Material or article handling – Horizontally swinging load support – Swinging about pivot
Reexamination Certificate
1996-01-16
2001-10-09
Underwood, Donald W. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Horizontally swinging load support
Swinging about pivot
C901S015000, C414S935000, C294S087100, C074S490010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299404
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and, more particularly, to a substrate transport with substrate holders each capable of transporting more than one substrate at the same time.
2. Prior Art
Mattson Technology has a system known as its ASPEN system that moves two semi-conductor wafers into and out of a process chamber at the same time. Batch systems, single wafer systems and cluster tool systems are also known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,601 discloses a substrate processing apparatus with multiple processing chambers and a substrate transport apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,276 discloses a substrate transport apparatus with two substrate holders. U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,600 discloses a coaxial drive shaft assembly of a substrate transport apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,722 discloses a rotatable palette that holds four wafers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,965 discloses a multi-planar electrode plasma etcher. U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,096 discloses a take-in-and-out chamber with side-by-side take-in and take-out positions. Other related art include the following:
U.S. Pat. No.: 1,190,215 U.S. Pat. No.: 2,282,608
U.S. Pat. No.: 3,730,595 U.S. Pat. No.: 3,768,714
U.S. Pat. No.: 3,823,836 U.S. Pat. No.: 3,874,525
U.S. Pat. No.: 4,062,463 U.S. Pat. No.: 4,109,170
U.S. Pat. No.: 4,208,159 U.S. Pat. No.: 4,666,366
U.S. Pat. No.: 4,721,971 U.S. Pat. No.: 4,730,975
U.S. Pat. No.: 4,907,467 U.S. Pat. No.: 4,909,701
U.S. Pat. No.: 5,151,008 U.S. Pat. No.: 5,333,986
U.S. Pat. No.: 5,447,409
EPO Publication No.: 0423608
Japanese Publication No.: 2-292153
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a substrate transport apparatus is provided comprising a movable arm assembly and two substrate holders. The movable arm assembly has two pairs of driven arms. The two substrate holders include a first holder which is suitably sized and shaped to simultaneously hold at least two spaced substrates thereon. Each substrate holder is individually connected to a separate one of the pairs of driven arms.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus is provided comprising a supply of substrates, a substrate transport module, and a substrate processing module. The substrate transport module is connected to the supply of substrates and includes a movable arm assembly and two substrate holders mounted to the movable arm assembly for extension and retraction relative to a center of the movable arm assembly. A first one of the holders has two separate holding areas for simultaneously holding two substrates. The substrate processing module is connected to the substrate transport module and is suitably sized and shaped to simultaneously receive two substrates transported into the processing module by the movable arm assembly and the first holder. The substrate transport module can move more than two substrates without rotating the substrate holders about a center axis of the transport module.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a substrate transport apparatus is provided comprising a movable arm assembly and two substrate holders. The movable arm assembly has two drive arms and two pairs of driven arms. Each pair of driven arms has a first driven arm connected to a first one of the drive arms and a second driven arm connected to a second one of the drive arms. The two pairs of driven arms are generally located on opposite sides of the drive arms. The two substrate holders are individually connected to separate ones of the pairs of driven arms. The two substrate holders each have more than one separate substrate holding area for each of the holders to simultaneously hold more than one substrate at the same time.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a substrate holder for use with a substrate transport apparatus is provided comprising a frame member and a mount. The frame member has a general flat planar shape with two spaced apart recesses into a front end of the frame member. The mount is connected to the frame member for attaching the frame member to the transport apparatus.
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Davis, Jr. James C.
Hofmeister Christopher A.
Muka Richard S.
Brooks Automation Inc.
Perman & Green LLP
Underwood Donald W.
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