apart vertical planes) as shown in Fig. II, the one or more load lock may be a single in-line load lock 102 as shown in Fig. 1A, or the at least one load lock 102, 102E may be arranged in a stacked in-line arrangement as shown in Fig. 1C. It should be understood that while the load locks are illustrated on end 100E1 or facet 100F1 of a transport chamber 125 A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G, the one or more load lock may be arranged on any number of sides 100S1, 100S2, ends 100E1, 100E2 or facets 100F1-100F8 of the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G. Each of the at least one load lock may also include one or more wafer / substrate resting planes WRP (Fig. 1C) in which substrates are held on suitable supports within the respective load lock. The tool station may have any suitable configuration. The components of each of the front end 101, the at least one load lock 102, 102A, 102B and back end 103 may be connected to a controller 110 which may be part of any suitable control architecture such as, for example, a clustered architecture control. The control system may be a closed loop controller having a master controller, cluster controllers and autonomous remote controllers such as those disclosed in United States patent number 7,904,182 entitled “Scalable Motion Control System” issued on March 8, 2011 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, although any suitable controller and / or control system may be utilized.

[0027] The front end 101 generally includes load port modules 105 and a mini-environment 106 such as for example an equipment front end module (EFEM). The load port modules 105 may be box opener / loader to tool standard (BOLTS) interfaces that conform to SEMI standards El 5.1,E47.1, E62, E19.5 or El.9 for 300 mm load ports, front opening or bottom opening boxes / pods and cassettes. The load port modules may be configured as 200 mm wafer / substrate interfaces, 450 mm wafer / substrate interfaces or any other suitable substrate interfaces such as for example larger or smaller semiconductor wafers / substrates, flat panels for flat panel displays, solar panels, reticles or any other suitable object. Although three load port modules 105 are shown in Figs. 1A, IB, ID, IE, IF, 1G, 1H, although any suitable number of load port modules may be incorporated into the front end 101. The load port modules 105 may be configured to receive substrate carriers or cassettes C from an overhead transport system, automatic guided vehicles, person guided vehicles, rail guided vehicles or from any other suitable transport method. The load port modules 105 may interface with the mini-environment 106 through load ports 107. The load ports 107 may allow the passage of substrates between the substrate cassettes and the mini -environment 106.

[0028] The mini -environment 106 generally includes any suitable transfer robot 108, which may incorporate one or more features of the present disclosure described herein. The robot 108 may be a track mounted robot such as that described in, for example, United States Patents 6,002,840 issued on December 14, 1999; 8,419,341 issued April 16, 2013; and 7,648,327 issued on January 19, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. The robot 108 may be substantially similar to that described herein with respect to the back end 103. The mini -environment 106 may provide a controlled, clean zone for substrate transfer between multiple load port modules.

[0029] The at least one vacuum load lock 102, 102A, 102B may be located between and connected to the mini-environment 106 and the back end 103. The load port modules 105 may be coupled substantially directly to the at least one load lock 102, 102A, 102B or the transport chamber 125 A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G where the substrate carrier C is pumped down to a vacuum of the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G and substrates are transferred directly between the substrate carrier C and the load lock or transfer chamber. The substrate carrier C may function as a load lock such that a processing vacuum of the transport chamber extends into the substrate carrier C. As may be realized, where the substrate carrier C iscoupled substantially directly to the load lock through a suitable load port any suitable transfer apparatus may be provided within the load lock or otherwise have access to the carrier C for transferring substrates to and from the substrate carrier C. It is noted that the term vacuum as used herein may denote a high vacuum such as IxlO'3Torr or below in which the substrates are processed. The at least one load lock 102, 102 A, 102B generally includes atmospheric and vacuum slot valves. The slot valves of the load locks 102, 102A, 102B (as well as for the processing stations 130) may provide the environmental isolation employed to evacuate the load lock after loading a substrate from the atmospheric front end and to maintain the vacuum in the transport chamber when venting the lock with an inert gas such as nitrogen. As will be described herein, the slot valves of the processing apparatus 100 A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G may be located in the same plane, different vertically stacked planes or a combination of slot valves located in the same plane and slot valves located in different vertically stacked planes (as described above with respect to the load ports) to accommodate transfer of substrates to and from at least the processing stations 130 and load locks 102, 102 A, 102B coupled to the transport chamber 125 A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G. The at least one load lock 102, 102A, 102B (and / or the front end 101) may also include an aligner ALN for aligning a fiducial of the substrate to a desired position for processing or any other suitable substrate metrology equipment. The vacuum load lock may be located in any suitable location of the processing apparatus and have any suitable configuration.

[0030] The vacuum back end 103 generally includes a transport chamber 125 A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G, one or more processing station(s) 130, and any suitable number of transfer unit modules 104 that includes one or more transfer robots, which may include one or more features of the present disclosure described herein. The transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G may have any suitable shape and size that, for example, complies with SEMI standard E72 guidelines. The transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G is arranged to hold a sealed environment. The transport chamber may have two substrate transport ports juxtaposed with each other in a common side of the chamber (see, e.g.,Figs. 1B-1I, 4, and 5). The transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G has a base or frame (see Figs. 1A-1I, 4, and 5).

[0031] The transfer unit module(s) 104 and the one or more transfer robot will be described below and may be located at least partly within the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G to transport substrates between the load lock 102, 102A, 102B (or between a cassette C located at a load port) and the various processing stations 130. The transfer unit module 104 may be removable from the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G as modular unit such that the transfer unit module 104 complies with SEMI standard E72 guidelines.

[0032] The processing stations 130 may operate on the substrates through various deposition, etching, or other types of processes to form electrical circuitry or other desired structure on the substrates. Typical processes include but are not limited to thin film processes that use a vacuum such as plasma etch or other etching processes, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma vapor deposition (PVD), implantation such as ion implantation, metrology, rapid thermal processing (RTP), dry strip atomic layer deposition (ALD), oxidation / diffusion, forming of nitrides, vacuum lithography, epitaxy (EPI), wire bonder and evaporation or other thin film processes that use vacuum pressures. The processing stations 130 are communicably connected to the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G in any suitable manner, such as through slot valves SV, to allow substrates to be passed from the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G to the processing stations 130 and vice versa. The slot valves SV of the transport chamber 125 may be arranged to allow for the connection of twin (e.g. more than one substrate processing chamber located within a common housing) or side-by-side process stations 130T1, 130T2, single process stations 1308 and / or stacked process modules / load locks (Figs. 1C and II).

[0033] It is noted that the transfer of substrates to and from the processing station 130, load locks 102, 102A, 102B (or cassette C) coupled to the transfer chamber 125 A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G may occur when one or more arms of the transfer unit module 104 are aligned with apredetermined processing station 130. In accordance with the present disclosure one or more substrates may be transferred to a respective predetermined processing station 130 individually or substantially simultaneously (e.g. such as when substrates are picked / placed from side-by-side or tandem processing stations as shown in Figs. IB, ID and 1H. The transfer unit module 104 may be mounted on a boom arm 143 (see, e.g., Figs. IE, IF, 1H) or linear carriage 144 (see, e.g., Fig. 1C) such as that described in United States patent numbers 10,777,438 titled “Processing Apparatus” and issued on September 15, 2020 and International patent application number PCT / US13 / 25513 entitled “Substrate Processing Apparatus” and filed on February 11, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0034] Referring to Figs. 2A and 2B, exemplary boom arm configurations, to which the transfer unit module 104 may be coupled, will be described. The boom arm 143 and the transfer unit module 104 may collectively be referred to, with a respective transport chamber, as a substrate transport apparatus (although, the boom arm 143 and the transfer unit module 104 may collectively be referred to as a substrate transport apparatus) or where the transfer unit module 104 is employed without the boom arm 143, the transfer unit module, with the respective transport chamber, may be referred to as the substrate transport apparatus (although the transfer unit module 104 may be referred to as a substrate transport apparatus). Here, the boom arm 143 may be a single unarticulated link boom arm 220 (Fig. 2A) or an articulated link boom arm 222 (Fig. 2B).

[0035] With reference to Fig. 2A, the single unarticulated link boom arm 220 is rotatably coupled to a frame or base 201 of the transport apparatus and is directly driven by a motor 200BA, the motor 200BA being substantially similar to the direct drive motor 500 (see Figs. 5A-5C, also referred to herein as an axial flux brushless electrical / electric machine) described herein. The motor 200BA is coupled to the frame and disposed at the boom arm rotation axis BSX for directly driving the boom arm 143 in a manner similar to that described herein. The transfer unit module 104 is coupled to a distal end of the boom arm 143 (opposite the boom arm rotation axis BSX). It should be understood that while the transfer unit module 104 is illustrated as having a SCARAarm 210 (or dual SCARA arm 210, 210A) configuration, although the transfer unit module 104 may have any suitable arm configuration including, but not limited to those described herein.

[0036] With reference to Fig. 2B, the articulated link boom arm 220 includes an upper boom link 220 that is rotatably coupled to a frame or base 201 (at the boom arm rotation axis BAX) of the transport apparatus at a proximate end of the upper boom link 220. The other or distal end of the upper boom link 220 is rotatably coupled to a proximate end of a forearm boom link 221 at a boom joint axis of rotation BEX, where the transfer unit module 104 is coupled to and supported by the forearm boom link 221 at a distal end of the forearm boom link 221. The upper boom link 220 is directly driven by the motor 200BA that is coupled to the frame 201 and located at the boom arm rotation axis BSX in a manner similar to that described herein.

