Substrate deposition systems, robot transfer apparatus, and methods for electronic device manufacturing

Abstract

Electronic device processing systems may include a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber, a first carousel assembly, a second carousel assembly, a first load lock, a second load lock, and a robot adapted to operate in the transfer chamber to exchange substrates between the first and second carousels and the first and second load locks. The robot may include first and second end effectors operable to extend and/or retract simultaneously or sequentially along substantially co-parallel lines of action. Methods and multi-axis robots for transporting substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-axis robot, comprising:
 a first SCARA comprising:
 a first upper arm adapted to rotate about a shoulder axis that extends through the first upper arm; 
 a first forearm rotationally coupled to and above the first upper arm at an outboard end of the first upper arm; 
 a first wrist member rotationally coupled to and below the first forearm at a first outer location of the first forearm; and 
 a first end effector coupled to the first wrist member, the first end effector disposed at a first height; and 
   a second SCARA comprising:
 a second upper arm adapted to rotate about the shoulder axis, the shoulder axis also extending through the second upper arm; 
 a second forearm rotationally coupled to the second upper arm at an outboard end of the second upper arm, wherein the second forearm is positioned below the first forearm; 
 a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm at a second outer location of the second forearm; and 
 a second end effector coupled to the second wrist member, the second end effector disposed at a second height different from the first height; 
   wherein the first end effector of the first SCARA extends in a first direction away from the shoulder axis, wherein the second end effector of the second SCARA extends in a second direction away from the shoulder axis, and wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction and the first and second directions form substantially co-parallel lines of action.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the multi-axis robot is adapted to operate in a transfer chamber of an electronic device processing system comprising:
 a mainframe housing including the transfer chamber, a first facet, a second facet opposite the first facet, a third facet, and a fourth facet opposite the third facet; 
 a first carousel assembly coupled to the first facet; 
 a second carousel assembly coupled to the third facet; 
 a first multi-position load lock coupled to the second facet, wherein the first multi-position load lock includes a first double height entrance, and further includes a first moveable lift body; 
 a first lift assembly coupled to the first moveable lift body; and 
 a second load lock coupled to the fourth facet; and 
   the multi-axis robot is adapted to exchange substrates from both the first carousel assembly and the second carousel assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to simultaneously place a first substrate into a first carousel assembly and a second substrate into a first multi-position load lock. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to simultaneously pick a first substrate from a first carousel assembly and a second substrate from a first multi-position load lock. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to retract, rotate, and then simultaneously place a first substrate into a first multi-position load lock and to place a second substrate into a first carousel assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second end effectors are operable to extend simultaneously or sequentially along the substantially co-parallel lines of action. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second end effectors are operable to retract simultaneously or sequentially along the substantially co-parallel lines of action. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein the first end effector overlies the second wrist member, and the second end effector lies under the first wrist member when oriented for a rotational move of the multi-axis robot. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 1 , wherein, at a first time, the first upper arm in a first extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a first plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action and the second upper arm in a second extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a second plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action, wherein the second plan view side is opposite the first plan view side. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second end effectors extend respectively in the first and second directions away from the shoulder axis along the substantially co-parallel lines of action at the first time such that the first and second end effectors respectively extend a distance from the shoulder axis sufficient to extend through a double height entrance of a process chamber and a double height entrance of a multi-position load lock respectively without extending the corresponding first or second wrist members therethrough. 
     
     
         11 . A multi-axis robot, comprising:
 a first SCARA comprising:
 a first upper arm adapted to rotate about a shoulder axis; 
 a first forearm rotationally coupled to and above the first upper arm at an outboard end of the first upper arm; 
 a first wrist member rotationally coupled to and below the first forearm at a first outer location of the first forearm; and 
 a first end effector coupled to the first wrist member; and 
   a second SCARA comprising:
 a second upper arm adapted to rotate about the shoulder axis; 
 a second forearm rotationally coupled to the second upper arm at an outboard end of the second upper arm; 
 a second wrist member rotationally coupled to the second forearm at a second outer location of the second forearm; and 
 a second end effector coupled to the second wrist member; 
   wherein the first end effector of the first SCARA extends in a first direction away from the shoulder axis, wherein the second end effector of the second SCARA extends in a second direction away from the shoulder axis, and wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.   
     
     
         12 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second directions form substantially co-parallel lines of action. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 12 , wherein, at a first time, the first upper arm in a first extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a first plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action and the second upper arm in a second extended position from the shoulder axis lies on a second plan view side of the substantially co-parallel lines of action, wherein the second plan view side is opposite the first plan view side. 
     
     
         14 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second end effectors extend respectively in the first and second directions away from the shoulder axis along the substantially co-parallel lines of action at the first time such that the first and second end effectors respectively extend a distance from the shoulder axis sufficient to extend through a double height entrance of a process chamber and a double height entrance of a multi-position load lock respectively without extending the corresponding first or second wrist members therethrough. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second end effectors are operable to:
 extend simultaneously or sequentially along the substantially co-parallel lines of action; and   retract simultaneously or sequentially along the substantially co-parallel lines of action.   
     
     
         16 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the multi-axis robot is adapted to operate in a transfer chamber of an electronic device processing system comprising:
 a mainframe housing including the transfer chamber, a first facet, a second facet opposite the first facet, a third facet, and a fourth facet opposite the third facet; 
 a first carousel assembly coupled to the first facet; 
 a second carousel assembly coupled to the third facet; 
 a first multi-position load lock coupled to the second facet, wherein the first multi-position load lock includes a first double height entrance, and further includes a first moveable lift body; 
 a first lift assembly coupled to the first moveable lift body; and 
 a second load lock coupled to the fourth facet; and 
   the multi-axis robot is adapted to exchange substrates from both the first carousel assembly and the second carousel assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to:
 simultaneously place a first substrate into a first carousel assembly and a second substrate into a first multi-position load lock; and   simultaneously pick the first substrate from the first carousel assembly and the second substrate from the first multi-position load lock.   
     
     
         18 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-axis robot is configured and adapted to retract, rotate, and then simultaneously place a first substrate into a first multi-position load lock and to place a second substrate into a first carousel assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the shoulder axis extends through the first upper arm and the second upper arm;   the first end effector is disposed at a first height; and   the second end effector is disposed at a second height different from the first height.   
     
     
         20 . The multi-axis robot of  claim 11 , wherein the first end effector overlies the second wrist member, and the second end effector lies under the first wrist member when oriented for a rotational move of the multi-axis robot.