Active thermal management of substrate, heated end effector, and transport of apparatus including the heated end effector

Abstract

A substrate transport apparatus includes: a base, an articulated arm, and an end effector. The articulated arm is connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends. The end effector is connected at a distal joint to the articulated arm and has a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon. The end effector is an electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi -conductive as a unit. The end effector has an active heater connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material so as to controllably heat the substrate or susceptor holding station, to a temperature of 400°C or more, with the end effector transporting a substrate.

Description

ACTIVE THERMAL MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTRATE, HEATED END EFFECTOR, AND TRANSPORT APPARATUS INCLUDING THE HEATED END EFFECTORCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This application is a non-provisional of and claims the benefit of United States provisional patent application number 63 / 571,225 filed on March 28, 2024 and United States provisional patent application number 63 / 612,210 filed on December 19, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application also claims the benefit of United States provisional patent application number 63 / 612,055 filed on December 19, 2023 and United States provisional patent application numbers 63 / 581,512 filed on September 8, 2023 and 63 / 685,401 filed 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] Generally, semiconductor processes are trending toward higher temperatures and for some process types, non-uniformity of the substrate temperature, prior to processing, can cause defects or yield loss. One cause of temperature non-uniformity is from substrate contact points used during transport and handling. Sensitive processes will typically pre-heat a substrate to match the operating temperature inside a process module, e.g., on a pre-heat chuck in the load lock or other locations in a vacuum transport chamber. Heating the substrate at these locations may increase processing times of the substrates and decrease throughput.

[0004] Once the substrate is at the proper temperature a substrate transport apparatus will pick-up the substrate and place it into the process module. The contact points of the substrate transport apparatus are typically at a lower temperature than the substrate resulting in heat energy from the substrate being absorbed locally through conduction and radiation. The areas contacted result in a lower temperature than the non-contacted areas thus forming non-uniformity of the substrate temperature prior to processing. One example of defects caused by high temperature differentials between end effector and the substrate is crystal slip defects. Specifically, an issue for extremely high temperature processes is where fast cooling by end effector contact points causes thermal stress and slip in the substrate.

[0005] Accordingly, the present disclosure addresses a number of those issues.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The foregoing aspects and other features of the present disclosure are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0007] Figs. 1A-1I are schematic illustrations of substrate or susceptor processing apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0008] Figs. 2A-2I are schematic illustrations of exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure, and which may be employed in any of the substrate processing apparatus of Figs. 1A-1I;

[0009] Figs. 3A-3C are respectively schematic cross-sectional illustrations of portions of an exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure, and which may be employed in any of the substrate processing apparatus of Figs. 1A-1I;

[0010] Fig. 3D is a schematic top view illustration of an exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure, and which may be employed in any of the substrate processing apparatus of Figs. 1A-1I;

[0011] Figs. 3E and 3F are respectively schematic cross-sectional illustrations of portions of an exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure, and which may be employed in any of the substrate processing apparatus of Figs. 1A-1I;

[0012] Fig. 3G is a schematic illustration of an end effector of the exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus, described herein, in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0013] Figs. 4A and 4B are schematic illustrations of an end effector of the exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus, described herein, in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0014] Figs. 5A and 5B are schematic illustrations of an end effector of the exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus, described herein, in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0015] Figs. 6A and 6B are schematic illustrations of an end effector of the exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus, described herein, in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0016] Figs. 7A and 7B are schematic illustrations of an end effector of the exemplary substrate or susceptor transport apparatus, described herein, in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0017] Fig. 8 is an exemplary flow diagram in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0018] Fig. 9 is an exemplary flow diagram in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0019] Fig. 10 is an exemplary flow diagram in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0020] Fig. 11A-11F are schematic illustrations of a portion of an exemplary substrate transport apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure, and which may be employed in any of the substrate processing apparatus of Figs. 1 A- II; and

[0021] Figs. 12, 13, and 14 are flow diagrams for exemplary methods in accordance with the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] The present disclosure provides a vacuum substrate or susceptor transport apparatus 104 (which may also be employed in atmospheric environments, and also referred to herein as a transport apparatus) for the substrate processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G of Figs. 1A-1I. The transport apparatus 104 is configured to accommodate increasing substrate processing temperatures, which may occur at about 750°C or at about 900° (although processing may occur at lower or higher temperatures). Generally, substrates are introduced into a substrate processing apparatus (such as those described herein) at ambient temperatures, such as at about 75°C. The transport apparatus 104 described herein is configured to operate at process temperatures, such as about 75°C, about 100°C, about 150°C, about 750°C, about 900°C (or greater and in accordance with the substrate processes described herein), while easing a thermal transition of a substrate S or susceptor SS carried thereon from ambient temperatures to process temperatures.

[0027] The substrate transport apparatus 104 may include an active thermal control system that includes at least one heated end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. The heated end effector 211, 211A,21 IB communicates thermally with a substrate or susceptor S touching contact points 499 of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to effect predetermined thermal state of the substrate S or susceptor SS in order to actively manage and match a temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS to pre-process (e.g., heat) the substrate S or susceptor SS and minimize a temperature differential between pre-process substrate temperatures and process substrate temperatures. The heated end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may also effect tempering (e.g., heating or cooling) the heated end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB closer to or to a pre-process or post-process substrate temperature, which may decrease thermal shock to the substrate S or susceptor SS when picked by the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. Substrate thermal control provided by the heated end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB allows substrate S or susceptor SS preconditioning (with transport of the substrate S or susceptor SS) and transfer at higher temperatures, enabling significant increase in platform productivity by reducing long process temperature ramp up and down for substrate S or susceptor SS exchange, or maintaining substrate S or susceptor SS temperature during transfer between process steps. The end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be constructed of any suitable materials including, but not limited to, silicon carbide, alumina, or other non-conductive materials with a resistive coating or wiring embedded therein.

[0028] The substrate transport apparatus 104 may include an active thermal control system 1800 (see also Figs. 3D and 18A) (including at least one of a heater and a cooler) dependent from an end effector 21 1 , 21 1 A, 21 IB and coupled to a high-speed data communication and direct current (DC) (although alternating current may be employed) bus power network as will be described below. The thermal control system 1800 communicates thermally with a substrate S or susceptor SS touching contact points 367A-367C (see Fig. 3G) of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to effect predetermined thermal state of the substrate S or susceptor SS in order to actively manage and match temperature of substrates S or susceptor SS pre-process and minimize temperature differential post-process (i.e., the active thermal control system 1800 is configured to effect a predetermined thermal change of the substrate S or susceptor SS). The thermal control system 1800 is powered and controlled by the high-speed data communication and (direct current or alternating current) bus power network distributed throughout the substrate transport apparatus 104 from terminal joint (e.g., joint corresponding to one or more axes BSX, SX) through distal joint (e.g., joint corresponding to axis WX) (see Figs. 2A-2I, 3 A, 3B, 3D, 3E, etc ). The network being housed in and crosses each rotary joint of the arm link housings, while maintaining acommon atmospheric / pressurized environment within the arm links. Substrate thermal control may allow substrate preconditioning and transfer at higher temperatures, which may enable significant increase in platform productivity by reducing long process temperature ramp up and down for substrate exchange or maintaining substrate temperature during transfer between process steps. A sealed, compact, high torque motor design, supports high temperature applications by leveraging distributed internal cooling at all joints, which may increase throughput capability while maintaining long robot life and high reliability of arm components such as joints. Any suitable distributed controls network may enable advancements in motion controls, monitoring of key performance parameters and arm embedded machine vision for process or payload metrology.

[0029] Benefits of the pass-through power and communication (as described herein) of the highspeed data communication and bus power network to feed the thermal control system 1800 include but are not limited to: a cleaner end effector pad, preventing condensation of volatile material on the end effector pad, allowing for bake out of end effector pad that is otherwise impossible during bake out of chamber, and baking out of end effector pad allowing for increased acceleration and higher throughputs. The end effector is vulnerable to condensation or process gasses as it reaches in to pick up the substrate S and is cooler than the environment around it. By heating the at least one end effector 112A, 112B, an amount of condensation onto the surface may be lessened and contamination may be prevented over time. Lower contamination results in higher acceleration and higher substrate throughput.

[0030] As will be described herein, portions of the motorized joints, which house at least the motor stators and motor encoders, share a common pressurized environment that is sealed from the vacuum or depressurized environment in which the substrate transport apparatus 104 operates. The manner of sealing the portions of the motorized joints effects operation of the substrate transport apparatus 104 when exposed to the high process temperatures. Exposure of the active electronic components to the vacuum environment may be substantially eliminated or minimized through employment of the features of the present disclosure. For example, the present disclosure may provide for the high-speed data communication and bus power (direct current or alternating current) network (which may form a common (e.g., combined) bus or separate buses) that are distributed throughout an arm or arms of the substrate transport apparatus 104 from terminal joint through distal joint. The network being housed in and crosses each rotary joint of the arm linkhousings, while maintaining the common pressurized environment. As will be described herein, the present disclosure may provide routing of the power and communication components to electrical components (e.g., motors, motor encoders, power docks, communication docks, accessory components, etc.) disposed outside the arm links and within the vacuum environment or coupled to the arm link(s) in a manner where the power and communication components may not be subject to the vacuum environment and outgassing. The arm links may be compartmentalized (e.g., in a manner similar to that described in United States provisional patent number 63 / 612,055 filed on December 19, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) so that only components that need to be pressurized are isolated from the vacuum environment (also referred to herein as a depressurized environment or stagnant internal environment), while other portions are depressurized (e.g., have substantially the same vacuum / process pressure as the vacuum environment). The compartments of the arm links may provide a pressurized atmospheric environment for the isolated components, where the volume of the atmospheric environment is such that the volume effects minimization the surface area of the respective arm link that is exposed to the vacuum environment (and pressure differential created thereby). As noted above, the rest of the arm link volume, external to the atmospheric compartment, is depressurized and resides within the vacuum / depressurized environment.

[0031] The compartmentalized arm links may provide active forced convection cooling to each arm joint through the shared common pressurized environment, which active forced convection cooling may cool the arm and may increase bearing and / or lubricant useful life as described herein. The compartmentalized arm links may provide for thinner structural members that may reduce the mass and inertia of the arm links compared to conventional large format transport apparatus. This reduced mass and inertia may reduce the motor torque requirements to rotate the arm links, which may result in a decrease in motor power consumption, smaller gauge power cables, and reduced heat generated by the motors. The reduced forces on the arm links may minimize deformation and stress on the arm links, which may be beneficial to planarity of arm motion trajectory.

[0032] Still referring to Figs. 1A-1I, the substrate 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 can be applied to any tool station or application employing robotic manipulators. Theprocessing apparatus 100A, 100B, 1OOC, 1OOD, 1OOE, 1OOF, 1OOG are shown as having cluster tool arrangements (e.g., having substrate or susceptor holding stations connected to a central chamber) although, the processing apparatus may be a linearly arranged tool; however, the present disclosure may be applied to any suitable tool station. The substrate processing 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. 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. 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 or transfer apparatus 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G (each of which has a frame TCF forming a sealed chamber disposed to hold a processing vacuum, such as a high vacuum, therein), although 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 or susceptor S resting planes WRP (Fig. 1C) in which substrates S or susceptors SS 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. Any suitable controller and / or control system may be utilized.

[0033] The front end 101 may generally include 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 E15.1, E47.1, E62, E19.5 or El.9 for 300 mm load ports, front opening or bottom opening boxes / pods and cassettes C. The load port modules 105 may be configured as 200 mm wafer / substrate or susceptor interfaces, 450 mm wafer / substrate or susceptor interfaces or any other suitable substrate or susceptors interfaces such as for example larger or smaller semiconductor wafers / substrates or susceptors, 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 or susceptor 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 S or susceptors SS between the substrate or susceptor cassettes C and the minienvironment 106.

[0034] 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 or susceptor S transfer between multiple load port modules.

[0035] 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 ports 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 or susceptor carrier C is pumped down to a vacuum of the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G and substrates S or susceptors SS are transferred directly between the substrate or susceptor carrier C and the loadlock 102, 102A, 102B or transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G. The substrate or susceptor carrier C may function as a load lock such that a processing vacuum of the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G extends into the substrate or susceptor carrier C. As may be realized, where the substrate or susceptor carrier C is coupled substantially directly to the load lock 102, 102A, 102B through a suitable load port any suitable transfer apparatus may be provided within the load lock or otherwise have access to the substrate or susceptor carrier C for transferring substrates S or susceptors SS to and from the substrate or susceptor carrier C. It is noted that the term vacuum as used herein may denote a high vacuum such as IxlO'5Torr or below in which the substrates or susceptors S are processed. The at least one load lock 102, 102A, 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 or susceptor 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 100A, 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, 102A, 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.

[0036] The vacuum back end 103 (although the back end may include any suitable processing atmosphere including, but not limited to, vacuum, inert gas, controlled atmospheric, etc.) 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 transport apparatus 104 (also referred to herein as substrate transport apparatus) 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 apparatus(s) 104 and the one or more transferrobot 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 S or susceptors SS between the load lock 102, 102A, 102B (or between a substrate or susceptor cassette C located at a load port) and the various processing stations 130. The transport apparatus 104 may be removable from the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G as a modular unit such that the transport apparatus 104 complies with SEMI standard E72 guidelines.

