US 12,142,511 B2
Substrate processing apparatus
Alexander Krupyshev, Chelmsford, MA (US); Ulysses Gilchrist, Reading, MA (US); Robert T. Caveney, Windham, NH (US); and Daniel Babbs, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to Brooks Automation US, LLC, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Appl. No. 14/377,987
Filed by Brooks Automation, Inc., Chelmsford, MA (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 11, 2013, PCT No. PCT/US2013/025513
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 11, 2014,
PCT Pub. No. WO2013/120054, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 15, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/597,507, filed on Feb. 10, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/660,900, filed on Jun. 18, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/662,690, filed on Jun. 21, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2015/0013910 A1, Jan. 15, 2015
Int. Cl. H01L 21/677 (2006.01); B25J 9/04 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 18/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/687 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/68707 (2013.01) [B25J 9/042 (2013.01); B25J 11/0095 (2013.01); B25J 18/00 (2013.01); H01L 21/67161 (2013.01); H01L 21/67184 (2013.01); H01L 21/67196 (2013.01); H01L 21/67742 (2013.01)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
at least one linearly elongated transfer chamber; and
a transfer apparatus disposed at least partly within the at least one linearly elongated transfer chamber, the transfer apparatus including:
a three axis drive section having motors with three independent axes of rotation defining but three degrees of freedom of drive section motion,
a base arm section is rotatably coupled to the three axis drive section, and
a transfer arm section is rotatably coupled to the base arm section, the transfer arm section having two end effectors,
wherein, but one degree of freedom of drive section motion of the three axis drive section moves the base arm section horizontally for transporting the transfer arm section and two degrees of freedom of drive section motion drive the transfer arm section to extend the transfer arm section, retract the transfer arm section, and swap p the two end effectors so that the transfer arm section transports substrates to and from two or more substrate holding stations of at least two linearly arranged substrate holding stations of the at least one linearly elongated transfer chamber, the extension into and the retraction from a respective substrate holding station by the transfer arm section positioned at the respective substrate holding station is independent of movement of the base arm section, wherein the base arm section is alternatively configured as a two link articulated base arm, or a one unarticulated link base arm, each link of the base arm being different and distinct from each link of the transfer arm section, and the three independent axes of rotation defining the but three degrees of freedom of drive section motion is common to both alternative base arm configurations.