WAFER PROCESSING SYSTEM WITH DUAL WAFER ROBOTS CAPABLE OF ASYNCHRONOUS MOTION

• US 20080152463A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vserv Technologies, Corp.
• Original Assignee: Vserv Technologies, Corp.
• Inventors: Truong, Quoc, Schock, Jerry, Parker, N. William, Chidambaram, Mahendran
• Granted Patent: US 8,137,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 18/025 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/107 of the froglegs type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67184 characterized by the presence of more than one transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20305 Robotic arm

Abstract

A robot assembly for transferring substrates includes a central tube assembly oriented along a central axis, perpendicular to a substrate transfer plane, and having an inner surface that forms part of a first enclosure at a first pressure, and an outer surface that forms part of a second enclosure at a second, different pressure. The robot assembly further includes a transfer robot which itself includes multiple rotor assemblies, each configured to rotate parallel to the substrate transfer plane. The various rotor assemblies are organized in pairs, each pair having one rotor fitted with a telescoping support arm/end effector arrangement to support substrates thereon, and the other rotor fitted with inner and outer actuator arms that cooperate to effect radial movement of the corresponding end effector of the paired rotor assembly. Each rotor is controlled to effect the transfer of substrates within a wafer processing system asynchronously and at differing heights.

Claims

1. A robot assembly for transferring substrates, comprising:

a central tube assembly oriented along a central axis and having an inner surface that forms part of a first enclosure at a first pressure, and an outer surface that forms part of a second enclosure at a second pressure, said second pressure being generally different from said first pressure;

a substrate transfer plane, perpendicular to the central axis of said central tube assembly; and

a first transfer robot including;

a first rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly;

a second rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly and positioned above said first rotor assembly;

a first support arm, rigidly attached to said first rotor assembly and extending radially outwards from said first rotor assembly;

a first slider, supported by said first support arm and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said first support arm;

a first end effector, supported by said first slider and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said first slider;

a first inner actuator arm, having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end being rigidly attached to said second rotor assembly; and

a first outer actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is coupled to said outer end of said first inner actuator arm by a first bearing, said first bearing enabling said first outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said first bearing parallel to said transfer plane; and

said second end is coupled to said first end effector by a second bearing, said second bearing enabling said first outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said second bearing parallel to said transfer plane.

2. The robot assembly of claim 1, wherein said first rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by first bearing means, and said second rotor assembly is mounted on said first rotor assembly by second bearing means.

3. The robot assembly of claim 1, wherein said first rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by first bearing means, and said second rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by second bearing means.

4. The robot assembly of claim 1, wherein said first rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by a first multiplicity of bearing means, and said second rotor is mounted on said central tube assembly by a second multiplicity of bearing means.

5. The robot assembly of claim 4, wherein said first multiplicity of bearing means is two, and said second multiplicity of bearing means is two.

6. The robot assembly of claim 1, wherein said first rotor assembly further comprises a first motor rotor assembly, said first motor rotor assembly including a first multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a first flux return ring, wherein said first multiplicity of permanent magnets are arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially inwards;

and said second rotor assembly further comprises a second motor rotor assembly, said second motor rotor assembly including a second multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a second flux return ring, wherein said second multiplicity of permanent magnets are arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially.

7. The robot assembly of claim 6, wherein said central tube assembly further comprises:

a first stator positioned generally in a first common plane with said first motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, said first stator including a first multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said first multiplicity of permanent magnets; and

a second stator positioned generally in a second common plane with said second motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, said second stator including a second multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said second multiplicity of permanent magnets.

8. The robot assembly of claim 7 wherein said first stator and said second stator are electrically connected to a motor control system configured to vary magnetic field excitations of (i) said first multiplicity of pole faces in said first stator, wherein said varying magnetic field excitations of said first multiplicity of pole faces induce rotation of said first rotor assembly;

and (ii) said second multiplicity of pole faces in said second stator, wherein said varying magnetic field excitations of said second multiplicity of pole faces induce rotation of said second rotor assembly.

