Robot Linear Drive Heat Transfer

Abstract

An apparatus including a frame, a first position sensor, a drive and a chamber. The frame has at least three members including at least two links forming a movable arm and an end effector. The end effector and the links are connected by movable joints. The end effector is configured to support a substrate thereon. The first position sensor is on the frame proximate a first one of the joints. The first position sensor is configured to sense a position of two of the members relative to each other. The drive is connected to the frame. The drive is configured to move the movable arm. The frame is located in the chamber, and the drive extends through a wall in the chamber.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A robot comprising:
 a drive; and   an arm connected to the drive, where the arm comprises at least two arm links connected in series and at least two end effectors, where a first one of the at least two arm links is connected to the drive, and where the at least two end effectors are connected to an end of another one of the arm links, where the end effectors comprise a respective substrate support area thereon,   where a first one of the at least two end effectors is rotatably connected to the end of the another arm link with a first rotary joint,   where a second one of the at least two end effectors is rotatably connected to the end of the another arm link with a second rotary joint,   where the first and second end effectors are independently rotatable on the end of the another arm link relative to each other,   where the drive is configured to be connected at a single stationary location of a substrate transport chamber,   where, with the drive connected to the single stationary location of the substrate transport chamber, the arm is configured to move the at least two end effectors into and out of at least two substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least two substrate processing chambers are aligned in a substantially straight linear row along a substantially straight linear side of the substrate transport chamber.   
     
     
         32 . The robot as claimed in  claim 31  where the arm comprises a first actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the first end effector on the another arm link, and a second actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the second end effector on the another arm link. 
     
     
         33 . The robot as claimed in  claim 32  where the first and second actuators each comprises an electric motor. 
     
     
         34 . The robot as claimed in  claim 33  where the electric motors are located inside at least one airtight vessel. 
     
     
         35 . The robot as claimed in  claim 31  where the at least two arm links comprise at least three arm links. 
     
     
         36 . The robot as claimed in  claim 31  where the arm is configured to move the at least two end effectors into and out of at least three of the substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least three substrate processing chambers are aligned in the substantially straight linear row along the substantially straight linear side of the substrate transport chamber. 
     
     
         37 . The robot as claimed in  claim 31  where the arm comprises a first pulley connected to the drive, a second pulley connected to the another arm link, and a mechanical transmission band connecting the first pulley to the second pulley, where the second pulley is stationarily connected to the another arm link. 
     
     
         38 . The robot as claimed in  claim 31  where the at least two arm links comprises only two arm links. 
     
     
         39 . The robot as claimed in  claim 31  where the first and second rotary joints comprise a coaxial axis of rotation on the end of the another arm link. 
     
     
         40 . The robot as claimed in  claim 39  where the arm is configured to move the at least two end effectors into and out of at least two other ones of the substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least two other ones of the substrate processing chambers are aligned in the substantially straight linear row along a substantially straight opposite linear side of the substrate transport chamber. 
     
     
         41 . The robot as claimed in  claim 39 ,
 where the at least two arm links comprises only two arm links,   where the arm comprises a first pulley connected to the drive, a second pulley connected to the another arm link, and a mechanical transmission band connecting the first pulley to the second pulley, where the second pulley is stationarily connected to the another arm link,   where the arm comprises a first actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the first end effector on the another arm link, and a second actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the second end effector on the another arm link,   where the first and second actuators each comprises an electric motor, and   where the electric motors are located inside at least one airtight vessel.   
     
     
         42 . The robot as claimed in  claim 41  where the arm is configured to move the at least two end effectors into and out of at least three of the substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least three substrate processing chambers are aligned in the substantially straight linear row along the substantially straight linear side of the substrate transport chamber. 
     
     
         43 . The robot as claimed in  claim 39 ,
 where the at least two arm links comprises at least three arm links,   where the arm comprises a first pulley connected to a rotatable shaft of the drive, a second pulley, and a mechanical transmission band connecting the first pulley to the second pulley,   where the arm comprises a first actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the first end effector on the another arm link, and a second actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the second end effector on the another arm link,   where the arm is configured to move the at least two end effectors into and out of at least three of the substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least three substrate processing chambers are aligned in the substantially straight linear row along the substantially straight linear side of the substrate transport chamber,   where the first and second actuators each comprises an electric motor, and   where the electric motors are located inside at least one airtight vessel.   
     