[0037] The articulated link boom arm 222 may have a hybrid drive where the motor 200BA directly drives the upper boom link 220 and the forearm boom link 221 is slaved in rotation (e.g., a band and pulley transmission slaves rotation of the forearm boom link 221 to the frame 201). The forearm boom link 221 may be directly driven by a motor 200BFA that is located at the axis of rotation BEX of the forearm boom link 221 and within at least one of the upper boom link 220 and the forearm boom link 221 (in a manner similar to that described herein, the motor 200BFA being substantially similar to the direct drive motor 500 (see Figs. 5A-5C) described herein). It should be understood that the articulated link boom arm 222 may have any suitable number of links serially coupled to each other where one or more of the links are directly driven by a respective motor disposed at a respective axis of rotation of the one or more of the links. Suitable examples of boom arms that may be employed with the present disclosure are described in United States patent application number 15 / 215,143 filed on July 20, 2016 and titled “Substrate Processing Apparatus,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0038] While the transfer unit module 104 in Figs. 2A and 2B is illustrated as having a SCARA arm 210 (or dual SCARA arm 210, 210A) configuration, although the transfer unit module 104 may have any suitable transfer arm configuration including, but not limited to those describedherein. For example, the transfer unit module may have any other desired arrangement such as a frog-leg arm 216 (Fig. 2C) configuration, a leap-frog arm 217 (Fig. 2D) configuration, a bi- symmetric arm 218 (Fig. 2E) configuration, etc. The frog-leg arm 216 may be directly driven by a drive motor 200TA disposed at the shoulder axis SX of the frog-leg arm 216. Each end effector of the leap-frog arm 217 may be extended and retracted by a respective drive motor 200TA, 200TAA (disposed at the shoulder axis SX) that directly drives a respective frog-leg arm of the respective end effector 211, 21 IDS. The bi-symmetric arm 218 may be directly driven in extension and retraction by a drive motor 200TA disposed at the shoulder axis of the bi-symmetric arm 218. The motors 200TA, 200TAA being substantially similar to the direct drive motor 500 (see Figs. 5A-5C) described herein.

[0039] As another example, referring to Fig. 2F, transfer unit module 104 may be configured as the transfer arm 219. The transfer arm 219 includes at least a first and second articulated SCARA arm 210, 210A where each arm 210, 210A includes an end effector 21 IDS, 211, 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ configured to hold at least two substrates SI, S2 side by side in a common transfer plane (each substrate holding location of the end effector 21 IDS shares a common drive for picking and placing the substrates SI, S2) where the spacing DX between the substrates SI, S2 corresponds to a fixed spacing between side by side substrate holding locations. Referring to Figs. 2F and 2G, the SCARA arm 210 (and arm 210A) includes an upper arm 213, a forearm 212, and an end effector 211, 21 IDS, 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ that are serially coupled to one another to form an articulated chain of arm links. Here, at least one of the arm links 213, 212, 211 is directly driven by a respective drive motor 200TA, 200TAA, 200TFA, 200TFAA, 200TWA, 200TWAA (the drive motors being substantially similar to the direct drive motor 500 (see Figs. 5A-5C) described herein) that is located at a respective joint SX, EX, WX of the transfer arm. Each of the arm links 213, 212 and end effector(s) 211, 21 IDS, 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ may be directly driven, although both the arm links 212, 211 and end effector(s) 211 , 21 IDS, 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ may be slaved (e.g., by respective band / pulley transmissions), or the end effector 211, 21 IDS, 21 IDE, 21 IDT,211DQ may be slaved (e.g., to the upper arm) while the links 213, 212 are directly driven in the manner described herein.

[0040] Suitable examples of transfer arms to which the present disclosure may be employed can be found in United States patents 6,231,297 issued May 15, 2001, 5,180,276 issued January 19, 1993, 6,464,448 issued October 15, 2002, 6,224,319 issued May 1, 2001, 5,447,409 issued September 5, 1995, 7,578,649 issued August 25, 2009, 5,794,487 issued August 18, 1998, 7,946,800 issued May 24, 2011, 6,485,250 issued November 26, 2002, 7,891,935 issued February 22, 2011, 11,569,111 issued on January 31, 2023, 8,752,449 issued on June 17, 2014, 8,918,203 issued on December 23, 2014, and 11,235,935 issued February 1, 2022, and United States patent application numbers 13 / 293,717 entitled “Dual Arm Robot” and filed on November 10, 2011 and 13 / 270,844 entitled “Coaxial Drive Vacuum Robot” and filed on October 11, 2011 the disclosures of which are all incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. Suitable examples of band / pulley transmission that may be employed in the present disclosure are described in United States patent numbers 5,682,795 issued on November 4, 1997, 5,778,730 issued on July 14, 1998, and 11,201,073 issued December 14, 2021, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0041] Referring to Fig. 2H, another transfer unit module 104 is illustrated. The transfer unit module of Fig. 2H, like the other transfer unit modules described herein, may be coupled to a boom arm 143 (see, e.g., Figs. 1H, 2A and 2B) so as to be transported by the boom arm 143, to a linear carriage 144 (see, e.g., Fig. 1G) so as to be transported by the linear carriage 144, or stationarily fixed to a frame of the transport chamber 125 A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G (or a frame of the mini -environment 106). Here, the transfer unit module 104 includes a frame 266F, to which a turret 266 is rotatably coupled for rotation about a turret axis of rotation TAX. The drive section 200 includes a turret drive 200R disposed at the turret axis of rotation TAX that directly drives rotation of the turret 266 in direction T3, the turret drive 200R being substantially similar to the direct drive motor 500 (see Figs. 5A-5C) described herein. The turret 266 includes transfer arm supports 270A, 270B that extend from opposite sides of the turret 266, and to which a respectivetransfer arm(s) 210, 210A, 216, 217, 218 are coupled. The transfer arm supports 270A, 270B are spaced apart from each other so that the respective transfer arms are supported by the turret 266 in a side by side arrangement, where the side by side transfer arms each include end effector(s) 211, 21 IDS, 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ configured to hold at least one substrate side by side in a common transfer plane where the spacing DX between the substrates SI, S2 corresponds to a fixed spacing between side by side substrate holding locations (e.g., in a manner similar to that described with respect to Fig. 2F and as described in United States patent number 10,134,621 issued on November 20, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

[0042] The turret 266 may include one or more linear motors 200LM that are coupled to a respective transfer arm support 270A, 270B for moving the respective transfer arm support 270A, 270B in direction 271A, 271B for effecting adjustment in the distance DX (or independent adjustment of the respective distance DX1, DX2 from the axis TAX) to account for substrateholding-station to substrate-holding-station variability and the independent automatic wafer centering with respect to the transfer arm(s) held on the respective transfer arm support 270A, 270B. Here, the turret 266 provides for individual or independent Cartesian adjustment for each respective transfer arm supports 270A, 270B (and the respective transfer arm(s) coupled thereto) to maintain substrate alignment and reduce substrate swap times as position correction effected by the Cartesian (e.g., X-Y) positioning of the end effector 211, 21 IDS, 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ of at least one transfer arm coupled to transfer arm support 270A is performed in parallel with the Cartesian positioning of the end effector 211, 21 IDS, 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ of at least one other transfer arm coupled to transfer arm support 270B. Each transfer arm support 270A, 270B may also include a respective Z-axis drive 200Z1, 200Z2 for moving the respective transfer arm(s) held on the transfer arm support 270A, 270B independent of Z axis movement of the respective transfer arms held on the other transfer arm support 270A, 270B. Another Z-axis drive may be provided for moving the turret 266 and any transfer arms coupled thereto as a unit in the Z direction.

[0043] Referring to Fig. 21, the transfer unit module 104 is illustrated as robot assembly 10F. The robot assembly 10F includes four independent SCARA arms 2401 A-2401D coupled to a hub 2420and a distributed drive section 2400 (which may be similar to drive section 200) for driving rotation of the hub 2420 and rotation and extension of the arms 2401A-2401D. Each of the arms 2401A- 240 ID has independent radial R and rotational 9 degrees of freedom (see also Fig. 10). While each of the arms 2401A-2401D are provided with independent radial R and rotational 0 degrees of freedom, the hub 2420 may provide for (e.g., in addition to or in lieu of the rotational 9 degrees of freedom) movement of the arms 2401A-2401D in directions 271A, 271B in a manner similar to that of turret 266. The rotational 0 degrees of freedom and / or movement of the arms 2401A- 2401D in directions 271A, 271B may provide for automatic substrate / wafer centering during placement of substrates at any suitable substrate holding location (e g., such as a process module, load lock, etc.).

[0044] The robot assembly 10F includes a base or frame 2401 to which a hub 2420 is rotatably coupled for rotation (i.e., rotational degree of freedom 9H) about a hub axis of rotation HX. In Fig. 21 the hub 2420 includes a proximate hub portion 2420L and a distal hub portion 2420H that are coupled to each other by a stanchion 2420S such that the proximate hub portion 2420L is proximate the base 2401 and the distal hub portion 2420H is distal to the base 2401 and are rotated about the hub axis HX as a single unit. The drive section 2400 includes motor 2400H that is coupled to the hug 2420 for driving rotation of the hub 2420 about the hub axis of rotation HX. The motor 2400H may be similar to any of the motors described herein.

[0045] The stanchion 2420S is sized so that the distal and proximate hub portions 2420H, 2420L are spaced from one another by any suitable distance where the arms 2401A-2401D are disposed between the distal and proximate hub portions 2420H, 2420L, although any other suitable arrangement of the arms 2401A-2401D relative to the stanchion and hub portions 2420H, 2420L may be employed.