[0037] The processing stations 130 may operate on the substrates S through various deposition, etching, or other types of high vacuum processes to form electrical circuitry or other desired structure on the substrates. Typical processes include but are not limited to thin fdm 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 S or susceptors SS to be passed from the transport chamber 125 A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G to the processing stations 130 and vice versa. The slot valves SV of the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G 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).

[0038] It is noted that the transfer of substrates S or susceptors SS to and from the processing station 130, load locks 102, 102A, 102B (or cassette C) coupled to the transfer chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G may occur when one or more arms of the transport apparatus 104 are aligned with a predetermined processing station 130. In accordance with the present disclosure one or more substrates S or susceptors SS may be transferred to a respective predetermined processing station 130 individually or substantially simultaneously (e.g., such as when substrates S or susceptors SS are picked / placed from side-by-side or tandem processing stations as shown in Figs. IB, ID and 1H or where a substrate S is disposed on a susceptor SS). The transport apparatus 104 may be mounted on a boom arm 143 (see, e.g., Figs. IE, IF, 1H -such that the transport apparatus 104 includes the boom arm 143) or linear carriage 144 (see, e.g., Fig. 1C - such that the transport apparatus 104 includes the linear carriage 144) 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 fded on February 11, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0039] Referring to Figs. 2A-2I, exemplary transport apparatus 104 are illustrated. The transport apparatus 104 may have any suitable articulated arm 333 configuration including, but not limited to: a SCARA arm 210 (or dual SCARA arm 210, 210A) configuration (see Figs. 2D and 2E), a frog-leg arm 216 (Fig. 2A) configuration, a leap-frog arm 217 (Fig. 2B) configuration, a bi- symmetric arm 218 (Fig. 2C) configuration, a sliding arm 214 configuration (Fig. 2F) etc.

[0040] Each transport apparatus 104 described herein includes a frame or base 201 (see, for exemplary purposes only, Figs. 2D, 2E, 3A and understanding that the articulated arms 333 of Figs. 2A-2C form part of a respective substrate transport apparatus 104). The transport apparatus 104 also includes an articulated arm 333 connected to the base 201 with a terminal joint (e.g., shoulder axis SX joint) about which the articulated arm 333 rotates and extends. The articulated arm has one or more movable arm links 212, 213 (see also, for example, Figs. 2A-2E and 3B). At least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint (see Figs. 2A- 2E)) disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB articulates relative to the one or more movable arm link.

[0041] The at least one joint may be a rotary joint (see Figs. 2A-2E) with an axis of rotation about which the at least one movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333. The at least one joint may be a prismatic joint (see Fig. 2F) with an axis of linear movement about which the at least one movable link reciprocates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333.

[0042] Each of the articulated arms 333 includes at least one an end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB having at least one substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS configured to hold at least one substrate S or susceptor SS.

[0043] The substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS has contacts 499 that touch a substrate S or susceptor SS on the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS.

[0044] The at least one end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be configured to hold a single substrate S or susceptor SS (see Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2E, 2F), although the at least one end effector is configured to hold more than one substrate SI, S2 or susceptor SSI, SS2, such as side by side in a common transfer plane (each substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB shares a common drive for picking and placing the substrates SI, S2 or susceptors SSI, SS2 - Fig. 2D) where the spacing DX between the substrates S or susceptors SSI, SS2 corresponds to a fixed spacing between side by side substrate or susceptor holding locations (such as of processing stations or any other suitable location). The at least one end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may also be a single-ended end effector (see Figs. 2A-2F) or a double-ended end effector (see the portion of end effector 210A in Fig. 2D illustrated in dashed lines which when part of the end effector 210A makes the end effector 210A a double-ended end effector). Suitable examples of double- ended end effectors can be found in, for example, United States patent numbers 11,535,460 issued on December 27, 2022 (having application serial number 16 / 426,983) and 11,569,111 issued on January 31, 2023 (having application serial number 17 / 108,530), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0045] As will be described herein, the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is an electrically non- conductive or semi-conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive as a unit. As described herein the ceramic material may be silicon carbide, alumina, or any other suitable substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material.

[0046] The end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB has an active heater AH connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector and / or the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material so as to controllably at least a portion of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and / or heat the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, with motion of the end effector to a pick location or with the end effector transporting a substrate S or susceptor SS to a place location, to a temperature of 400° or more (as noted herein, although the active heater AH may heat the at least a portion of the endeffector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and / or the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, with the end effector in motion to a pick location or with the end effector transporting a substrate S or susceptor SS to a place location, to a temperature of less than about 400°). It is noted the heating of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS occurs on-the-fly (i.e., with the end effector in motion to a pick location (without transporting a substrate S or susceptor SS) or with a substrate in motion to a place location (with transport of a substrate S or susceptor SS)). It is also noted that an upper temperature limit to which the active heater AH heats the substrate or susceptor holding station 211 S may be defined by a hottest temperature at which the substrate S is processed in a processing station 130 or a hottest temperature to which a susceptor SS is exposed in a processing station 130 according to any suitable substrate process. It is also noted that substrate or susceptor holding station 211 S (such as where the transport arm 104 includes multiple end effectors on different arms or on the same arm and / or where the end effector is configured as a double-ended end effector, configured to hold multiple substrates S or susceptors SS in a side by side configuration, or configured to hold multiple substrates S or susceptors SS in a stack) includes a respective active heater AH so that each substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS can be heated (or cooled) independent of each other substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS. Independently heating (or cooling) each substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS provides for heating one or more substrates S or susceptors SS for placement at a process temperature and cooling one or more other substrates S or susceptors SS post processing (e g., to ambient room temperature or a temperature lower than the process temperature) and / or heating a substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS for picking a substrate S or susceptor SS at a process temperature and cooling one or more other substrate or susceptor holding stations 21 IS to, e.g., ambient (room) temperature (or temperature lower than the process temperature) for picking an unprocessed substrate S or susceptor SS.

[0047] The active heater AH is connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or the semi-conductive material so as to controllably heat at least a portion of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB and / or the substrate or susceptor holding station 211 S to a temperature of between 400°C (or about 400°C) and about 900°C. It is again noted that an upper temperature limit to which the active heater AH heats the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS may be defined by a hottest temperature at / to which the substrate or susceptor S is processed / exposed in a processing station 130 according to any suitable substrate process.

[0048] As may be realized, and as described herein, heating of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS effects (e.g., through convective and / or conductive transfer) heating of a substrate S or susceptor SS disposed on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB at the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS.

[0049] The present disclosure will be described with respect to a SCARA type articulated arm 333, such as illustrated in Figs. 2D and 2E however, the present disclosure may be applied to any of the articulated arm types described herein. Suitable examples of articulated arms to which the present disclosure may be employed can be found in United States Provisional patent application number 63 / 581,509 filed on September 8, 2023 and titled “COMP ARTMENTAL LINK SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT APPARATUS,” 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.

[0050] The transport apparatus 104 described herein may be coupled to a boom arm 143 (see, e.g., Figs. 1H, 2H and 21) 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 TCF (illustrated in Figs. 1A-1I) of the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G (or a frame of the mini-environment 106). The boom arm may an unarticulated boom arm having a single unarticulated link 220 or an articulated boom arm having articulated links 220, 221. 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.

[0051] The transport apparatus 104 described herein may be disposed on a turret 266 (see Fig. 2G) such as that 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. The turret 266 like the other transport apparatus described herein, may be coupled to a boom arm 143 (see, e.g., Figs. 1H, 2H and 21) 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 TCF (illustrated in Figs. 1A-1I) of the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G (or a frame of the mini-environment 106). The turret includes transfer arm supports TAS that are each movable in direction LAT, transverse to the axis of extension and retraction of the arms (see Fig. 2G) for effecting automatic substrate S or susceptor SS centering, e g., to account for side-by- side substrate-holding-station to substrate-holding-station variability, during placement of the substrate S or susceptor SS at a holding station so as to adjust the position of the substrate(s) carried by the end effector(s) for placing the substrate at a substrate holding location (such as of a process module, load lock, etc.) in a centered position at the substrate holding location.

[0052] Referring to Figs. 2E and 3A-3D (see also Fig. 2D), as noted herein, the present disclosure will be described with respect to the transport apparatus 104 including the SC ARA type articulated arm 333 however, the present disclosure may be applied to transport apparatus 104 having any of the articulated arms 333 described herein. For exemplary purposes only, the SCARA arm 210 (and arm 210A) includes an upper arm 213, a forearm 212, and an end effector 211, 211 A, 211B that are serially coupled to one another to form an articulated chain of arm links.

[0053] Each of the arm links 213, 212 includes or otherwise forms an outer housing 213H, 212H which is an assembly formed of housing parts 370-375 that are sealed to hold a sealed atmosphere within each outer housing 213H, 212H, with each outer housing 213H, 212H inside the vacuum of a sealed chamber (such as the transport chamber 125A, 125B, 125C, 125D, 125E, 125F, 125G). The outer housing 213H, 212H is configured so that at least one movable arm link 213, 212 forms a pressure vessel (as described herein and illustrated in Fig. 3A), with the axis of rotation (e.g., of the shoulder joint and elbow joint) extending from the pressure vessel. As illustrated in Figs. 3A,3C, and 3D, the outer housing 213H, 212H is depressurized, at least in part (see pressure vessels ortubes / conduits PTl-PT3), so that walls 213W, 212W of a depressurized part of the outer housing 213H, 212H are subjected to a pressure equilibrium (e.g., the vacuum pressure on one side of the wall 213W, 212W is substantially the same as a vacuum pressure on the other side of the wall 213W, 212W) across a wall thickness WTH (Fig. 3A). The depressurized part of the outer housing 213H, 212H is configured commensurate with static and dynamic loads, imparted to the at least one movable arm link 213, 212 from corresponding static and dynamic operating conditions of the articulated arm 333, and free of differential pressure loads.

[0054] The sealed housing parts 370-375 of the respective outer housing 213H, 212H are coupled to each other with at least one mechanical or fastened joint forming a sealed or pressure load bearing interface (see Fig. 3C) through which the sealed atmosphere communicates between each sealed housing part to each other sealed housing part of the outer housing 213H, 212H (e.g., the sealed housing parts share a common pressurized environment where, in some aspects, the pressure chambers ACH1-ACH5 in one arm link 213, 212 may receive feed coolant from other pressure chambers ACH1-ACH5 in another arm link 213, 212). The sealed housing parts 370-375 are coupled to each other so as to effect a pressure equilibrium between inside the outer housing 213H, 212H and the vacuum or depressurized environment across exterior walls of the outer housing 213H, 212H (see Fig. 3A - e.g., portions of the inside of the outer housing 213H, 212H are in at substantially the same pressure as the vacuum environment). One or more of the sealed housing parts 370-375 (e.g., forming a part of a respective housing of a respective arm link and of the arm) are configured to form a sealed plenum (see, e.g., Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3F, etc.), inside of the respective sealed housing part, that houses respective parts of a transmitter and receiver of a noncontact communication power and data link (as described herein) in a sealed atmosphere sealed from a depressurized environment outside the housing. As can be seen in Figs. 3A and 3C, the sealed interface bisects the at least movable arm link 213, 212 between the end portion 370, 372, 373, 375 and another end portion 370, 372, 373, 375 of the at least one movable arm link 213, 212. As can also be seen in Figs. 3A and 3C, the sealed interface bisects an outer wall or shell 213W, 212W (Fig. 3C) of the outer housing 213H, 212H. Here, the sealed interface forms a pressure load bearing compartment, space, or pocket PSBC. The pressure load bearing compartment, space, or pocket PSBC includes more than one pressure load bearing compartment, space, or pocket (e.g., cavity or pressurized chambers or circulation cooled pocket ACH1-ACH5,PT1-PT3) distributed through the at least one movable arm link 213, 212, where each of the pressurized chambers ACH1-ACH5, PT1-PT3 is in communication with each other pressurized chamber ACH1-ACH5, PT1-PT3. As can be seen in at least Fig. 3 A, at least one pressurized chamber ACH1-ACH5, PT1-PT3 (also referred to herein as circulation cooled pockets) in one of the at least one movable arm link 212, 213 communicates with another pressurized chamber ACH1-ACH5, PT1-PT3 in another of the at least one movable arm link 212, 213 of the articulated arm 333 through the at least one rotary joint (e.g., rotary joint such as the elbow joint / axis) so that the sealed atmosphere ATM is shared or otherwise communicates between the at least one pressurized chamber ACH1-ACH5, PT1-PT3 of the one of the at least one movable arm link 212, 213 and the other pressurized chamber ACH1-ACH5, PT1-PT3 of the other of the at least one movable arm link 212, 213 through the rotatory joint.