     
         44 . A method comprising:
 providing a substrate transport chamber configured to have process modules and at least one load lock connected thereto, where the substrate transport chamber has a general elongate length extending along a centerline of the substrate transport chamber and a narrower width, where opposite lateral sides of the substrate transport chamber are configured to have at least three of the process modules attached to each of the lateral sides;   connecting a robot drive to the substrate transport chamber, where the robot drive is mounted to the substrate transport chamber at a singular fixed location on the substrate transport chamber;   connecting a robot arm to the robot drive, where a first end of the robot arm is connected to the robot drive, and where the robot arm comprises at least two arm links connected in series; and   connecting at least two end effectors to a second end of the robot arm, where the end effectors comprise at least one respective substrate support area thereon,   where a first one of the at least two end effectors is rotatably connected to the second end of the robot arm with a first rotary joint,   where a second one of the at least two end effectors is rotatably connected to the second end of the robot arm with a second rotary joint,   where the first and second end effectors are independently rotatable on the second end of the robot arm relative to each other,   where the robot arm is configured to move the end effectors into and out of the at least three process modules attached to each of the lateral sides with the robot drive at the singular fixed location on the substrate transport chamber.   
     
     
         45 . The method as in  claim 44  further comprising connecting the process modules to the substrate transport chamber, where the connecting of the process modules to the substrate transport chamber comprises connecting at least three of the process modules to a first one of the lateral sides of the substrate transport chamber, and connecting at least three of the process modules to an opposite second one of the lateral sides of the substrate transport chamber. 
     
     
         46 . The method as in  claim 45  further comprising connecting at least one of the process modules to a first side end of the substrate transport chamber and connecting at least one load lock to a second opposite side end of the substrate transport chamber. 
     
     
         47 . A robot comprising:
 a drive; and   an arm connected to the drive, where the arm comprises at least three arm links connected in series and at least one end effector, where a first one of the at least three arm links is connected to the drive, and where the at least one end effector is connected to an end of another one of the arm links, where the at least one end effector comprises at least two substrate support areas thereon,   where the at least one effector is rotatably connected to the end of the another arm link,   where the drive is configured to be connected at a single stationary location of a substrate transport chamber,   where, with the drive connected to the single stationary location of the substrate transport chamber, the arm is configured to move the at least one end effector into and out of at least three substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least three substrate processing chambers are aligned in a substantially straight linear row along a substantially straight linear side of the substrate transport chamber.   
     
     
         48 . The robot as claimed in  claim 47  where the at least two substrate support areas are located at opposite ends of the at least one end effector. 
     
     
         49 . The robot as claimed in  claim 47  where the arm comprises a first actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the at least one first end effector, where the first actuator comprises an electric motor. 
     
     
         50 . The robot as claimed in  claim 47  where the electric motor is located inside at least one airtight vessel. 
     
     
         51 . The robot as claimed in  claim 47  where the arm comprises a first pulley connected to the drive, a second pulley, and a mechanical transmission band connecting the first pulley to the second pulley. 
     
     
         52 . The robot as claimed in  claim 47  where a first one of the at least one end effector is rotatably connected to the end of the another arm link with a first rotary joint, where a second one of the at least one end effector is rotatably connected to the end of the another arm link with a second rotary joint, where the first and second end effectors are independently rotatable on the end of the another arm link relative to each other, where the first and second rotary joints comprise a coaxial axis of rotation on the end of the another arm link. 
     
     
         53 . The robot as claimed in  claim 52  where the arm is configured to move the first and second end effectors into and out of at least two other ones of the substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least two other ones of the substrate processing chambers are aligned in a substantially straight second linear row along a substantially straight opposite linear side of the substrate transport chamber. 
     
     
         54 . The robot as claimed in  claim 53 ,
 where the arm comprises a first pulley connected to a rotatable shaft of the drive, a second pulley, and a mechanical transmission band connecting the first pulley to the second pulley,   where the arm comprises a first actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the first end effector on the another arm link, and a second actuator on the another arm link configured to rotate the second end effector on the another arm link,   where the arm is configured to move the first and second end effectors into and out of the at least three of the substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber,   where the first and second actuators each comprises an electric motor, and   where the electric motors are located inside at least one airtight vessel.   
     
