Substrate Transfer Unit with Photo-Sensor Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In substrate treatment equipment, abnormal phenomena such as cracks or warps in substrates due to thermal stress can lead to collisions with automatic carrying mechanisms, causing damage, and manual collection introduces contamination risks. Current systems require manual operation to handle abnormal substrates, which can reintroduce particles and affect normal substrates.
Innovation Solution
The equipment incorporates a sensing mechanism using a photo-sensor on a transfer unit to detect abnormal substrate conditions, allowing the automatic substrate carrying mechanism to collect only substrates in a normal condition, preventing particle introduction and oxidation, by controlling the transfer unit to handle abnormal substrates separately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual collection of abnormal substrates is performed, then abnormal substrates can be removed, but particles from human body contaminate normal substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the abnormal substrate from the group of substrates by using a sensing mechanism to identify and separate it from normal substrates. The transfer unit is controlled to transfer only normal substrates, leaving abnormal substrates behind in the substrate holder, thus removing the harmful element without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-correction by using the sensing mechanism to detect abnormal substrates and the control unit to automatically adjust the transfer process. The equipment handles its own quality control without requiring human operators to enter the treatment chamber.
2Reliability
If manual operation is required to handle abnormal substrates, then substrate conditions can be addressed, but oxidation of substrates occurs due to atmosphere changes
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing mechanism detects abnormal substrates before they are transferred out of the treatment chamber. The control unit预先 determines which substrates should be transferred and which should remain, ensuring that substrate removal decisions are made while the chamber atmosphere is still controlled, preventing oxidation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated sensing and control system. The photo-sensor-based detection mechanism and automated transfer control eliminate the need for human operators to physically handle substrates within the treatment chamber, thereby preventing oxidation caused by atmosphere changes.
3Measurement precision
If sensing mechanism is added to detect substrate conditions, then abnormal substrates can be identified, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light-based intermediary (laser beam) as the sensing mechanism to detect substrate conditions. This optical intermediary allows non-contact detection of substrate presence and condition without requiring physical interaction or complex mechanical sensing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing mechanism detects changes in optical parameters (light transmission, reflection, or absorption) to identify abnormal substrate conditions. By monitoring parameter changes in the laser light as it passes through or reflects from substrates, the system can detect abnormalities without complex mechanical sensors.
4Productivity
If all substrates are transferred automatically, then productivity is high, but abnormal substrates cause collisions and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing mechanism provides real-time feedback about substrate conditions to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit dynamically adjusts the transfer process, allowing automatic high-speed transfer of normal substrates while stopping or modifying transfer when abnormal substrates are detected, thus preventing collisions and damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial automatic transfer by selectively transferring only normal substrates while leaving abnormal substrates behind. This partial action approach maintains high productivity for the majority of normal substrates while preventing the harmful effects that would occur if all substrates were transferred automatically.
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
This solution enables the automatic collection of substrates in a normal condition without manual intervention, reducing contamination and oxidation risks, ensuring safe and efficient substrate handling within the equipment.
Implementation Method 1
the sensing mechanism has a photo-sensor provided on the transfer unit, and senses the substrates in the substrate holder by moving the photo-sensor using a vertical shaft of the transfer unit
Data Source
AI summary
The invention aims to provide substrate treatment equipment that can automatically collect a substrate in a normal condition without needing manual operation. The equipment includes a substrate holder 26 for holding substrates 12 in a multistage manner and a substrate transfer unit 34 for transferring the substrates 12 into the substrate holder 26, wherein a substrate holding condition of the substrate holder 26 is sensed by a sensing section 60. The sensing section 60 has photo-sensors 64a, 64b, and sensing waveforms sensed by the photo-sensors 64a, 64b are compared with a normal waveform. A control section 66 is provided, which controls a substrate transfer unit 34 such that substrates 12 other than at least a substrate 12 that was determined to be abnormal are transferred by the unit.