[0055] Figs. 3 A, 3B, 3C, and 3F illustrate exemplary rotary joint configurations where the hollow drive shafts 200M1D, 200M2D and the pressure tubes PT1-PT3 are configured for the passage of one or more of electrical / communication cables CBL, cooling line tubes CLTB, and exhaust line tubes EXL (as described in the U.S. Provisional Patent Application titled “SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT APPARATUS WITH INTEGRAL POWER AND DATA TRANSMISSION” having Attorney Docket No. 390P017049-US(-#l) filed on December 19, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). The rotary joint configurations provide for wireless delivery of at least data communication over an air gap MAG (the term air being used herein for convenience, as the gap may exist in a vacuum atmosphere as described herein with respect to the wrist axis). The rotary joint may provide for power delivery through a slip-ring (such as at the shoulder and elbow joints) but the power delivery may be wireless power delivery (such as at the wrist joint, and in some aspects at one or more of the shoulder and elbow joints) similar to that of the wireless data communication over the air gap MAG (see Figs. 3B and 3F). The power delivery and data communication effected by the present disclosure provides for the integration of sensors and / or actuators / direct drive motors) into the articulated arm 333, as described herein, while isolating the sensors and actuators from the vacuum environment in which the articulated arm 333 operates. For example, the network incorporates local controls (e.g., transmitters, receivers, controllers, etc. of the substrate transport apparatus described herein), and sensors (e.g., encoders, substrate sensors, displacement sensors, sensors of metrology kits, sensors for accessory drives, imaging / vision sensors, thermal sensors, and other sensors described herein)disposed respectively on the at least one movable link and each of at least the other of the arm links and the end effector, coupled via network interface (such as of a wireless power and data communication interface described herein) so as to effect local, on board, on the fly (local and on board, local and on the fly) controls of at least one of active thermal control of the end effector (the substrate holding station), kinematic motion of the substrate holding station via articulation of the one or more movable arm links of the arm, substrate or process metrology, imaging of at least part of the articulated arm with an on board imaging sensor, on board health monitoring of the articulated arm. Any cabling, cooling tubes, and other electronics (including at least the sensors (such as the encoders described herein) and direct drive motors described herein) are embedded within the atmospheric / pressurized chambers ACH1-ACH5 (see Fig. 3 A) within the articulated arm 333 structure, which may substantially eliminate contamination of the vacuum environment due to outgassing of the cabling, cooling tubes, and other electronics.

[0056] Referring also to Fig. 3F, both power transmission and data communication through the rotary joint may be wireless. For example, the rotary joint, such as the elbow joint (although the shoulder joint and / or the wrist joint may be substantially similar), is substantially similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3E. A data transmitter 377T and power transmitter 379TX are disposed within the sealed housing part 372. Each of the data transmitter 377T and power transmitter 379TX have a respective transmitter antenna 377TA, 379TXA disposed within the sealed housing part 372. One or more of the data transmitter 377T, power transmitter 379TX, antenna 377TA, and antenna 379TXA may form a part of the sealed housing part 372, although the one or more of the data transmitter 377T, power transmitter 379TX, antenna 377TA, and antenna 379TXA may form a part of the sealed housing part 372 may be coupled to the sealed housing part 372 in any suitable manner.

[0057] A data receiver 377RA and power receiver 379RX are disposed on the hollow drive shaft 200M2D of the motor 200M2 and are coupled to a respective data receiving antenna 377RA and power receiving antenna 379RXA. The antennae 377RA, 377RXA may be in the form of discs to as to maintain communication with the respective transmitting antenna 377TA, 379TXA as the arm link 212 is rotated relative to the arm link 213.

[0058] One or more of the receivers 377R, 379RX and antennae 377RA, 379RXA may be disposed on the hollow drive shaft 200M2D so as to form a part of a seal member SLM that seals the vacuum atmosphere (e.g., in which the motor rotor is located) from the internal atmosphere of the sealed housing part 372. The one or more of the receivers 377R, 379RX and antennae 377RA, 379RXA may be disposed on or otherwise be coupled to the seal member SLM. As can be seen in Fig. 3F, the seal member SLM may at least in part seal the read head ENH of the encoder from the vacuum atmosphere, while in other aspects the read head ENH may be sealed from the vacuum atmosphere in any suitable manner.

[0059] While the data transmitter 377T, power transmitter 379TX, antenna 377TA, and antenna 379TXA are illustrated towards a bottom of the hollow drive shaft 200M2D or a bottom (the spatial term “bottom” is used here for convenience) of the sealed housing part 372 with the receivers 377R, 379RX and antennae 377RA, 379RX disposed on the hollow drive shaft 200M2D; although, the one or more of the data transmitter 377T, power transmitter 379TX, antenna 377TA, and antenna 379TXA may be disposed towards a top (the spatial term “top” is used here for convenience) of the sealed housing and towards a bottom the sealed housing part 372 while the receivers 377R, 379RX and antennae 377RA, 379RX are disposed towards a bottom of the sealed housing part 373 so as to communicate with each other through the housing part walls and vacuum atmosphere between the arm links 212, 213.

[0060] The end effectors 211 , 211 A, 21 IB described herein have at least one substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, each substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS having a predetermined center or end effector reference point 211C (see Figs. 2A-2E, 4B, 5B, 6B, and 7B). The end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is configured to hold a substrate S (also referred to as a wafer) or susceptor SS at the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS and transport the substrate S or susceptor SS within the substrate processing apparatus. Here, at least one of the arm links 213, 212, 211, 211A, 21 IB is driven a respective drive motor of a drive section 200 (Figs. 2H and 21) of the transport apparatus 104. One or more of the arm links, such as the forearm 212 and / or end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be slaved in rotation by any suitable band and pulley transmission (or other suitable transmission) to effect extension and retraction of the SCARA arm.

[0061] Power and data may be provided through the arm links 213, 212 and joints (e.g., shoulder axis SX joint, elbow axis EX joint) to the wrist axis WX joint of the SCARA arm 210, 210A in any suitable manner such as that described above and / or in United States provisional patent application numbers 63 / 612,210 filed on December 19, 2023 (with Attorney Docket No. 390P017165-US (-#1)) and 63 / 612,055 filed December 19, 2023 (with Attorney Docket No. 390P017049-US (#1)), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. For example, an exemplary rotary joint (e.g., the wrist axis WX joint - the elbow and shoulder joints may be similar) of the SCARA arm 210 is illustrated in Fig. 3B. Here, the exemplary rotary joint configurations include hollow drive shafts 200M1D, 200M2D, 200M3AD, 200M3BD and pressure tubes PT1-PT3 configured for the passage of one or more of electrical / communication cables CBL. The rotary joint configurations provide for a communication network that includes wireless delivery of at least data communication over an air gap MAG (see Fig. 3B - the term air being used herein for convenience, as the gap may exist in a vacuum atmosphere). The shoulder axis SX and elbow axis EX rotary joints also provide for power delivery through, for example, a slip-ring while the power delivery may be wireless power delivery such as at the wrist joint (wireless power delivery may be provided at one or more of the shoulder and elbow joints) similar to that of the wireless data communication over the air gap MAG (such as described in United States provisional patent application numbers 63 / 612,210 and 63 / 612,055). The power delivery and data communication provides for control and energization of the sensors and heaters of the heated end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB. For example, the network incorporates local controls (e.g., transmitters, receivers, controllers, etc. of the substrate transport apparatus described herein), and sensors (e.g., thermal sensors and / or suitable sensors) disposed respectively on the at least one movable link arm link 2213, 212 and the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB, coupled via network interface (such as of a wireless power and data communication interface described herein) so as to effect local, on board, on-the-fly (local and on board, local and on-the-fly) controls of at least one of active thermal control of the end effector (the substrate or susceptor holding station 211 S). Any cabling and other electronics (including one or more of arm link drive motors 200M1, 200M2, 200M3A, 200M3B and respective position sensors / encoders) are embedded within the atmospheric chambers ACH1-ACH5 (see Fig. 3 A) within the articulated arm 333 structure, which may substantially eliminate contamination of the vacuum environment due to outgassing of the cabling and other electronics. The atmospheric chambers ACH-ACH5are sealed in any suitable manner where sealing of the arm 333 effects hydrogen resistance for the internal components, joints, and end effector(s), and resistance to electrostatic discharge between the arm 333 and other components of the processing system.

[0062] Referring also to Fig. 3B, power and data may be wirelessly transferred from the atmospheric chambers ACH4, ACH5 of the wrist to the end effectors 211A, 21 IB. For example, power and data communication is provided to the wrist, via cables, for effecting operation of at least the drive motors 200M3A, 200M3B and the respective encoders, where the cables extend through one or more respective pressure tubes PT2, PT3 into respective atmospheric chambers ACH4, ACH5. A short-range proximity wireless communication network may be provided for transferring power and data to and / or from the end effector 211 A, 21 IB. The short-range proximity wireless communication network includes a data and power transmitter 34 IT disposed within the wrist and a data and power receiver 341R disposed in the end effector 211 A, 21 IB. The short-range proximity wireless communication network may also be employed for power and / or data transmission between a frame or base 201 of the transport apparatus 104 and the upper arm 213 and / or between the upper arm 213 and forearm 212.

[0063] Referring to atmospheric chamber ACH4, the data and power transmitter 341T is disposed within the atmospheric chamber ACH4. The data and power transmitter 34 IT is coupled to a transmitter antenna 341 TA disposed within the vacuum environment. The transmitter antenna 341TA is constructed of any suitable vacuum compatible material (e.g., such as stainless steel) and is affixed to the end portion 375 in any suitable manner (such as with any suitable fasteners). Any suitable seals (such as O-rings) may be provided between the transmitter antenna 341 TA and the end portion 375 so as to seal any feedthroughs that couple the transmitter antenna 341TA to the data and power transmitter 341 T. The transmitter antenna 341 TA may circumscribe the drive shaft 200M3AD of the motor 200M3A (and hence, the coupling between the drive shaft 200M3AD and the respective end effector 21 IB) so that as the end effector 21 IB rotates, wireless communication between the power and data transmitter 341T and the end effector 21 IB is substantially maintained.

[0064] A data and power receiver 341R is embedded within the end effector 21 IB in any suitable manner (such as during manufacture of the end effector or within a sealed atmospheric chamberwithin the end effector 21 IB). A receiver antenna 34 IRA is disposed within the vacuum environment. The receiver antenna 34 IRA is constructed of any suitable vacuum compatible material (e.g., such as stainless steel) and is affixed to the end effector 21 IB in any suitable manner (such as with any suitable fasteners). Any suitable seals (such as O-rings) may be provided between the receiver antenna 341RA and the end effector 21 IB so as to seal any feedthroughs that couple the receiver antenna 34 IRA to the data and power receiver 341R. The receiver antenna 34 IRA may circumscribe the drive shaft 200M3AD of the motor 200M3A (and hence, the coupling between the drive shaft 200M3AD and the respective end effector 21 IB) so as to provide a pass through for drive shaft 200M3BD of motor 200M3B and so that as the end effector 21 IB rotates wireless communication between the power and data transmitter 34 IT and the end effector 21 IB is substantially maintained through wireless communication between the two ring shaped antenna 341TA, 341RA. The antenna 341TA, 341RA may have any suitable shapes. As an example, the antenna 341 TA, 34 IRA may be constructed of a thin foil so as to be conformal to / with the surface to which they are affixed. As may be realized, the transmitter 34 IT and receiver 341R may also provide two-way data communication. In a manner similar to that described herein, the antenna 341 TA, 34 IRA are separated by the minimized gap MAG.

[0065] Still referring to Fig. 3B, power and data may be transmitted to (and from) the end effector 211A in a manner substantially similar to that described with respect to end effector 21 IB. For example, a data and power transmitter 342T is disposed within the atmospheric chamber ACH5 (while the transmitter 342T is described as transmitting both data and power, although there may be separate transmitters for power and data, such as illustrated in Fig. 3F). The data and power transmitter 342T is coupled to a transmitter antenna 342TA disposed within the vacuum environment (the antenna may be at least dual band antenna with one band for power transmission and another band for data transmission, although there may be separate antennae for power and data). The transmitter antenna 342TA is constructed of any suitable vacuum compatible material (e g., such as stainless steel) and is affixed to the end portion 375 in any suitable manner (such as with any suitable fasteners). Any suitable seals (such as O-rings) may be provided between the transmitter antenna 342TA and the end portion 375 so as to seal any feedthroughs that couple the transmitter antenna 342TA to the data and power transmitter 342T. The transmitter antenna 342TA may circumscribe the drive shaft 200M3BD of the motor 200M3B (and hence, the coupling between the drive shaft 200M3BD and the respective end effector 211 A) so that as the end effector211 A rotates, wireless communication between the power and data transmitter 342T and the end effector 211 A is substantially maintained.

[0066] A data and power receiver 342R is disposed within the drive shaft 200M3BD in any suitable manner so as to be within a sealed atmospheric chamber ACH6 formed at least in part by the hollow drive shaft 200M3BD (while the receiver 342R is described as receiving both data and power, although there may be separate receivers for power and data, such as illustrated in Fig. 3P). A receiver antenna 342RA is disposed within the vacuum environment and is coupled to the drive shaft 200M3BD so as to seal the receiver 342R within the drive shaft 200M2BD (the antenna may be at least dual band antenna with one band for power reception and another band for data reception, although there may be separate antennae for power and data). Any suitable data / communication cables CBL (or optical communication) extend within the hollow drive shaft 200M3BD from the receiver 342R to the end effector 211A, where the end effector forms a seal with the drive shaft 200M3BD to seal the atmospheric chamber ACH6 within the drive shaft 200M3BD from the vacuum environment.

[0067] The receiver antenna 342RA is constructed of any suitable vacuum compatible material (e.g., such as stainless steel) and is affixed to the drive shaft 200M3BD in any suitable manner (such as with any suitable fasteners). Any suitable seals (such as O-rings) may be provided between the receiver antenna 342RA and the drive shaft 200M3BD so as to seal any feedthroughs that couple the receiver antenna 342RA to the data and power receiver 342R. The receiver antenna 342RA may have a disk shape so that as the end effector 21 IB rotates, wireless communication between the power and data transmitter 342T and the end effector 21 lA is substantially maintained through wireless communication between the ring shaped antenna 342TA and the disk shaped antenna 342RA. The antenna 342TA, 342RA may have any suitable shapes. As an example, the antenna 342TA, 342RA may be constructed of a thin foil so as to be conformal to the surface to which they are affixed. As may be realized, the transmitter 342T and receiver 342R may also provide two-way data communication. In a manner similar to that described herein, the antenna 342TA, 342RA are separated by the minimized gap MAG.

