A controller controls a substrate transfer robot whose joint axis is oriented in a vertical direction. The joint motor that drives the joint is switchable in a direction of rotation. The controller corrects a position of a hand in at least one of the cases of picking a substrate and placing a substrate based on positional misalignment information. The controller controls the hand to pass through a relay position before the hand reaches a corrected position that is the position of the hand after correction. The controller controls the hand to reach the relay position by driving the joint in one direction by the joint motor, and the hand to reach the corrected position from the relay position by driving the joint in the same one direction only by the joint motor.

Methods and apparatus for the in-situ measurement of metrology parameters are disclosed herein. Some embodiments of the disclosure further provide for the real-time adjustment of process parameters based on the measure metrology parameters. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide for a multi-stage processing chamber top plate with one or more sensors between process stations.

A control device of a substrate processing apparatus is configured to execute: calculating patterns for changing an order of loading to the substrate processing apparatus for multiple substrates loaded to the substrate processing apparatus; generating, for each obtained pattern, a time table in which process end times in the polishing device, the cleaning device, and the transport device are associated, so that an idling state does not occur from a time when the substrates are loaded to the substrate processing apparatus until a cleaning process ends; selecting a time table with a shortest time from a time when a process of a substrate initially loaded to the substrate processing apparatus starts until a process of a lastly loaded substrate ends in the obtained time tables; and controlling timings of loading the substrates to the substrate processing apparatus based on the selected time table.

Disclosed is a substrate processing system that performs a film deposition on plural substrates in a processing container using a film deposition condition calculated based on a characteristic of a film deposited on at least one of the substrates. The substrate processing system includes: a storage unit storing surface state information and arrangement state information that represent influences of a surface state of the one substrate and an arrangement state of the plural substrates on the characteristic of the film deposited on the one substrate, respectively; a calculation unit calculating information that represents an influence of the plural substrates on the characteristic of the film on the one substrate based on the surface state information and the arrangement state information stored in the storage unit; and a correction unit correcting the characteristic of the film deposited on the one substrate based on the information calculated by the calculation unit.

Disclosed is a panel sorting device which includes a placement rack, an alignment device, and a classification robotic arm. The placement rack has multiple layers. In each layer of the placement rack, at least one panel is placed according to a predetermined sequence and corresponding position. The alignment device is configured to obtain the positional deviation of the panel moved on a production line. The classification robotic arm is configured to correct the panel position in the placement rack based on the positional deviation acquired by the alignment device, and place the panel in the corresponding layer of the placement rack according to the predetermined sequence and position. The panel sorting device can quickly grab the panel and automatically sort the panels according to the product's specifications. As a result, it can increase demand for automated handling and production yield, and reduce costs and save installation space.

A substrate production control system includes production start timing obtaining section configured to obtain information of production start timing on substrate production lines, setup time estimation section configured to estimate setup times required for a setup work of setting up the substrate production line, setup start timing determination section configured to determine setup start timing of starting the setup work based on the production start timing and the setup time, delivery time estimation section configured to estimate delivery time required for a delivery work of receiving a member necessary for production of the substrate from member warehouse and conveying the member to at least one of an execution location (external setup area) of the setup work and the substrate production line, and delivery start timing determination section configured to determine delivery start timing of starting the delivery work based on the setup start timing and the delivery time.

Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to an improved factory interface that is coupled to an on-board metrology housing configured for measuring film properties of a substrate. In one implementation, an apparatus comprises a factory interface, and a metrology housing removably coupled to the factory interface through a load port, the metrology housing comprises an on-board metrology assembly for measuring properties of a substrate to be transferred into the metrology housing.

Methods and systems for laser etching substrates to fine tune antennas for wireless communication are provided. A method includes laser etching an antenna element design into a substrate material. The antenna element design is for receiving conductive material to form an antenna structure. The method also includes laser etching a first area of the substrate material to change an intrinsic property of the substrate material in order to control an electrical characteristic of the antenna structure.

A method of generating training spectra for training of a neural network includes measuring a first plurality of training spectra from one or more sample substrates, measuring a characterizing value for each training spectra of the plurality of training spectra to generate a plurality of characterizing values with each training spectrum having an associated characterizing value, measuring a plurality of dummy spectra during processing of one or more dummy substrates, and generating a second plurality of training spectra by combining the first plurality of training spectra and the plurality of dummy spectra, there being a greater number of spectra in the second plurality of training spectra than in the first plurality of training spectra. Each training spectrum of the second plurality of training spectra having an associated characterizing value.

Methods and systems for laser etching substrates to fine tune antennas for wireless communication are provided. A method includes laser etching an antenna element design into a substrate material. The antenna element design is for receiving conductive material to form an antenna structure. The method also includes laser etching a first area of the substrate material to change an intrinsic property of the substrate material in order to control an electrical characteristic of the antenna structure.