[0046] Each of the distal and proximate hub portions 2420H, 2420L extend on opposite sides of the hub axis of rotation HX so that each of the distal and proximate hub portions 2420H, 2420L have a first and second ends 2420E1, 2420E2. The arm 2401A is coupled to the distal hub portion2420H adjacent end 2420E2 and the arm 240 IB is coupled to the proximate hub portion 2420L adjacent end 2420E2 so that the arms 2401 A, 240 IB are stacked one above the other in an opposing relationship (i.e., the end effector 2402E of arm 2401 A is adjacent the end effector 2402E of arm 240 IB) so that the transfer planes TP of the arms 2401 A, 240 IB are adjacent each other to minimize a Z travel of the arms 2401A, 2401B when picking / placing substrates S to the same or different substrate holding stations. The arm 240 ID is coupled to the distal hub portion 2420H adjacent end 2420E1 and the arm 2401C is coupled to the proximate hub portion 2420L adjacent end 2420E1 so that the arms 2401D, 2401C are stacked one above the other in an opposing relationship (i.e., the end effector 2402E of arm 2401D is adjacent the end effector 2402E of arm 2401C) so that the transfer planes TP of the arms 2401A, 2401B are adjacent each other to minimize a Z travel of the arms 2401A, 2401B when picking / placing substrates S to the same or different substrate holding stations. Coupling the arms 2401A-2401D to the hub 2420 provides for rotation of the arms 2401A-2401D with the hub 2420 about the hub axis HS as a single unit.

[0047] The arms 2401A-2401D are mounted or otherwise coupled to the hub 2420 to effect the independent radial R and rotational 9 degrees of freedom movement. For example, referring to arm 240 ID (the other arms 2401A-2401C have the same arrangement) the arm 240 ID includes an upper arm link 2402U (referred to as an upper arm) that is coupled to the hub 2420 about a respective shoulder axis SX. A forearm link 2402F (referred to as a forearm) of the arm 240 ID is rotatably coupled to the upper arm 2402U about a respective elbow axis EX. An end effector 2402E (there may be more than one end effector coupled to each of the arm 2401A-2401D) is rotatably coupled to the forearm 2402F about a respective wrist axis WX. The drive section includes motors 2400ET, 2400S that are disposed in the hub 2420 at the respective shoulder axis SX. The motor 2400U is coupled to the upper arm 2402U for rotating the upper arm 2402U about the respective shoulder axis SX. The motor 2400S is coupled to the forearm 2402F through any suitable transmission TX1 (such as a band and pulley transmission) for rotation the forearm about the respective elbow axis EX. The rotation of the end effector 2402E about wrist axis WX may be slaved to the upper arm 2402U through any suitable transmission TX2 (such as a band andpulley transmission) so that as the arm 2401D is extended and retracted the end effector 2401E is aligned with and travels along a radial path R (see Fig. 10) that passes through the respective shoulder axis SX. Rotation of both motors 2400U, 2400S at the same rate in the same direction causes rotation of the arm 2401D as a single unit about the respective shoulder axis, where rotation of the motors 2400U, 2400S at different rates in the same or different directions causes extension and retraction of the arm 2401D along the radial path R (or radial path HR - see Fig. 11 A). While a slaved end effector 2402E is described for each of the arms 2401A-2401D, the end effector 2402E of each arm may be provided with independent rotation where a third motor 2400E is located at the respective shoulder axis SX of each arm 2401 A-2401D for driving rotation of the respective end effector 2402E through any suitable transmission (such as the band and pulley transmission). Although the motors 2400S, 2400U, and where included motor 2400E, are described as being located at the shoulder axis, the motor 2400U may be disposed at the shoulder axis, the motor 2400S may be disposed at the elbow axis, and the motor 2400E (where provided) may be disposed at the wrist axis WX so as to be distributed throughout a respective arm 2401A- 2401D.

[0048] Referring to Fig. 2J, transfer unit module 104 is illustrated as robot assembly 10G. The robot assembly 10G is the same as the robot assembly 10F but for the hub portion 2420H being rotatably coupled to the stanchion 2420S and driven in rotation about the hub axis of rotation HX, independent of hub portion 2420L, by respective motor 2400L.

[0049] Referring to Figs. 3A-3C, one or more of motors 200R, 200TA, 200TWA, 200TFA, 200TAA, 200TWAA, 200TFAA, 200BA, 200BFA, 2400S, 2400U, 2400E of the drive section 200, 2400 of the substrate transport apparatus (i.e., where the substrate transport apparatus is the transfer unit module 104 by itself or the transfer unit module 104 coupled to a boom arm 143) is an axial flux blushless motor or electrical machine 500. The motor 500 is a compact motor having a high torque. For example, the compact motor has a stator outer diameter of about 170 mm or less (with the stator surrounding / circumscribing the rotor). The high torque, for motor 500 with the stator sealed from the rotor by an isolation wall, is a torque of about twice that of a radial fluxmotor having a similar stator diameter and air gap. The high torque, for motor 500 with the stator sealed from the rotor using ferro-fluidic seals, is a torque of about five times that of a radial flux motor having a similar stator diameter and similar air gap. For exemplary purposes only, the motor with a stator outer diameter of about 170 mm has a peak torque of about 212 Nm and a torque density of about 53.0 Nm / kg, although the peak torque may be more or less than about 212Nm and the torque density may be more or less than about 53.0 Nm / kg. Here, with the stator sealed from the rotor by the isolation wall, the power of the motor 500 is reduced by about 60% or less compared to the motor 500 without the stator sealed from the rotor by the isolation wall (but as noted above, even with the reduced power the motor 500 with the isolation wall produces a torque of about twice that of a radial flux motor having a similar stator diameter and air gap). The motors may be positioned within the transport apparatus so as to directly drive (e.g., without intervening transmission) a respective transport apparatus arm link. For example, a motor may be disposed at the shoulder axis for directly driving rotation of the upper arm 213, a motor may be disposed at the elbow axis for directly driving rotation of the forearm 212, and a motor may be disposed at the wrist axis for directly driving rotation of the end effector 211. Where a boom arm is provided, a motor may be disposed at the boom arm axis of rotation for directly driving rotation of the boom arm.

[0050] The motor 500 has a frame or housing 500H, an electrical machine stator 501, and an electrical machine rotor 505. The stator 501 is connected to the frame 500H and has a phase coil 501AC, 501BC, 501CC disposed in an atmospheric volume holding an atmospheric environment. The rotor 505 is cooperatively coupled to the stator 501 so as to generate an output under stimulation from the stator, where the rotor 505 is disposed in a sealed environment that is sealed from and different than the atmospheric volume. As will be described herein, a seal 510 seals the rotor 505 from the stator 501. As will also be described herein, the rotor 505 and stator 501 are disposed in an axial gap arrangement with an axial gap between the rotor 505 and stator 501 disposed astride the stator 501. The seal or isolation wall 510 is arranged in the axial gap so as to seal each stator 501 from each rotor 505 stimulated by the stator 501 across the seal 510.

[0051] The stator 501 includes at least one phase or stator coils 501AC, 501BC, 501CC and rotors 505A, 5O5B, 505C,m 505D interleaved or interdigitated with each other. A portion of such axial flux motor 500 is illustrated in Figs. 5A-5C. Here, the motor 500 includes at least one phase coils 501AC, 501BC, 501CC (three are illustrated for exemplary purposes only and there may be more or less than three stator coils) stacked or arrayed axially. Each stator coil 501AC, 501BC, 501CC is disposed on a respective concentrator ring 501AR, 501BR, 501CR (also referred to herein as stator rings), where the concentrator rings (inclusive of the coils) form the stator 501. The rotor 505 includes armatures 505A, 505B, 505C, 5O5D (also referred to as rotor rings - four are illustrated for exemplary purposes only and there may be more or less than four, depending on the number of concentrator rings 501AR-501CR) that are stacked or arrayed axially, where the concentrator rings 501AR-501CR extend between the stacked armatures 505A-505D so as to be interleaved or interdigitated with the stacked armatures 505A-505D so as to have the axial gap arrangement with an axial gap between the stator and rotor portions (see Figs. 5A and 5B). The axial gap arrangement is configured to that the stator 501 stimulates the rotor 505 across the axial gap-

[0052] The substrate transport apparatus are employed in at least a (high) vacuum environment. Here, the rotor 505 may be constructed of a magnetic permeable material (e.g., without permanent magnets) so as to be configured for employment in the vacuum environment. At least a portion of the interior of the arm links of the substrate transport apparatus may be exposed to the vacuum environment while other portions of the interior of the arm links are exposed to an atmospheric environment. For example, as can be seen in Fig. 5 A, the stator 501 is located within an interior portion of the arm link that is exposed to the atmospheric environment while the rotor 505 is disposed within an interior portion of the arm link that is exposed to the vacuum environment. To maintain separation of the vacuum and atmospheric environments the motor 500 (or arm link) includes the isolation wall or seal 510, that is static seal (i.e., no moving parts). Here, the sealed environment (e.g., holding the vacuum) and the atmospheric environment, in the sealed volume, are sealed respectively from each other by the isolation wall 510.

