Substrate Hand Lever Mechanism for Accurate Seating Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in accurate seating detection due to diffuse reflection from cleaning water and slurry, unstable absorption of pressing loads, and substrate falling during transfer, which affects the precision and stability of the substrate handling process.
Innovation Solution
A hand with seating members featuring a shaft member, lever member, biasing member, and seating sensor is designed to improve seating detection accuracy and stabilize the absorption of pressing loads, while guiding and positioning members help prevent substrate falling by ensuring proper alignment and support during transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an optical sensor is disposed in the seating region to detect substrate seating, then seating detection function is provided, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to diffuse reflection from cleaning water and slurry
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor is extracted from the seating region and disposed above the hand main body. The detection target is changed from the substrate in the seating region to the lever member, which moves upward when substrate is seated. This extraction eliminates the harmful diffuse reflection from cleaning water and slurry while maintaining detection functionality through indirect detection of lever member movement.
2Reliability
If a single blade structure is used to absorb pressing load from top ring, then structural simplicity is maintained, but load absorption stability deteriorates when membrane partially contacts substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The single blade structure is segmented into multiple blades (first blade and second blade). Each blade independently absorbs pressing loads from the top ring membrane, providing stable load absorption even when membrane contact is partial. The segmentation distributes the load across multiple independent elements, enhancing reliability without excessive complexity.
3Reliability
If pins are used for substrate seating, then substrate support function is provided, but substrate falling occurs during transfer due to acceleration displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support mechanism transitions from vertical pin-only support to a two-dimensional support system combining vertical pins with horizontal lever members. The lever members extend horizontally and provide lateral support, preventing substrate displacement during acceleration. This dimensional expansion from 1D to 2D support significantly improves substrate holding stability during transfer operations.
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 solution enhances the accuracy of substrate seating detection, stabilizes the absorption of pressing loads, and effectively prevents substrate falling, thereby improving the overall precision and stability of the substrate handling process in substrate processing apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member that gives a force of rotating the lever member to the lever member so that the second end portion moves downward
Implementation Method 2
an optical sensor that includes a light projector and a light receiver... When the substrate blocks between the light projector and the light receiver, seating of the substrate on the pins is detected
Implementation Method 3
the top ring presses a membrane (a suction surface) against the top surface of the substrate and performs vacuum suction to receive the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A hand for holding the substrate includes a hand main body and a plurality of seating members mounted on the hand main body and on which the substrate is to be seated. Each of the plurality of seating member includes a shaft member supported to the hand main body and a lever member that is supported to the shaft member and includes a first end portion including a seating portion on which the substrate is to be seated and a second end portion disposed on a side opposite to the first end portion across the shaft member. At least a part of the plurality of seating members further includes a biasing member for giving a force of rotating the lever member to the lever member such that the second end portion moves downward and a seating sensor configured to detect an upward movement of the second end portion.