Method and apparatus for removing a vertically-oriented substrate from a cassette

A substrate lifter for selectively removing a vertically oriented substrate from a substrate cassette, the vertically oriented substrate having an inside diameter (ID), an outside diameter (OD), the substrate lifter comprising:

• a substrate engaging end and an adjustment end;
• the substrate engaging end comprising a lifter notch and a stabilizer notch, the lifter notch configured to engage the substrate ID to lift the substrate vertically, the stabilizer notch having first and second angled notch surfaces, the stabilizer notch positioned to contact the substrate OD with the first angled notch surface or the second angled notch surface to prevent a face of the substrate from contacting the substrate lifter;
• wherein the lifter notch includes angled lifter notch surfaces, and substrate contact points of the lifter notch and the stabilizer notch are oriented toward the engaging end;
• wherein the lifter and stabilizer notches are fixedly spaced apart on a common lifter face when the lifter notch engages and the stabilizer notch contacts the substrate;
• wherein the substrate lifter has a thickness defined between front and back lifter surfaces, and a width defined between first and second lifter sides, the lifter width being smaller than the substrate OD;
• and
• wherein the lifter notch is disposed in a lifter protrusion, the lifter protrusion having a centrally positioned slot for receiving an alignment protrusion of a substrate holder to align the substrate holder with the substrate.

A method for removing a vertically oriented substrate from a cassette, comprising:

• positioning a lifter having a lifter notch and a stabilizer notch beneath a cassette containing a plurality of vertically oriented substrates, the lifter notch and the stabilizer notch each having first and second angled notch surfaces for engaging the substrate, such first and second angled notch surfaces oriented toward a first end of the lifter, substrate contact points of the first and second angled notch surfaces oriented in the same direction;
• engaging the lifter notch with an inside diameter (ID) of a targeted substrate of the plurality of vertically oriented substrates;
• capturing an outside diameter (OD) of the targeted substrate with the stabilizer notch such that the OD contacts only the first angled stabilizer notch surface or the second angled stabilizer notch surface;
• wherein the lifter and stabilizer notches are fixedly spaced apart on a common lifter face when the lifter notch engages and the stabilizer notches captures the substrate;
• moving the lifter and the substrate in a first direction until the targeted substrate is removed from the cassette;
• engaging a substrate holder with the lifter, the substrate holder having an alignment protrusion and a plurality of substrate supports, and the lifter having a plurality of corresponding alignment slots for receiving the alignment protrusion and the plurality of substrate supports;
• and
• engaging the targeted substrate with the substrate holder, and removing the targeted substrate from the lifter.