A wafer carrier disc installation/uninstallation device and an installation/uninstallation method thereof. The installation/uninstallation device includes a first robotic arm 1, a second robotic arm 2, a carrier disc 3, a main correction mechanism 4, a wafer correction mechanism 5 and a material rest mechanism 6. The carrier disc 3, the main correction mechanism 4, the wafer correction mechanism 5 and the material rest mechanism 6 are positioned within the moving range of the first and second robotic arms 1 and 2. The first robotic arm 1 drives an image capturing assembly 11 and a wafer locating member installation/uninstallation mechanism 12 to move. The second robotic arm 2 drives a wafer taking/placing mechanism 21 to move. Multiple wafer discs 31 are disposed on the carrier disc 3. The main correction mechanism 4 corrects the image capturing assembly 11, the wafer locating member installation/uninstallation mechanism 12 to true operation positions.

A jig includes a disc body, a fixation pin, and a verification pin. The disc body has a first surface, an opposite a second surface, and a thickness separating the first surface from the second surface. A fixation aperture and a verification aperture extend through the thickness of the disc body and couple the first surface to the second surface of the disc body, the fixation aperture located radially outward of the verification aperture. The fixation pin is arranged to be slidably received within the fixation aperture to fix the disc body to an end effector within the semiconductor processing system. The verification pin is arranged to be slidably received within the verification aperture and supported by the disc body to indicate misregistration between the disc body and a load lock in the semiconductor processing system. Semiconductor processing systems and methods of teaching substrate handling are also described.

An in-vacuum twin-arm robot transports substrates in a vacuum space. The in-vacuum twin-arm robot includes a base arm, a first arm, a second arm, a first hand, and a second hand. The base arm can move vertically and can rotate. The first arm can rotate with respect to the base arm. The second arm can rotate with respect to the base arm. The first hand rotates with respect to the first arm and holds and transports the substrate. The second hand rotates with respect to the second arm and holds and transports the substrate. The first arm and the second arm are rotatably mounted on a leading end of the base arm via a joint shaft formed hollow. An angle of the first hand with respect to the first arm and an angle of the second hand with respect to the second arm can be changed independently of each other.

The inventive concept provides a substrate treating apparatus. The substrate treating apparatus includes a first process treating unit configured to treat a substrate in a single-type method; a second process treating unit configured to treat a substrate in a batch-type method; and a posture changing unit provided between the first process treating unit and the second process treating unit and configured to change a posture of the substrate between a vertical posture and a horizontal posture, and wherein the substrate is loaded to and unloaded from the first process treating unit.

An apparatus, system and method for a substrate flipper capable of accommodating substrates of varying sizes. The apparatus, system and method may include a base housing providing at least a portion of a rotating feature; an arm enclosure rotatably associated with the rotating feature and providing at least one arm actuator, and at least one gripper actuator; two arms at two substantially distal points with respect to one another along the arm enclosure, each of the two arms being communicatively associated with the at least one arm actuator; and a gripper associated with each of the two arms distal from the arm enclosure, communicatively associated with the at least one gripper actuator and capable of gripping one of the substrates upon actuation of the gripper. The actuation of the at least one arm actuator effectuates a change in distance between central longitudinal axes of each of the two arms.

An apparatus, system and method for a wedge clamp suitable to provide self extracting grips for an end effector suitable to hold semiconductor wafers, or other substrates such as rectangular panels. The apparatus, system and method may include two inner jaws at least mechanically associated with a robotic base; two outer arms associated with the inner jaws via at least one arms cam; and a plurality of wedge clamps. Each of the wedge clamps may comprise: a spring; a cam loaded on the spring; and a cam travel path into which the cam is slidably associated. A contraction of the inner jaws and a consequent arms camming of the outer arms applies pressure to a circumferential edge of the semiconductor wafer such that the circumferential edge depresses each of the cams along its respective cam travel path and against its respective one of the springs. The jaws close may synchronously about a center point of the substrate, thereby keeping it centered.

A wafer stocker capable of further improving an environment around wafers is provided. The wafer stocker includes a housing, a loading device provided on a front surface of the housing, a wafer cassette shelf arranged in the housing, a wafer transfer robot configured to move the wafers from a transfer container mounted on the loading device to a wafer cassette in the wafer cassette shelf, a wafer cassette delivery device configured to move the wafer cassette in the wafer cassette shelf to a stage having a different height, and a fan filter unit configured to generate a laminar flow in a wafer transfer space and in a wafer cassette transfer space.

Disclosed is an apparatus for treating a substrate. The apparatus for treating the substrate includes a liquid treating chamber for liquid-treating the substrate by supplying a treatment liquid to the substrate, a drying chamber for drying the substrate by supplying a process fluid to the substrate, a transfer unit for transferring the substrate between the liquid treating chamber and the drying chamber, and a rear surface cleaning unit for cleaning a rear surface of the substrate, in which the rear surface cleaning unit may clean the rear surface of the substrate while transferring the substrate from the liquid treating chamber to the drying chamber.

A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a first SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a first radial axis; a second SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a second radial axis, the SCARA arms having a common shoulder axis of rotation; and a drive section coupled to the SCARA arms is configured to independently extend each SCARA arm along a respective radial axis and rotate each SCARA arm about the common shoulder axis of rotation where the first radial axis is angled relative to the second radial axis and the end effector of a respective arm is aligned with a respective radial axis, wherein each end effector is configured to hold at least one substrate and the end effectors are located on a common transfer plane.

Systems and methods to control particle generation in a reticle inspection system are presented. The number of particles added to a reticle during an entire load-inspect-unload sequence of a reticle inspection system is reduced by performing all reticle contact events in a controlled, flowing air environment. In one embodiment, the reticle is fixed to a carrier by clamping outside of the vacuum environment, and the carrier, rather than the reticle, is coupled to the reticle stage of the inspection system. In this manner, the high levels of back-side particulation associated with electrostatic chucking are avoided. In addition, the carrier is configured to be coupled to the reticle stage in any of four different orientations separated by ninety degrees.