# US 2019/0355604 A1 · Substrate Transfer Method and Substrate Transfer Apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0355604 A1 - Document ID: US20190355604A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/407,509 - Filed: 2019-05-09 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-16 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Atsushi KAWABE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190355604A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - B65G 47/905: {Control arrangements} - H10P 72/0454: {surrounding a central transfer chamber} - H10P 72/0464: {characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber} - H10P 72/0466: {characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber} - H10P 72/0606: {Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection} - H10P 72/53: {using optical controlling means} - H10W 46/00: Marks applied to devices, e.g. for alignment or identification - H10W 46/201: {located on the periphery of wafers, e.g. orientation notches or lot numbers} - H10W 46/301: {for alignment} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A substrate transfer method includes: acquiring sensing information from a sensor by moving a substrate by a robot arm such that the substrate passes through a sensing region; calculating a center position of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on the sensing information; detecting a marker indicating a reference direction of the substrate by the sensor by controlling the robot arm to rotate the substrate about the center position in a state where an edge of the substrate is located in the sensing region; calculating a direction of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on a position of the marker; calculating a correction amount based on the center position and the direction of the substrate; and placing the substrate on the stage in the processing chamber such that the center position and the direction of the substrate are corrected according to the correction amount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate transfer method comprising: acquiring sensing information from at least one sensor by moving a substrate by a robot arm disposed in a vacuum transfer chamber such that the substrate passes through a sensing region, which is a region located in the vacuum transfer chamber and sensed by the at least one sensor; calculating a center position of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on the sensing information; detecting a marker indicating a reference direction of the substrate by the at least one sensor by controlling the robot arm to rotate the substrate about the center position in a state in which an edge of the substrate is located in the sensing region; calculating a direction of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on a position of the marker; calculating a correction amount for use in placing the substrate on a stage in a processing chamber connected to the vacuum transfer chamber based on the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate; and placing the substrate on the stage in the processing chamber such that the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate are corrected according to the correction amount. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate transfer method of claim 1, wherein the robot arm has three or more articulations, each of which is independently driven. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The substrate transfer method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes: a light source installed outside the vacuum transfer chamber and configured to irradiate light into the vacuum transfer chamber, and a light receiving sensor installed outside the vacuum transfer chamber and configured to receive the light irradiated from the light source through the vacuum transfer chamber, and wherein the step of acquiring the sensing information further includes acquiring, as the sensing information, information indicating whether or not the light irradiated from the light source is blocked by the substrate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The substrate transfer method of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor includes two or more sensors installed outside the vacuum transfer chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The substrate transfer method of claim 1, wherein a load lock chamber is connected to the vacuum transfer chamber, wherein the sensing region is provided in the vicinity of a connection portion between the vacuum transfer chamber and the load lock chamber, and wherein the step of acquiring the sensing information further includes acquiring the sensing information from the at least one sensor when the robot arm moves the substrate from the load lock chamber to the vacuum transfer chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The substrate transfer method of claim 1, wherein a first processing chamber and a second processing chamber are connected to the vacuum transfer chamber, wherein the sensing region is provided in the vicinity of a connection portion between the vacuum transfer chamber and the first processing chamber, wherein the step of acquiring the sensing information further includes acquiring the sensing information from the at least one sensor when the robot arm moves the substrate from the first processing chamber to the vacuum transfer chamber, wherein the step of calculating the correction amount further includes calculating a correction amount for use in placing the substrate on a stage in the second processing chamber, based on the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate, and wherein the step of placing the substrate further includes placing the substrate on the stage in the second processing chamber such that the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate are corrected according to the correction amount for use in placing the substrate on the stage in the second processing chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The substrate transfer method of claim 1, further comprising re-holding the substrate by placing the substrate on a temporary placement table configured to temporarily place the substrate, when the marker is not detected by the at least one sensor even though the substrate is rotated by an angle equal to or greater than a predetermined angle during the step of detecting the marker. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The substrate transfer method of claim 7, wherein a load lock chamber is connected to the vacuum transfer chamber, and the temporary placement table is a stage installed in the load lock chamber. ### Claim 9 A substrate transfer apparatus comprising: a vacuum transfer chamber; an articulated robot arm installed in the vacuum transfer chamber and configured to transfer a substrate; a sensor configured to detect whether or not the substrate passes through a sensing region in the vacuum transfer chamber; and a controller configured to control the robot arm and the sensor, wherein the controller performs a control to: acquire sensing information from the sensor by moving the substrate by the robot arm such that the substrate passes through the sensing region; calculate a center position of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on the sensing information; detect a marker indicating a reference direction of the substrate by rotating the substrate about the center position in a state in which an edge of the substrate is located in the sensing region; calculate a direction of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on a position of the marker; calculate a correction amount for use in placing the substrate on a stage in a processing chamber connected to the vacuum transfer chamber based on the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate; and place the substrate on the stage in the processing chamber such that the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate are corrected according to the correction amount.