Citation
Rigelsford, J. (2002), "Multiple sided robot blade", Industrial Robot, Vol. 29 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2002.04929dad.009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
Multiple sided robot blade
Multiple sided robot blade
Applicant: Applied Material Inc., USAPatent number: EP1085558Publication date: 21 March 2001Title: Multiple sided robot blade for semiconductor processing equipment
Modern semiconductor processing systems typically process a large number of substrates by moving the substrates between a series of process chambers or enclosures using a robot. This patent describes a processing system having a robot assembly which includes a multiple sided robot blade that can support a substrate on at least two sides. It also discusses associated methods to transfer one or more substrates in a processing system.
An unprocessed substrate can be supported on the blade while a processed substrate is retrieved from a location to which the unprocessed substrate is to be delivered. The processing throughput rate is increased by reducing the movements required by the robot to exchange processed substrates and unprocessed substrates and therefore decreases the swap time. In general, the system will include an enclosure, such as a CMP system, and a robot, such as an overhead track robot. The system may also include a loading station which is adjacent to a plurality of polishing stations. The loading station is supplied with substrates by an overhead track robot disposed in a substrate transfer region above a load tank which has a plurality of cassettes.