Substrate Carrying Arm Linkage for Low-Turbulence Wafer Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The substrate processing apparatus experiences turbulence due to the telescopic mechanism of the cylindrical container, leading to dust attachment on substrates, which reduces processing efficiency and yield.
Innovation Solution
A substrate carrying apparatus with a carrying arm mechanism that includes a column, upper and lower links, and a driving unit, which moves the arm up and down to minimize turbulence and dust attachment, using a four-bar linkage and linear motion mechanism to reduce air flow disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a telescopic mechanism with overlapping cylindrical containers is used to move the carrying arm vertically, then the substrate carrying apparatus can operate in vertically stacked chambers, but the mechanism generates turbulence that causes dust to swirl upward and attach to substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the driving unit (motor) from the carrying arm mechanism and relocates it to the base. This separation removes the dust-generating component from the clean room environment while maintaining the vertical movement functionality through a linkage mechanism (crank mechanism or belt mechanism) that transmits motion without introducing turbulence into the substrate handling area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (linkage mechanism such as crank mechanism or belt mechanism) that connects the base-mounted driving unit to the carrying arm. This intermediary transmits the vertical movement force without requiring the motor to be directly attached to the moving arm, thereby avoiding turbulence generation in the clean room while achieving the desired vertical motion
2Productivity
If the carrying arm moves up and down to service vertically stacked chambers, then more substrates can be processed in parallel, but the movement generates turbulence that reduces clean room effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The driving unit is extracted from the carrying arm and relocated to the base, eliminating the source of turbulence from the clean room environment. This allows the carrying arm to move vertically for servicing multiple chambers without generating dust-laden air flows that would compromise substrate yield
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces a direct mechanical attachment (motor on arm) with an indirect transmission system (linkage mechanism). This substitution maintains the necessary vertical motion while eliminating the harmful mechanical turbulence that would otherwise occur at the motor mounting location on the moving arm
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate carrying apparatus that can reduce attachment of dust to substrates can be provided. The substrate carrying apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a carrying arm 2 for carrying a substrate, a column 32 standing up from a base body 31 with fixed angle, an upper link 33 which supports the carrying arm 2 at one end, which is rotatably connected to the column 32, and which moves the carrying arm 2 up and down in accordance with a rotation, a lower link 34 which is connected to be rotatable around an axis in parallel with a rotation axis of the upper link 33 as a center below a portion of the column 32 connected to the upper link 33, a connection link 35 which is rotatably connected to the upper link 33 and the lower link 34 so that the upper link 33 rotates in accordance with a rotation of the lower link 34, and a driving unit 4 which rotates the lower link 34.