9. The robot assembly of claim 1 further comprising a first middle actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein

said first end of said first middle actuator arm is coupled to said first inner actuator arm at a location on said first inner actuator arm approximately halfway between said inner and outer ends of said first inner actuator arm by a third bearing, said third bearing enabling said first middle actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said third bearing parallel to said transfer plane;

and

said second end of said first middle actuator arm is coupled to said first slider by a fourth bearing, said fourth bearing enabling said first middle actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said fourth bearing parallel to said transfer plane.

10. The robot assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second transfer robot comprising:

a third rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly;

a fourth rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly and positioned below said third rotor assembly;

a second support arm, rigidly attached to said third rotor assembly and extending radially outwards from said third rotor assembly;

a second slider, supported by said second support arm and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said second support arm;

a second end effector, supported by said second slider and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said second slider;

a second inner actuator arm, having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end of said second inner actuator arm being rigidly attached to said fourth rotor assembly;

a second outer actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second outer arm is coupled to said outer end of said second inner actuator arm by a third bearing, said third bearing enabling said second outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said third bearing parallel to said transfer plane; and

said second end of said second outer arm is coupled to said second end effector by a fourth bearing, said fourth bearing enabling said second outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said fourth bearing parallel to said transfer plane.

11. The robot assembly of claim 10, wherein said third rotor is mounted on said central tube assembly by first bearing means;

and said fourth rotor is mounted on said third rotor assembly by second bearing means.

12. The robot assembly of claim 10, wherein said third rotor is mounted on said central tube assembly by first bearing means;

and said fourth rotor is mounted on said central tube assembly by second bearing means.

13. The robot assembly of claim 10, wherein said third rotor is mounted on said central tube assembly by a third multiplicity of bearing means;

and said fourth rotor is mounted on said central tube assembly by a fourth multiplicity of bearing means.

14. The robot assembly of claim 13, wherein said third multiplicity of bearing means is two and said fourth multiplicity of bearing means is two.

15. The robot assembly of claim 10, wherein said third rotor assembly further comprises a third motor rotor assembly, said third motor rotor assembly including a third multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a third flux return ring, wherein said third multiplicity of permanent magnets are arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially inwards;

and said fourth rotor assembly further comprises a fourth motor rotor assembly, said fourth motor rotor assembly including a fourth multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a fourth flux return ring, and wherein said fourth multiplicity of permanent magnets are in arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially.

16. The robot assembly of claim 15, wherein said central tube assembly further comprises:

a third stator positioned generally in a third common plane as said third motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, wherein said third stator includes a third multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said third multiplicity of permanent magnets; and

a fourth stator positioned generally in a fourth common plane as said fourth motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, wherein said fourth stator comprises a fourth multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said fourth multiplicity of permanent magnets.

17. The robot assembly of claim 16 wherein said third stator and said fourth stator are electrically connected to a motor control system configured to vary magnetic field excitations of (i) said third multiplicity of pole faces in said third stator, wherein said varying magnetic field excitations of said third multiplicity of pole faces induces rotation of said third rotor assembly;

and (ii) said fourth multiplicity of pole faces in said fourth stator, wherein said varying magnetic field excitations of said fourth multiplicity of pole faces induces rotation of said fourth rotor assembly.

18. The robot assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a first middle actuator arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first middle actuator arm is coupled to said first inner actuator arm at a location on said first inner actuator arm approximately halfway between said inner and outer ends of said first inner actuator arm by a fifth bearing, said fifth bearing enabling said first middle actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said fifth bearing parallel to said transfer plane, and said second end of said first middle actuator arm is coupled to said first slider by a sixth bearing, said sixth bearing enabling said first middle actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said sixth bearing parallel to said transfer plane; and

a second middle actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second middle actuator arm is coupled to said second inner actuator arm at a location on said second inner actuator arm approximately halfway between said inner and outer ends of said second inner actuator arm by a seventh bearing, said seventh bearing enabling said second middle actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said seventh bearing parallel to said transfer plane, and said second end of said second middle actuator arm is coupled to said second slider by an eighth bearing, said eighth bearing enabling said second middle actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said eighth bearing parallel to said transfer plane.

