US 12,251,830 B2
Substrate transfer devices, systems and methods of use thereof
Alexander Berger, Palo Alto, CA (US); and Jeffrey C. Hudgens, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/100,522.
Application 18/100,522 is a division of application No. 16/813,191, filed on Mar. 9, 2020, granted, now 11,565,402.
Prior Publication US 2023/0173661 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 9/04 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/12 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/042 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0009 (2013.01); B25J 9/104 (2013.01); B25J 9/123 (2013.01); B25J 11/0095 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of transferring substrates between a transfer chamber and a plurality of process chambers, wherein the transfer chamber comprises a magnetic levitation platform, the method comprising:
causing, by the magnetic levitation platform, a first robot arm of a first robot arm assembly comprising the first robot arm and a plurality of movers to pick up a first substrate, by:
causing, by the platform, a first mover of the plurality of movers to rotate or to change a first distance to a second mover of the plurality of movers, wherein rotation of the first mover or the change in the first distance between the first mover and the second mover causes the first robot arm to rotate about a shoulder axis; and
causing, by the platform, one of a) the second mover to rotate or b) a third mover to change a second distance to the second mover, wherein rotation of the second mover or the change in the second distance between the third mover and the second mover causes a support structure supporting the first robot arm to raise or lower, wherein the support structure is disposed on the first mover.