Substrate Gripper with Variable Height Suction Pads for Warpage Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate grippers face challenges in stabilizing large-area substrates with warpage due to reduced contact area, leading to weakened gripping force and potential vacuum leaks, especially when transferring sensitive materials like semiconductor wafers or glass substrates.
Innovation Solution
A substrate gripper design featuring a frame with pad holes and suction pads of varying heights, where the first suction pad has a bellows-type vacuum pad for offsetting warpage and the second has a flat-type vacuum pad for enhanced horizontal gripping force, with independent flow paths to control suction forces, ensuring stable substrate transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the contact area of the substrate gripper with the target substrate is reduced, then the substrate transfer device can handle sensitive substrates, but the gripping force weakens and stability of substrate transfer operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate gripper is divided into multiple suction pads (first suction pad and second suction pad) with different heights, creating segmented contact points that distribute gripping force across multiple locations on the substrate surface
Solution Approach 2:
Different suction pads are designed with different heights to create local variations in contact characteristics, allowing the first suction pad to contact the substrate at a higher position while the second suction pad contacts at a lower position, optimizing grip distribution
2Ease of operation
If the contact area between the substrate gripper and the target substrate is small, then the substrate transfer device operates with less contact, but substrate warpage frequently occurs on non-contact areas and vacuum leak happens
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a height dimension difference between suction pads, with the first suction pad positioned at a higher level and the second suction pad at a lower level, creating multi-level contact points that address warpage issues while maintaining vacuum seal integrity
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple suction pads with different heights are used, then substrate warpage is compensated and gripping stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows-type vacuum pad is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing it to dynamically adjust to substrate warpage through its expandable and contractible structure, compensating for surface irregularities without requiring precise mechanical positioning
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The gripper achieves a strong horizontal gripping force of 10 mN/mm² or more, minimizing substrate falling during transfer and reducing vacuum leaks, while maintaining stability and preventing contamination of sensitive substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of suction pads disposed on the frame and connected to the pad holes, wherein the suction pad has a contact surface which comes into contact with one surface of a target substrate when the target substrate is mounted
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a substrate gripper and a method of transferring a substrate using the same, which include a frame, a plurality of pad holes connected to the frame, and a plurality of suction pads disposed on the frame and connected to the pad holes, wherein the suction pad has a contact surface which comes into contact with one surface of a target substrate when the target substrate is mounted, the suction pad includes a first suction pad having a contact surface at a first height, without supporting the target substrate, and a second suction pad having a contact surface at a second height in a state of not supporting the target substrate, and the first height is greater than the second height based on the frame. In this way, the substrate gripper can stably suction and support the target substrate even when warpage occurs. In addition, the substrate gripper has a strong vertical gripping force and a strong horizontal gripping force and is capable of stably suctioning and supporting the target substrate.