Substrate Transfer End-Effectors With Optical Sag Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate transfer devices in semiconductor manufacturing face issues such as end-effector sagging, leading to substrate damage and potential accidents like substrate boat throwing due to improper interval adjustment between end-effectors.
Innovation Solution
A substrate transfer device with adjustable end-effectors and integrated abnormality detection units using light emitting and receiving parts to detect sagging, allowing for precise interval adjustment without moving the light sources, thereby preventing substrate damage and accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the interval between end-effectors is adjusted to shorten substrate transfer time, then productivity is improved, but the risk of end-effector sagging and substrate damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The abnormality detection unit performs preliminary detection of end-effector sagging before substrate transfer operations begin. By detecting interval abnormalities in advance through optical sensing, the system prevents substrate damage while enabling safe operation with adjusted intervals for improved productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The detection unit provides real-time feedback on end-effector interval status. When sagging is detected, the system can adjust or halt operations to prevent substrate damage, creating a closed-loop control system that balances productivity improvement with safety assurance
2Productivity
If multiple end-effectors are used to unload substrates at once, then productivity is improved, but the complexity of detecting abnormalities in each end-effector increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single abnormality detection unit serves multiple end-effectors simultaneously by detecting interval changes between them. This multi-functional approach enables monitoring of all end-effectors without requiring separate detection systems for each, thus improving productivity while avoiding increased system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The detection unit combines multiple detection functions into one integrated system. By merging the detection of interval abnormalities between multiple end-effectors into a single unit, the system achieves efficient multi-end effector monitoring without proportionally increasing complexity
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 device effectively detects end-effector sagging before transfer, preventing substrate damage and substrate boat accidents by accurately determining abnormality through optical sensing, ensuring stable substrate handling.
Implementation Method 1
The abnormality detection unit may include a light emitting part and a light receiving part, wherein the light emitting part may include a plurality of light sources provided in numbers corresponding to the number of plurality of end-effectors.
Implementation Method 2
The abnormality detection unit may include: a light amount measurement part configured to measure an amount of light received by the light receiving part; and an abnormality determination part configured to determine an abnormality of each of the plurality of end-effectors through the measured light amount.
Data Source
AI summary
The present inventive concept relates to a substrate transfer device that detects an abnormality of a plurality of end-effectors and a method for determining an abnormality of the substrate transfer device. The substrate transfer device includes: a plurality of end-effectors extending in a first direction and disposed in multi-stages in a second direction crossing the first direction to support substrates, respectively; an interval adjustment unit configured to adjust an interval between the plurality of end-effectors; and an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an abnormality of each of the plurality of end-effectors, wherein the plurality of end-effectors may include: a reference end-effector that is fixed in position; and a variable end-effector that is adjusted in distance from the reference end-effector with respect to the reference end-effector.