Robots for microelectronic workpiece handling

A system for moving workpieces, comprising:

• a track assembly having first guide rail supported in a horizontal position;
• a transport unit including a housing supported by said rail and guided for sliding movement along said rail, a vertical member extending from said housing, and an arm member extending from said vertical member, said arm member having an end effector for holding a workpiece, and a first rotary actuator connected to said end effector for rotating said end effector about a horizontal axis;
• and
• a linear actuating system coupled to the track and the housing for moving the housing linearly along the track.

A system for moving workpieces, comprising:

• a track assembly having a guide rail system supported in a horizontal position, the guide rail system including a first rail on one side of the track and a second rail on another side of the track;
• a first transport unit including a first housing having a first guide member slidably coupled to said first rail, a first vertical member carried by said first housing to move vertically, a first arm member carried by said first vertical member, and a first end effector for holding a workpiece carried by said first arm member, said first end effector being elevated from first said arm member;
• a second transport unit including a second housing having a second guide member slidably coupled to said second rail, a second vertical member carried by said second housing to move vertically, a second arm member carried by said second vertical member, and a second end effector for holding a second workpiece carried by said second arm member, said second end effector being elevated from said second arm member;
• and
• wherein said first end effector is positionable to be superimposed over said second end effector so that the first workpiece held by said first transport unit can pass over the second workpiece held by said second transport unit.

A transport unit for manipulating a microelectronic workpiece, comprising:

• a base having a guide member configured to move along an elongated track;
• a linear actuator and an upright member carried by the base, wherein the linear actuator is coupled the upright member to move the upright member along an elevation axis;
• an arm member carried by the upright member, the arm member extending at an angle relative to the elevational axis;
• an end-effector coupled to the arm member, the end-effector being configured to releasably hold a microelectronic workpiece;
• a first rotational actuator operatively coupled to the end-effector to rotate the 1i end-effector about a flip axis in a manner that moves the workpiece between a face-up position and a face-down position;
• and
• a second rotational actuator operatively coupled to at least one of the upright member and/or the arm member to rotate the arm member about the elevation axis.

A transport unit for handling a microelectronic workpiece, comprising:

• a support structure having a guide member configured to be slidably attached to an elongated track;
• a shaft member carried by the support structure at an angle to the elongated track, wherein the shaft member is coupled to a linear actuator to move the shaft member along a linear elevation path relative to the elongated track;
• an arm member carried by the shaft member, the arm member projecting from the shaft member;
• an edge-grip end-effector coupled to the arm member, the end-effector being configured to releasably engage only a peripheral portion of the microelectronic workpiece;
• a first rotational actuator operatively coupled to the end-effector to rotate the end-effector about a generally horizontal axis in a manner that moves the workpiece between a face-up position and a face-down position;
• and
• a second rotational actuator operatively coupled to at least one of the shaft member and/or the arm member to rotate the arm member about a first axis that is generally in the direction of the elevation path.

A transport system for transporting a microelectronic workpiece between processing stations within a processing chamber, the transport system comprising:

• a linear track having a first guide rail on a first side of the track and a second guide rail on a second side of the track;
• a first transport unit including a first support structure having a first guide member slidably attached to the first rail, a first elevation member projecting from the first support structure, a first arm member carried by the first elevation member, and a first end-effector carried by the first arm member, wherein the first arm member is rotatable about a first elevation axis generally normal to the first arm member and the end-effector is rotatable about a first flip axis generally normal to the first elevation axis;
• and
• a second transport unit including a second support structure having a second guide member slidably attached to the second rail, a second elevation member carried by the second support structure, a second arm member carried by the second elevation member, and a second end-effector carried by the second arm member, wherein the second arm member is rotatable about a second elevation axis generally normal to the second arm member and the second end-effector is rotatable about a second flip axis generally normal to the second elevation axis.

An apparatus for processing a microelectronic workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• a processing chamber having a workpiece conveyor path, a first processing module on one side of the conveyor path, and a second processing module on an opposing side of the conveyor path, wherein the first processing module includes a first plurality of processing stations and the second processing module includes a second plurality of processing stations;
• an elongated track in the processing chamber, the elongated track extending along the conveyor path, and the elongated track having a first guide rail on a first side of the track facing the first processing module;
• and
• a first transport unit including a first support structure having a first guide member slidably attached to the first rail, a first upright member carried by the first support structure, a first arm member carried by the first upright member, and a first end-effector carried by the first arm member, wherein the first arm member is rotatable about a first elevation axis generally normal to the first arm member, and the end-effector is rotatable about a first flip axis generally normal to the first elevation axis.

An apparatus for processing a microelectronic workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• a processing chamber having a workpiece conveyor path, a first processing module on one side of the conveyor path, and a second processing module on an opposing side of the conveyor path, wherein the first processing module includes a first plurality of processing stations and the second processing module includes a second plurality of processing stations;
• an elongated track in the processing chamber, the elongated track extending along the conveyor path, and the elongated track having a first guide rail on a first side of the track facing the first processing module and a second guide rail on a second side of the track facing the second processing module;
• a first transport unit including a first support structure having a first guide member slidably attached to the first rail, a first upright member carried by the first support structure, a first arm member carried by the first upright member, and a first end-effector carried by the first arm member, wherein the first arm member is rotatable about a first elevation axis generally normal to the first arm member, and the end-effector is rotatable about a first flip axis generally normal to the first elevation axis;
• and
• a second transport unit including a second support structure having a second guide member slidably attached to the second rail, a second upright member carried by the second support structure, a second arm member carried by the second upright member, and a second end-effector carried by the second arm member, wherein the second arm member is rotatable about a second elevation axis generally normal to the second arm member and the end-effector is rotatable about a second flip axis generally normal to the second elevation axis.