[0053] As described herein, the rotor 505 is constructed of a magnetic permeable material such that the motor 500 may operate as an induction motor having an axial air gap between the stator 501 and rotor 505 of between about 0.3 mm and about 1.0 mm and preferably between about 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm. The isolation wall 510 axially intervenes between each rotor element (e.g., each rotor ring 505A-505D) and each stator element (e.g., each stator / concentrator ring 501 AR-501CR) that stimulates the rotor 505. For example, the isolation wall 510 is shaped and sized so as to be conformal to at least one of the stator 501 and rotor 505. Here, the isolation wall 510 follows a contour of the air gap between the stator 501 concentration rings 501 AR-501CR (having respective coils 501AC-501CC) and the rotor 505 armatures 505A-505D of the rotor 505. As can be seen in Figs. 5 A and 5B, the isolation wall 510 has a serpentine cross section that follows the serpentine air gap between the stator 501 and rotor 505. The serpentine cross section includes at least one seal disc portion 510D that spans radially separating the stator 501 from the rotor 505 throughout the axial gap.

[0054] The isolation wall 510 is constructed of a non-magnetic material having a low electrical conductivity that can sustain the pressure differential load (e.g., between the atmospheric and vacuum environments) and allow for magnetic field passage between the stator 501 and rotor 505. A suitable material from which the isolation wall 510 may be constructed includes, but is not limited to, 300-series stainless steel.

[0055] The isolation wall 510 may be constructed as a single unitary member (see Fig. 5A) that is hydro-formed or welded in a manner similar to the way a metal bellows is constructed so that the seal is a solid unitary seal with no radial splits. The isolation wall 510 is constructed of two or more isolation rings 510R1-510R6 that are assembled / stacked with the stacking of the motor concentrator rings 501AR-501CR and rotor armatures 505A-505D. Each of the isolation rings 510R1-510R6 is sealed (e.g., via any suitable seal, such as an O-ring or other static seal) against one or more adjacent isolation rings 510R1-510R6 where terminal isolation rings (e.g., isolation rings 510R1, 510R6) are sealed against the adjacent isolation ring (e.g., isolation ring 510R6 is sealed against adjacent isolation ring 51OR5 and isolation ring 510R1 is sealed against adjacentisolation ring 510R2) and a respective isolation wall end cap 51 ORE (which is a monolithic, one- piece unitary structure or member) that forms a seal (e.g., via any suitable seal, such as an O-ring or other static seal) between the isolation wall 510 and a housing 500H of the motor 500 (see Fig. 3C) or interior of the arm link.

[0056] The motor components (e.g., the stator concentrator rings 501AR-501CR and the rotor armatures 505A-505D are assembled around the isolation wall 510. Here, the isolation wall 510 provides support for the coils 501 AC-50 ICC, where the coils 501 AC-50 ICC are fit to or otherwise seated on the isolation wall. For example, referring to coil 501 AC, with the isolation wall 510 assembled (as illustrated in Fig. 5 A with the isolation wall 510 as a unitary one piece member or in Fig. 5B with the isolation wall 510 formed of the isolation rings 510R1, 510R2) the coil is wound around and supported by the isolation wall 510 (in Figs. 5 A and 5B the windings of the coil 501AC extend into / out of the page). The concentrator ring 501AR is constructed in at least two portions 501ARP1, 501ARP2 that are each radially inserted (e.g., towards the center / axis of rotation of the motor 500) into the isolation wall 510 so as to be closely fit and interface with the respective coil 501AC and each other portion of the concentrator ring 501ARP1, 501ARP2. Again, referring to coil 501 AC, the concentrator ring 501 AR is radially inserted into the isolation wall 510 to closely fit with coil 501 AC (e.g., so as to electrically interface with the coil 501 AC), where the isolation wall 510 is closely fitted to the concentrator ring 501 AR. As used herein, the expression closely fit or closely fitted means supporting, substantially touching, contacting, and / or being proximate to. As may be realized, assembly of the coils 501BC, 501CC and the respective concentrator rings 501BR, 50 ICR are assembled into the isolation wall 510 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to coil 501 AC and concentrator ring 501 AR.

[0057] As described above, the isolation wall 510 includes stacked seal disc portions 510D that span radially separating the stator 501 from the rotor 505 throughout the axial gap. Each of the seal disc portions 510D is a monolithic, one-piece unitary structure or member that are joined together (e.g., via welding as in Fig. 5A or via seals as in Fig. 5B) to form the isolation wall 510. Assembly of the motor 500 includes a stepwise assembly. For example, still referring to Figs. 5Aand 5B, starting from end 500E1 of the motor 500, the rotor ring 505D is closely fitted to the isolation wall end cap 51 ORE. A seal disc 510D is coupled (at its radially outer side) to the isolation wall end cap 510RE, and another seal disc 510D is coupled (at its radially inner side) to the seal disc 510D so as to form a recess in which the coil 501CC and concentrator ring 501CR are disposed. The coil 50 ICC is wound within the recess and the concentrator ring portions 501ARP1, 501ARP2 of the concentrator ring 50 ICR are inserted into the recess in the manner described herein so that the coil 50 ICC is supported by the isolation wall 510 and the concentrator ring 50 ICR is closely fit to the recess of the isolation wall 510. The rotor ring 505C is assembled to the rotor ring 505D and yet another seal disc 501D is coupled to the other seal disc 510D at its radially outer side and still another seal disc 510D is coupled (at its radially inner side) to the seal disc 510D so as to form a recess in which the coil 501BC and concentrator ring 501BR are disposed. The coil 501BC is wound within the recess and the concentrator ring portions 501ARP1, 501ARP2 of the concentrator ring 501BR are inserted into the recess in the manner described herein so that the coil 501BC is supported by the isolation wall 510 and the concentrator ring 501BR is closely fit to the recess of the isolation wall 510. Assembly of the other rotor rings 505A-505D, coils 5O1AC-5O1CC, concentrator rings 501AR-501CR, and seal discs 510D is effected in a manner similar so that above so that a desired number of stator and rotor rings are assembled and sealed from each other.

[0058] It should be understood that while some of the transfer arms are described herein as having a single-ended end effector 211, the transfer arms may include any one or more of: the single- ended end effector 211, a double-ended end effector(s) 21 IDE each being configured to hold at least two substrates SI, S2 on opposite sides of the wrist axis WX (see Fig. 3 A), a side by side end effector 21 IDS, a triple end effector 21 IDT having substrate stations that are radially spaced from each other by about 120°, and a quad end effector 211DQ having holding stations that are radially spaced from each other by about 90°. Where the transfer unit module 104 has multiple arms, the different end effectors 211, 21 IDE, 21 IDS, 21 IDT, 211DQ may be employed on the multiple arms in any suitable combinations. Fast swapping of substrates at a substrate holding location maybe performed by a single transfer arm having the double-ended effector 21 IDE by picking / placing a first substrate from / to a substrate holding location, rotating the transfer arm as a unit to change the facing direction of the double-ended end effector 21 IDE, and then placing / pi eking a second substrate to / from the same substrate holding location. Fast swapping of substrates at a holding location with a single transfer arm having the double-ended effector 21 IDE, the triple end effector 21 IDT, and the quad end effector 211DQ may also be effected with rotation of the end effector with a direct drive motor located at the respective wrist joint / axis WX. For example, the transfer arm is extended to pick / place a first substrate from / to a substrate holding location, the transfer arm is retracted and the end effector is rotated to change the facing direction of the end effector 21 IDE, 21 IDT, 211DQ, and then extended to place / pick a second substrate to / from the same substrate holding location. Fast swapping of substrates with multiple transfer arms may be effected by extending a first transfer arm to pick / place a substrate from / to a substrate holding location, retracting the first transfer arm, and then extended a second transfer arm to place / pick a second substrate to / from the same substrate holding location (noting that one or more of the multiple arms may also be configured as noted above to effect, by itself, a fast swap of substrates).

[0059] Where more than one holding station is included on an end effector, the different holding stations may be employed to transport objects having different levels of cleanliness. For example, one of the holding stations may be employed or designated to transport substrates S to be processed (e.g., in process substrates) while another of the holding stations may be employed or designated to transport processing equipment / accessories within the substrate processing apparatus (such as those described herein) that may not have the same cleanliness level as an in process substrate S.

[0060] Referring to Figs. 21 and 2J and the robot assemblies 10F and 10G, handoff of substrates S may be effected without relative substrate S rotation, with slaved end effectors 2402E, where the spacing SI between the handoff stations 1100, 1101 is substantially the same as the spacing S2 between the radial extension / retraction axes R (i.e., the spacing between the shoulder axes SX on opposite ends 2420E1, 2420E of the hub 2420), and the hub rotation axis HX is disposed substantially midway between the handoff stations 1100, 1101. Where independent rotation of theend effectors 2402E is provided, the spacing SI between handoff stations 1100, 1101 may be the same or different than the spacing between the radial extension / retraction axes R and the hub rotation axis X may be disposed at any spatial location relative to the handoff stations 1100, 1101 so long as the handoff stations 1100, 1101 are within reach of the arms 2401A-2401D. With independent rotation of the end effectors 2402E of the robot assemblies 10F, 10G, at least the motors 2400U, 2400S, 2400E are operated such that the arms 2401A-2401D may be extended so that the end effectors 2402E follow respective non-radial paths of extension EXT1, EXT2 to the handoff stations 1100, 1101, such as in a manner similar to that illustrated and described with respect to Figs. 7A-7E.

