Semiconductor handling robot with improved paddle-type end effector
AssigneeASM America, Inc.
InventorsEric R. Wood, Richard Crabb, James A. Alexander
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robotic semiconductor handling system includes two robot arms for transferring substrates between processing, cooling, and storage stations. The first robot arm has a paddle-type end effector adapted such that it can support one substrate at a primary location as well as a second substrate at a secondary staging location. The second robot arm is a Bernoulli-style wand that transfers a substrate from the primary location to the secondary one, and transfers substrates from either location to the process chamber. The use of the dual-location paddle allows for a significant reduction in cycle-time over a single paddle location and a Bernoulli wand system.
Claims8
A method of transferring thin, flat substrates between a load lock chamber and a process chamber comprising the steps of:
- moving a primary portion of a paddle end effector beneath a first substrate in a load lock chamber and retracting the paddle to transfer the substrate into a handling chamber;
- moving the paddle end effector into a position beneath a Bernoulli end effector on a second robot arm into a position above the substrate to lift the substrate from the paddle end effector and;
- moving the paddle end effector into a position in which a secondary portion of the paddle end effector is beneath the Bernoulli end effector and depositing the substrate on a secondary portion of the paddle end effector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.