# US 2019/0378735 A1 · Substrate transfer apparatus, substrate processing apparatus including the same, and substrate misalignment compensation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0378735 A1 - Document ID: US20190378735A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/430,631 - Filed: 2019-06-04 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-08 - Assignees: Semes Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Semes Co., Ltd. - Inventors: DUK SIK KIM; HYUN JUN KIM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378735A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0606: {Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection} - B25J 9/1692: {Calibration of manipulator} - B65G 47/905: {Control arrangements} - G05B 19/401: characterised by control arrangements for measuring, e.g. calibration and initialisation, measuring workpiece for machining purposes (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - G05B 19/402: characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/3306: {Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece} - H10P 72/50: for positioning, orientation or alignment - H10P 72/53: {using optical controlling means} - H10P 72/7602: {the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance} - G05B 2219/39024: Calibration of manipulator - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - 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) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A substrate misalignment compensation method includes obtaining first coordinates for an amount of movement of a substrate transfer apparatus and second coordinates measured by a plurality of sensors installed on the substrate transfer apparatus while moving the substrate transfer apparatus in one direction, calculating a calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using an equation of a circle for the first coordinates and an equation of a line for the second coordinates, and calculating the center of a circle for a substrate based on the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus and compensating for misalignment of the substrate by using the center of the circle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate misalignment compensation method of a substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate comprising: obtaining first coordinates for an amount of movement of the substrate transfer apparatus and second coordinates measured by a plurality of sensors installed on the substrate transfer apparatus while moving the substrate transfer apparatus in one direction; calculating a calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using an equation of a circle for the first coordinates and an equation of a line for the second coordinates; and calculating the center of a circle for the substrate based on the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus and compensating for misalignment of the substrate by using the center of the circle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus includes: calculating coordinates at which the equation of the circle and the equation of the line meet; calculating a moving distance of the plurality of sensors by using the coordinates at which the equation of the circle and the equation of the line meet; and calculating the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using the moving distance of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 2, wherein the calculating of the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using the moving distance of the plurality of sensors includes: calculating the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by adding the moving distance of the plurality of sensors and zero set values of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 2, wherein the equation of the circle is (x−a)2+(y−b)2=r2, wherein the equation of the line is x=(x1/y1)y, and wherein “a” and “b” are central coordinates of the substrate, “r” is a radius of the substrate, and “x1” and “y1” are coordinates for a position of the sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 4, wherein the calculating of the coordinates at which the equation of the circle and the equation of the line meet includes: substituting the equation of the line into the equation of the circle, resulting in Ay2|By|C=0, and calculating the coordinates at which the equation of the circle and the equation of the line meet, by using y = - B ± B 2 - 4   AC 2  A , x=(x1/y1)y. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 2, wherein the compensating of the misalignment of the substrate includes: calculating compensated position values of the plurality of sensors based on the moving distance of the plurality of sensors; calculating the center of the circle for the substrate by using at least three of the compensated position values of the plurality of sensors; and comparing the calculated center of the circle and a preset value to compensate for the misalignment of the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 2, wherein the calculating of the moving distance of the plurality of sensors includes: calculating the moving distance of the plurality of sensors by using √{square root over ((x−x1)2+(y−y1)2)}, wherein “x1” and “y1” are coordinates for a position of the sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the first coordinates and the second coordinates includes: repeatedly performing a process of obtaining the first coordinates and the second coordinates after moving the substrate transfer apparatus by a preset distance in the one direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 8, wherein the preset distance is 0.1 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The substrate misalignment compensation method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are installed on the substrate transfer apparatus so as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined gap along a circumferential direction of the substrate. ### Claim 11 A substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate, comprising: a support part configured to support the substrate; a driving unit configured to move the support part; and a control unit configured to control a movement of the driving unit, wherein the control unit includes: a sensor module configured to obtain first coordinates for an amount of movement of the substrate transfer apparatus and second coordinates measured by a plurality of sensors installed on the substrate transfer apparatus while moving the substrate transfer apparatus in one direction; a calculation device configured to calculate a calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using an equation of a circle for the first coordinates and an equation of a line for the second coordinates; and a compensation device configured to calculate the center of a circle for the substrate based on the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus and compensate for misalignment of the substrate by using the center of the circle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 11, wherein the calculation device calculates coordinates at which the equation of the circle and the equation of the line meet, calculates a moving distance of the plurality of sensors by using the coordinates at which the equation of the circle and the equation of the line meet, and calculates the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using the moving distance of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 12, wherein the calculation device calculates the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by adding the moving distance of the plurality of sensors and zero set values of the plurality of sensors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 12, wherein the equation of the circle is (x−a)2+(y−b)2=r2, wherein the equation of the line is x=(x1/y1)y, and wherein “a” and “b” are central coordinates of the substrate, “r” is a radius of the substrate, and “x1” and “y1” are coordinates for a position of the sensor ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 14, wherein the calculation device substitutes the equation of the line into the equation of the circle, resulting in Ay2|By|C=0, and calculates the coordinates at which the equation of the circle and the equation of the line meet, by using y = - B ± B 2 - 4   AC 2  A , x=(x1/y1)y. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 12, wherein the compensation device calculates compensated position values of the plurality of sensors based on the moving distance of the plurality of sensors, calculates the center of the circle for the substrate by using at least three of the compensated position values of the plurality of sensors, and compares the calculated center of the circle and a preset value to compensate for the misalignment of the substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 12, wherein the calculation device calculates the moving distance of the plurality of sensors by using √{square root over ((x−x1)2+(y−y1)2)}, wherein “x1” and “y1” are coordinates for a position of the sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit repeatedly performs a process of obtaining the first coordinates and the second coordinates after moving the substrate transfer apparatus by a preset distance in the one direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 18, wherein the preset distance is 0.1 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The substrate transfer apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of sensors are installed on the substrate transfer apparatus so as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined gap along a circumferential direction of the substrate. ### Claim 21 An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a processing module including a process chamber in which a process is performed on the substrate; a load port on which a carrier having the substrate received therein is placed; and a substrate transfer apparatus configured to transfer the substrate, wherein the substrate transfer apparatus includes: a support part configured to support the substrate; a driving unit configured to move the support part; and a control unit configured to control a movement of the driving unit, and wherein the control unit includes: a sensor module configured to obtain first coordinates for an amount of movement of the substrate transfer apparatus and second coordinates measured by a plurality of sensors installed on the substrate transfer apparatus while moving the substrate transfer apparatus in one direction; a calculation device configured to calculate a calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using an equation of a circle for the first coordinates and an equation of a line for the second coordinates; and a compensation device configured to calculate the center of a circle for the substrate based on the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus and compensate for misalignment of the substrate by using the center of the circle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A computer readable recording medium having a program recorded therein for executing the substrate misalignment compensation method according to claim 1 by a computer.