[0061] Still referring to Figs. 21, 2J, and also to Figs. lOand 11A-1 IB, the robot assemblies 10F, 10G may be configured for placing substrates are side by side substrate handoff stations 1100, 1101 and radially disposed (relative to the hub axis of rotation HX) substrate handoff stations 1102, where the end effectors 2402E place substrates S at each of the substrate handoff stations 1100, 1101, 1102 with the end effector orthogonal to the respective vertical planes VP of the holding stations 1100, 1101, 1102. Handoff to substrate handoff stations 1100, 1101 with the robot assemblies 10F, 10G is described above. Handoff to what may be referred to as a radial handoff station 1102 (e.g., handoff to another robot assembly, process module, load lock, etc.) may be effected by a coordinated control of the drive section 2400 motors so that a substrate holding station center SHS of the end effectors 2402E follows the path of radial extension HR to the substrate holding station 1102, and so that the end effectors 2402E are orthogonal to the vertical plane VP of the substrate holding station 1102 to effect substrate S handoff such that no relative substrate S rotation occurs at the substrate holding station 1102 (such as where handoff is to another robot assembly).

[0062] To effect extension to substrate holding station 1102, using arm 2401A as an example (extension of the other arms 2401B-2401D is effected in the same / similar manner), the controller 199 operates one or more of the motors 2400LT, 2400S so that the arm 2401A is extended to place the substrate holding station center SHS of the end effector 2402E on the path of radial extensionHR (see the top left of Fig 1 IB). With the substrate holding station center SHS on the path of radial extension HR, the controller 199 operates the motor 2400H to rotate the hub 2401 about the hub axis of rotation HX in direction 0H to move the shoulder axis SX of the arm 2401A towards the path of radial extension HX. With movement of the hub 2401 in direction On, the controller 199 operates one or more of the motors 2400U, 2400S (the motors 2400H, 2400U, 2400S being operated by the controller 199 in a coordinated manner) to extend the arm 2401 A where the combined movement effected by the motor 2400H and the one or more of the motors 2400U, 2400S maintains travel of the substrate holding station center SHS along the path of radial extension HR (see the top right of Fig. 1 IB). Operation of one or more of the motors 2400H, 2400U, 2400S continues so that the end effector aligns with the path of radial extension HR (so as to be orthogonal to the vertical plane VP of the substrate handoff station 1102) and so that the substrate holding station center SHS is positioned to pick or place a substrate S to the substrate holding station 1102. Retraction of the arm 2401 A (and the other arms 2401B- 2401D) is effected in a substantially reverse manner to that described with the extension of the arm 2401A. With extension / retraction of the arms 2401A-2401D the controller 199 may operate only one of the motors 2400H, 2400U, 2400S and / or a combination of two or more of the motors 2400H, 2400U, 2400S in a predetermined sequence to maintain the substrate holding station center SHS along the path of radial extension HR. For example, to extend an arm 2401 A-2401D the may be time periods of the extension / retraction in which only motors 2400U and 2400S operate simultaneously, other time periods where only motor 2400H operates, and still other time periods where motors 2400H, 2401U, 2400S operate simultaneously to place the substrate holding station center SHS on the path of radial extension HR and / or to maintain the substrate holding station center SHS on the path of radial extension HR.

[0063] As illustrated in Figs. 11 A and 1 IB while the arm 2401 A (and / or arm 2401B) is extended, the arms 2401C, 2401D disposed on the opposite end 2420E1 of the hub 2420 remain substantially in a retracted configuration. Likewise, where arm 240 ID (and / or arm 2401C) is extended the arms 2401A, 2401B disposed on the opposite end 2420E2 remain substantially retracted.

[0064] Referring to Figs. 2H, 21, 2J, 10, 11A-1 IB and 4-7E, a substrate transport apparatus 104 is illustrated as having buffer 2000, 2000A. While the buffer 2000, 2000A is described with respect to the substrate transport apparatus of Figs. 2H having dual SCARA arms (see Fig. 2G), the buffer 2000, 2000A may be incorporated with a substrate transport apparatus having any of the arms illustrated in Figs. 2A-2G in a similar manner to that described with respect to Figs. 4-7C. The SCARA arms may be configured similar to that illustrated in Figs. 2H, 21, 2J, 10, HA, and 1 IB where the end effectors 211, 211A have a shape that curves or bends towards the axis of rotation TAX, HX, although the end effectors 211, 211A may have any suitable configuration. In other words, the substrate transport apparatus may be similar to the robot assemblies 10F and 10G, but with two side by side arms 2401B, 2401C or 2401A, 2401D (only two of the arms 2401A-2401D are illustrated in Figs. 10, 11A, and 1 IB for exemplary purposes) instead of the four arms 2401A- 240 ID. For exemplary purposes, referring to Figs. 2H, 4, 5, and 6 the substrate transport apparatus 104 includes the turret 266 and the transfer arm supports 270A, 270B movably coupled thereto for movement in directions 271 A, 27 IB (or in the case of the robot assemblies 10F, 10G, the substrate transport apparatus 104 includes the hub 2420 and rotation of the arms in the respective rotational 0 degrees of freedom - the turret 266 and hub 2420 may generally be referred as a turret for ease of description). Movement of the transfer arm supports 270A, 270B in directions 271A, 271B (or in the case of the robot assemblies 10F, 10G, the rotation of the arms in the respective rotational 0 degrees of freedom) may effect automatic wafer centering by adjusting a center of a substrate held on a respective arm laterally (e.g., with respect to the radial, relative to the shoulder axis of the respective arm, extension paths EXT1, EXT2) so as to be aligned with a center of any suitable substrate holding station (such as of a process module or load lock). The turret 266 (or hub 2420) rotates about the axis TAX, HX in the manner described herein (such as under impetus of the turret drive 200R, or in the case of robot assemblies 10F, 10G, the motor 2400H), and the transfer arm supports 270A, 270B are moved in respective directions 271A, 271B in the manner described herein (such as under impetus of a respective linear motor 200LM), or in the case of the robot assemblies 10F, 10G the arms are rotated in the rotational 0 degrees of freedom by one or more of the respective motors 2400S, 2400U.

[0065] Each of the transfer arm supports 270A, 270B is illustrated as having a SCARA arm 210, 210A or 2401B, 2401C or 2401A, 2401D (SCARA arms 2401B, 2401C will be referred to here for ease of description), rotatably coupled thereto where arm 240 IB is rotatably coupled to transfer arm support 271A and arm 2401C is coupled to transfer arm support 271B. The arms 2401B, 2401C are illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 as being shown in a retracted configuration RETC and an extended configuration EXTC.

[0066] Here, the substrate transport apparatus 104 has at least two juxtaposed arms 240 IB, 2401C (see also arms 210, 210A, 2401A, 2401D) inside the transport chamber 125C. Each arm 2401B, 2401C has a fixed terminal joint (e.g., the turret axis of rotation TAX) about which the arm 2401B, 2401C rotates and extends. The terminal joint TAX being common to and joining each arm 240 IB, 2401C to each other arm 2401B, 2401C within the transport chamber 125C and to the base or frame of the transport chamber 125C via the common terminal joint TAX so that the at least two juxtaposed arms 240 IB, 2401C rotate as a unit about the common terminal joint TAX. Each arm 2401B, 2401C respectively having at least one arm link 213, 212, 213A, 212A and an end effector 211, 211A dependent therefrom. Each arm link 213, 212, 213A, 212A being joined in series with the end effector 211, 211A at a distal end of the arm 2401B, 2401C.

[0067] As described herein, the drive section 200 is operably connected to each arm 240 IB, 2401C, where the drive section 200 has more than one separate motors 200TFA, 200TFAA, 200TA, 200TAA, 200TWA, 200TWAA, each defining an independent drive axis, operably connected to each arm 240 IB, 2401C to describe at least one degrees of freedom motion of the end effector 211, 211A of the respective arm 2401B, 2401C commensurate to the more than one independent drive axis connected to the respective arm 240 IB, 2401C so as to extend and laterally traverse the end effector 211, 211 A through one of the two substrate transport ports (see, e.g., Figs. 1B-1I, 4, and 5).

[0068] Each arm 210, 210A may have a slaved configuration so that the arm 2401B, 2401C is extended and retracted with a single drive motor (such as motor 200TA, 200TAA or motor 2400Ulocated at the shoulder axis SX of the respective arm 2401B, 2401C)); the end effector 211, 211 A may be slaved to the upper arm 213, 213A so that the arm 2401B, 2401C is extended and retracted with two drive motors (such as motor 200TA, 200TAA located at the shoulder axis SX and the motor 200TFA, 200TFAA located at the elbow axis EX of the respective arm 2401B, 2401C or motors 2400U, 2400S located at the shoulder axis SX of the respective arm 210, 210A); or each of the end effector 211, 211 A, the forearm 212, 212A, and the upper arms 213, 213A of each arm 240 IB, 2401C may be independently driven for extending and retracting the respective arm 2401B, 2401C such as where the upper arms 213, 213A are driven by respective motor 200TA, 200TAA or motor 2400U (located at the respective shoulder axis SX), the forearms are driven by respective motor 200TFA, 200TFAA (located at the respective elbow axis EX) or motor 2400S (located at the respective shoulder axis SX), and the end effector 211, 211A are driven by respective motor 200TWA, 200TWAA (located at the respective wrist axis WX) or motor 2400E (located at the respective shoulder axis SX). While a distributed drive has been described for each arm 240 IB, 2401C, the drive motors may be disposed at the respective shoulder axis SXfor driving respective drive shafts of a coaxial shaft arrangement and effecting rotation of the respective arm links with any suitable transmission (e.g., band / pulley, gear / chain, etc.) such as illustrated in Figs. 21 and 21. It is noted that dual SCARA arms 2401B, 2401C are illustrated for exemplary purposes only and the arms may have any suitable configuration such as those described herein.