[0068] The antenna 34 IT, 341R, 342T, 342R may be configured for one or more of radio frequency or optical communication so as to transmit power by one or more of inductive coupling,capacitive coupling, resonant capacitive coupling, power-beaming, Wi-Fi coupling, and magnetodynamic coupling. Where radio frequency communication is employed, the radio frequency communication may be near field communication, ultra-wide band, millimeter wave or any other frequency / protocol. Where, optical communication is employed the optical communication may include beam steering for beam alignment between the antenna 341 TA, 34 IRA, 342T, 342R.

[0069] Such as where magneto-dynamic coupling is employed, the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB (or one or more articulated arm links) may include an onboard battery or capacitor PWR that is incrementally charged (e.g., via wireless power transfer as described herein with respect Fig. 3B) via the magneto-dynamic coupling with articulation of one or more arm joints. One or more of the upper arm 213 and forearm 212 may include one or more onboard battery / capacitor PWR that may be incrementally charged via the magneto-dynamic coupling with articulation of one or more arm joints. There may be wireless charging stations (see, e.g., Fig. 3B) within the substrate processing apparatus to which the articulated arm 333 and / or end effector 211A, 21 IB are moved into close proximity for wirelessly charging the onboard battery / capacitor PWR. The onboard battery / capacitor PWR within the one or more of the upper arm 213 and forearm 212 may be discharged and the power from the battery / capacitor PWR may be wirelessly transmitted to the end effector 211A, 21 IB in the manner described herein.

[0070] Referring to Figs. 4A, 4B, 5 A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B, the end effector 211 , 21 1 A, 21 IB may have any suitable configuration for holding and transporting a substrate S or susceptor SS. For example, as illustrated in Figs. 4A-5B, the heated end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may have a fork configuration where the heated end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB has a base portion 211BF and at least a pair of tines 21 IT (which may be fixed relative to the base or moveable relative to the base portion 211BF towards and away from each other) extending from the base portion 211BF. As illustrated in Figs. 6A-7B, the heated end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may have a paddle configuration.

[0071] Referring also to Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 3G, the present disclosure may provide for increased semiconductor throughput and placement accuracy. For example, one or more substrate sensors 366A-366C may be disposed on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB and positioned to sense a substrate S held on the end effector. The one or more substrate sensors 366A-366C are positionedrelative to each other and to the substrate holding station SHS of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB so as to have a predetermined spatial relationship with the substrate holding station SHS and sense at least three edge points SP1-SP3 on the circumference of the substrate S. The substrate sensors 366A-366C are calibrated (e.g., in the reference frame of the substrate transport apparatus 104) in any suitable manner so the controller 110, based on the three points SP1-SP3 sensed by the one or more sensors 366A-366C, determines a center SC (in the reference frame of the substrate transport apparatus 104) of the substrate S relative to a reference or center location of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB substrate holding station SHS. The center of the substrate S may be determined with the three points SP1-SP3 in any suitable manner such as that described in, for example, United States patent number 7,894,657 issued on February 22, 2011. The center location of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is known (e.g., based on articulated arm and end effector geometry) in the substrate transport apparatus coordinate system where the eccentricity or offset of the substrate S relative to the center location of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be determined by comparing the determined center location of the substrate relative the known center location of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB. Knowing the center location of the substrate S relative to the center location of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB the controller 110 may adjust the movement / trajectory of the articulated arm 333 so that the substrate S is placed with the center of the substrate S located substantially at a center of a substrate holding location (e.g., such as of a process module 130, aligner, etc.) of the substrate processing apparatus 100A-100G.

[0072] Automatic wafer centering (for placing or picking substrates) may be effected with the sensors 366A-366C integral to the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB (e.g., substantially without sensors external to the substrate transport apparatus 104), on-the-fly, during transport of the substrate S by the articulated arm 333. As another example, the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may include one or more substrate contact points 367A-367C (as referred to herein as grippers) to actively or passively grip the substrate S. In one aspect, the substrate contact points 367A-367C may be active edge grippers such that the substrate contact points 367A-367C move to engage and disengage the peripheral edge of the substrate S. Active gripping of the substrate S during transport enables higher substrate transport speeds, which reduce transport time and increase throughput. In other aspects, the substrate contact points 367A-367C may be passive grippers such as friction pads, angled pads, etc. Power and data communication to the substrate contact points 367A-367C and sensors 366A-366C is transferred between the wrist of the articulated arm 333 and each endeffector 211, 211 A, 21 IB via wireless transfer as described above, between the antennas 341TA, 34 IRA. As will be described further below, the power and data communication may be provided to effect heating of the substrate contact points 367A-367C.

[0073] The end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may be constructed with integral power / communication paths 369 A, 369B formed therein. The integral power / communication paths 369A, 369B may be formed in any suitable manner such as by additive manufacturing, layering structural materials of the end effector, or in any other suitable manner so that end effector electronics / communication is / are sandwiched and sealed (or otherwise encapsulated) within the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB between the structural layered materials, etc. The end effector electronics / communication is isolated from the vacuum environment in which the articulated arm 333 operates. In some aspects, the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB includes an onboard processing unit 368 that receives communication signals from, e.g., the controller 110 and effects operation of the one or more of the sensors 366A-366C and substrate contact points 367A-367C based on the communication signals. The processing unit 368 may also distribute power to the sensors 366A-366C and substrate contact points 367A-367C.

[0074] Still referring to Figs. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B, the heated end effector, in accordance with the present disclosure, may provide for increased semiconductor throughput by heating substrates S or susceptors SS on-the-fly with transport of the substrates S or susceptors SS. For example, the substrate processing apparatus has a (one or more) temperature sensor (e.g., see at least, the one or more of temperature sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 485, 486, 488, and 489 described herein). The temperature sensor may be disposed at any suitable location of the substrate processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G for sensing a temperature of one or more of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB, the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, and a substrate S or susceptor SS held by the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB on the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS. For example, one or more temperature sensor 486 may be disposed in the transport chamber 125 and / or mini-environment 160 (see Figs. 1A, IB, 1D-1H - indirectly connected to the base or frame 201) so as to sense a temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB, substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, substrate S, and / or susceptor SS as the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB passes through slot valve SV or load port 107 door. One or more temperature sensor 485, 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 may be located on the substratetransport apparatus 104 (see Figs. 3A and 4A-7B - directly or indirectly connected to the base or frame 201) and disposed at any suitable location (e.g., the base or frame 201, arm link 212, 213, and / or end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB) for sensing a temperature of one or more of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB, the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, and a substrate S or susceptor SS held by the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB on the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS. One or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 may be connected to the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB or end effector material (such as those material described herein - indirectly connected to the base or frame 201). It should be understood that the aforementioned temperature sensors may be used alone or in any suitable combination with each other. As described herein, the controller 110 is communicably connected to the temperature sensor (e.g., at least one or more of the one or more temperature sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 485, 486, 488, and 489) to register temperature sensor temperature data TSD (referred to herein as registered temperature data TSD) embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, or the substrate S or susceptor SS held by the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS.

[0075] As described herein, the controller 110 is operably connected to the active heater AH to heat the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB based on the registered temperature data TSD and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature. The predetermined second temperature corresponds to a substrate S temperature or a susceptor SS temperature compliant with a predetermined process temperature of a process chamber 130 to or from which the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is moved.

[0076] The controller 110 is operably connected to the active heater AH to heat the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB based on the registered temperature data TSD and raise the temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS, held by the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature, where the first temperature is below 400°C, and the second temperature is above 400°C.

[0077] One or more substrate S or susceptor SS sensors 466A-466C may be disposed on the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and positioned to sense a substrate S or susceptor SS held on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. The one or more substrate S or susceptor SS sensors 466A-466C arepositioned relative to each other and to the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB so as to have a predetermined spatial relationship with the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS and sense at least one area SP1-SP3 of the substrate S or susceptor SS. Three sensors 466A-466C are illustrated for exemplary purposes and are arranged (apart from the contact points 499 of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB) for sensing respective areas SP1-SP3 of the substrate S or susceptor SS however, there may be more or less than three sensors arranged to sense respective areas of the substrate S or susceptor SS. The sensors 466A-466C may be any suitable thermal sensors configured to sense a temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS with the substrate S or susceptor SS held on the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and with the substrate S or susceptor SS disposed above (but not yet picked) by the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. For example, the sensors 466A-466C may be non-contact optical thermal sensors including, but not limited to, point sensors (based on fiber Bragg gratings), interferometric fiber Bragg grating sensors, Fabry-Perot interferometers, distributed temperature sensors (e g., Rayleigh scattering, Raman scattering, Brillouin scattering), and infrared temperature sensors. The contact points 499 may include contact thermal sensors for sensing a temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS held on and supported by the contact points 499.

[0078] The end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may include (in addition to or in lieu of the one or more sensors 466A-466C) one or more forward facing sensors 477A, 477B (forward facing meaning facing in a direction of extension R (see Figs. 2A-2F) of the articulated arm 333). The forward facing sensors 477A, 477B may be any suitable non-contact thermal sensors (such as those described above with respect to the one or more sensors 466A-466C) and / or an ambient temperature sensor (such as, but not limited to, any suitable thermistor, thermocouple, and resistance temperature detectors). The forward facing sensors 477A, 477B are disposed on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB (such as at the leading edge of the end effector, with respect to the direction of extension R) so as to sense a temperature of an object (such as substrate S or susceptor SS, a portion of a process station 130, a portion of a load lock 102A, 102B, etc.) in front of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB and / or an environment in which the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is positioned (such as of an interior of a process station 130, load lock 102A, 102B, etc.).

[0079] The end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may include (in addition to or in lieu of the one or more sensors 466A-466C and / or the one or more forward facing sensors 477A, 477B) one or moredownward facing sensors 488. The one or more downward facing sensor 488 may be any suitable non-contact sensor (such as those described above) disposed on the end effector so as to sense a temperature of an object disposed below the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB (such as a surface of a substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS onto which a substrate S or susceptor SS is to be placed).

[0080] The end effector 211, 211 A, 211B may also include at least one end effector temperature sensor 489 disposed on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB and connected to the end effector material so as to sense a temperature of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB (and of the substrate or susceptor holding station 211 S). The at least one end effector temperature sensor 489 is configured to send signals (embodying the temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB) to the processing unit 400 for one or more of monitoring a temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 211B and effecting changing a temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB as described herein.

[0081] The one or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 are coupled to a processing unit 400 of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB where the processing unit is in communication with the controller 110 through the communication network (described herein) of the articulated arm 333. The controller 110 is configured to receive a signal (embodying a temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and / or the substrate S or susceptor SS and / or other object as noted above) from the one or more sensors to 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 and effect an on-the-fly (e.g., with the articulated arm 333 performing a substrate S or susceptor SS pick / place / transport operation such as with the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB in motion) operation of one or more resistive heating elements or thermal sources 450, 4 1 (e.g., resistors) of an active heater AH of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB as described herein. The on-the-fly operation of the one or more resistive thermal sources 450, 451 effects an on-the-fly temperature change of at least the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS (and with a substrate S or susceptor SS held thereon, an on-the-fly heating of the substrate S or susceptor SS) as described herein. It is noted that the processing unit 400 and its connection to the one or more sensors 466A- 466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 may be embedded within the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to isolate processing unit 400 and connections from the operating environment in which the articulated arm 333 operates. The one or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 may one or more of disposed on a surface of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB (e.g., sealed against orbonded to the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB so as to isolate connected to the processing unit 400 to the operating environment) and embedded within the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB. In the case of the temperature sensors arranged to sense a temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS, these sensors when embedded in the end effector 211, 211 A, 211B may effect thermal measurements through a window disposed on the end effector 211, 211 A, 211B where the window is configured to isolate the respective one or more sensor 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488 from the operating environment (see, e.g., Fig. 4A, noting the end effectors of Figs. 4B-7B may also be provided with similar windows and embedded sensors). It is noted electrical power, effecting the operation of the processing unit 400, one or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489, and one or more resistive thermal sources 450, 451, is provided by the wireless power transfer of the articulated arm 333 communication network in the manner described herein.

[0082] The one or more resistive thermal sources 450, 451 may include, but are not limited to, one or more of any suitable electrically resistive elements or members 450W (including but not limited to wires, resistors connected in parallel, etc. - see Fig. 4B) and any suitable electrically resistive coatings 451C (also referred to as bonded fdm or resistive heater coatings). As described herein, the one or more resistive thermal sources 450, 451 contacts the substantially electrically non- conductive or semi-conductive material of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB.

