US 12,322,629 B2Granted

Transfer apparatus and transfer method

AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited

InventorsTomonori Horiuchi, Dongwei Li

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Abstract

A transfer apparatus transfers a first substrate and a second substrate while holding the first substrate and the second substrate to overlap each other in a plan view. The transfer apparatus includes: a first holding arm configured to hold the first substrate in a horizontal direction; a second holding arm configured to hold the second substrate in the horizontal direction; a first detection sensor configured to detect presence/absence of the first substrate held by the first holding arm; and a second detection sensor configured to detect presence/absence of the second substrate held by the second holding arm, wherein the first detection sensor includes a sensor configured to detect the presence/absence of the first substrate, and wherein the first holding arm includes a notch formed at least at an inner end portion of a tip of the first holding arm and configured to allow the optical axis to pass therethrough.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A transfer apparatus that transfers a first substrate and a second substrate while holding the first substrate and the second substrate to overlap each other in a vertical direction, the transfer apparatus comprising:

a first holding arm configured to hold the first substrate in a horizontal direction;
a second holding arm configured to hold the second substrate in the horizontal direction;
a first detection sensor configured to detect presence/absence of the first substrate held by the first holding arm;
and
a second detection sensor configured to detect presence/absence of the second substrate held by the second holding arm,
wherein the first detection sensor and the second detection sensor are arranged in one side of the first holding arm in the vertical direction,
wherein the second holding arm is arranged in the other side of the first holding arm in the vertical direction,
wherein at least the first detection sensor includes a sensor configured to detect the presence/absence of the first substrate by projecting an optical axis based on the second holding arm as a reference surface and detecting a difference in a light-receiving position between a diffused and reflected light beam from the reference surface and a diffused and reflected light beam from a substrate,
wherein the first holding arm includes a notch formed at least at an inner end portion of a tip of the first holding arm and configured to allow the optical axis projected to the second holding arm to pass therethrough, and
wherein the second detection sensor is configured to detect the presence/absence of the second substrate by projecting an optical axis based on an inner wall surface of a housing of the transfer apparatus as a reference surface.

7 more elements

A method of transferring a substrate in a transfer apparatus that transfers a first substrate and a second substrate while holding the first substrate and the second substrate to overlap each other in a vertical direction,

wherein the transfer apparatus includes:
a first holding arm configured to hold the first substrate in a horizontal direction;
a second holding arm disposed above the first holding arm and configured to hold the second substrate in the horizontal direction;
a first detection sensor configured to detect presence/absence of the first substrate held by the first holding arm;
and
a second detection sensor configured to detect presence/absence of the second substrate held by the second holding arm,
wherein the first detection sensor and the second detection sensor are arranged in one side of the first holding arm in the vertical direction,
wherein the second holding arm is arranged in the other side of the first holding arm in the vertical direction,
wherein at least the first detection sensor includes a sensor configured to detect the presence/absence of the first substrate by projecting an optical axis based on the second holding arm as a reference surface and detecting a difference in a light-receiving position between a diffused and reflected light beam from the reference surface and a diffused and reflected light beam from the substrate,
wherein the second detection sensor is configured to detect the presence/absence of the second substrate by projecting an optical axis based on an inner wall surface of a housing of the transfer apparatus as a reference surface, and
wherein the method comprises:
delivering the first substrate held by the first holding arm to and from a processing apparatus attached to the transfer apparatus;
confirming a holding state of the first substrate by the first holding arm using the first detection sensor;
delivering the second substrate held by the second holding arm to and from the processing apparatus;
and
confirming a holding state of the second substrate by the second holding arm using the second detection sensor.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/446,739Filed 2 Sep 2021
Priority: JP 2020-15178710 Sep 2020
Published: US 2022/0076977 A110 Mar 2022
Granted: 3 Jun 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H10P 72/3311
Into and out of processing chamber: horizontal transfer of a batch of workpieces
B25J 11/0095
Manipulators not otherwise provided for: manipulators transporting wafers
B25J 15/0052
Gripping heads and other end effectors: multiple gripper units or multiple end effectors
B65G 49/061
For fragile sheets, e.g. glass: lifting, gripping, or carrying means, for one or more sheets forming independent means of transport, e.g. suction…