A compound fork device includes a first prong and a second prong spaced apart from the first prong. Each of the first and second prongs has an upper surface and a lower surface which is depressed relative to the upper surface. The upper surfaces of the first and second prongs are configured to cooperatively retain a first type container. The lower surfaces of the first and second prongs are configured to cooperatively retain a second type container having a configuration different from that of the first type container. A method and a system using the compound fork device are also disclosed.

An apparatus including at least one emitter configured to emit energy; at least one receiver configured to receive the emitted energy, where the at least one emitter is mounted on at least one of: a robot arm, an end effector of the robot arm, a substrate on the robot arm, or a substrate process module, where the at least one receiver is mounted on at least one of: the robot arm, the end effector of the robot arm, the substrate on the robot arm, or the substrate process module.

A wafer magazine is disposed on a load port of an oven chamber. The wafer magazine contains one or more wafer boats with semiconductor wafers. The wafer boats are supported in the wafer magazine by wall slots of the wafer magazine. Using a push bar, the wafer boats are transferred out of the wafer magazine and into a wafer magazine jig also disposed on the load port. The transferred one or more wafer boats are supported in the wafer magazine jig by wall slots of the wafer magazine jig. During transfer, the wafer boats are supported across a gap between the wafer magazine and the wafer magazine jig by wall slots of a boat bridge interposed between the wafer magazine and the wafer magazine jig. After the transfer and using a robot, the wafer boats in the wafer magazine jig are moved into the oven chamber.

The method includes the steps of: detecting a part, of a surface of a target, that is located on an inner circumferential side of a predetermined circle centered on a rotation axis and passing the target, by an object detection sensor, at plural rotation positions when at least one of a rotation position of the target about the rotation axis on a substrate placement portion and a rotation position of a detection area about a robot reference axis is changed; calculating a quantity correlated with an index length representing a distance from the robot reference axis to the target when the target is detected by the object detection sensor, for each rotation position; and calculating the positional relationship between the robot reference axis and the rotation axis on the basis of, among the rotation positions, the one at which the quantity correlated with the index length is maximized or minimized.

A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a SCARA arm mounted to the frame at a shoulder joint having two links with at least one end effector dependent therefrom, the links defining an upper arm and a forearm, each end effector pivotally joined to the forearm at a wrist to rotate about a wrist axis, and a drive section with at least one degree of freedom operably coupled to the arm to rotate the arm about a shoulder axis articulating extension and retraction, wherein the end effector is coupled to a wrist joint pulley so that extension and retraction effects rotation of the pulley and end effector as a unit about the wrist axis, and wherein a height of the end effector is within a stack height profile of the wrist joint so that a total stack height is sized to conform with and pass through a pass-through of a slot valve.

There is provided a system for processing a substrate under a depressurized environment. The system comprises: a processing chamber configured to perform desired processing on a substrate; a transfer chamber having a transfer mechanism configured to import or export the substrate into or from the processing chamber; and a controller configured to control a processing process in the processing chamber. The transfer mechanism comprises: a fork configured to hold the substrate on an upper surface; and a sensor provided in the fork and configured to measure an internal state of the processing chamber. The controller is configured to control the processing process in the processing chamber on the basis of the internal state of the processing chamber measured by the sensor.

A robot control device configured to control operation of a robot configured to transfer a substrate while holding the substrate. The robot includes a robotic arm having at least one joint axis, and an end effector provided to a tip end of the robotic arm and configured to hold the substrate. A position and a posture of the end effector are defined by values of N variables. A value of at least one of the N variables that define a holding position and a holding posture of the end effector for holding the substrate placed on the installation position by the end effector is independent from a value of the corresponding variable among the N variables that define a withdrawn position and a withdrawn posture of the end effector after retreating the end effector in the holding position and the holding posture from the installation position.

The present disclosure provides a substrate transfer apparatus. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the substrate transfer apparatus includes: a planar motor provided in a transfer chamber and having coils arranged therein; a transfer unit movable on the planar motor; and a control unit configured to control an energization of the coils. The transfer unit includes two bases having magnets arranged thereon and configured to be movable on the planar motor, a substrate support member configured to support a substrate, and a link mechanism configured to connect the two bases and the substrate support member to each other.

A substrate transfer robot for transferring a substrate in a vacuum chamber, includes: a transfer arm platform having coupling holes, wherein a link connecting member with blades is engaged at a front area of the transfer arm platform and a support shaft of a lower support is inserted into the lower space of one of the coupling holes; and a first and a second transfer arm part each including an end effector for supporting the substrate, multiple transfer link arms and subordinate link arms, and a common link arm that are connected to each other or to the transfer arm platform, wherein, the transfer link arms include at least some of drive shafts, interlocked with transfer driving motors or speed reducers, and output shafts interlocked with the drive shafts, and wherein the end effectors are positioned at different heights from each other through using a bracket.

A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed. An exemplary substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber; a susceptor plate positioned within the reaction chamber, constructed and arranged to support a substrate, and provided with one or more holes; a substrate lift mechanism comprising: a plurality of lift pins to support the substrate; and a lift pin support member to move the lift pins; in a vertical direction through the one or more holes; a substrate transfer robot provided with one or more robotic arms to transfer the substrate to a position above the lift pins; and a gas supply unit constructed and arranged to face the susceptor plate; wherein the gas supply unit is constructed and arranged to move in the vertical direction thereby positioning the gas supply unit in a processing position in the reaction chamber.