[0069] The substrate buffer 2000, 2000A is disposed within the transport chamber 125C with more than one substrate buffer or holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB. Each substrate buffer or holding station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB is movably joined within the transport chamber 125C to the base or frame of the transport chamber 125C (see Figs. 4-6) so as to move within the transport chamber 125C from an on position (see for example, the position of substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B in Fig. 7A) to an off position (see for example, the position of substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B in Fig. 7D) where, in the on position the substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB corresponds to the end effector 211, 211 A, within the transport chamber 125C, of each arm 2401B, 2401C so that end effector 211, 211A and buffer station2030A, 2030B, 2031A, 203 IB, in the on position, communicate so as to transfer a substrate Sl- S4 between end effector 211, 211 A and substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB, and where in the off position the substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB is displaced away from and bars communication between end effector 211, 211 A and the substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031A, 203 IB. The more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB are arranged so that each end effector 211 A, 211B of the respective arms 240 IB, 2401C has at least one substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB in at least one of an on position and an off position (see Figs. 7A-7E).

[0070] As described in greater detail herein, one or more of the following are provided individually or in any suitable combination thereof and / or in combination with any features described herein: the more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB are arranged so that each end effector 211, 211A of the respective arms 2401B, 2401C has at least one substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB in both of the on position and the off position; the more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB are joined to base or frame of the transport chamber 125C via a terminal joint CAX; the terminal joint CAX of the more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB substantially coincides with the terminal joint TAX of the at least two juxtaposed arms 2401B, 2401C; the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A has at least four substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB; the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A comprises: a first buffer arm 2010 having a first pair of substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B disposed at opposite ends 2010E1, 2010E2 of the first buffer arm 2010; and a second buffer arm 2011 having a second pair of substrate buffer stations 2031 A, 203 IB disposed at opposite ends 2011E1, 2011E2 of the second buffer arm 2011; the drive section 200 includes at least one Z-drive motor 200BFZ1, 200BFZ2 operably connected to the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A so as to raise or lower one of the first buffer arm 2010 and second buffer arm 2011 relative to another of the first buffer arm 2010 and second buffer arm 2011; the first buffer arm 2010 is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm 2011 is configured so that the second pair of substratebuffer stations 2031A, 203 IB are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other; the first buffer arm 2010 is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm 2011 is configured so that the second pair of substrate buffer stations 2031 A, 203 IB are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other; and the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A switches from the on position to the off position substantially coincident with an extension or retraction of at least one of the at least two juxtaposed arms 2401B, 2401C.

[0071] The buffer 2000, 2000A may be referred to as having a carousel configuration (e g., a carousel buffer). For example, the buffer 2000, 2000A includes two buffer arms 2010, 2011 that are disposed above the arms 2401B, 2401C and disposed for rotation about a carousel axis of rotation CAX. The carousel axis of rotation CAX may be disposed at a point of rotation about which the arms 240 IB, 2401C rotate as a unit, which in the example illustrated is the turret axis of rotation TAX, HX. In this manner, the buffer 2000, 2000A and the arms 2401B, 2401C may rotate as a unit about the turret axis of rotation TAX, HX and the buffer 2000, 2000A may rotate independent of the arms 240 IB, 2401C about the turret axis of rotation TAX, HX for effecting substrate handoff between the buffer 2000, 2000A and the arms 2401B, 2401C as described herein. The two buffer arms 2010, 2011 are driven in rotation, as a unit, about the carousel axis of rotation CAX by drive motor 200BFR. One or more of the two buffer arms 2010, 2011 may be driven in the Z-direction (e.g., vertically) by any suitable linear actuator or Z-drive 200BFZ1, 200BFZ2. For exemplary purposes, each buffer arm 2010, 2011 is driven in the Z-direction by a respective Z-drive 200BFZ1, 200BFZ2.

[0072] The buffer arm 2010 includes at least two substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, where the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B are disposed at opposite ends 2010E1, 2010E2 of the buffer arm 2010, and the buffer arm 2010 is rotatably coupled, between the ends 2010E1, 2010E2, to a respective drive shaft 2201 (shown in Fig. 22) that defines the carousel axis of rotation CAX. The buffer arm 2011 includes at least two substrate holding stations 2031 A, 203 IB, where the substrate holding stations 2031 A, 203 IB are disposed at opposite ends 2011E1, 2011E2 of thebuffer arm 2011, and the buffer arm 2011 is rotatably coupled, between the ends 2011E1, 2011E2, to a respective drive shaft 2202 (shown in Fig. 22) that defines the carousel axis of rotation CAX. The drive shafts 2201, 2202 may be coaxial drive shafts (defining the carousel axis of rotation CAX) that are coupled in rotation in any suitable manner so as to be commonly driven (i.e., by the same drive motor) in rotation by the drive motor 200BFR, and driven independently in the Z- direction by a respective Z-drive motor 200BFZ1, 200BFZ2.

[0073] A length of each buffer arm 2010, 2011 from the carousel axis of rotation CAX to a center of the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB is such that a center CSC of the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB (and a substrate S1-S4 held thereon) may be coaxially located with a center SHSC of the end effector 211, 211A substrate holding station SHS with the arms 2401B, 2401C in the retracted configuration RETC. Coaxially locating the center CSC of the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB and the center SHSC of the end effector 211, 211 A with the arms 2401B, 2401C in the retracted configuration RETC provides for a handoff of substrates S1-S4 between the buffer 2000, 2000A and the arms 240 IB, 2401C.

[0074] Referring to Fig. 4, each buffer arm 2010, 2011 has a substantially straight configuration so that the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB of a respective arm are disposed diametrically opposite one another. For example, the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B of buffer arm 2010 are disposed about 180° apart, and the substrate holding stations 2031A, 203 IB of buffer arm 2011 are disposed about 180° apart.

[0075] Referring to Fig. 5, each buffer arm 2010, 2011 has an angled configuration so that the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB of a respective arm are disposed less than 180° from each other. For example, the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B of buffer arm2010 are disposed about 180° apart, and the substrate holding stations 2031 A, 203 IB of buffer arm2011 are disposed about 180° apart. For example, one side of the buffer arm 2010, 2011 may be angularly offset from 180° by any suitable offset angle A so that the substrate holding stations2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB are located angularly closer to each other compared to the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB arranged as illustrated in Fig. 4. Locating the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB angularly closer to each other may reduce an amount of rotation of the buffer 2000A to effect a substrate swap compared to an amount of rotation of the buffer 2000 to effect a substrate swap. The reduced rotation of the buffer 2000A compared to the rotation of the buffer 2000 for effecting substrate handoff between the buffer and the arms may increase substrate processing / transport throughput. The offset angle may be about 59.56°, although the offset angle X may be greater or less than about 59.56°.

[0076] It is noted that two buffer arms 2010, 2011 are illustrated as providing four substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB for exemplary purposes only. There may be more than two buffer arms providing more than four substrate holding stations, there may be two buffer arms providing more than four substrate holding stations, or there may be two or less than two buffer arms providing less than four substrate holding stations.

[0077] Referring to Figs. 7A-7E and 8, an exemplary substrate swap will be described with respect to the buffer 2000, 2000 A. While the substrate swap is illustrated in Fig. 7A-7E with respect to buffer 2000 A, it is noted that substrate swap with buffer 2000 is effected in the same manner as that described herein with respect to buffer 2000A. In this example, substrates SI, S2 are swapped with substrates S3, S4 at process modules 130T1, 130T2. The arms 2401B, 2401C and buffer 2000A are rotated as a unit about the turret axis of rotation TAX, HX so as to align the extension axes EXT1, EXT2 with the process modules 130T1, 130T2 (or other suitable substrate holding location) (Fig. 8, Block 800). The buffer 2000A is positioned / rotated relative to the arms 2401B, 2401C so that the center CSC of substrate holding station 2030A is substantially coaxial with the center SHSC of the end effector 211 substrate holding station SHS (in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 6 with respect to substrate holding stations 2031 A, 203 IB), and the center CSC of substrate holding station 2030B is substantially coaxial with the center SHSC of the end effector 211 A substrate holding station SHS (in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 6 with respect to substrate holding stations 2031A, 203 IB) (Fig. 8, Block 810). The substrate holding stations2031A, 203 IB are holding substrates S4 and S3 respectively. The end effectors 211, 211 A are extended to the process modules 130T1, 130T2 for picking substrates SI, S2 (see Fig. 23B) and with the substrates SI, S2 held on the end effectors 211, 211A, the arms 2401B, 2401C are retracted to the retracted configuration RETC to effect substrate SI, S2 handoff from the end effectors 211, 211A to the buffer holding stations 2030A, 2030B (Fig. 8, Block 820).

[0078] To effect substrate handoff from the end effectors 211, 211A to the buffer holding stations 2030A, 2030B (Fig. 8, Block 820), at least the buffer arm 2010 is lowered in the Z-direction (prior to extending end effectors 211, 211 A to the process modules 130T1, 130T2 or with the arms 2401B, 2401C extended) so that a substrate holder 2030AH, 2030BH on which the substrate SI, S2 is to be placed is below a transfer plane TP of the substrate on the end effector 211, 211 A. The buffer holding stations 2030A, 2030B are illustrated with lower substrate holders 2030AH, 2030BH and upper substrate holders 2030AH2, 2030BH2 for exemplary purposes, for holding substrates in a stack, although a single substrate holder may be provided). In the example shown, the substrates SI, S2 are to be placed on the lower substrate holders 2030AH, 2030BH. With the substrates SI, S2 held on the end effectors 211, 211A and the arms 2401B, 2401C in the retracted configuration RETC, at least the buffer arm 2010 is raised in the Z-direction to lift the substrate SI, S2 from the end effector 211, 211A so that the substrate SI, S2 is transferred from the end effector 211, 211A to the respective substrate holder 2030AH, 2030BH.

