US 11,776,834 B2
On the fly automatic wafer centering method and apparatus
Bing Yin, Southborough, MA (US); Jairo Moura, Marlborough, MA (US); Vincent Tsang, Lincoln, MA (US); Aaron Gawlik, Burlington, MA (US); and Nathan Spiker, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to Brooks Automation US, LLC, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Filed by BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC., Chelmsford, MA (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/229,495.
Application 17/229,495 is a continuation of application No. 16/197,087, filed on Nov. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,978,330.
Application 16/197,087 is a continuation of application No. 15/209,497, filed on Jul. 13, 2016, granted, now 10,134,623, issued on Nov. 20, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/320,142, filed on Apr. 8, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/191,863, filed on Jul. 13, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0305076 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. G06F 17/00 (2019.01); H01L 21/68 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/68 (2013.01) [H01L 21/68707 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
providing a substrate transport apparatus having:
a self-centering end effector, the end effector has wafer holding station with a predetermined center, where the end effector holds a wafer at the wafer holding station and transports the wafer within a substrate processing apparatus, and
at least one center deterministic feature integral to the substrate transport apparatus;
receiving, with a controller, sensor data embodying detection at a predetermined location of at least one edge of the at least one center deterministic feature on the fly, with the substrate transport apparatus in motion within the substrate processing apparatus; and
effecting, with the controller, determination of the predetermined center of the wafer holding station on the end effector from but one pass motion of the at least one center deterministic feature in the substrate processing apparatus past the predetermined location.