Arc-Shaped Guide Surface for Substrate Chuck Positional Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in accurately correcting the rotational position of a substrate chuck without requiring multiple dedicated alignment stages or excessive gas supply, leading to increased complexity and size.
Innovation Solution
A conveyance apparatus with a hand that pivots about a vertical axis and moves horizontally and vertically, featuring hand distal end portions with arc-shaped proximal end surfaces and a guiding portion that allows for precise pivotal motion, enabling simple positional correction of the substrate chuck.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple dedicated alignment stages are used to correct rotational shift of the substrate chuck, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the alignment function with the substrate chuck itself by providing an arc-shaped guide surface directly on the chuck's side surface. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated alignment stages, as the chuck now performs both holding and alignment functions simultaneously, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate chuck is designed with dual functionality: it serves as both the holding device for substrates and the alignment device through its arc-shaped guide surface. This multi-functional design allows a single component to achieve both substrate support and rotational position correction, reducing the number of required components while maintaining alignment accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If a substrate stage is made drivable at large strokes in the rotational direction to perform positioning, then positioning precision is improved, but the substrate stage must be upsized
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment function is merged into the substrate chuck structure through the arc-shaped guide surface, eliminating the need for a large-stroke drivable substrate stage. The rotational positioning is achieved through the interaction between the arc-shaped guide surface and the flat guide surface, allowing precise alignment without requiring the substrate stage to be oversized for large rotational strokes.
3Ease of operation
If rotation adjustment is performed on a heavy substrate chuck by discharging gas, then ease of operation is improved, but the amount of gas required increases and apparatus complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic gas discharge method with a mechanical interaction system consisting of an arc-shaped guide surface on the substrate chuck and a flat guide surface on the stage. This mechanical guidance system enables rotation adjustment through controlled contact and friction between the two surfaces, eliminating the need for large quantities of gas while reducing apparatus complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyance apparatus for conveying a substrate chuck includes a hand for supporting the substrate chuck, a main body for pivotally supporting the hand about a vertical axis and movable in horizontal and vertical directions, and a guiding portion for guiding pivotal motion of the hand. The hand includes hand distal end portions and a hand proximal end portion supported by the main body. An end surface of the hand proximal end portion facing the main body is formed in an arc shape of a circle centered about a vertical axis of a reference position between the hand distal end portions. The guiding portion includes a guiding surface that has a shape corresponding to the end surface of the hand proximal end portion and can slidably contact the end surface.