Substrate Carrier Transfer Control for Higher Processing Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses experience delays in carrying substrates into and out of processing units, which hampers throughput efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a carrier block, processing block, and temporary carrier mount stages, along with a controller that optimizes carrier transfer paths by comparing transfer times through different stages to minimize delays, ensuring efficient carrier movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single temporary carrier mount stage is used for carrier transfer, then the device complexity is reduced, but the throughput is limited due to transfer delays
Solution Approach 1:
The single temporary carrier mount stage is divided into two separate stages: a first temporary carrier mount stage and a second temporary carrier mount stage. This segmentation allows carriers to be transferred through different paths simultaneously, eliminating the bottleneck caused by a single sequential transfer point and thereby improving throughput without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
2Productivity
If the carrier transfer mechanism follows a fixed transfer path, then the control system is simpler, but delays occur when the fixed path is not optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier transfer system transitions from a fixed transfer path to a dynamic, adaptive transfer path. The control system now has the flexibility to select between multiple transfer paths (through the first temporary carrier mount stage or the second temporary carrier mount stage) based on real-time conditions such as carrier availability and processing status, optimizing throughput while maintaining manageable control complexity through automated decision-making.
3Loss of time
If carriers wait in queue for transfer opportunities, then the transfer mechanism is simpler, but the carry-in/out time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of waiting in a single queue for transfer opportunities, carriers can be preliminarily positioned at one of two temporary carrier mount stages. This preliminary positioning allows the system to prepare multiple carriers in advance for transfer, reducing wait times and accelerating the carry-in/out process by having ready-to-transfer carriers available when processing slots become available.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing apparatus includes a carrier block that disposes a carrier; a processing block including a processing module that processes a substrate; a carry-in port and a carry-out port; a substrate discharge port and a substrate reception port provided in the carrier block and mounts the carrier thereon; a first temporary carrier mount stage and a second temporary carrier mount stage that temporarily mount the carrier thereon; a carrier transfer mechanism that transfers the carrier among the carry-in port, the carry-out port, the substrate reception port, the substrate discharge port, the first temporary carrier mount stage, and the second temporary carrier mount stage; and a controller that compares a transfer time via the first temporary carrier mount stage and a transfer time via the second temporary carrier mount stage, and output a control signal for controlling an operation of the carrier transfer mechanism.