Dual-Arm Mechanical Indexer for Faster Multi-Station Substrate Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In substrate processing systems, the mechanical indexer's rotation and transfer times become a significant portion of the total processing time as process times in each station decrease and more processes are performed on substrates.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical indexer with two independently rotatable arms, each having end effectors, is configured to rotate into an X-shaped configuration to align substrates with multiple processing stations, allowing for simultaneous transfer of multiple substrates and reducing transfer times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single-arm mechanical indexer is used to transfer substrates between processing stations, then the device complexity is low, but the substrate transfer time increases and processing throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical indexer is divided into two independent arms (first arm and second arm), each capable of independently rotating and positioning substrates at processing stations. This segmentation allows simultaneous operation of multiple arms, enabling parallel substrate transfer operations and reducing overall transfer time while increasing processing throughput.
2Productivity
If process times in each station are decreased to improve productivity, then the processing efficiency increases, but the mechanical indexer's rotation and transfer times become a significant portion of total processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The two arms are configured to operate simultaneously and independently, with each arm continuously transferring substrates between processing stations. This continuous parallel operation eliminates idle time and ensures that the mechanical indexer is constantly performing useful transfer actions, making the indexer operation time a smaller proportion of the already-reduced process times.
3Productivity
If more processes are performed on substrates in each process module to increase productivity, then the processing capacity increases, but the mechanical indexer's transfer time becomes a larger portion of total processing time
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the indexer into two independent arms that can operate in parallel, the system can handle increased process capacity without proportionally increasing transfer time. Each arm independently manages substrate transfer, allowing the system to accommodate more processes per module while maintaining efficient transfer operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A process module for a substrate processing tool includes a plurality of processing stations each configured to perform a process on a substrate and a mechanical indexer arranged within the process module. The mechanical indexer includes a plurality of end effectors including at least a first end effector, a second end effector, and a third end effector. Each of the plurality of end effectors extends in a radial direction from a central axis of the mechanical indexer and is configured to rotate about the central axis within the process module. The mechanical indexer is configured to position each of the plurality of end effectors at any one of the plurality of processing stations within the process module. The mechanical indexer is configured to position more than one of the plurality of end effectors at a same one of the plurality of processing stations at a same time.