Ulvac, Inc.

Kenji Ago

Toshio Koike

Hirofumi Minami

Takafumi Kawaguchi

Junpei Yuyama

Kazuhiro Musha

Takashi Asaishi

A substrate transfer apparatus that reduces the quantity of sensors used to detect the position of a substrate so as to simplify the structure and lower costs. The substrate transfer apparatus transfers a substrate (S) between a core chamber () and a peripheral chamber (or). A transfer robot () is arranged in the core chamber. The transfer robot includes a hand () for carrying the substrate and is capable of extending/drawing and pivoting the hand. A sensor () detects an edge surface of the substrate. The sensor is arranged at a position that the edge surface of the substrate passes by when the hand is extended/drawn between the core chamber and the peripheral chamber and that the edge surface of the substrate passes by when the hand is pivoted in the core chamber.

Substrate transfer apparatus

A compact transport apparatus that does not cause pollution to its environment is provided. In a transport apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention, an installation area of the apparatus is small because first and second rotary shafts are arranged concentrically, and a dead center escaping mechanism has a simple structure with a small thickness. Since a connecting portion of a hand portion can be made thin, an opening of a gate valve through which the hand portion is inserted can be reduced. As a result, it becomes difficult for dust inside a transport chamber to enter a processing chamber. A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a spaced dual shaft-type transport apparatus. Although the lengths of first arms provided at rotating shafts may differ from the lengths of second arms provided between the first arms and a substrate supporting portion, the apparatus is free from malfunction even when the lengths thereof differ because the transmission of a rotative force of a dead center escaping mechanism is released at a position except at a dead center in the present invention.

Transport apparatus

A transport apparatus which can properly transmit a rotary driving force of a rotating motor to a transport arm and can correctly detect an angle of rotation of a rotary driving shaft, thereby transporting an object to be transported in a transport unit to a correct position. The transport apparatus includes: a housing having an airtight structure; first to third driving shafts that are provided in the housing to be independently rotatable around a predetermined coaxial rotary shaft; permanent magnets arranged at predetermined positions of the first to third driving shafts, respectively; and electromagnetic coils provided in the housing to correspond to the respective permanent magnets. Driving currents are supplied to the electromagnetic coils based on predetermined information, so as to move the first to third driving shafts. The object to be transported is transported by first and second linkages fixed to the first to third driving shafts.

Transport apparatus, control method for the same, and vacuum processing system

A transport apparatus includes first and second linkages. The first linkage includes first and third arms that can be rotated around a coaxial rotary shaft of first through third driving shafts coaxially arranged, and transports a first carrier. The second linkage includes a second arm and the third arm that can be rotated around the coaxial rotary shaft of the first through third driving shafts, and transports a second carrier. The first and second linkages are arranged to allow the first and second carriers to move beyond the coaxial rotary shaft of the first through third driving shafts without interfering with each other.

Growing community of inventors

Chigasaki, Japan

Kenji Ago