Substrate Transfer Hand Height Control for Warpage Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional substrate transfer apparatuses are unable to recognize the shapes of substrates, such as variations in width and warpage, leading to potential contact issues during transfer, which can cause inconvenience and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

A substrate transfer apparatus equipped with a hand and a sensor holding member, including first and second sensors, that measures the distance between substrates to adjust the hand's height and ensure a predetermined clearance, preventing contact with non-peripheral portions of the substrates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the hand is advanced between substrates to transfer them, then substrate transfer efficiency is improved, but the hand may come into contact with substrates causing inconvenience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate transfer efficiencyVSAvoidhand contact with substrate

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor holding member is advanced between substrates before the hand is advanced, to measure the minimum distance between substrates in advance. This preliminary measurement allows the control unit to calculate the appropriate height at which the hand should be advanced, ensuring the hand will not contact the substrates during transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The first sensor and second sensor provide feedback information about the actual distance between substrates to the control unit. The control unit uses this feedback to dynamically adjust and determine the appropriate height at which the hand should advance, ensuring safe transfer without contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the hand is positioned to avoid contact with substrates, then substrate safety is improved, but transfer precision may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate safetyVSAvoidtransfer precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor holding member acts as an intermediary between the substrates and the hand. It measures the minimum distance between substrates without contacting them, and transmits this information to the control unit, which then determines the appropriate hand positioning. This intermediary measurement mechanism enables both safe and precise transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If a sensor holding member is added to measure substrate distance, then substrate shape recognition is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate distance measurementVSAvoidapparatus structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor holding member serves multiple functions: it holds both the first sensor and the second sensor, provides a reference position for measurement, and acts as a mechanical structure that can be advanced and retracted. This multi-functional design reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 apparatus effectively prevents contact with non-peripheral substrate areas, ensuring reliable and efficient transfer by accurately measuring and adjusting for substrate shape variations, thereby enhancing transfer precision and safety.

Implementation Method 1

a first sensor configured to measure a distance with respect to upper one of the adjacent upper and lower substrates, and a second sensor configured to measure a distance with respect to a lower one of the adjacent upper and lower substrates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTime of Flight: Time of Flight

Data Source

PatentUS20250105040A1Substrate transfer apparatus and substrate processing apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.03.27 SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD

AI summary

A substrate transfer apparatus including the control unit is configured to advance the sensor holding member between a first substrate that is a substrate to be transferred and a second substrate that is on a lower side of the first substrate, and to measure a minimum distance between the substrates, based on a sum of a first minimum distance and a second minimum distance, the first minimum distance being a distance with respect to the substrate at a first measurement point where the first sensor is closest to the first substrate, and the second minimum distance being a distance with respect to the substrate at a second measurement point where the second sensor is closest to the second substrate, and to adjust a height at which the hand is advanced, based on the minimum distance between the substrates so that a distance between the hand and the first substrate and a distance between the hand and the second substrate both become equal to or more than a predetermined distance, when the hand is advanced between the first substrate and the second substrate.