Nested Wafer Robot Arms for Load Lock Throughput
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor wafer processing tools face significant delays due to the time spent transferring wafers between various locations within the Equipment Front End Module (EFEM), particularly at the load lock, which acts as a bottleneck for wafer throughput.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual wafer handling robot arm system with a linear translation system that allows the robot arms to independently traverse along a horizontal axis between nested and non-nested configurations, enabling concurrent picking and placement of wafers from multiple locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single wafer handling robot arm is used in the EFEM, then the device complexity is low, but the wafer transfer time increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested configuration where one robot arm (first robot arm) is positioned inside the workspace of another robot arm (second robot arm). The bases of both robot arms are mounted on the same linear translation system, allowing them to share the translational motion while maintaining independent articulation. This nesting arrangement enables concurrent wafer handling operations without requiring separate mounting locations, thus improving throughput while controlling device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic positioning where both robot arm bases are mounted on a linear translation system that can move along a translation axis. This allows the robot arms to dynamically adjust their positions and workspaces during operation, enabling flexible coordination between the two arms for concurrent wafer transfer operations, thereby increasing productivity without excessive complexity.
2Productivity
If multiple wafer placement locations are added to the load lock, then the wafer throughput increases, but the load lock chamber volume and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a translation dimension along a horizontal axis for the robot arm bases, allowing them to move between different positions. This enables the system to access multiple wafer placement locations (first, second, and third zones) without expanding the load lock chamber volume in the traditional sense. The robot arms can sequentially or concurrently service multiple locations by translating along the axis, effectively increasing throughput within the same chamber volume.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the robot arm bases are fixed in position, then the device complexity is low, but the flexibility to service multiple wafer locations simultaneously is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a shared linear translation system that serves both robot arm bases simultaneously. This single translation system provides multi-functionality by enabling both robot arms to access multiple wafer placement locations (first, second, and third zones) along the translation axis. The universal translation mechanism increases adaptability for servicing various locations while avoiding the complexity of separate translation systems for each robot arm.
Data Source
AI summary
Nesting wafer handling robot arms are provided that may be used to move semiconductor wafers between various wafer placement locations in a semiconductor processing tool. The nesting wafer handling robot arms may be configured so that each wafer handling may be able to translate along a translation system and pick and place wafers independent of what the other wafer handling may be doing. The two wafer handling robot arms may enter a nesting configuration so that each wafer handling robot may concurrently pick or place wafers from wafer placement locations where one wafer placement location is directly above the other.