19. The robot assembly of claim 18, further comprising:

a bellows, having an upper and a lower end, oriented generally along the central axis of said central tube assembly, wherein said upper end of said bellows is attached with a vacuum seal to the lower end of said central tube assembly, and said lower end of said bellows is attached with a vacuum seal to said second enclosure; and

a vertical actuator assembly attached to said central tube assembly within said first enclosure, said vertical actuator assembly enabling vertical motion of said central tube assembly relative to said second enclosure, said vertical motion enabling simultaneous vertical motion of said first and second end effectors.

20. The robot assembly of claim 18 further comprising:

a first roller, attached to said outer surface of said central tube assembly;

a second roller, attached to said outer surface of said central tube assembly;

a first cam, attached to said first rotor assembly, and positioned to be in contact with said first roller, wherein a profile of said first cam is shaped to vary a vertical position of said first rotor during rotation of said first rotor, thereby enabling vertical motion of said first end effector; and

a second cam, attached to said third rotor assembly, and positioned to be in contact with said second roller, wherein a profile of said second cam is shaped to vary a vertical position of said third rotor during rotation of said third rotor, thereby enabling vertical motion of said second end effector.

21. The robot assembly of claim 18 further comprising;

a first roller, attached to said first rotor assembly;

a second roller, attached to said third rotor assembly;

a first cam, attached to said outer surface of said central tube assembly, and positioned to be in contact with said first roller, wherein a profile of said first cam is shaped to vary a vertical position of said first rotor during rotation of said first rotor, thereby enabling vertical motion of said first end effector, and

a second cam, attached to said outer surface of said central tube assembly, and positioned to be in contact with said second roller, wherein a profile of said second cam is shaped to vary a vertical position of said third rotor during rotation of said third rotor, thereby enabling vertical motion of said second end effector.

22. A robot assembly for transferring substrates, comprising:

a central tube assembly oriented about an axis and having an inner surface of said that forms part of a first enclosure at a first pressure and an outer surface that forms part of a second enclosure at a second pressure, said second pressure being generally different from said first pressure;

a substrate transfer plane, perpendicular to the axis of said central tube assembly; and

a first transfer robot including;

a first rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly;

a second rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly and positioned above said first rotor assembly;

a first support arm, rigidly attached to said first rotor assembly and extending radially outwards from said first rotor assembly;

a first slider, supported by said first support arm and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said first support arm;

a first end effector, supported by said first slider and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said first slider;

a second support arm, rigidly attached to said first rotor assembly so as to be at a common height as said first support arm but rotated azimuthally from said first support arm by a first orientation angle, and extending radially outwards from said first rotor assembly;

a second slider, supported by said second support arm and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said second support arm;

a second end effector, supported by said second slider and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said second slider;

a first inner actuator arm, having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end of said first inner actuator arm being rigidly attached to said second rotor assembly;

a first outer actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first outer arm is coupled to said outer end of said first inner actuator arm by a first bearing, said first bearing enabling said first outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said first bearing parallel to said transfer plane; and

said second end of said first outer actuator arm is coupled to said first end effector by a second bearing, said second bearing enabling said first outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said second bearing parallel to said transfer plane;

a second Inner actuator arm, having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end of said second inner actuator arm being rigidly attached to said second rotor assembly so as to be at a common height as said first inner actuator arm but rotated azimuthally from said first inner actuator arm by said first orientation angle;

a second outer actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said second outer actuator arm is coupled to said outer end of said second inner actuator arm by a third bearing, said third bearing enabling said second outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said third bearing parallel to said transfer plane; and

said second end of said second outer actuator arm is coupled to said second end effector by a fourth bearing, said fourth bearing enabling said second outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said fourth bearing parallel to said transfer plane.