     
         55 . A method comprising:
 providing a substrate transport chamber configured to have process modules and at least one load lock connected thereto, where the substrate transport chamber has a general elongate length extending along a centerline of the substrate transport chamber and a narrower width, where opposite lateral sides of the substrate transport chamber are configured to have at least three of the process modules attached to each of the lateral sides;   connecting a robot drive to the substrate transport chamber, where the robot drive is mounted to the substrate transport chamber at a singular fixed location on the substrate transport chamber;   connecting a robot arm to the robot drive, where a first end of the robot arm is connected to the robot drive, and where the robot arm comprises at least three arm links connected in series; and   connecting at least one end effector to a second end of the robot arm, where the at least one end effector comprises at least two substrate support areas thereon,   where the at least one end effector is rotatably connected to the second end of the robot arm with a first rotary joint,   where the robot arm is configured to move the at least one end effector into and out of the at least three process modules attached to each of the lateral sides with the robot drive at the singular fixed location on the substrate transport chamber.   
     
     
         56 . The method as in  claim 55  where the at least two substrate support areas are located at opposite ends of the at least one end effector. 
     
     
         57 . The method as in  claim 55  where the arm comprises at least one actuator on the arm configured to rotate the at least one first end effector, where the at least one actuator comprises at least one electric motor. 
     
     
         58 . The method as in  claim 57  where the at least one electric motor is located inside at least one airtight vessel. 
     
     
         59 . The robot as claimed in  claim 31  where the single stationary location is merely located near a center of the substrate transport chamber, such that the drive is configured to be connected at the single stationary location of the substrate transport chamber near the center of the substrate transport chamber. 
     
     
         60 . A robot comprising:
 a drive; and   an arm connected to the drive, where the arm comprises at least three arm links connected in series and at least one end effector, where a first one of the at least three arm links is connected to the drive, and where the at least one end effector is connected to an end of another one of the arm links, where the at least one end effector comprises at least two substrate support areas thereon,   where the at least one effector is rotatably connected to the end of the another arm link,   where the drive is configured to be connected at a single stationary location of a substrate transport chamber, where the single stationary location is merely located near a center of the substrate transport chamber, such that the drive is configured to be connected at the single stationary location of the substrate transport chamber near the center of the substrate transport chamber,   where, with the drive connected to the single stationary location of the substrate transport chamber, the arm is configured to move the at least one end effector into and out of at least three substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least three substrate processing chambers are aligned in a non-radial manner along a first side of the substrate transport chamber.   
     
     
         61 . A robot comprising:
 a robot arm comprising a first arm link, a second arm link and a first transmission, where the first arm link comprises a first end configured to be rotatably connected to a robot drive, where the second arm link is rotatably connected to a second end of the first arm link, where the first transmission is in the first arm link, where the first transmission is configured to rotate the second arm link relative to the first arm link, where the first transmission is configured to be moved by the robot drive; and   at least two end effectors connected to the second arm link, where the at least two end effectors each comprise at least one respective substrate support area thereon,   where a first one of the at least two end effectors is rotatably connected to the second arm link with a first rotary joint,   where a second one of the at least two end effectors is rotatably connected to the second arm link with a second rotary joint,   where the first and second end effectors are independently rotatable on the second arm link relative to each other.   
     
     
         62 . The robot as claimed in  claim 61  further comprising:
 the robot drive connected to the robot arm, 
 where the robot drive is configured to be connected at a single stationary location of a substrate transport chamber, and 
 where, with the robot drive connected to the single stationary location of the substrate transport chamber, the robot arm is configured to move the at least two end effectors into and out of at least two substrate processing chambers attached to the substrate transport chamber, where the at least two substrate processing chambers are aligned in a non-radial manner along a substantially straight linear side of the substrate transport chamber. 
 
     
     
         63 . The robot as claimed in  claim 62  where the single stationary location is merely located near a center of the substrate transport chamber, such that the drive is configured to be connected at the single stationary location of the substrate transport chamber near the center of the substrate transport chamber.