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US 8,078,304 B2Granted
Dual-mode robot systems and methods for electronic device manufacturing
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsMichael R. Rice, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Todd J. Egan, Ingrid B. Peterson
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Abstract
Electronic device manufacturing systems and methods are provided. In some aspects, a system having a dual-mode robot is provided which is disposed within a system component (e.g., a factory interface or transfer chamber) and adapted to operate in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the robot may transfer a substrate between components of the system (e.g., between a carrier and a process chamber or chamber to chamber) and in the second mode, the robot may execute a process motion profile (e.g., metrology).
Claims19
An electronic device manufacturing system, comprising:
- a factory interface adapted to receive a substrate carrier;
- a robot disposed within the factory interface and adapted to operate in a first mode and a second mode,
- wherein, in the first mode, the robot is adapted to transfer a substrate between the substrate carrier and one or more tools,
- wherein, in the second mode, the robot is adapted to execute a process motion profile, and the process motion profile is a pre-defined path along which the substrate moves while one or more motion-dependent processes are performed on the substrate, the motion-dependent processes selected from the group of defect inspection, film characterization, laser annealing, laser ablation, laser scribing, electron beam curing, ultraviolet curing, heat curing, inkjet printing, die placement, die registration, die alignment, die manufacturing, component placement, component registration, component alignment, component manufacturing, packaging functions, and
- wherein one or more joints of the robot are locked during a moving portion of the process motion profile to restrict the robot only to motion commensurate with the motion-dependent process.
2 more elements
An electronic device manufacturing system, comprising:
- a factory interface adapted to receive a substrate carrier;
- a robot disposed within the factory interface and adapted to operate in a first mode and a second mode,
- wherein, in the first mode, the robot is adapted to transfer a substrate between the substrate carrier and one or more tools, and
- wherein, in the second mode, the robot is adapted to execute a defect inspection process motion profile, wherein the defect inspection process motion profile is a pre-defined path along which the substrate moves while one or more motion-dependent processes are performed on the substrate, wherein the motion-dependent process is defect inspection, and wherein the robot is adapted to function as a stage for performing defect inspection on the substrate;
- and
- wherein one or more joints of the robot are locked during a moving portion of the defect inspection process motion profile to restrict the robot only to motion commensurate with the motion-dependent process;
- and
- a defect inspection sensor disposed within the factory interface and adapted to output information about the substrate when the robot operates in the second mode.
5 more elements
A substrate transfer apparatus, comprising:
- a robot disposed within a factory interface and adapted to operate in a transfer mode and a process mode,
- wherein, in the transfer mode, the robot is adapted to transfer a substrate between a substrate carrier and one or more tools, and
- wherein, in the process mode, the robot is adapted to execute a process motion profile, wherein the process motion profile is a pre-defined path along which the substrate moves while one or more motion-dependent processes are performed on the substrate, the motion-dependent processes selected from the group of defect inspection, film characterization, laser annealing, laser ablation, laser scribing, electron beam curing, ultraviolet curing, heat curing, inkjet printing, die placement, die registration, die alignment, die manufacturing, component placement, component registration, component alignment, component manufacturing, packaging functions, and the robot is adapted to function as a stage for performing a process on the substrate;
- and
- wherein one or more joints of the robot are locked during a moving portion of the process motion profile to restrict the robot only to motion commensurate with the motion-dependent process;
- and
- a process tool disposed within the reach of the robot operating in the process mode and adapted to apply a process to the substrate when the robot operates in the process mode.
4 more elements
A method for manufacturing an electronic device, comprising the steps of:
- removing a substrate from a first system component selected from a group consisting of a tool, a substrate carrier, and a factory interface;
- transferring the substrate along a predefined path per a process motion profile to a second system component selected from a group of a tool, a factory interface, and a substrate carrier while one or more motion-dependent processes are performed on the substrate, the motion dependent processes selected from the group of defect inspection, film characterization, laser annealing, laser ablation, laser scribing, electron beam curing, ultraviolet curing, heat curing, inkjet printing, die placement, die registration, die alignment, die manufacturing, component placement, component registration, component alignment, component manufacturing, packaging functions;
- locking one or more joints of a robot transferring the substrate during a moving portion of the process motion profile to restrict the robot only to motion commensurate with the motion-dependent process;
- and
- performing metrology on the substrate as the substrate is transferred from the first system component to the second system component.
2 more elements
A method of calibrating a robot, comprising the steps of:
- calibrating a robot for transferring substrates;
- loading a defect inspection calibration substrate on the robot;
- locking one or more joints of the robot during a moving portion of a defect inspection motion profile to restrict the robot only to motion commensurate with a motion-dependent defect inspection process, wherein the defect inspection motion profile is a pre-defined path along which the substrate moves while the motion-dependent defect inspection process is performed on the substrate;
- and
- calibrating the robot for performing defect inspection.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.