Substrate processing apparatus

An electromagnetic conveyor substrate transport apparatus comprising:

• a chamber configured to hold a sealed atmosphere therein, and having a level reference plane and at least one substrate pass through opening for transferring a substrate in and out of the chamber through the opening;
• an array of electromagnets, connected to the chamber to form a drive plane at a predetermined height relative to the level reference plane, the array of electromagnets being arranged so that a series of electromagnets of the array of electromagnets define at least one drive line within the drive plane, electromagnets in the series of electromagnets being grouped into at least one multiphase actuator unit, and each of the at least one multiphase actuator unit being coupled to a multiphase alternating current power source;
• at least one reaction platen of paramagnetic, diamagnetic, or non-magnetic conductive material disposed to cooperate with the electromagnets of the at least one multiphase actuator unit so that excitation of the electromagnets with multiphase alternating current generates levitation and propulsion forces against the reaction platen that controllably levitate and propel the reaction platen along the at least one drive line, in a controlled attitude relative to the drive plane;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the array of electromagnets and multiphase alternating current power source and configured so as to sequentially excite the electromagnets with the multiphase alternating current with a predetermined excitation characteristic so that the at least one reaction platen has six degrees of freedom reaction platen control and is levitated and propelled with at least four degrees of freedom from the six degrees of freedom reaction platen control, wherein the controller is configured so as to determine reaction platen position feedback from variance in the predetermined excitation characteristic of the multiphase alternating current of at least one electromagnet of the at least one multiphase actuator unit effecting levitation and propulsion of the at least one reaction platen, wherein the variance in the predetermined characteristic defines self-deterministic reaction platen position feedback of each of the electromagnets of the at least one multiphase actuator unit effecting levitation and propulsion of the at least one reaction platen.

A method for a linear electrical machine, the method comprising:

• providing the linear electrical machine with a frame having a level reference plane;
• forming a drive plane, with an array of electromagnets connected to the frame, at a predetermined height relative to the level reference plane, the array of electromagnets being arranged so that a series of electromagnets of the array of electromagnets define at least one drive line within the drive plane, and each of the electromagnets being coupled to a multiphase alternating current power source energizing each electromagnet;
• providing at least one reaction platen of paramagnetic, diamagnetic, or non-magnetic conductive material disposed to cooperate with the electromagnets of the array of electromagnets;
• exciting the electromagnets with alternating current to generate levitation and propulsion forces against the reaction platen that controllably levitate and propel the reaction platen along the at least one drive line, in a controlled attitude relative to the drive plane where the electromagnets are sequentially excited, with a controller operably coupled to the array of electromagnets and the alternating current power source, with multiphase alternating current with a predetermined excitation characteristic so that each reaction platen has six degrees of freedom reaction platen control and is levitated and propelled with at least four degrees of freedom from the six degrees of freedom reaction platen control;
• and
• determining, with the controller, reaction platen position feedback, in at least one degree of freedom from the at least four degrees of freedom reaction platen control, from variance in the predetermined excitation characteristic of the alternating current of at least one electromagnet effecting levitation or propulsion of the reaction platen, wherein the variance in the predetermined characteristic defines self-deterministic reaction platen position feedback of each of the at least one electromagnet, of the array of electromagnets, effecting levitation or propulsion of the reaction platen.

A method for an electromagnetic conveyor substrate transport apparatus, the method comprising:

• providing the electromagnetic conveyor substrate transport apparatus with a chamber configured to hold a sealed atmosphere therein, and having a level reference plane and at least one substrate pass through opening for transferring a substrate in and out of the chamber through the opening;
• forming a drive plane with an array of electromagnets connected to the chamber at a predetermined height relative to the level reference plane, the array of electromagnets being arranged so that a series of electromagnets of the array of electromagnets define at least one drive line within the drive plane, electromagnets in the series of electromagnets being grouped into at least one multiphase actuator unit, and each of the at least one multiphase actuator unit being coupled to a multiphase alternating current power source;
• providing at least one reaction platen of paramagnetic, diamagnetic, or non-magnetic conductive material disposed to cooperate with the electromagnets of the at least one multiphase actuator unit;
• exciting the electromagnets with multiphase alternating current to generate levitation and propulsion forces against the reaction platen that controllably levitate and propel the reaction platen along the at least one drive line, in a controlled attitude relative to the drive plane, where the electromagnets are sequentially excited, with a controller operably coupled to the array of electromagnets and multiphase alternating current power source, with the multiphase alternating current with a predetermined excitation characteristic so that the at least one reaction platen has six degrees of freedom reaction platen control and is levitated and propelled with at least four degrees of freedom from the six degrees of freedom reaction platen control;
• and
• determining, with the controller, reaction platen position feedback from variance in the predetermined excitation characteristic of the multiphase alternating current of at least one electromagnet of the at least one multiphase actuator unit effecting levitation and propulsion of the at least one reaction platen, wherein the variance in the predetermined characteristic defines self-deterministic reaction platen position feedback of each of the electromagnets of the at least one multiphase actuator unit effecting levitation and propulsion of the at least one reaction platen.