Substrate Center Teaching via Coordinate Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, the transfer robot struggles to accurately match the center of a substrate with the center of a support unit, especially when the measurement unit and transfer robot axes do not align, leading to errors in teaching operations.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treating apparatus and method that includes a support unit, a transfer robot, a measurement unit, and an analysis part to detect and calculate center coordinate values using digital image information and trigonometric functions, allowing the transfer robot to be taught to align with the support unit's center even if the measurement unit and transfer robot centers do not match.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a measurement apparatus is used to measure the position of the substrate and support unit, then the center position can be detected, but if the axis of the measurement apparatus does not match the axis of the transfer robot, measurement errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary coordinate conversion process that acts as a mediator between the measurement apparatus coordinate system and the transfer robot coordinate system. The conversion apparatus transforms coordinates from the measurement apparatus reference point to the transfer robot reference point, eliminating the error caused by axis misalignment without requiring physical realignment of the measurement apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation by introducing correction values that account for the offset between the measurement apparatus axis and transfer robot axis. Instead of physically aligning the axes, the system mathematically adjusts the coordinate parameters through conversion formulas that incorporate the known offset distance, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy despite physical misalignment.
2Productivity
If the transfer robot is taught using measurement values from the measurement apparatus, then the substrate can be transferred, but axis misalignment causes teaching errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the correction values for the coordinate system offset before the actual substrate transfer operation. The conversion apparatus is configured with the offset distance in advance, so that during teaching operations, the correct coordinates are automatically provided without requiring real-time calculation or physical repositioning of the measurement apparatus.
3Measurement precision
If the measurement apparatus axis is physically realigned with the transfer robot axis, then measurement accuracy improves, but system complexity and adjustment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical alignment system with a computational coordinate conversion system. Instead of physically adjusting the measurement apparatus to align with the transfer robot axis, the system uses software-based coordinate transformation that mathematically compensates for the offset, thereby eliminating complex mechanical adjustment procedures while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
The substrate treating apparatus includes an analysis part configured to communicate with a measurement unit to be input with an information with respect to a boundary, to calculate a center coordinate value of a substrate and a center coordinate value of a support unit with an input information on the boundary, to set a calculated center coordinate value of the support unit as a center coordinate value of the measurement unit, to set a calculated center coordinate value of the substrate as a center coordinate value of a transfer robot, to record the center coordinate value of the transfer robot on a plane coordinate system of the measurement unit, and to convert a recorded center coordinate value of the transfer robot and a center coordinate value of the measurement unit to a plane coordinate system of the transfer robot to teach the transfer robot.