Vacuum end effector for handling highly shaped substrates

Abstract

The present teachings relate to a system for handling semiconductor substrates with end effector devices. In one embodiment a plurality of orifices situated on a robot end effector are used to manipulate a highly shaped semiconductor wafer or substrate. The orifices may create vacuum forces on the substrate to enable the handling of the substrate. An end effector may have one or more primary orifices and may have one or more additional secondary orifices. The one or more primary orifices may be controllable and may have a high vacuum flow, greater than about 1 ft 3 /min.

1 . A device for handling a highly shaped substrate comprising: 
 an end effector having a first side and a second side, the first side including a planar surface and having a first primary vacuum orifice in the planar surface for applying a vacuum force; and    a sensor disposed on the end effector for sensing a level of contact between the substrate and the end effector,    wherein the vacuum force through the first primary orifice is regulated by the sensing of the sensor.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first secondary vacuum orifice in the planar surface.    
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a second secondary vacuum orifice in the planar surface.    
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the second side of the end effector includes a planar surface and has a second secondary vacuum orifice located in the planar surface of the second side.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a fork.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a paddle.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a ring.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes a second primary vacuum orifice.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second side of the end effector includes a planar surface and has a second primary vacuum orifice located in the planar surface of the second side.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an embedded capacitance sensor.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor senses the back pressure in the first primary vacuum orifice.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a robot arm connected to the end effector; and    a vacuum conduit system in fluid communication with the end effector.    
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the vacuum conduit system is external to the end effector.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the vacuum conduit system is internal to the end effector.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the vacuum conduit system has an umbilical cord configuration.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the vacuum conduit system is flexible.  
   
   
       17 . A device for handling a highly shaped substrate comprising: 
 an end effector having a first side and a second side, the first side including a planar surface and having a first primary vacuum orifice in the planar surface for applying a vacuum force; and    a back pressure sensor disposed on the end effector for sensing a level of contact between the substrate and the end effector.    
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the back pressure sensor is a diaphragm pressure sensor.  
   
   
       19 . A device for handling a highly shaped substrate comprising: 
 an end effector having plurality of vacuum orifices, each of the vacuum orifices applying a vacuum force; and    a plurality of vacuum valves, each of the vacuum valves modulating the vacuum force through one of the plurality of vacuum orifices.    
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the vacuum valve is a solenoid valve.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the vacuum valve is a proportional pneumatic valve.  
   
   
       22 . A device for handling a highly shaped substrate comprising: 
 an end effector having a first side and a second side, the first side including a planar surface and having a first primary vacuum orifice in the planar surface for applying a vacuum force to a substrate; and    a sensor disposed on the end effector for sensing a level of contact between the substrate and the end effector,    wherein the vacuum force of the first primary orifice is greater than about 1 ft 3 /min.    
   
   
       23 . A method of handling a highly shaped substrate comprising: 
 positioning an end effector in proximity to a highly shaped substrate;    applying a vacuum force through a first vacuum orifice in the end effector; and    capturing the substrate with the vacuum force.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising rotating the end effector to capture the substrate.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising vibrating the end effector to capture the substrate.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the vibrating of the end effector is performed at the resonance frequency of the substrate.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the vacuum force is applied at the resonance frequency of the substrate.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the vacuum force is modulated through an analog signal  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the vacuum force is modulated at the resonant frequency of the substrate.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising detecting contact between the substrate and the end effector by analog sensing of back pressure in the vacuum orifice.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the contact is detected by an embedded capacitance sensor.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising detecting the position of the substrate relative to the vacuum orifice through analog sensing of back pressure.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the position is detected through an embedded capacitance sensor.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 turning off the vacuum force in the first vacuum orifice; and    applying another vacuum force to a second vacuum orifice in the end effector.    
   
   
       35 . A method for handling a highly shaped substrate comprising: 
 positioning near a substrate an end effector having a plane and a plurality of vacuum orifices, each vacuum orifice having a vacuum force;    deforming the substrate with the vacuum force from a first vacuum orifice of the plurality of vacuum orifices into the plane of the end effector; and    capturing the substrate with the vacuum force of a second vacuum orifice of the plurality of vacuum orifices.    
   
   
       36 . A method for handling a highly shaped substrate comprising: 
 positioning an end effector having a vacuum orifice near a substrate;    modulating a vacuum force through the vacuum orifice at about the resonant frequency of the substrate;    sensing the displacement of the substrate for modulating of the vacuum force; and    capturing the substrate based on the sensing of the displacement of the substrate.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein sensing the displacement of the substrate comprises sensing back pressure in the vacuum orifice.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein sensing the displacement of the substrate comprises measuring capacitance.  
   
   
       39 . A method of determining the resonant frequency of a substrate comprising: 
 applying a vacuum force to the substrate;    modulating the vacuum force over a range of frequencies;    sensing a displacement of the substrate; and    determining the resonant frequency of the substrate to be the frequency at which the greatest displacement of the substrate occurs.