US 2007/0180676 A1 · Method of and tool for calibrating transfer apparatus

Abstract

A transfer apparatus installed in a transfer chamber of substrate processing equipment can be precisely calibrated with respect to a substrate support of a process chamber. Also, the calibration can be performed while a vacuum pressure is maintained in the transfer chamber. The tool for calibrating the transfer apparatus includes a base plate and a light source mounted to the base plate. The base plate is mounted to the process chamber, and the light source is positioned and oriented to direct a beam of light onto a reference mark on the substrate support. Then, an end effecter of the transfer apparatus is moved to a transfer position over the substrate support. The end effecter has a reference hole that is aligned with the reference mark when the end effecter is in a centered state relative to the substrate support. The beam of light is used to determine whether the reference hole is aligned with the reference mark.

Claims24

Dependent claims

The combination of substrate processing equipment including a transfer chamber, a transfer apparatus installed in the transfer chamber, a process chamber connected to the transfer chamber, an openable and closable input/output defined between the transfer and process chambers and through which substrates can be transferred between the transfer and process chambers, and a substrate support disposed in the process chamber, and wherein the transfer apparatus includes an end effecter having a working envelope encompassing the process chamber such that the end effecter can be moved to a transfer position at which substrates are transferred between the end effecter and the substrate support within the process chamber;

and
a transfer apparatus calibration tool by which it can be determined as to whether the end effecter is in a centered state relative to the substrate support when the end effecter is at the transfer position, the transfer apparatus calibration tool comprising a base plate disposed on the process chamber, and an optical system supported by the base plate.

A method for use in operating substrate processing equipment having a transfer chamber, a transfer apparatus installed in the transfer chamber and having an end effecter, a process chamber connected to the transfer chamber, an openable and closable input/output defined between the transfer and process chambers and through which substrates can be transferred between the transfer and process chambers, and a substrate support disposed in the process chamber, the method comprising:

removing a cover of the process chamber, whereby a portion of the process chamber is uncovered, while the input/output port is closed and the end effecter of the transfer apparatus is situated in the transfer chamber;
installing a transfer apparatus calibration tool by mounting the tool to the process chamber over the uncovered portion thereof to hermetically seal the process chamber;
creating a vacuum inside the process chamber sealed by the transfer apparatus calibration tool;
after the vacuum is created in the process chamber, opening the input/output port, and moving the end effecter of the transfer apparatus from the transfer chamber and into the process chamber via the input/output port;
and
calibrating the end effecter in the process chamber using the transfer apparatus calibration tool installed over the opened portion of the process chamber, wherein the calibrating comprises determining whether the end effecter is in a centered state relative to the substrate support.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of and tool for calibrating transfer apparatus

Life of this patent

Method of and tool for calibrating transfer apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24