US 11,948,817 B2
Robot for simultaneous substrate transfer
Charles T. Carlson, Austin, TX (US); Jason M. Schaller, Austin, TX (US); Luke Bonecutter, Cedar Park, TX (US); and David Blahnik, Round Rock, TX (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/965,491.
Application 17/965,491 is a continuation of application No. 16/922,447, filed on Jul. 7, 2020, granted, now 11,476,135.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/873,400, filed on Jul. 12, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0032854 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); H01L 21/68 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67196 (2013.01) [B65G 47/907 (2013.01); H01L 21/68 (2013.01); H01L 21/68707 (2013.01); H01L 21/67167 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A substrate processing system comprising:
a transfer region housing defining a transfer region, wherein a sidewall of the transfer region housing defines a sealable access for providing and receiving substrates;
a plurality of substrate supports disposed within the transfer region; and
a transfer apparatus comprising:
a central hub including a first shaft and a second shaft extending about and concentric with the first shaft, wherein the second shaft is counter-rotatable with the first shaft,
a first end effector coupled with the first shaft, the first end effector comprising a plurality of first arms having a number of first arms equal to a number of substrate supports of the plurality of substrate supports, wherein:
the first end effector further comprises a plurality of first end pieces; and
each first end piece of the plurality of first end pieces comprises a first contact member that engages a lateral surface of a substrate and does not include a horizontally extending shelf, and
a second end effector coupled with the second shaft, the second end effector comprising a plurality of second arms having a number of second arms equal to the number of first arms of the first end effector, wherein:
the second end effector further comprises a plurality of second end pieces; and
each second end piece of the plurality of second end pieces comprises a second contact member that engages the lateral surface of the substrate.