Load-Lock Support Calibration for Accurate Substrate Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processing systems face challenges in improving the transfer accuracy of substrates during installation or maintenance, as the tilt angles of load-lock modules with respect to the transfer module can cause deviations in substrate positioning, affecting the precision of substrate handling and transfer.
Innovation Solution
A processing system comprising a transfer module with a detection part and a controller that acquires information on the positions of load-lock module supports, calculates tilt angles, and adjusts the positions of these supports to correct for deviations, ensuring accurate substrate transfer by integrating detection sensors and a sophisticated control mechanism for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If tilt angles of load-lock modules are not corrected, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of substrate transfer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary teaching operations to detect and calculate tilt angles of load-lock modules before actual substrate transfer. By pre-calculating correction values based on detected positions of supports and objects, the system compensates for tilt deviations in advance, ensuring accurate substrate transfer without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms with a computational approach. Instead of using physical devices to mechanically correct tilt angles, the system uses detection parts to measure positions, calculates tilt angles through processing, and applies correction values computationally to achieve accurate substrate transfer, thereby reducing mechanical complexity while improving precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If detection parts and control mechanisms are added to correct tilt angles, then the manufacturing precision of substrate transfer is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection parts and controller serve multiple functions: they detect positions of supports and objects, calculate tilt angles of load-lock modules, determine correction values, and apply corrections to substrate transfer operations. By making these components multi-functional, the system achieves high positioning accuracy without adding separate dedicated mechanisms for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-correction by using its own detection parts to identify tilt deviations, calculate correction values, and automatically adjust substrate transfer positions. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external manual calibration or additional complex control systems, achieving high precision while keeping the overall device complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a processing system comprising: a transfer module having therein a transfer device configured to transfer an object to be transferred; a plurality of load-lock modules connected to the transfer module, each having therein a support; a detection part disposed in the transfer device and the plurality of load-lock modules and detecting an object; and a controller configured to process a detection result and control an operation of the transfer device, wherein the controller controls: (A) acquiring information on positions of the supports in the plurality of load-lock modules from a detection result of the object detected by the detection part; and (B) calculating, after said (A), tilt angles of the plurality of load-lock modules with respect to the transfer module based on the acquired information on the positions of the plurality of supports, and setting the positions of the plurality of supports using the calculated tilt angles.