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US 2021/0265194 A1Published application
Servo control of a lift apparatus and methods of use thereof
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsPaul Wirth, Behzad Taheri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a lift apparatus and systems containing a support and at least one lift apparatus for moving a substrate between the support and a transfer plane, using a servo-control system. Further disclosed herein are methods for servo control of a lift apparatus and lifting a substrate off of a support or lowering the substrate onto the support.
Claims20
A lift apparatus for transferring a substrate between a support and a transfer plane, the lift apparatus comprising:
- a lift pin assembly, comprising:
- a lift pin configured to move the substrate between the support and the transfer plane;
- at least one pneumatic actuator comprising a moving member configured to provide a load to the lift pin;
- at least one proportional pneumatic valve configured to control fluid flow between the at least one pneumatic actuator and a pressurized fluid supply or a vent;
- a plurality of pressure sensors each configured to independently measure pressure in a respective supply line to the at least one pneumatic actuator;
- and
- at least one position sensor configured to measure a position of the member;
- and
- a servo-control system in communication with the lift pin assembly.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving by a controller a first pressure measurement from a first pressure sensor that measures pressure in a first chamber of a pneumatic actuator;
- receiving by the controller a second pressure measurement from a second pressure sensor that measures pressure in a second chamber of the pneumatic actuator;
- receiving by the controller a position measurement from a position sensor that measures a position of a moving member of the pneumatic actuator;
- generating a control signal based on the first pressure measurement, the second pressure measurement and the position measurement;
- transmitting the control signal to at least one proportional pneumatic valve of a servo-control system to control pressurized fluid to the pneumatic actuator;
- and
- operating the servo-control system to extend at least one lift pin and lift a substrate off of a support via the at least one lift pin.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- operating a servo-control system to lift a substrate off of a substrate support, wherein the servo-control system is configured to control a lift pin assembly for lifting the substrate, comprising:
- actuating at least one proportional pneumatic valve to permit gas to flow through a first gas line into a first chamber of a pneumatic actuator of the lift pin assembly and through a second gas line into a second chamber of the pneumatic actuator;
- measuring pressure in the first gas line with a first pressure sensor and measuring pressure in the second gas line with a second pressure sensor;
- measuring position of a moving member of the pneumatic actuator with a position sensor;
- controlling the at least one proportional pneumatic valve with the servo-control system to apply a contact force of about 2 N to about 10 N by the moving member to the substrate;
- and
- lifting the substrate off of the support by a lift pin operable to receive a load by the moving member.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.