[0083] The one or more resistive thermal sources 450, 451 may be one or more of embedded within (see Figs. 4A, 4B and 6A-7B) and coupled to (see Figs. 5A and 5B) a surface of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB (noting that thermal source 450 may be embedded within or coupled to a surface of the end effector and thermal source 451 may be embedded within or coupled to a surface of the end effector. While Figs. 4A and 4B illustrate a wire 450W type resistive thermal source 450 and Figs. 5A and 5B illustrate a coating 451C type resistive thermal source 451 it is noted these resistive thermal sources 450, 451 may be employed alone or in any suitable combination. The resistive thermal sources 450, 451 may be disposed on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB so as to heat, at least portions of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB that contact the substrate S or susceptor SS (e.g., such as the contact points 499) so as to provide at least conductive heating of the substrate S or susceptor SS; the resistive thermal sources 450, 451 may be disposed to heat the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to provide convective heating of the substrate S or susceptor SS; and / or the resistive thermal sources 450, 451 may be disposed so as to provide bothconductive and convective heating of the substrate S or susceptor SS held on the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB. As described herein, the controller 110 (or the processing unit 400) is configured to, based on signals from the one or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, effect control of the resistive thermal sources 450, 451 so as to adjust a temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB to one or more of pre-heat the end effector 211, 211 A, 211B to match a temperature of a post-processed substrate and pre-heat a substrate S or susceptor SS to bring the temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS up to or closer to a process temperature (such as of those processes described herein). As described herein, heating of the substrate S or susceptor SS and / or end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is effected on-the-fly, in conjunction with articulated arm 333 pick, place, and / or transport movement.

[0084] Still referring to Figs. 4A-7B, as described herein, the heated end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB includes contact points 499 (as referred to herein as grippers) to actively or passively grip (e.g., contact) the substrate S or susceptor SS. The contact points 499 may be active edge grippers such that one or more of the contact points 499 move to engage and disengage a peripheral edge of the substrate S or susceptor SS. Active gripping of the substrate S or susceptor SS during transport enables higher substrate S or susceptor SS transport speeds, which reduce transport time and increase throughput. The contact points 499 may be passive grippers such as friction pads, angled pads, etc. Power and data communication to the (active edge grip) contact points 499 and one or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 is transferred between the wrist (see Fig. 3 A) of the articulated arm 333 and each end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB via wireless transfer as described above (see Fig. 3B), between the antennas 341 TA, 34 IRA. As noted herein, the power and data communication may be provided to effect heating of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB (e.g., at least the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS) and / or substrate S or susceptor SS held thereon.

[0085] The end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be constructed of any suitable material including, but not limited to, ceramics (e.g., such as silicon carbide and alumina), any suitable substantially electrically insulative material, any substantially electrically non-conductive material, and / or any suitable semi-conductive material. The end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be a silicon carbide end effector of silicon carbide material configured so that the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is substantially electrically semi-conductive as a unit. Here, the active heater AH is connected to andin thermal communication with the silicon carbide material (or other end effector material) so as to controllably heat at least a portion of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and / or the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS to a temperature of between about 400°C and about 900°C (or more). The end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may be an alumina end effector of alumina material configured so that the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is substantially electrically semi-conductive as a unit. Here, the active heater AH is connected to and in thermal communication with the alumina material (or other end effector material) so as to controllably heat at least a portion of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and / or the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS to a temperature of between about 400°C and about 900°C (or more).

[0086] The end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB has integral power / communication paths 369A, 369B formed therein. The integral power / communication paths 369A, 369B (and / or one or more of the sensors and resistive thermal sources 450, 451) may be formed integrally with the end effector (so as to be sealed from the operating environment) in any suitable manner such as by additive manufacturing, layering structural materials of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB, or in any other suitable manner so that end effector electronics / communication is / are sandwiched and sealed (or otherwise encapsulated) within the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB between the structural layered materials, etc. The end effector electronics / communication is isolated from the vacuum (or atmospheric) operating environment in which the articulated arm 333 operates.

[0087] The end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB includes an onboard processing unit 400 (also embedded in the end effector in the manner described above) that receives communication signals from, e.g., the controller 110 and effects operation of the one or more of the sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489, the (active) contact points 499, and thermal sources 450, 451 based on the communication signals. The processing unit 400 may also distribute power to the one or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489, the (active) contact points 499, and resistive thermal sources 450, 451.

[0088] To effect operation of the resistive thermal sources 450, 451, the controller 110 includes (or is otherwise programmed with) processing recipes PR of the substrates S or susceptors SS that are determinative of articulated arm 333 pick / place movements (e.g., based on predetermined pick place locations of the substrates S or susceptors SS) for transporting the substrates S or susceptorsSS throughout the substrate processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 1OOE, 1OOF, 1OOG (see Figs. 1A-1I). The process recipes PR may also provide the controller with predetermined temperatures of each substrate process performed in the processing stations 130. The controller 110 may employ one or more of the predetermined process temperatures (as specified in the process recipes PR) and temperature data obtained by the one or more sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 488, 489 to control the one or more thermal sources 450, 451 for on-the-fly heating of one or more of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and substrate S or susceptor SS held thereon.

[0089] Referring to Figs. 1A-1I, 3A, 4A-7B, and 8, an exemplary substrate S or susceptor SS pick and transport operation will be described. The controller 110, according to any suitable predetermined process recipe PR commands or otherwise effects movement of the articulated arm 333 to a substrate S or susceptor SS pick position (Fig. 8, Block 800). The pick position may be any suitable substrate or susceptor holding location of the substrate processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G such as a substrate or susceptor cassette C, a load lock 102A, 102B, a process station 130, a substrate aligner ALN (see, e.g., Figs. IB and ID), etc.

[0090] With the articulated arm 333 in motion (i.e., on-the-fly) the controller 110 one or more of obtains (such as from the process recipe PR) a predetermined temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS at the pick position (Fig. 8, Block 810) and employs the processing unit 400 and one or more of the sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B to sense a temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS at the pick position (Fig. 8, Block 805). Where, the substrate S or susceptor SS temperature is obtained by both the one or more of the sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B and the process recipe PR, one of the sensed substrate S or susceptor SS temperature and predetermined substrate S or susceptor temperature SS may serve to verify the other of the sensed substrate S or susceptor SS temperature and predetermined substrate S or susceptor SS temperature, which in turn may verify proper function (at least temperature wise) of the substrate or susceptor holding location from which the substrate S or susceptor SS is being picked.

[0091] The controller 110 determines a temperature of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB (Fig. 8, Block 815) so as to determine a temperature difference between the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB and the substrate S or susceptor SS prior to picking the substrate S or susceptor SS. The temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may be determined by employing the processingunit 400 and the sensor 489, where the sensor 489 provides a feedback loop to the controller 110 (and / or processing unit 400) for controlling the temperature of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. The controller may determine, e.g., based on the process recipe PR, a temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB. The controller 110 may employ a timed actuation of the active heater AH where the temperature of the end effector is calculated (or otherwise determined) from an actuation time of the active heater AH (e.g., length of time the active heater AH is actuated) the thermal conductivity properties of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB material, and thermal properties (e.g., heat output) of the active heater AH. Any suitable combination of the process recipe PR, sensor 489, and actuation time may be employed to determine the end effector 211, 211 A, 211B temperature, where one of the sensed end effector temperature, predetermined end effector temperature, and calculated end effector temperature may serve to verify the other of the sensed end effector temperature and predetermined end effector temperature.

[0092] Where the controller 110 (or processing unit 400) determines the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB temperature (without heating of the end effector with the active heater AH, such as at ambient temperature) corresponds to the temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS to be picked, the substrate S or susceptor SS is picked and transported (Fig. 8, Block 830) by the transport apparatus 104 in accordance with the process recipe.

[0093] To effect picking a substrate S or susceptor SS having an ambient temperature (e.g., about 75°C) after placing a substrate S or susceptor SS having a temperature above the ambient temperature, the end effector material may have a high thermal conductivity so as to absorb and dissipate heat quickly (i.e., provide a temperature change of the end effector from ambient temperature to a process temperature, and vice versa, in an amount of time that is less than the time it takes for the transport arm to move between the pick and place positions). The end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be equipped with active cooling, such as in the manner described in United States provisional patent application numbers 63 / 612,210 filed on December 19, 2023 (with Attorney Docket No. 390P017165-US (-#1)) and 63 / 612,055 filed December 19, 2023 (with Attorney Docket No. 390P017049-US (#1)), the disclosures of which were previously incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The active cooling may quickly (as noted above) cool the end effector 211, 211 A, 211B from a process temperature to ambient. The abilityof the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB to change temperature quickly may provide for employment of the process recipe PR for end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB temperature estimation.

[0094] Where the controller 110 (or processing unit 400) determines the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB (e.g., such as of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS) temperature is lower than the temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS to be picked, the temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is adjusted (Fig. 8, Block 820). The controller 110 (or processing unit 400) determines the temperature of the end effector (e.g., after temperature adjustment) (Fig. 8, Block 815) (the temperature adjustment and temperature determination of the end effector may occur in a loop) where if the temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB substantially matches that of the substrate S or susceptor SS to be picked, the substrate S or susceptor SS is picked and transported (Fig. 8, Block 830) by the transport apparatus 104 in accordance with the process recipe. The substrate S or susceptor SS temperature may be sensed (Fig. 8, Block 825) with the adjustment of the temperature of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB in a loop.

[0095] Referring to Figs. 1A-1I, 3A, 4A-7B, and 9, an exemplary substrate S or susceptor SS transport and place operation will be described. The controller 110, according to any suitable predetermined process recipe PR commands or otherwise effects movement of the articulated arm 333 to a substrate S or susceptor SS place position (Fig. 8, Block 800). The place position may be any suitable substrate S or susceptor SS holding location of the substrate processing apparatus 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F, 100G such as a substrate or susceptor cassette C, a load lock 102A, 102B, a process station 130, a substrate aligner, etc.

[0096] With the articulated arm 333 in motion (i.e., on-the-fly) the controller 110 one or more of obtains (such as from the process recipe PR) a predetermined temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS at the place position (Fig. 8, Block 910) and employs the processing unit 400 and one or more of the sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B to sense a temperature of the place position (e.g., such as of a substrate holding station of the place position) (Fig. 8, Block 905). Where, both the substrate S or susceptor SS temperature at the place position and the temperature at the place position are obtained, one of the substrate S or susceptor SS temperature at the place position and the temperature at the place position may serve to verify the other of the substrate S or susceptor SS temperature at the place position and the temperature at the place position, which in turn mayverify proper function (at least temperature wise) of the substrate or susceptor holding location to which the substrate S or susceptor SS is being placed.

[0097] The controller 110 may determine a temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB (Fig. 8, Block 915) where, due to heat transfer, the temperature of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB may be substantially similar to that of the substrate S or susceptor SS held thereon. The temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 211B may be determined by employing the processing unit 400 and the sensor 489, where the sensor 489 provides a feedback loop to the controller 110 (and / or processing unit 400) for controlling the temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB. The controller may determine, e.g., based on the process recipe PR, a temperature of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. The controller 110 may employ a timed actuation of the active heater AH where the temperature of the end effector is calculated (or otherwise determined) from an actuation time of the active heater AH (e.g., length of time the active heater AH is actuated) the thermal conductivity properties of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB material, and thermal properties (e.g., heat output) of the active heater AH. Any suitable combination of the process recipe PR, sensor 489, and actuation time may be employed to determine the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB temperature, where one of the sensed end effector temperature, predetermined end effector temperature, and calculated end effector temperature may serve to verify the other of the sensed end effector temperature and predetermined end effector temperature. Here, where the end effector 21 1, 21 1 A, 21 IB temperature substantially matches or otherwise corresponds with the substrate S or susceptor SS or place position temperature, the controller 110 effects movement of the articulated arm 333 to place the substrate S or susceptor SS (Fig. 9, Block 930) at the place location.

[0098] The controller 110 (or processing unit 400) may effect adjustment of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB temperature (Fig. 9, Block 920), as described herein through actuation of the active heater AH, to substantially match or otherwise correspond with the substrate SS or place position temperature. The controller 110 (or processing unit 400) may one or more of determined the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB temperature (as noted above) (Fig. 9, Block 915) and sense a temperature of the substrate S or susceptor SS held on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB (Fig. 9, Block 925). Here, the temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may be adjusted in a loop with one or more of the temperature determination of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB and substrate S orsusceptor SS until the controller 110 (or processing unit 400) determines the temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB (e.g., such as of the substrate or susceptor holding station 211 S) or substrate S or susceptor SS substantially matches or otherwise corresponds with the substrate S or susceptor SS or place position temperature. Sensing the temperature at the place position (Fig. 9, Block 905) may be included in the end effector temperature adjustment loop. Where the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB or substrate S or susceptor SS temperature substantially matches or otherwise corresponds with the predetermined substrate S or susceptor SS or place position temperature, the controller 110 effects movement of the articulated arm 333 to place the substrate (Fig. 9, Block 930) at the place location.

[0099] Referring to Figs. 1A-1I, 3A, 4A-7B, and 10, an exemplary method will be described in accordance with the present disclosure. The method may be employed in the transfer of substrates S or susceptors SS. The method includes providing a substrate transport apparatus 104 (Fig. 10, Block 1000) as described herein. For example, the substrate transport apparatus 104 includes a base 201, an articulated arm 333 connected to the base 201 with a terminal joint (e.g., shoulder axis SX joint) about which the articulated arm 333 rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links 212, 213, and an end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB having a substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS located thereon, where the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is an electrically non-conductive or semi -conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive as a unit, and at least one movable link 212, 213, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates (as described herein) effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links 212, 213. The substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS is controllably heated (Fig. 10, Block 1010), e.g., on-the-fly with transport of a substrate S or susceptor SS by the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB or with the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB moving to a pick location, to a temperature of 400°C or more with an active heater AH connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. Where more than one substrate or susceptor holding station 211 S is provided, one or more of the substrate or susceptor holding stations 21 1 S may be controllably heated, to a temperature of 400°C or more with an active heater AH connectedto and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi- conductive end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB, independent of other substrate or susceptor holding stations 21 IS of the substrate transport apparatus 104 (Fig. 10, Block 1011).