23. The robot assembly of claim 22, further comprising a second transfer robot comprising:

a third rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly;

a fourth rotor assembly, configured to rotate parallel to said transfer plane concentrically with said outer surface of said central tube assembly and positioned below said third rotor assembly;

a third support arm, rigidly attached to said third rotor assembly and extending radially outwards from said third rotor assembly;

a third slider, supported by said third support arm and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said third support arm;

a third end effector, supported by said third slider and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said third slider;

a fourth support arm, rigidly attached to said third rotor assembly so as to be at a common height as said third support arm but rotated azimuthally from said third support arm by a second orientation angle, and extending radially outwards from said third rotor assembly;

a fourth slider, supported by said fourth support arm and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said fourth support arm;

a fourth end effector, supported by said fourth slider and configured to move in a generally radial direction along a length of said fourth slider;

a third inner actuator arm, having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end of said third inner actuator arm being rigidly attached to said fourth rotor assembly;

a third outer actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said third outer actuator arm is coupled to said outer end of said third inner actuator arm by a fifth bearing, said fifth bearing enabling said third outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said fifth bearing parallel to said transfer plane; and

said second end of said third outer actuator arm is coupled to said third end effector by a sixth bearing, said sixth bearing enabling said second outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said sixth bearing parallel to said transfer plane;

a fourth inner actuator arm, having an inner end and an outer end, said inner end of said fourth inner actuator arm being rigidly attached to said fourth rotor assembly so as to be at a common height as said third inner actuator arm but rotated azimuthally from said third inner actuator arm by said second orientation angle;

a fourth outer actuator arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said fourth outer actuator arm is coupled to said outer end of said fourth inner actuator arm by a seventh bearing, said seventh bearing enabling said fourth outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said seventh bearing parallel to said transfer plane; and

said second end of said fourth outer actuator arm Is coupled to said fourth end effector by an eighth bearing, said eighth bearing enabling said fourth outer actuator arm to rotate around an axis of said eighth bearing parallel to said transfer plane.

24. The robot assembly of claim 23, wherein

said first rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by a first multiplicity of bearing means;

said second rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by a second multiplicity of bearing means;

said third rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by a third multiplicity of bearing means; and

said fourth rotor assembly is mounted on said central tube assembly by a fourth multiplicity of bearing means.

25. The robot assembly of claim 23, wherein

said first rotor assembly further comprises a first motor rotor assembly having a first multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a first flux return ring, wherein said first multiplicity of permanent magnets are arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially inwards;

said second rotor assembly further comprises a second motor rotor assembly having a second multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a second flux return ring, and wherein said second multiplicity of permanent magnets are arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially;

said third rotor assembly further comprises a third motor rotor assembly having a third multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a third flux return ring, wherein said third multiplicity of permanent magnets are arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially inwards; and

said fourth rotor assembly further comprises a fourth motor rotor assembly having a fourth multiplicity of permanent magnets attached to a fourth flux return ring, wherein said fourth multiplicity of permanent magnets are arranged in alternating North pole and South pole orientations radially inwards.

26. The robot assembly of claim 25, wherein said central tube assembly further comprises:

a first stator positioned generally in a first common plane with said first motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, wherein said first stator includes a first multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said first multiplicity of permanent magnets;

a second stator positioned generally in a second common plane with said second motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, wherein said second stator includes a second multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said second multiplicity of permanent magnets;

a third stator positioned generally in third common plane with said third motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, wherein said third stator includes a third multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said third multiplicity of permanent magnets; and

a fourth stator positioned generally in a fourth common plane with said fourth motor rotor assembly and inside said first enclosure, wherein said fourth stator includes a fourth multiplicity of pole faces oriented radially outwards towards said fourth multiplicity of permanent magnets.

27. The robot assembly of claim 26, wherein said first stator, said second stator, said third stator, and said fourth stator are electrically connected to a motor control system configured to vary magnetic field excitations of:

(i) said first multiplicity of pole faces in said first stator, thereby to induce rotation of said first rotor assembly;

(ii) said second multiplicity of pole faces in said second stator, thereby to induce rotation of said second rotor assembly;

(iii) said third multiplicity of pole faces in said third stator, thereby to induce rotation of said third rotor assembly; and

(iv) said fourth multiplicity of pole faces in said fourth stator, thereby to induce rotation of said fourth rotor assembly.