US 12,224,191 B2
Wafer transfer apparatus with aligner
Beomsoo Hwang, Suwon-si (KR); Kongwoo Lee, Suwon-si (KR); Myungki Song, Suwon-si (KR); Kyusang Lee, Suwon-si (KR); Seojoo Choi, Suwon-si (KR); and Jinhyuk Choi, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/117,259.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2022-0085622 (KR), filed on Jul. 12, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0021452 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67259 (2013.01) [B65G 47/905 (2013.01); B65G 47/907 (2013.01); H01L 21/67201 (2013.01); H01L 21/68707 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wafer transfer apparatus comprising:
a controller;
a wafer transfer robot comprising:
a hand unit configured to hold a wafer,
a driving unit connected to the hand unit and configured to move the wafer, the driving unit comprising a link arm unit and a base unit connected to the link arm unit, and
a sensor unit provided on the driving unit; and
a plurality of transfer structures configured to exchange the wafer with the wafer transfer robot, each of the plurality of transfer structures comprising a plurality of markers recognizable by the sensor unit,
wherein the sensor unit comprises:
a camera sensor recognizing the plurality of markers, and
a laser sensor configured to measure distances to the plurality of markers by emitting a laser to the plurality of markers and receiving the laser reflected from the plurality of markers, and
wherein the controller is configured to:
acquire position information about the plurality of transfer structures with respect to the wafer transfer robot, based on positions of the plurality of markers recognized by the sensor unit and the distances to the plurality of markers measured by the sensor unit, and
control the wafer transfer robot based on the position information, and
wherein the base unit is configured to move in a direction in which a wafer is stacked in at least one transfer structure of the plurality of transfer structures.