[0100] In the method, a temperature sensor (such as those described herein), senses a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, or a substrate S or a susceptor SS held by the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS. The controller 110, communicably connected to the temperature sensor, registers temperature sensor temperature data TSD embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS, or the substrate S or susceptor SS held by the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS. The controller, operably connected to the active heater, effects heating the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB based on the registered temperature data TSD and raises the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station 21 IS from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature. The predetermined second temperature corresponds to a substrate S temperature or a susceptor SS temperature compliant with a predetermined process temperature of a process chamber 130 to or from which the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is moved.

[0101] Referring to Figs. 3C, 3F, and 11A-11F, the present disclosure may effect positioning wireless power and data transmission docks 345 (also referred to as wireless docking stations) at any suitable location(s) of the articulated arm 333 and / or end effectors 211, 211 A, 21 IB. These wireless docking stations 345 may provide power and high-speed data transfer to (and / or from) any suitable accessory items carried by the articulated arm 333, such as a thermal source or sink 1801. The accessory items are configured to effect heating of the substrate contact points 367 A- 367C (Fig. 3G) in order to match the temperature of substrates S or susceptors SS pre-process and minimize temperature differential post-process. The accessory items may be configured to effect automatic maintenance and or diagnostics of the substrate processing apparatus 100A-100G (or any portions thereof). These accessory items include, but are not limited to, the thermal control system 1800 including any suitable thermal sensors 1410 (Fig. 11A) and a thermal source 1801, substrate sensors 366A-366C (Fig. 3G), and metrology kits 340 (Fig. 11 A). The metrology kits 340 may include any suitable sensors 340S including, but not limited to, cameras, accelerometers, thermometers, tactile sensors (e.g., pressure sensing pads, transducers, etc.), magnetometers, gyroscopes, contaminant sensors, humidity sensors, gas sensors, chemical sensors, pressuresensors, audio sensors, etc. The metrology kits 340 may also include a processor 340C and in some aspects a power supply 340P (e.g., battery, capacitor, etc.). The metrology kit 340 may be any suitable instrumented substrate that has a shape and size similar to that of a production substrate S, but configured with one or more sensors (such as those noted above) to effect metrology of the substrate processing apparatus 100A-100G. The accessory items carried by the articulated arm 333 may include a machine vision system 2000 for machine vision and learning. For example, referring to Fig. 3C, the articulated arm 333 may include one or more camera 2001 fixedly mounted on the end effector 112 in predetermined relation to the substrate holding station SHS, but in other aspects may be coupled to any suitable portion of the arm 112. As such, a controller 110 and the camera 2001 are configured so as to resolve the three-dimensional pose of a predetermined target 2002 and automatically teach the substrate transport apparatus 104 the teaching position of the target 2002 (the target being any suitable datum, feature, machine readable code, etc. that identifies a position of a substrate holding location valve door or other respective feature of the substrate processing system detailed herein). The system 2000 is configured for teaching locations of substrate holding locations SHS (Fig. 11 A) to the substrate transport apparatus 104. Suitable examples of machine vision systems are described in United States provisional patent application number 63 / 580,598 filed on September 5, 2023, titled “Method for Single Imager Stereoscopic Calibration and Processing Apparatus Including the Single Imager,” and having attorney docket number 390P017089-US (-#1) and United States provisional patent application number 63 / 597,957 filed on November 10, 2023, titled “ROBOTIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREFOR,” and having attorney docket number 390P017112-US (- #1), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0102] Power and high-speed data transmission is provided to the processor (which may distribute the power to the sensor(s) 340S and power supply 340P of the accessory item, and communicate with the sensors(s) 340S) by a mating wireless dock 340D (see Fig. 11 A) of the accessory device that is configured to wirelessly mate with a respective one of the wireless docking stations 345A- 345C. Substantially unlimited power and high-speed data transmission is provided to the metrology kit 340 (or other accessory item) for powering the sensors 340S, charging the power supply 340P, and / or for providing sensor feedback to the controller 110 (or any other suitable controller or operator station of the substrate processing apparatus 100A-100G).

[0103] While the wireless docking stations 345 (Figs. 3F and 11 A) are illustrated as being disposed on the end effector 211A, 21 IB and / or at the wrist joint (see Fig. 11 A), the wireless docking station(s) may be disposed at any suitable location of the articulated arm 333 that may present a metrology kit to a desired portion of the substrate processing apparatus 100A-100G. For example, wireless docking stations may be disposed at the shoulder joint, the elbow joint (see Figs. 3F and 11 A), the wrist joint, on the upper arm 213, on the forearm 212, and / or on the end effector 211 A, 21 IB (or any other suitable location of the substrate transport apparatus 104). The docking stations 345 may have any suitable configuration (and the mating wireless dock 340D has any suitable mating configuration) for transferring power and data to and / or from the metrology kit 340. The docking stations 345 communicate with the mating wireless dock 340D over any suitable short- range transmission (such as those described herein) including, but not limited to, one or more of millimeter wave (ultra wide band) transmission, capacitive transmission, inductive transmission. The metrology kit 340 is configured so that when picked up by the substrate transport apparatus 104, the mating wireless dock 340D is aligned with a respective docking station 345 so as to establish a wireless power / data link between the respective docking station 345 and the mating wireless dock 340D.

[0104] The wireless power and data communication between the substrate transport apparatus 104 and the metrology kit 340 may effect implementation of the metrology kit 340 substantially without limitations on power and / or data bandwidth. In this respect, the metrology kits 3340 may include faster, more powerful processors, increased numbers of sensors, etc., which may increase performance and functionality of the metrology kits compared to conventional battery-only powered metrology kits. The performance and functionality (e.g., substantially unlimited inspection / maintenance durations) of the metrology kits, compared to convention battery-only powered metrology kits, may also be increased through employment of the high-speed data transfer (e.g., at least Gigabit Ethernet or EtherCat, etc.) provided by the present disclosure.

[0105] Referring now to Figs. 11A-11E, as described herein, the present disclosure may be employed to provide power and / or data transmission to accessory devices coupled to the articulated arm 333. For example, the accessory devices may include substrate sensors disposed on one or more of the articulated arm 333 and end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB. As noted above, the accessory devices may include one or more of thermal sensors 1410 and thermal source 1801. Ascan be seen in Fig. HA, one or more thermal sensors 1410 may be coupled to any portion of the articulated arm 333, for example, disposed on a cantilevered support member 1510 from the forearm 212 or adjacent the elbow joint. The thermal sensors 1410 are configured to register temperature of at least one of the substrate contact points 367A-367C and the substrate S. A controller is configured to determine, from the registered temperature of the substrate S, a predetermined temperature change of the substrate S, and effect with the active thermal control system 1800 a change in temperature of the substrate S to the predetermined temperature change commensurate with precondition of the substrate S for processing in a process module (so as to eliminate precondition post transport). The one or more thermal sensors 1410 may be infrared thermal sensors configured to sense at least a temperature of the substrate contact points 367 A- 367C (Fig. 3G) and / or the substrate S or susceptor SS, held on the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB, as the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB rotates about the wrist axis WX so that the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB passes near the thermal sensor 1410. The temperature may be received by the controller 110 and / or reported to an operator of the substrate processing apparatus 100A-100G for at least process control applications. The one or more thermal sensors 1410 may sense a temperature of the substrate contact points 367A-367C prior to picking a substrate S, where the temperature of the substrate contact points 367A-367C may be employed by the controller 110 to determine a thermal growth of the end effector and / or determine whether the end effector temperature is suitable for picking a substrate (e.g., to substantially avoid thermal shock imparted to the substrate by the end effector 211, 211 A, 211 B). Power and data may be transmitted to and / or from the one or more thermal sensors 1410 wirelessly such as with a wireless dock station 345 (such as illustrated in, e.g., Figs. 3F and 11 A, where the thermal sensor includes a mating wireless dock 340D and is affixed to the upper arm 212 so that the mating wireless dock 340D mates with the wireless dock station 345). The one or more thermal sensors may be directly coupled to the power / data cables CBL through sealed apertures of the end portion 373.

[0106] Still referring to Figs. 11A-11E, the substrate transport apparatus 104 is configured so as to include the thermal control system 1800 for thermally matching the at least one end effector(s) 211, 211 A, 21 IB (i.e., substrate contact points 367A-367C (Fig. 3G) on the substrate holding station SHS of the at least one end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB) to the temperature of an incoming substrate S or susceptor SS. As is known, thermal energy flows to bodies with a lower temperature through conduction and radiation. As will be described, the substrate contact points 367A-367Cand / or the substrate holding station SHS are heated (or cooled) to substantially the same temperature as the incoming substrate S or susceptor SS so as to avoid localized cold / hot spots and promote substrate safety (e.g., substantially prevent warping, etc. of substrates). As previously described, electrical wires, sensors, power and / or communication is routed through the substrate transport apparatus 104 via pressure tubes PT, PT2, PT3 (Fig. 3A) extending through the articulated arm 333, as described above, in order to power and control, e.g., the thermal control system 1800.

[0107] As seen in FIG. HA, the at least one thermal source 1801 configured so as to communicate thermally with the substrate S (e.g., thermal management of substrate) touching the substrate contact points 367A-367C (Fig. 3G) in at least one of indirect thermal communication via driving thermal change of the substrate contact points 367A-367C (e.g. conduction path) and direct thermal communication with (wherein the thermal source 1801 drives or absorbs thermal energy directly from, e.g. direct radiant path) the substrate S or susceptor SS. The active thermal control system is configured so as to raise or lower a temperature of the substrate contact points 367 A- 367C above an ambient temperature of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB so as to effect the predetermined thermal state. The at least one thermal source 1801 may be disposed on the cantilevered support member 1510 that is fixedly coupled to the end portion 373 of the forearm 212 so that the support member 1510 rotates about the elbow axis EX as a unit with the forearm 212. The thermal source 1801 can be resistive, photoelectric (lamp / LED light), etc. and the material of the substrate contact points 367A-367C can be constructed of materials matched to the process or tuned with complimentary material properties, such as high thermal conductivity, thermal insulators, low thermal conductivity, etc. The thermal source 1801 can be powered by traditional electrical wires, or optionally, via internal battery. The battery could be replaceable by a separable contact pad assembly or inductively charged via inductive coils located in the elbow cap of the substrate transport apparatus 104. The structure of the at least one end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB may be coated with materials to increase the emissivity properties of the surface to improve heat transfer to the substrate S.

[0108] The thermal source 1801 is positioned in close proximity to the substrate holding station SHS but without contact. For example, the thermal source 1801 may be structurally coupled to any portion of the substrate transport apparatus 104, such as, e.g., the forearm elbow end portion 373or any other suitable location on the substrate transport apparatus 104. The thermal source 1801 may be positioned below the lower end effector 21 IB, above the upper end effector 211A or in both positions above and below. A thermal source 1801 may be placed between both of the end effectors 211 A, 21 IB where sufficient vertical space is available (FIG. 11C). Thermal energy is radiated onto the structure of the at least one end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB to maintain a controlled temperature. When the at least one end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is accessing a process module and away from the thermal source 1801 no thermal energy is transferred to the at least one end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB. The at least one end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is positioned under the thermal source(s) 1801 as part of the overall substrate flow through the equipment. The thermal source 1801 can be resistive, photoelectric (lamp / LED light) or similar technology.

[0109] Referring also to Fig. 3E, the substrate transport apparatus 104 may implement variable convective cooling (active). An active control loop 1850 may control the airflow through the substrate transport apparatus 104 (i.e., through one or more respective pressure tubes PT1, PT2, PT3 (Figs. 3A and 3C) and respective atmospheric chambers ACH1-ACH5). As detailed above, the articulated arm 333 includes internal cavities (pressure tubes PT1, PT2, PT3 and atmospheric chambers ACH1-ACH5) that act as a variable thermal chokes for the wrist joint 311 providing a cooling system to maintain a predetermined operating temperature for the internal components. The active control loop 1850 includes a flow control 1851 that receives sensor feedback from the thermal sensor 1410 (Fig. 1 1 A). An air temperature control 1852 regulates the temperature change between the internal components and the wrist structure to determine if additional cooling air should be feed into the arm cavities. The cooler internal components bounding the respective pressure chambers ACH1-ACH5 absorb the heat energy and reject it through convective principles into the cooling air circulating within the substrate transport apparatus 104. The rate of heat transfer can be controlled by varying the cooling airflow rate. The temperature control range is limited by predetermined operating limits of the internal components, the overall heat transfer properties of the substrate transport apparatus 104 structural components, operating environment and component thermal mass. The temperature change between the internal components and the wrist structure is controlled by varying the convective cooling rate. The convective cooling rate varies by closed loop flow controllers, supply air temperature or both. Cooling the arm joints in this manner (and as described herein) may increase longevity and reliability of the arm joints (and bearings thereof) and the arm 333.

