Brooks Automation Gmbh

Intevac, Inc.

Hoang Huy Vu

Terry Bluck

Gee Sun Hoey

Jimin Ryu

Babak Adibi

A system for transporting substrates and precisely align the substrates horizontally and vertically. The system decouples the functions of transporting the substrates, vertically aligning the substrates, and horizontally aligning the substrates. The transport system includes a carriage upon which plurality of chuck assemblies are loosely positioned, each of the chuck assemblies includes a base having vertical alignment wheels to place the substrate in precise vertical alignment. A pedestal is configured to freely slide on the base. The pedestal includes a set of horizontal alignment wheels that precisely align the pedestal in the horizontal direction. An electrostatic chuck is magnetically held to the pedestal.

Multi-piece substrate holder and alignment mechanism

There is described apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates including wafers as to efficiently produce at reasonable costs improved throughput as compared to systems in use today. A linear transport chamber includes linear tracks and robot arms riding on the linear tracks to linearly transfer substrates along the sides of processing chambers for feeding substrates into a controlled atmosphere through a load lock and then along a transport chamber as a way of reaching processing chambers. A four-axis robot arm is disclosed, capable of linear translation, rotation and articulation, and z-motion.

Linear vacuum robot with Z motion and articulated arm

Linear vacuum robot with z motion and articulated arm

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Hoang Huy Vu