Tool auto-teach method and apparatus
AssigneeBrooks Automation, Inc.
InventorsJairo T. Moura, Aaron Gawlik, Reza Saeidpourazar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate station location, the system including a frame, a substrate transport connected to the frame, the substrate transport having an end effector configured to support a substrate, and a controller configured to move the substrate transport so that the substrate transport biases the substrate supported on the end effector against a substrate station feature causing a change in eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector, determine the change in eccentricity, and determine the substrate station location based on at least the change in eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector.
Claims20
A process tool comprising:
- a frame;
- a substrate transport connected to the frame and having an end effector configured to support a substrate;
- and
- a substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate station location, the substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system including a controller configured to
- move the substrate transport so as to iteratively contact a substrate station feature with the substrate on the end effector to confirm an eccentricity of the substrate, relative to a coordinate system of the substrate transport, until a change in eccentricity resolves to a common eccentricity, and
- determine the substrate station location based on the common eccentricity.
A method comprising:
- providing a frame of a process tool;
- providing a substrate transport connected to the frame and having an end effector configured to support a substrate
- providing a substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate station location;
- moving, with a controller, the substrate transport so as to iteratively contact a substrate station feature with the substrate on the end effector to confirm an eccentricity of the substrate, relative to a coordinate system of the substrate transport, until a change in eccentricity resolves to a common eccentricity;
- and
- determining, with the controller, the substrate station location based on the common eccentricity.
A method comprising:
- providing a substrate transport apparatus having an end effector configured to support a substrate;
- providing a substrate station having at least a first station feature having a predetermined spatial relationship with a substrate holding location of the substrate station;
- and
- automatically teaching a substrate station location of the substrate station by determining the substrate holding location with at least one embedded pick/place command from embedded pick/place commands in a controller,
- wherein the commanded transport of the substrate transport apparatus, from the at least one embedded pick/place command, effects movement of the end effector so that the substrate supported on the end effector interacts with the at least first station feature causing an eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector through contact with the at least first station feature, determining, with the controller, an amount of the eccentricity, and determining, with the controller, a location of the substrate holding location based on the eccentricity and the predetermined spatial relationship.
A substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate holding location comprising:
- a frame;
- a station fixture connected to the frame and having deterministic station features that deterministically define a predetermined position of a teaching substrate in contact with the deterministic station features;
- a teaching substrate configured so that contact with the deterministic station features positions the teaching substrate in the predetermined position with a predetermined relation with and identifying the substrate holding location;
- and
- a substrate transport configured to hold the teaching substrate;
- and
- a controller configured move the substrate transport so that the teaching substrate moves relative to the station features in a common direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.