[0110] Referring to Fig. HE, the substrate transport apparatus 104 may implement a Variable Thermal Choke. The substrate transport apparatus 104 integrates a thermal transfer device 1890 to move heat input from the substrate holding station SHS to the colder structure of the substrate transport apparatus 104. The method of heat transfer can be performed with heat pipes 1891, micro-channels or thermoelectric (Peltier) devices. Both the heat pipe and micro-channel methods use a two-phase liquid-to-vapor process. Heat input from one location boils the internal liquid forming a vapor. The vapor gases flow the heat to the opposite end where it can be exhausted. At the hot side of the heat pipe / micro-channel 1891, the thermal energy is removed by convective airflow, radiators 1892, cooling liquid circuit or a combination of methods. A thermoelectric (Peltier) device operates similarly; however, the heat transfer is regulated by an external input voltage, which varies the thermal resistance. The heat energy from the substrate S or susceptor SS is absorbed by the substrate holding station SHS, which is mated to the cold side of the thermoelectric device. An input voltage is applied to vary the rate of heat transfer to the hot side where the thermal energy is removed by convective airflow, radiators 1892, cooling liquid circuit or any combination of methods. In the thermoelectric (Peltier) method the heat transfer direction can also be reversed by changing the voltage polarity resulting in cooling or heating the substrate holding station SHS.

[0111] Referring to Fig. 1 IF, the support member 1510A is fixedly coupled to the upper arm at the wrist axis WX (where the support member 1510A extends through hollow drive shafts of the wrist motors 200M3A, 200M3B. The coupling of the support member 1510A to the forearm 212 at the wrist axis is such that the support member 1510 rotates about the elbow axis EX as a unit with the forearm 212. Power and / or data may be transmitted to the heating elements in any suitable manner such as by wireless transmission from a wireless dock station 345 (such as illustrated in Figs. 3F and HA), where each thermal control system 1800 includes a data and power receiver 341R and associated antenna 34 IRA that receives power and / or data transmitted from the data and power transmitter 341T and associated antenna 341TA of the wireless dock station 345. Data and / or power cables CBL may be embedded (so as to be sealed from the vacuum environment) within the support member 1510 and coupled to the thermal source 1801. The data and / or power cables CBL of the support member 1510 may be coupled with the data and / or power cables within the atmospheric chamber ACH3 (see Fig. 3 A) of the end portion 373 of the forearm 212 through a sealed port of the end portion 373 or through a wireless docking station 345 disposed within theatmospheric chamber ACH3 of the end portion 373 (the wireless docking station 345 mating with a mating wireless dock 340D of the support member 1510). The thermal control system 1800 may be employed to temper substrates S before and / or after processing the substrates in the process modules 130. The thermal control system 1800 may be employed to maintain a predetermined temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to substantially avoid thermal shock imparted to the substrates S by the end effector before or after substrate processing in a process module 130. The thermal control system 1800 may be any suitable heating elements such as LED heating elements. The forearm 212 may include thermal shielding so that the thermal control system 1800 substantially do not heat the forearm 212.

[0112] Referring to Figs. 1A-7B, 11A-11F, and 12, an exemplary method will be described. While the method is described below, the method may include any of the features described herein. The method includes providing the substrate transport apparatus 104 (Fig. 1, Block 1200) as described herein. For example, the substrate transport apparatus 104 includes a base 201, an articulated arm 333 (such as any of those articulated arms described herein) connected to the base 201 with a terminal joint SX about which the articulated arm 333 rotates and extends. The articulated arm 333 has one or more movable arm links (such as arm links 213, 212 or any of the arm links described herein), and an end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB connected at a distal joint (e.g., wrist axis WX) to the one or more movable arm links. The end effector 211 has a substrate or susceptor holding station SHS located thereon, with contacts 499, 367A-367C that touch a substrate S or susceptor SS on the holding station SHS. A data communication and power network is dependent from the at least one movable link 213, 212 and coupled to a controller 110. At least one movable link 213, 212, of the one or more arm links, has at least one rotary joint SX, EX with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333, and the at least one movable link 213, 212 has at least another rotary joint WX to which the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is rotatably joined to the at least one movable link 213, 212. The end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB has an active thermal control system (including one of a heater and a cooler - see heater AH and thermal source or sink 1801) dependent therefrom and coupled to the network, the thermal control system communicating thermally with the substrate S or susceptor SS touching the contacts 499, 367A-367C. The active thermal control system effects a predetermined thermal state of the substrate S or susceptor SS (Fig. 12, Block 1210).

[0113] The method may include one or more of the following, individually or in any suitable combination: the active thermal control system has a thermal source or sink 1801, configured so as to communicate thermally with the substrate S or susceptor SS touching the contacts 499, 367A- 367C in at least one of indirect thermal communication via driving thermal change of the contacts 499, 367A-367C (e g. conduction path) and direct thermal communication with (wherein the thermal source, or sink, drives or absorbs thermal energy directly from, e.g. direct radiant path) the substrate S or susceptor SS; the active thermal control system is configured to effect a predetermined thermal change of the substrate S or susceptor SS; the active thermal control system is configured so as to raise a temperature of the contacts 499, 367A-367C above an ambient temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to effect the predetermined thermal state; the active thermal control system is configured so as to lower a temperature of the contacts 499, 367A-367C below an ambient temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to effect the predetermined thermal state; the active thermal control system has a temperature feedback sensor 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 485, 486, 488, 489 registering temperature of at least one of one, or more, of the contacts 499, 367A-367C and the substrate S or susceptor SS; the controller 110 is configured to determine, from the registered temperature of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, a predetermined temperature change of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, and effect with the active thermal control system a change in temperature of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, to the predetermined temperature change; the predetermined temperature change is commensurate with precondition of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, for processing in a process module 130 (so as to eliminate precondition post transport); the network includes a bus arranged for data communication and DC power transmission; and the network is distributed throughout the articulated arm 333 from terminal joint SX through distal joint WX, the network being housed in a housing of the at least one movable link 213, 212 and crosses each rotary joint SX, EX, WX of the housing.

[0114] Referring to Figs. 1 A-7B, 11 A-l IF, and 13, an exemplary method will be described. While the method is described below, the method may include any of the features described herein. The method includes providing the substrate transport apparatus 104 (Fig. 13, Block 1300) as described herein. For example, the substrate transport apparatus 104 includes a base 201, an articulated arm 333 (such as any of those articulated arms described herein) connected to the base 201 with a terminal joint SX about which the articulated arm 333 rotates and extends. The articulated arm333 has one or more movable arm links (such as arm links 213, 212 or any of the arm links described herein), and an end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB connected at a distal joint (e.g., wrist axis WX) to the one or more movable arm links. The end effector 211 has a substrate or susceptor holding station SHS located thereon, with contacts 499 that touch a substrate S or susceptor SS on the holding station SHS. A data communication and power network is dependent from the at least one movable link 213, 212 and coupled to a controller 110. At least one movable link 213, 212, of the one or more arm links, has at least one rotary joint SX, EX with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333, and the at least one movable link 213, 212 has at least another rotary joint WX to which the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is rotatably j oined to the at least one movable link 213, 212. The end effector 211, 211 A, 211B has an active thermal control system (including one of a heater and a cooler - see heater AH and thermal source or sink 1801) dependent therefrom and coupled to the network, the thermal control system communicating thermally with the substrate S or susceptor SS touching the contacts 499. The thermal control system effects on the fly (substantially coincident with transport) thermal preconditioning of the substrate S or susceptor SS (Fig. 13, Block 1310).

[0115] The method may include one or more of the following, individually or in any suitable combination: the substrate S or susceptor SS is in a different thermal condition, on initial touching of the contacts 499, than the thermal precondition effected on the fly; the active thermal control system has a thermal source or sink 1801, configured so as to communicate thermally with the substrate S or susceptor SS touching the contacts 499, 367A-367C in at least one of indirect thermal communication via driving thermal change of the contacts 499, 367A-367C (e.g. conduction path) and direct thermal communication with (wherein the thermal source, or sink, drives or absorbs thermal energy directly from, e.g. direct radiant path) the substrate S or susceptor SS; the active thermal control system is configured to effect a predetermined thermal change of the substrate S or susceptor SS; the active thermal control system is configured so as to raise a temperature of the contacts 499, 367A-367C above an ambient temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to effect the predetermined thermal state; the active thermal control system is configured so as to lower a temperature of the contacts 499, 367A-367C below an ambient temperature of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB so as to effect the predetermined thermal state; the active thermal control system has a temperature feedback sensor 466A-466C, 477A, 477B,485, 486, 488, 489 registering temperature of at least one of one, or more, of the contacts 499, 367A-367C and the substrate S or susceptor SS; the controller 110 is configured to determine, from the registered temperature of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, a predetermined temperature change of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, and effect with the active thermal control system a change in temperature of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, to the predetermined temperature change; the predetermined temperature change is commensurate with precondition of the substrate S, or susceptor SS, for processing in a process module 130 (so as to eliminate precondition post transport); the network includes a bus arranged for data communication and DC power transmission; and the network is distributed throughout the articulated arm 333 from terminal joint SX through distal joint WX, the network being housed in a housing of the at least one movable link 213, 212 and crosses each rotary joint SX, EX, WX of the housing.

[0116] Referring to Figs. 1A-7B, 11A-11F, and 14, an exemplary method will be described. While the method is described below, the method may include any of the features described herein. The method includes providing the substrate transport apparatus 104 (Fig. 13, Block 1400) as described herein. For example, the substrate transport apparatus 104 includes a base 201, an articulated arm 333 connected to the base 201 with a terminal joint SX about which the articulated arm 333 rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links (such as arm links 213, 212 or any of the arm links described herein), and an end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB connected at a distal joint (e.g., wrist axis WX) to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector 211 , 21 1 A, 211 B having a substrate or susceptor holding station SHS located thereon, where the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is a silicon carbide end effector of silicon carbide material configured so that the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB is substantially electrically semi -conductive as a unit. The end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB is articulated (Fig. 14, Block 1410) relative to the one or more movable arm links, where at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint SX, EX disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333, and the distal joint WX is disposed so that the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links. An active heater AH of the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB that is connected to and in thermal communication with the silicon carbide material, controllably heats the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS (Fig. 14, Block 1420), to a temperature of between about 400°C to about 900°C, with the end effector transporting a substrate.

[0117] The method may include one or more of the following, individually or in any suitable combination: the active heater AH has a thermal source 450, 451 that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the silicon carbide material; the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS has contacts 499 that touch a substrate S or a susceptor SS on the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS; the at least one joint SX, EX is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm 333; sensing, with a temperature sensor (e.g., see at least, the one or more of temperature sensors 466A-466C, 477A, 477B, 485, 486, 488, and 489 described herein) connected to the base 201, a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS, or a substrate S or a susceptor SS held by the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS, and registering (in any suitable memory), with a controller 110 communicably connected to the temperature sensor, temperature sensor temperature data embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS, or the substrate S or susceptor SS held by the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS, wherein the controller 110 is operably connected to the active heater AH to heat the end effector 211, 211 A, 21 IB based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station SHS from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature.

[0118] 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.

[0119] In accordance with present disclosure a substrate transport apparatus comprises: a base; an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links; and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon; wherein at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links; and wherein the end effector is an electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive as a unit, and the endeffector has an active heater connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material so as to controllably heat at least a portion of the end effector 211, 211A, 21 IB and / or the substrate or susceptor holding station, to a temperature of 400°C or more, with the end effector transporting a substrate (or susceptor - e.g., heating occurs on-the-fly with substrate or susceptor transport).

[0120] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate transport apparatus includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0121] the ceramic material is silicon carbide or alumina;

[0122] the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi- conductive material;

[0123] the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0124] the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm;

[0125] the end effector has a temperature sensor connected to the ceramic material and arranged to sense a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or a substrate or a susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0126] a controller is communicably connected to the temperature sensor to register temperature sensor temperature data embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or the substrate or susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0127] the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature;

[0128] the predetermined second temperature corresponds to a substrate temperature or a susceptor temperature compliant with a predetermined process temperature of a process chamber to or from which the end effector is moved; and / or

[0129] the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor, held by the substrate or susceptor holding station, from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature, wherein the first temperature is below 400°C, and the second temperature is above 400°C.

[0130] In accordance with present disclosure a substrate transport apparatus comprises: a base; an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links; and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon; wherein at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links; and wherein the end effector is a silicon carbide end effector of silicon carbide material configured so that the end effector is substantially electrically semi -conductive as a unit, and the end effector has an active heater connected to and in thermal communication with the silicon carbide material so as to controllably heat the substrate or susceptor holding station, to a temperature of between about 400°C to about 900°C, with the end effector transporting a substrate (or susceptor - e.g., heating occurs on-the-fly with transport of the substrate or susceptor).

[0131] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate transport apparatus includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0132] the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the silicon carbide material;

[0133] the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0134] the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm;

[0135] a temperature sensor is connected to the base and arranged to sense a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or a substrate or a susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0136] a controller is communicably connected to the temperature sensor to register temperature sensor temperature data embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or the substrate or susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0137] the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature;

[0138] the predetermined second temperature corresponds to a substrate temperature or a susceptor temperature compliant with a predetermined process temperature of a process chamber to or from which the end effector is moved; and / or

[0139] the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor, held by the substrate or susceptor holding station, from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature, wherein the first temperature is below 400°C, and the second temperature is above 400°C.

[0140] In accordance with present disclosure a method comprises: providing a substrate transport apparatus comprising: a base, an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links, and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon, where the end effector is an electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive as a unit, and at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the atleast one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links; and with the end effector transporting a substrate (or susceptor), controllably heating the substrate or susceptor holding station to a temperature of 400°C or more with an active heater connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector (e.g., heating occurs on-the-fly with transport of the substrate or susceptor).