[0079] With the buffer arms 2010, 2011 raised, the substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031A, 203 IB are disposed above the arms 2401B, 2401C so as to allow rotation of the buffer 2000A relative to the arms 240 IB, 2401C. The buffer 2000A is rotated in direction T3 about the carousel axis of rotation CAX (which is coaxial with the turret axis of rotation TAX, HX) so as to align the centers CSC of the substrate holding stations 2031A, 203 IB of the buffer arm 2011 with the respective centers SHSC of the end effectors 211, 211A (see Fig. 6 and 7D) (Fig. 8, Block 830) to effect transfer of the substrates S3, S4 from the buffer arm 2011 to the end effectors 211, 211A (Fig. 8, Block 840). To effect transfer of the substrates S3, S4 to the end effectors 211, 211A, at least the buffer arm 2011 is lowered in the Z-direction so that the substrate holders 2031 AH,2031BH of substrate holding stations 2031 A, 203 IB move below the respective end effector 211, 211 A, transferring the substrates S3, S4, from the substrate holders 2031 AH, 2031BH.

[0080] With the substrates S3, S4 held on the end effectors 211, 211A, the arms 2401B, 2401C are extended so that the end effectors 211, 211A enter the process modules 130T1, 130T2 for placing the substrates S3, S4 in the process modules 130T1, 130T2 (see Fig. 23E) (Fig. 8, Block 850).

[0081] The (processed) substrates SI, S2 held on the buffer arm 2010 may be placed in the load locks 102A, 102B and swapped for another two unprocessed substrates in a manner substantially similar to that described with respect to the swapping of substrates SI, S2 and S3, S4 at the process modules 130T1, 130T2, where the buffer 2000A and arms 2401B, 2401C are rotated as a unit to align the extension axes EXT1, EXT2 with the load locks 102A, 102B.

[0082]

[0083] Referring to Fig. 9, the transfer arms of the robots described herein may provide for transfer of substrates to and from the substrate holding stations 1910A, 1910B, 1910C of a load lock 102 or other substrate holding location where the holding stations 1910A, 1910B, 1910C are stacked one above the other. For exemplary purposes, the load lock 102 is illustrated as a triple stack / chamber load lock having three stationary (e.g., relative to a frame of the load lock) substrate holding stations 1910A, 1910B, 1910C, where , the load lock 102 is commensurate with a popular load lock configuration that is widely adopted in the industry. To pick or place a substrate SI -S3 from a respective substrate holding station 1910A, 1910B, 1910C aZ-directi on movement distance DX1, DX2 of about 5 mm (although the movement may be more or less than about 5 mm) may be required to effect handoff of the substrate S1-S3 between supports of the substrate holding station and the end effector 1920 (a portion of which is illustrated in Fig. 19, where the end effector may be any one of those end effectors described herein). As such, to pick a substrate from the uppermost substrate holding station 1910C the end effector 1920 is moved in the Z direction atleast 5 mm past the top of the substrate SI seated on the supports of the substrate holding station 1910C. To place a substrate S3 to the lowermost substrate holding station 1910A the end effector 1920 is moved in the Z direction at least 5 mm past the bottom of the substrate S3 seated on the supports of the substrate holding station 1910A. The transfer arms of the robots described herein may be provided with a Z-direction travel distance or stroke DX3 of about 175 mm (the stroke may be more or less than about 175 mm) so as to pick and place the substrates S1-S3 from the three substrate holding stations 1910A-1910C. The lowermost substrate holding station 1910A may be located a distance DX4 of about 18.5 mm (the distance may be more or less than about 18.5 mm) from a bottom of a transport opening or slot 1950 of the substrate holding station 1910A, where the bottom of the slot 1950 is disposed a distance DX5 of about 107 mm (the distance may be more or less than about 107 mm) from a reference plane RP of the substrate processing equipment.

[0084]

[0085] Referring to Figs. 1A-11B and 12, an exemplary method will be described in accordance with the present disclosure. The method includes providing a substrate transport apparatus such as those described herein (Fig. 12, Block 1200). For example, as described herein, the substrate transport apparatus includes the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G arranged to hold a sealed environment. The transport chamber may have two substrate transport ports juxtaposed with each other in a common side of the chamber (see, e.g., Figs. 1B-1I, 4, and 5). The transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G has a base or frame (see Figs. 1A-1I, 4, and 5). The at least two juxtaposed arms 2401B, 2401C (see also arms 210, 210A, 2401A, 2401D) are disposed inside the transport chamber 125C. Each arm has a fixed terminal joint (e.g., the turret axis of rotation TAX) about which the arm 2401B, 2401C rotates and extends. The terminal joint TAX being common to and joining each arm 2401B, 2401C to each other arm 2401B, 2401C within the transport chamber 125C and to the base or frame of the transport chamber 125C via the common terminal joint TAX so that the at least two juxtaposed arms 2401B, 2401C rotate as a unit about the common terminal joint TAX. Each arm 2401B, 2401C respectivelyhaving at least one arm link 213, 212, 213A, 212A and an end effector 211, 211 A dependent therefrom. Each arm link 213, 212, 213A, 212A being joined in series with the end effector 211, 211A at a distal end of the arm 2401B, 2401C. The drive section 200 is operably connected to each arm 240 IB, 2401C, where the drive section 200 has more than one separate motors 200TFA, 200TFAA, 200TA, 200TAA, 200TWA, 200TWAA, each defining an independent drive axis, operably connected to each arm 2401B, 2401C to describe at least one degrees of freedom motion of the end effector 211, 211 A of the respective arm 2401B, 2401C commensurate to the more than one independent drive axis connected to the respective arm 240 IB, 2401C so as to extend and laterally traverse the end effector 211, 211 A through one of the two substrate transport ports (see, e.g., Figs. 1B-1I, 4, and 5). The substrate buffer 2000, 2000A is disposed within the transport chamber 125C with more than one substrate buffer or holding stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 2031B. Each substrate buffer or holding station 2030A, 2030B, 2031A, 2031B is movably joined within the transport chamber 125C to the base or frame of the transport chamber 125C (see Figs. 4-6).

[0086] The substrate buffer 2000, 2000A is moved within the transport chamber 125C from an on position (see for example, the position of substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B in Fig. 7A) to an off position (see for example, the position of substrate holding stations 2030A, 2030B in Fig. 7D) (Fig. 12, Block 1210). In the on position the substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031A, 203 IB corresponds to the end effector 211, 211A, within the transport chamber 125C, of each arm 2401B, 2401C so that end effector 211, 211 A and buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB, in the on position, communicate so as to transfer a substrate S1-S4 between end effector 211, 211A and substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB, and where in the off position the substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB is displaced away from and bars communication between end effector 211, 211A and the substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB. The more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB are arranged so that each end effector 211A, 21 IB of the respective arms 2401B, 2401C has at leastone substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB in at least one of an on position and an off position (see Figs. 7A-7E).

[0087] The method includes one or more of the following are provided individually or in any suitable combination thereof and / or in combination with any features described herein: the more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB are arranged so that each end effector 211, 211A of the respective arms 2401B, 2401C has at least one substrate buffer station 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB in both of the on position and the off position; the more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB are joined to base or frame of the transport chamber 125C via a terminal joint CAX; the terminal joint CAX of the more than one substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB substantially coincides with the terminal joint TAX of the at least two juxtaposed arms 2401B, 2401C; the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A has at least four substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B, 2031 A, 203 IB; the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A comprises: a first buffer arm 2010 having a first pair of substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B disposed at opposite ends 2010E1, 2010E2 of the first buffer arm 2010; and a second buffer arm 2011 having a second pair of substrate buffer stations 2031A, 203 IB disposed at opposite ends 2011E1, 2011E2 of the second buffer arm 2011; the drive section 200 includes at least one Z-drive motor 200BFZ1, 200BFZ2 operably connected to the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A so as to raise or lower one of the first buffer arm 2010 and second buffer arm 2011 relative to another of the first buffer arm 2010 and second buffer arm 2011; the first buffer arm 2010 is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm 2011 is configured so that the second pair of substrate buffer stations 2031 A, 203 IB are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other; the first buffer arm 2010 is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations 2030A, 2030B are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm 2011 is configured so that the second pair of substrate buffer stations 2031 A, 203 IB are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other; and the substrate buffer 2000, 2000A switches from the on position to the offposition substantially coincident with an extension or retraction of at least one of the at least two juxtaposed arms 2401B, 2401C.

