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US 2014/0348618 A1Published application
Vacuum robot with linear translation carriage
AssigneeNovellus Systems, Inc.
InventorRichard M. Blank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robot for use in vacuum chambers is disclosed. The robot may be mounted within an oblong transfer chamber and may be translated within the transfer chamber by an umbilical arm operating in conjunction with a linear motion guide and carriage. Motors or drive systems for the robot may be housed in atmospheric conditions, and the transfer chamber may be kept at a vacuum. The robot may include one or more arms configured for wafer handling. The robot may include one or more motors or drive systems and a multi-axial seal to realize independent extension/retraction of each arm and overall simultaneous rotation of the arm assembly.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- a transfer chamber housing that is substantially longer along a first translation axis than along a complementary horizontal axis;
- a carriage housing configured to translate linearly along the first translation axis and within a linear translation range within the transfer chamber housing;
- and
- an umbilical arm having at least one elbow joint, wherein:
- a first end of the umbilical arm is rotatably connected with the transfer chamber housing so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis with respect to the transfer chamber housing,
- a second end of the umbilical arm opposite the first end is rotatably connected with the carriage housing so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis with respect to the carriage housing,
- the first end of the umbilical arm is connected with an umbilical drive motor configured to rotate the first end of the umbilical arm about the first rotational axis with respect to the transfer chamber housing, and
- the apparatus is configured such that rotation of the first end of the umbilical arm about the first rotation axis with respect to the transfer chamber housing causes the second end of the umbilical arm, the carriage housing, and the second axis to translate in a direction parallel to the first translation axis and the second end of the umbilical arm to rotate about the second rotation axis with respect to the carriage housing.
5 more elements
A wafer handling robot apparatus comprising:
- a carriage housing configured to translate linearly along a translation axis and within a linear translation range;
- at least one robot arm mounted to the carriage housing;
- and
- an umbilical arm having at least one elbow joint, wherein:
- a first end of the umbilical arm is configured to rotate about a first rotation axis with respect to the translation axis,
- the first rotation axis is fixed with respect to the linear translation range,
- a second end of the umbilical arm opposite the first end is rotatably connected with the carriage housing so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis with respect to the carriage housing,
- the first end of the umbilical arm is connected with an umbilical drive motor configured to rotate the first end of the umbilical arm about the first rotational axis with respect to the translation axis, and
- the wafer handling robot is configured such that rotation of the first end of the umbilical arm about the first rotation axis with respect to the translation axis by the umbilical drive motor causes the second end of the umbilical arm, the carriage housing, and the second axis to translate in a direction parallel to the translation axis and the second end of the umbilical arm to rotate about the second rotation axis with respect to the carriage housing.
6 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a transfer chamber housing that is substantially longer along a first translation axis than along a complementary horizontal axis and that has an internal volume;
- a substrate transfer robot having at least one robot arm configured to handle a substrate and at least one drive motor configured to drive the at least one robot arm;
- and
- an umbilical arm configured to translate the substrate transfer robot, including the at least one robot arm and the at least one drive motor configured to drive the at least one robot arm, along a translation axis, wherein:
- the substrate transfer robot is located within the internal volume of the transfer chamber housing, and
- the apparatus is configured to maintain a pressure differential between the at least one drive motor and the internal volume of the transfer chamber housing during wafer processing operations.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.