[0141] In accordance with the present disclosure, the method includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0142] sensing, with a temperature sensor of the substrate transport apparatus, a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or a substrate or a susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0143] registering, with a controller communicab ly connected to the temperature sensor, temperature sensor temperature data embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or the substrate or susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0144] effecting with the controller that is operably connected to the active heater, heating the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature;

[0145] the predetermined second temperature corresponds to a substrate temperature or a susceptor temperature compliant with a predetermined process temperature of a process chamber to or from which the end effector is moved;

[0146] heating, with the controller operably connected to the active heater, the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raising the temperature of the substrate or susceptor, held by the substrate or susceptor holding station, from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature, wherein the first temperature is below 400°C, and the second temperature is above 400°C;

[0147] the ceramic material is silicon carbide or alumina;

[0148] the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi- conductive material;

[0149] the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station; and / or

[0150] the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm.

[0151] In accordance with the present disclosure, a substrate transport apparatus is comprises: a base; an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links; and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station pads located thereon, the substrate or susceptor holding station pads are configured to support a substrate or susceptor on the end effector; wherein: at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector is an electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive as a unit, and the end effector has an active heater connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material so as to controllably heat the substrate or susceptor holding station pads, to a temperature of 400°C or more, with the end effector transporting a substrate.

[0152] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate transport apparatus includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0153] the ceramic material is silicon carbide or alumina;

[0154] the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi- conductive material;

[0155] the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0156] the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm;

[0157] the end effector has a temperature sensor connected to the ceramic material and arranged to sense a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or a substrate or a susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0158] a controller communicably connected to the temperature sensor to register temperature sensor temperature data embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or the substrate or susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0159] the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature;

[0160] the predetermined second temperature corresponds to a substrate temperature or a susceptor temperature compliant with a predetermined process temperature of a process chamber to or from which the end effector is moved; and

[0161] the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor, held by the substrate or susceptor holding station, from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature, wherein the first temperature is below 400°C, and the second temperature is above 400°C.

[0162] In accordance with the present disclosure, a method comprises: providing substrate transport apparatus including: a base, an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal jointabout which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links, and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon, where the end effector is a silicon carbide end effector of silicon carbide material configured so that the end effector is substantially electrically semi-conductive as a unit; articulating the end effector relative to the one or more movable arm links, where at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links; and controllably heating, with an active heater of the end effector that is connected to and in thermal communication with the silicon carbide material, the substrate or susceptor holding station, to a temperature of between about 400°C to about 900°C, with the end effector transporting a substrate.

[0163] In accordance with the present disclosure, the method includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0164] the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the silicon carbide material;

[0165] the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station;

[0166] the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm;

[0167] sensing, with a temperature sensor connected to the base, a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or a substrate or a susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station; and

[0168] registering, with a controller communicably connected to the temperature sensor, temperature sensor temperature data embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or the substrate or susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station; and wherein the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holdingstation from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature.

[0169]

[0170] In accordance with the present disclosure, a substrate transport apparatus is provided. The substrate transport apparatus including a base, an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links, and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon, with contacts that touch a substrate or susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station, wherein at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least one movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the at least one movable link has at least another rotary joint to which the end effector is rotatably joined to the at least one movable link, and a data communication and power network dependent from the at least one movable link and coupled to a controller, wherein the end effector has an active thermal control system (including at least one of a heater and a cooler) dependent therefrom and coupled to the network, the thermal control system communicating thermally with the substrate or susceptor touching the contacts so as to effect predetermined thermal state of the substrate or susceptor.

[0171] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate transport apparatus includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0172] the active thermal control system has a thermal source, or sink, configured so as to communicate thermally with the substrate or susceptor touching the contacts in at least one of indirect thermal communication via driving thermal change of the contacts (e.g. conduction path) and direct thermal communication with (wherein the thermal source, or sink, drives or absorbs thermal energy directly from, e.g. direct radiant path) the substrate or susceptor;

[0173] the active thermal control system is configured to effect a predetermined thermal change of the substrate or susceptor;

[0174] the active thermal control system is configured so as to raise a temperature of the contacts above an ambient temperature of the end effector so as to effect the predetermined thermal state;

[0175] the active thermal control system is configured so as to lower a temperature of the contacts below an ambient temperature of the end effector so as to effect the predetermined thermal state;

[0176] the active thermal control system has a temperature feedback sensor registering temperature of at least one of one, or more, of the contacts and the substrate or susceptor;

[0177] the controller is configured to determine, from the registered temperature of the substrate, or susceptor, a predetermined temperature change of the substrate, or susceptor, and effect with the active thermal control system a change in temperature of the substrate, or susceptor, to the predetermined temperature change;

[0178] the predetermined temperature change is commensurate with precondition of the substrate, or susceptor, for processing in a process module (so as to eliminate precondition post transport);

[0179] the network includes a bus arranged for data communication and DC power transmission; and

[0180] the network is distributed throughout the articulated arm from terminal j oint through distal joint, the network being housed in a housing of the at least one movable link and crosses each rotary joint of the housing.

[0181] In accordance with the present disclosure, a substrate transport apparatus is provided. The substrate transport apparatus including a base, an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links, and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon, with contacts that touch a substrate or susceptor on the holding station, wherein at least one movable link, of the one or more arm links, has at least one rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the at least one movable link has at least another rotary joint to which the end effector is rotatably joined to the at least one movable link, and a data communication and power network dependentfrom the at least one movable link and coupled to a controller, wherein the end effector has an active thermal control system (including at least one of a heater and a cooler) dependent therefrom and coupled to the network, the thermal control system communicating thermally with the substrate or susceptor touching the contacts so as to effect on the fly (substantially coincident with transport) thermal preconditioning of the substrate or susceptor.

[0182] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate or susceptor is in a different thermal condition, on initial touching of the contacts, than the thermal precondition effected on the fly.

[0183] In accordance with the present disclosure, a method includes: providing a substrate transport apparatus including: a base; an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links, and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon, with contacts that touch a substrate or susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station; and a data communication and power network dependent from the at least one movable link and coupled to a controller; wherein: at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least one movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the at least one movable link has at least another rotary joint to which the end effector is rotatably joined to the at least one movable link, and the end effector has an active thermal control system dependent therefrom and coupled to the network, the thermal control system communicating thermally with the substrate or susceptor touching the contacts; and effecting, with the active thermal control system, a predetermined thermal state of the substrate or susceptor.

[0184] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate transport apparatus includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0185] the active thermal control system has a thermal source, or sink, configured so as to communicate thermally with the substrate or susceptor touching the contacts in at least one of indirect thermal communication via driving thermal change of the contacts and direct thermal communication with the substrate or susceptor;

[0186] the active thermal control system effects a predetermined thermal change of the substrate or susceptor;

[0187] the active thermal control system raises a temperature of the contacts above an ambient temperature of the end effector so as to effect the predetermined thermal state;

[0188] the active thermal control system lowers a temperature of the contacts below an ambient temperature of the end effector so as to effect the predetermined thermal state;

[0189] the active thermal control system has a temperature feedback sensor registering temperature of at least one of one, or more, of the contacts and the substrate or susceptor;

[0190] the controller determines, from the registered temperature of the substrate, or susceptor, a predetermined temperature change of the substrate, or susceptor, and effect with the active thermal control system a change in temperature of the substrate, or susceptor, to the predetermined temperature change;

[0191] the predetermined temperature change is commensurate with precondition of the substrate, or susceptor, for processing in a process module;

[0192] the network includes a bus arranged for data communication and DC power transmission; and

[0193] the network is distributed throughout the articulated arm from terminal j oint through distal joint, the network being housed in a housing of the at least one movable link and crosses each rotary joint of the housing.

[0194] In accordance with the present disclosure, a method includes: providing a substrate transport apparatus including: a base; an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links, and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon, with contacts that touch a substrate or susceptor on the holding station; and a data communication and power network dependent from the at least one movable link and coupled to a controller; wherein: at least one movable link, of the one or more arm links, has at least one rotary joint with an axis of rotationabout which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the at least one movable link has at least another rotary joint to which the end effector is rotatably joined to the at least one movable link; and the end effector has an active thermal control system dependent therefrom and coupled to the network, the thermal control system communicating thermally with the substrate or susceptor touching the contacts; and effecting, with the thermal control system, on the fly thermal preconditioning of the substrate or susceptor.

[0195] In accordance with the present disclosure, the substrate transport apparatus includes one or more of the following (alone or in any combination):

[0196] the substrate or susceptor is in a different thermal condition, on initial touching of the contacts, than the thermal precondition effected on the fly;

[0197] the active thermal control system has a thermal source or sink 1801, configured so as to communicate thermally with the substrate or susceptor touching the contacts in at least one of indirect thermal communication via driving thermal change of the contacts (e.g. conduction path) and direct thermal communication with (wherein the thermal source, or sink, drives or absorbs thermal energy directly from, e.g. direct radiant path) the substrate or susceptor;

[0198] the active thermal control system is configured to effect a predetermined thermal change of the substrate or susceptor;

[0199] the active thermal control system is configured so as to raise a temperature of the contacts above an ambient temperature of the end effector so as to effect the predetermined thermal state;

[0200] the active thermal control system is configured so as to lower a temperature of the contacts below an ambient temperature of the end effector so as to effect the predetermined thermal state;

[0201] the active thermal control system has a temperature feedback sensor registering temperature of at least one of one, or more, of the contacts and the substrate or susceptor;

[0202] the controller is configured to determine, from the registered temperature of the substrate, or susceptor, a predetermined temperature change of the substrate, or susceptor, and effect withthe active thermal control system a change in temperature of the substrate, or susceptor, to the predetermined temperature change;

[0203] the predetermined temperature change is commensurate with precondition of the substrate, or susceptor, for processing in a process module (so as to eliminate precondition post transport);

[0204] the network includes a bus arranged for data communication and DC power transmission; and

[0205] the network is distributed throughout the articulated arm from terminal j oint through distal joint, the network being housed in a housing of the at least one movable link and crosses each rotary joint of the housing.

[0206] 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.

[0207] What is claimed is:

Claims

CLAIMS1. A substrate transport apparatus comprising: a base; an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links; and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon; wherein: at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector is an electrically non-conductive or semi -conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive as a unit, and the end effector has an active heater connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material so as to controllably heat at least a portion of the end effector and the substrate or susceptor holding station, to a temperature of 400°C or more, with the end effector transporting a substrate.

2. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material is silicon carbide or alumina.

3. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material.

4. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station.

5. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm.

6. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the end effector has a temperature sensor connected to the ceramic material and arranged to sense a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or a substrate or a susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station.

7. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a controller communicably connected to the temperature sensor to register temperature sensor temperature data embodying the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or the substrate or susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station.

8. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature different than the first temperature.

9. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 9, wherein the predetermined second temperature corresponds to a substrate temperature or a susceptor temperature compliant with a predetermined process temperature of a process chamber to or from which the end effector is moved.

10. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is operably connected to the active heater to heat the end effector based on the registered temperature data and raise the temperature of the substrate or susceptor, held by the substrate or susceptor holding station, from a first temperature to a predetermined second temperature, wherein the first temperature is below 400°C, and the second temperature is above 400°C.

11. A substrate transport apparatus comprising: a base; an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links; and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station pads located thereon, the substrate or susceptor holding station pads are configured to support a substrate or susceptor on the end effector; wherein: at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector is an electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive end effector of a ceramic material so that the end effector is substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive as a unit, and the end effector has an active heater connected to and in thermal communication with the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material so as to controllably heat the substrate or susceptor holding station pads, to a temperature of 400°C or more, with the end effector transporting a substrate.

12. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 11, wherein the ceramic material is silicon carbide or alumina.

13. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 11, wherein the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the substantially electrically non-conductive or semi-conductive material.

14. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station.

15. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm.

16. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 11, wherein the end effector has a temperature sensor connected to the ceramic material and arranged to sense a temperature of the substrate or susceptor holding station, or a substrate or a susceptor held by the substrate or susceptor holding station.

17. A method comprising: providing substrate transport apparatus including: a base, an articulated arm connected to the base with a terminal joint about which the articulated arm rotates and extends, and having one or more movable arm links, and an end effector connected at a distal joint to the one or more movable arm links, the end effector having a substrate or susceptor holding station located thereon, where the end effector is a silicon carbide end effector of silicon carbide material configured so that the end effector is substantially electrically semi-conductive as a unit; articulating the end effector relative to the one or more movable arm links, where at least one movable link, of the one or more movable arm links, has at least one joint disposed so that the at least one movable link articulates effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm, and the distal joint is disposed so that the end effector articulates relative to the one or more movable arm links; andcontrollably heating, with an active heater of the end effector that is connected to and in thermal communication with the silicon carbide material, the substrate or susceptor holding station, to a temperature of between about 400°C to about 900°C, with the end effector transporting a substrate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the active heater has a thermal source that is an electrically resistive coating or an electrically resistive member that contacts the silicon carbide material.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the substrate or susceptor holding station has contacts that touch a substrate or a susceptor on the substrate or susceptor holding station.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one joint is a rotary joint with an axis of rotation about which the at least movable link rotates in articulation effecting extension and retraction of the articulated arm.

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