[0088] The following are provided in accordance with the present disclosure and may be employed individually, in any combination with each other, and / or in any combination with the features described above:

[0089] In accordance with the present disclosure, a substrate transport apparatus includes: a chamber arranged to hold a sealed environment and having two substrate transport ports juxtaposed with each other in a common side of the chamber, the chamber having a base; at least two juxtaposed arms inside the chamber, each arm with a fixed terminal joint about which the arm rotates and extends, the terminal joint being common to and joining each arm to each other arm within the chamber and to the base via the common terminal j oint so that the at least two juxtaposed arms rotate as a unit about the common terminal joint, each arm respectively having at least one arm link and an end effector dependent therefrom, each arm link being joined in series with the end effector at a distal end of the arm; a drive section operably connected to each arm, wherein the drive section has more than one separate motors, each defining an independent drive axis, operably connected to each arm to describe at least one degrees of freedom motion of the end effector of the respective arm commensurate to the more than one independent drive axis connected to the respective arm so as to extend and laterally traverse the end effector through one of the two substrate transport ports; and a substrate buffer within the chamber with more than one substrate buffer stations, each substrate buffer station is movably joined within the chamber to the base so as to move within the chamber from an on position to an off position; wherein in the on position the substrate buffer station corresponds to the end effector, within the chamber, of each arm so that end effector and substrate buffer station, in the on position, communicate so as to transfer a substrate between end effector and substrate buffer station, and wherein in the off position the buffer station is displaced away from and bars communication between end effector and substrate buffer station; and wherein the more than one substrate buffer stations are arranged so that eachend effector of the respective arms has at least one substrate buffer station in at least one of an on position and an off position.

[0090] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate transport apparatus includes one or more of the following, individually or in any suitable combination thereof or in any suitable combination with the features described herein:

[0091] the more than one substrate buffer stations are arranged so that each end effector of the respective arms has at least one substrate buffer station in both of the on position and the off position;

[0092] the more than one substrate buffer stations are joined to base via a terminal joint;

[0093] the terminal joint of the more than one substrate buffer stations substantially coincides with the terminal joint of the at least two juxtaposed arms;

[0094] the substrate buffer has at least four substrate buffer stations;

[0095] the substrate buffer comprises: a first buffer arm having a first pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the first buffer arm; and a second buffer arm having a second pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the second buffer arm;

[0096] the drive section includes at least one Z-drive motor operably connected to the substrate buffer so as to raise or lower one of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm relative to another of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm;

[0097] the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other;

[0098] the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other; and

[0099] the substrate buffer switches from the on position to the off position substantially coincident with an extension or retraction of at least one of the at least two juxtaposed arms.

[0100] In accordance with the present disclosure, a method includes: providing a substrate transport apparatus comprising: a chamber arranged to hold a sealed environment and having two substrate transport ports juxtaposed with each other in a common side of the chamber, the chamber having a base; at least two juxtaposed arms inside the chamber, each arm with a fixed terminal joint about which the arm rotates and extends, the terminal joint being common to and joining each arm to each other arm within the chamber and to the base via the common terminal joint so that the at least two juxtaposed arms rotate as a unit about the common terminal joint, each arm respectively having at least one arm link and an end effector dependent therefrom, each arm link being joined in series with the end effector at a distal end of the arm; a drive section operably connected to each arm, wherein the drive section has more than one separate motors, each defining an independent drive axis, operably connected to each arm to describe at least one degrees of freedom motion of the end effector of the respective arm commensurate to the more than one independent drive axis connected to the respective arm so as to extend and laterally traverse the end effector through one of the two substrate transport ports; and a substrate buffer within the chamber with more than one substrate buffer stations, each substrate buffer station is movably joined within the chamber to the base; and moving, the substrate buffer, within the chamber, from an on position to an off position; wherein: in the on position the substrate buffer station corresponds to the end effector, within the chamber, of each arm so that end effector and substrate buffer station, in the on position, communicate so as to transfer a substrate between end effector and substrate buffer station, and wherein in the off position the buffer station is displaced away from and bars communication between end effector and substrate buffer station; and the more than one substratebuffer stations are arranged so that each end effector of the respective arms has at least one substrate buffer station in at least one of an on position and an off position.

[0101] In accordance with the present disclosure, the method includes one or more of the following, individually or in any suitable combination thereof or in any suitable combination with the features described herein:

[0102] the more than one substrate buffer stations are arranged so that each end effector of the respective arms has at least one substrate buffer station in both of the on position and the off position;

[0103] the more than one substrate buffer stations are joined to base via a terminal joint;

[0104] the terminal joint of the more than one substrate buffer stations substantially coincides with the terminal joint of the at least two juxtaposed arms;

[0105] the substrate buffer has at least four substrate buffer stations;

[0106] the substrate buffer comprises: a first buffer arm having a first pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the first buffer arm; and a second buffer arm having a second pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the second buffer arm.

[0107] the drive section includes at least one Z-drive motor operably connected to the substrate buffer, the method further comprising raising or lowering one of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm relative to another of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm;

[0108] the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other;

[0109] the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of substrate buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other; and

[0110] the substrate buffer switches from the on position to the off position substantially coincident with an extension or retraction of at least one of the at least two juxtaposed arms.

[0111] It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present disclosure. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the present disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of any claims appended hereto. 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 advantageously used, such a combination remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0112] What is claimed is:

Claims

CLAIMS1. A substrate transport apparatus comprising: a chamber arranged to hold a sealed environment and having two substrate transport ports juxtaposed with each other in a common side of the chamber, the chamber having a base; at least two juxtaposed arms inside the chamber, each arm with a fixed terminal joint about which the arm rotates and extends, the terminal joint being common to and joining each arm to each other arm within the chamber and to the base via the common terminal joint so that the at least two juxtaposed arms rotate as a unit about the common terminal joint, each arm respectively having at least one arm link and an end effector dependent therefrom, each arm link being joined in series with the end effector at a distal end of the arm; a drive section operably connected to each arm, wherein the drive section has more than one separate motors, each defining an independent drive axis, operably connected to each arm to describe at least one degrees of freedom motion of the end effector of the respective arm commensurate to the more than one independent drive axis connected to the respective arm so as to extend and laterally traverse the end effector through one of the two substrate transport ports; and a substrate buffer within the chamber with more than one substrate buffer stations, each substrate buffer station is movably joined within the chamber to the base so as to move within the chamber from an on position to an off position; wherein in the on position the buffer station corresponds to the end effector, within the chamber, of each arm so that end effector and buffer station, in the on position, communicate so as to transfer a substrate between end effector and buffer station, and wherein in the off position the buffer station is displaced away from and bars communication between end effector and buffer station; andwherein the more than one buffer stations are arranged so that each end effector of the respective arms has at least one buffer station in at least one of an on position and an off position.

2. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the more than one buffer stations are arranged so that each end effector of the respective arms has at least one buffer station in both of the on position and the off position.

3. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the more than one buffer stations are joined to base via a terminal joint.

4. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 3, wherein the terminal joint of the more than one buffer stations substantially coincides with the terminal joint of the at least two juxtaposed arms.

5. The substrate transport apparatus of clam 1, wherein the substrate buffer has at least four substrate buffer stations.

6. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate buffer comprises: a first buffer arm having a first pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the first buffer arm; and a second buffer arm having a second pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the second buffer arm.

7. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 6, wherein the drive section includes at least one Z-drive motor operably connected to the substrate buffer so as to raise or lower one of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm relative to another of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm.

8. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other, and thesecond buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other.

9. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other.

10. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate buffer switches from the on position to the off position substantially coincident with an extension or retraction of at least one of the at least two juxtaposed arms.

11. A method comprising: providing a substrate transport apparatus comprising: a chamber arranged to hold a sealed environment and having two substrate transport ports juxtaposed with each other in a common side of the chamber, the chamber having a base; at least two juxtaposed arms inside the chamber, each arm with a fixed terminal joint about which the arm rotates and extends, the terminal joint being common to and joining each arm to each other arm within the chamber and to the base via the common terminal joint so that the at least two juxtaposed arms rotate as a unit about the common terminal joint, each arm respectively having at least one arm link and an end effector dependent therefrom, each arm link being joined in series with the end effector at a distal end of the arm; a drive section operably connected to each arm, wherein the drive section has more than one separate motors, each defining an independent drive axis, operably connected to each arm to describe at least one degrees of freedom motion of the end effector of the respective arm commensurate to the more than one independent drive axis connected to the respectivearm so as to extend and laterally traverse the end effector through one of the two substrate transport ports; and a substrate buffer within the chamber with more than one substrate buffer stations, each substrate buffer station is movably joined within the chamber to the base; and moving, the substrate buffer, within the chamber, from an on position to an off position; wherein: in the on position the buffer station corresponds to the end effector, within the chamber, of each arm so that end effector and buffer station, in the on position, communicate so as to transfer a substrate between end effector and buffer station, and wherein in the off position the buffer station is displaced away from and bars communication between end effector and buffer station; and the more than one buffer stations are arranged so that each end effector of the respective arms has at least one buffer station in at least one of an on position and an off position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the more than one buffer stations are arranged so that each end effector of the respective arms has at least one buffer station in both of the on position and the off position.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the more than one buffer stations are joined to base via a terminal joint.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the terminal joint of the more than one buffer stations substantially coincides with the terminal joint of the at least two juxtaposed arms.

15. The method of clam 11, wherein the substrate buffer has at least four substrate buffer stations.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate buffer comprises: a first buffer arm having a first pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the first buffer arm; and a second buffer arm having a second pair of substrate buffer stations disposed at opposite ends of the second buffer arm.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the drive section includes at least one Z-drive motor operably connected to the substrate buffer, the method further comprising raising or lowering one of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm relative to another of the first buffer arm and second buffer arm.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 180° apart from each other.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first buffer arm is configured so that the first pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other, and the second buffer arm is configured so that the second pair of buffer stations are disposed substantially 59.56° apart from each other.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate buffer switches from the on position to the off position substantially coincident with an extension or retraction of at least one of the at least two juxtaposed arms.

Images