System and method for introducing a substrate into a process chamber
AssigneeADP Engineering Co., Ltd.
InventorIn Taek LEE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for introducing a substrate into a process chamber is provided. A presence or absence of a substrate on a stage in an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor or a flat panel display may be determined by lift pins used for loading and unloading a substrate, the introduction of another substrate may be prevented and a broken state or the erroneously loaded state of the substrate may be detected. An opening or closing of a gate valve may also be determined, and the introduction of a substrate into the process chamber may be prevented while the gate valve is closed.
Claims8
A device for use with a process chamber for processing substrates, the device comprising:
- a gate valve sensor configured to sense a position of a gate valve that opens and closes an opening in the process chamber and to output a corresponding signal;
- a determination device configured to receive the signal from the gate valve sensor, to determine whether the gate valve is in an opened or a closed position relative to the opening in the process chamber, and to output a corresponding signal;
- and
- a notification device configured to receive the signal from the determination device and to provide at least one of a visual or an audible indication of the position of the gate valve.
A method for introducing a substrate into a process chamber, the method comprising:
- determining a position of a gate valve that opens and closes an opening in the process chamber;
- and
- transferring a substrate into the process chamber when it is determined that the gate valve is open.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.