Substrate Alignment Device Using Common Shaft and Clutch Switching

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing substrate processing apparatuses face complexity and reduced throughput due to the need for multiple motors and transmission mechanisms to align multiple substrates, leading to increased device size and complexity.

Innovation Solution

A simplified alignment device with rotatable holders, a common shaft member, detectors, and transmission switchers that switch rotation based on detection results, allowing concurrent alignment of multiple substrates without multiple rotation drivers, and a substrate processing apparatus that includes this alignment device to unify substrate orientations for improved processing accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple motors and transmission mechanisms are provided to rotate multiple rotation tables for aligning multiple wafers, then alignment capability for multiple substrates is improved, but device size increases and configuration becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment capability for multiple substratesVSAvoidconfiguration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple rotation tables are merged into a single rotation table that can hold multiple wafers simultaneously. A single motor drives this shared rotation table, eliminating the need for multiple separate motors and transmission mechanisms. This merging approach maintains the capability to align multiple substrates while significantly reducing device complexity and size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single rotation table is designed to serve multiple functions by accommodating multiple wafers at different positions. The same rotation table and motor system that rotates the wafer for alignment also enables sequential access to multiple wafers stacked or arranged on the table, making the system universal for handling multiple substrates without requiring dedicated drive mechanisms for each.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If multiple motors and transmission mechanisms are provided to rotate multiple rotation tables for aligning multiple wafers, then alignment capability for multiple substrates is improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment capability for multiple substratesVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple rotation tables are merged into a single rotation table that can hold multiple wafers simultaneously. A single motor drives this shared rotation table, eliminating the need for multiple separate motors and transmission mechanisms. This merging approach maintains the capability to align multiple substrates while significantly reducing device complexity and size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple wafers are arranged in a nested or stacked configuration on the single rotation table, similar to nested dolls. This allows multiple substrates to occupy a compact vertical or radial space on the same rotation table, reducing the overall device footprint while maintaining multi-substrate alignment capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Device complexity

If a common shaft member is used to rotate multiple holders with transmission switchers, then device complexity is reduced, but precise control of individual holder rotation becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration simplicityVSAvoidindividual holder rotation control

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The transmission switchers introduce dynamic control to the system, allowing the rotation transmission from the common shaft to each holder to be switched on or off as needed. This dynamic switching capability enables precise control over which holders rotate and when, despite using a single static motor and shaft, resolving the control challenge while maintaining system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates detectors that monitor the rotational position or status of each holder and provide feedback to the control mechanism. This feedback enables the transmission switchers to be actuated at the appropriate moments, ensuring that each holder rotates only when required and stops at the correct position, thereby achieving precise individual control through a common drive shaft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9685363B2Alignment device and substrate processing apparatus

Publication Date: 2017.06.20 SCREEN SEMICON SOLUTIONS CO LTD

AI summary

An aligner includes a plurality of substrate rotators and a shaft member. Each substrate rotator includes a holder, a notch detector, an electromagnetic clutch and a driving belt. Each holder sucks the back surface of the substrate under vacuum and horizontally holds the substrate. Each notch detector detects a notch formed at the substrate, and supplies a detection result to the corresponding electromagnetic clutch as a detection signal. One end of the shaft member is connected to a motor. The shaft member is continuously rotated by the motor. Each electromagnetic clutch switches to a connection state in which rotational force of an inner periphery is transmitted to an outer periphery and a disconnection state in which rotational force of the inner periphery is transmitted to the outer periphery according to a detection signal supplied from the notch detector.