An apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor substrate includes a rotatable base configured to support a substrate, and a nozzle arm includes a nozzle and a light monitoring device. The light monitoring device includes a laser transmitter and an array of light sensors arranged in the nozzle arm and facing the substrate. The light monitoring device is configured to transmit a laser pulse towards the substrate, wherein the laser pulse impinges on the substrate, receive a reflected laser pulse from the substrate, calculate whether one or more light sensors received the laser pulse, and calculate a distance between the light monitoring device and the substrate using the turnaround time for determining a process quality on the substrate.

An automated material handling system (AMHS) and a method of operating the AMHS are disclosed. In one aspect, the AMHS includes a network of rails and a vehicle configured to hold a sample carrier that stores one or more samples, wherein the vehicle is configured to move within the FAB via the network of rails. The AMHS also includes a turn table connected to the network of rails and configured to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to a surface of the turn table. The AMHS further includes a hash rail connected to and overlapping the turn table. The hash rail is configured to rotate about the axis with the turn table.

Examples disclosed herein are directed to a method and apparatus for determining a position of a ring within a process kit. In one example, a sensor assembly for a substrate processing chamber is provided. The sensor assembly includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a plurality of sidewalls connecting the top surface to the bottom surface. The housing also has a recess in the top surface, the recess forming an interior volume within the housing. The sensory assembly includes a bias member, and a contact member disposed on the bias member. The bias member and contact member are disposed within the recess. A sensor is configured to detect a displacement of the contact member. The displacement of the contact member corresponds to a relative position of an edge ring.

A load port includes a first pin projecting on a dock plate and provided on the dock plate so as to be pushed down, and a first detection unit provided on the base portion and configured to detect that the dock plate is located at a first position. The first detection unit includes a movable member capable of displacing in a moving direction of the dock plate, and a first sensor configured to detect the displacement of the movable member. The movable member is arranged at a position to abut against the first pin that is in a pushed down state in a process in which the dock plate moves from a second position to the first position.

Method for monitoring a state of a pin lifter device (10), wherein the pin lifter device (10) is designed for moving and positioning a substrate in a process atmosphere region (P). The pin lifter device (10) has a coupling (18) and a drive unit (12) having an electric motor, which is designed and interacts with the coupling (18) in such a way that the coupling (18) is adjustable from a lowered normal position into an individual active position and back. The method for monitoring includes progressively receiving a present item of motor current information with respect to a motor current applied to the electric motor, comparing the present motor current information to an item of target current information, and deriving an item of state information based on the comparison.

A cover tape for packing an electronic component includes: a substrate layer; a heat sealing layer placed on one surface side of the substrate layer; and an intermediate layer placed between the substrate layer and the heat sealing layer, and a transmitted image definition based on JIS K 7374, with an optical comb width set to 0.5 mm, is 30% or more.

A substrate processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a disk part disposed in a chamber in which a heating means is provided, and a pocket part installed on one surface of the disk part and on which a substrate is seated. A heat hole through which heat generated by the heating means passes may be formed on an installation surface of the disk part on which the pocket part is installed, or a gear hole through which the heat of the heating means passes may be formed in a pocket gear facing the disk part.

A measurement jig for measuring the conditions in a device and a processing method are provided. A measurement jig having a substrate, a back-surface camera provided on a back-surface side of the substrate, and a controller configured to control the back-surface camera.

A substrate conveying robot has a robot arm including an end effector having a substrate holding unit holding a substrate, arm drive unit for driving the robot arm, an elevating drive unit for elevatingly driving the end effector, a robot control unit controlling the arm drive unit, the elevating drive unit, and the substrate holding unit, and a substrate detection unit having a substrate detection unit which detects a vertical position of the substrate and elevates coordinately with an elevating operation of the end effector. By this configuration, a vertical position of a substrate to be conveyed is detected with high accuracy so that a robot operation can be controlled based on the detection result.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of calibrating a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto a support surface in the processing chamber, wherein a process kit displaceable in the Z-direction is positioned around the support surface. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring a first gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit with a sensor on an edge surface of the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises displacing the process kit in the Z-direction. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring an additional gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit.