A substrate handling system including an infeed system for feeding stacked substrates and including a processing machine for processing stacked substrates, and in particular a printing press for printing stacked substrates. A robot cell is provided between the infeed system and the processing machine. The robot cell comprises one or two gripper systems, each for handling a plurality of substrates. The robot cell is configured in such a way, that selectively differently stacked substrates, which are feedable by the infeed system, can be handled.

Implementations disclosed describe an integrated sensor controller comprising a sensor circuit and a logic circuit. The sensor circuit includes a light source driver to generate a driving signal, a demultiplexer to produce, using the driving signal, a plurality of output driving signals to be delivered to one of a plurality of sensors, and an amplifier to: receive a first signal from a first sensor, the first signal being associated with a first event representative of a position of a substrate within a device manufacturing machine, and generate a second signal. The sensor circuit further includes an analog-to-digital converter to receive the second signal and generate a third signal. The logic circuit includes a memory device and a processing device coupled to the memory device, the processing device to obtain based on the third signal, information about the position of the substrate.

There is provided a device for transferring a substrate under air pressure. The device comprises a base part, a transfer arm part configured to transfer a substrate, a telescopic shaft part which is provided between the base part and the transfer arm part, and divided into a plurality of division shaft parts having a tubular shape, an annular channel which is provided in a circumference of a surface of a division shaft parts, and an exhaust channel which is connected to the annular channel so as to exhaust the gas flowing into the annular channel.

A carrier system is provided with a wafer stage which holds a mounted wafer and is also movable along an XY plane, a chuck unit which holds the wafer from above in a non-contact manner above a predetermined position and is vertically movable, and a plurality of vertical movement pins, which can support from below the wafer held by the chuck unit on the wafer stage when the wafer stage is positioned at the predetermined position above and can also move vertically. Then, flatness of the wafer is measured by a Z position detection system, and based on the measurement results, the chuck unit and the vertical movement pins that hold (support) the wafer are independently driven.

An apparatus including a plurality of robot arm links movably connected to one another, where a first one of the robot arm links includes a frame, where the frame has a first end movably connected onto a second one of the robot arm links; and at least one vibration damper arrangement on the frame of the first robot arm link, where the at least one vibration damper arrangement includes at least one viscoelastic element connected to the frame of the first robot arm link by a connection such that, as the frame of the first robot arm link experiences vibrations, the at least one viscoelastic element dampens the vibrations in the frame of the first robot arm link based upon viscoelasticity and the connection of the at least one viscoelastic element to the frame of the first robot arm link.

A robot includes first and second arms to rotate and convey an object; a first rotary body to support the first arm and having a first fluid passage and at least one second fluid passage communicating with the first fluid passage; a base-end-side arm formed with an internal space and a hole part into which a part of the first rotary body is inserted; a second rotary body to support the second arm and having a third fluid passage communicating at one end thereof with the second fluid passage and communicating at the other end thereof with the internal space; a supplying device disposed in the internal space and connected to an upstream-end side of the first fluid passage, and to supply fluid to the first fluid passage; a first motor to rotate the first rotary body; and a second motor to rotate the second rotary body.

A hand unit of a robot arm includes a U-shaped placement portion on which a semiconductor wafer is placed. The hand unit includes, on one end side of the placement portion, a first support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a first support height and a second support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a second support height, and includes, on the other end side of the placement portion, a third support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at the first support height and a fourth support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at the second support height. The hand unit further includes a first driving unit configured to move the third support portion and/or the fourth support portion forward and backward with respect to the first support portion and the second support portion.

A wafer transfer system can include a wafer gripper for picking and placing semiconductor devices. In an embodiment, the wafer gripper can include a first portion, a second portion and a laminate between the first and second portion. In one embodiment, the first portion can comprise glass or tempered glass, where the first portion having at least one vacuum hole and is configured to receive the semiconductor device. In an embodiment, the second portion can include glass or tempered glass, the second portion having configured to use low air pressure from a closed vacuum to vacuum a wafer. In an embodiment, the laminate can bond the first portion to the second portion.

Generation of dust from a peripheral portion of a substrate can be suppressed, and a processed substrate can be suppressed from being adversely affected by a pre-processed substrate. Further, an actual elevation state of the member configured to be moved up and down to support the substrate can be investigated. A substrate transfer device includes a first supporting portion, a second supporting portion and an elevating mechanism. The first supporting portion and the second supporting portion are configured to support a substrate from below the substrate. The elevating mechanism is configured to elevate the second supporting portion up and down between a first position higher than a height of the first supporting portion and a second position lower than the height of the first supporting portion. The substrate transfer device further includes a detecting mechanism configured to detect an elevation state of the second supporting portion.

An apparatus includes a first arm comprising an unequal-link linkage having a first end effector; a second arm comprising an equal-link linkage having a second end effector; and a drive unit coupled to the first arm and the second arm, the drive unit being configured to move the first arm and the second arm. The first end effector is asymmetric to the second end effector. The first end effector is angled relative to the second end effector such that a first substrate support section on the first end effector is not positioned over or under a second substrate support section on the second end effector.