Disclosed herein are embodiments of an electrostatic end effector, and methods of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, an electrostatic end effector comprises a ceramic base, a first electrode layer coupled to the ceramic base, and a second electrode layer coupled to the ceramic base. The electrostatic end effector is configured to generate an electrostatic force upon a substrate responsive to a voltage applied to the first electrode. The electrostatic force upon the substrate may increase the friction force upon the substrate which may allow the end effector to accelerate at faster rates than current technologies allow without the substrate slipping on the end effector.

The invention relates to a planar multi-joint robot arm system. An example of such planar multi-joint robot arm system comprises a base platform having a longitudinal axis, a product manipulator having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base platform, a double crank-conrod mechanism consisting of a first crank-conrod link and a second crank-conrod link, wherein both the first and the second crank-conrod links having a crank end connected to the base platform and a conrod end connected to the product manipulator, and as well as a link element linking both crank-conrod joints of the first and the second crank-conrod links, a first driving unit arranged for rotating the crank end of the first crank-conrod link of the double crank-conrod mechanism, a multi-joint arm having first arm end connected to the base platform and a second arm end connected to the product manipulator as well as a second driving unit arranged for rotating the first arm end of the multi-joint arm. Herewith the construction of the product manipulator and the double crank-conrod mechanism has a more balanced design, and as such the mass and inertia of the overall construction are reduced significantly.

A system includes a robot with a robot arm having multiple joints and an end effector to carry a substrate. A processing device is to build, with respect to a joint space for the multiple joints and the end effector, a graph of reachable positions and sub-paths between the reachable positions, wherein the reachable positions and the sub-paths satisfy Cartesian limits within the joint space. The processing device is to determine, by executing a graph optimization algorithm on the graph, multiple paths, each made up of a group of the sub-paths and having one of a shortest distance or a lowest cost between a start point and an end point of the end effector. The processing device is to select a path, of the multiple paths, through the graph that minimizes a move time of the end effector between the start point and the end point.

A focus ring adjustment assembly of a system for processing workpieces under vacuum, where the focus ring may include a lower side having a first surface portion and a second surface portion, the first surface portion being vertically above the second surface portion. The adjustment assembly may include a pin configured to selectively contact the first surface portion of the focus ring, and an actuator operable to move the pin along the vertical direction between an extended position and a retracted position. The extended position of the pin may be associated with the distal end of the pin contacting the first surface of the focus ring and the focus ring being accessible for removal by a workpiece handling robot from the vacuum process chamber.

This conveying hand is used for conveying a conveyed object in an adsorbed state with a negative pressure, and comprises a pad having a contact portion that contacts the conveyed object and a concave portion having an internal space that can be evacuated; a base that moves while loading the pad; a first elastic member that movably supports the pad on the base in the direction of gravity of the conveyed object and restricts a movement of the pad on the base in the direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity; and a second elastic member that seals a space communicating with the internal space of the concave portion and movably supports the pad on the base in the direction of gravity.

A robot for transferring a wafer is disclosed. A blade of the robot includes a first sensor on an upper surface of the blade and the second sensor on a back surface of the blade. The first sensor is operable to align the blade with a wafer. The second sensor is operable to align the blade with a holder that holds the wafer.

The disclosure describes devices, systems and methods relating to a transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system. For example, a method includes causing a robot arm to pick up a substrate. The robot arm is caused to pick up the substrate by causing a first mover to rotate or to change a first distance to a second mover. Rotation of the first mover or the change in the first distance causes the first robot arm to rotate about a shoulder axis. The robot arm is further caused to pick up the substrate by causing one of a) a second mover to rotate or b) a third mover to change a second distance to the second mover. Rotation of the second mover or the change in the second distance causes the robot arm to raise or lower.

A telepresence robot may include a drive system, a control system, an imaging system, and a mapping module. The mapping module may access a plan view map of an area and tags associated with the area. In various embodiments, each tag may include tag coordinates and tag information, which may include a tag annotation. A tag identification system may identify tags within a predetermined range of the current position and the control system may execute an action based on an identified tag whose tag information comprises a telepresence robot action modifier. The telepresence robot may rotate an upper portion independent from a lower portion. A remote terminal may allow an operator to control the telepresence robot using any combination of control methods, including by selecting a destination in a live video feed, by selecting a destination on a plan view map, or by using a joystick or other peripheral device.

A system includes a robot arm with multiple joints and one or more end effector to carry a substrate. A processing device determines, within joint space of the robot arm, start/end points of the one or more end effector for a complete movement. The processing device builds, in joint space for the multiple joints and the one or more end effector, a graph of reachable positions and sub-paths between the reachable positions that satisfy Cartesian limits. The reachable positions are identified at a granularity that divides the complete movement into multiple sub-movements. The processing device executes a graph optimization algorithm on the graph to determine multiple paths, each a group of the sub-paths, that have one of shortest distances or lowest costs between the start/end points, and selects a path thereof that minimizes move time of the one or more end effector between the start/end points.

In a state of mapping sensors having been advanced into a carrier by a sensor advance/withdraw mover, a sensor lifting and lowering device moves the mapping sensors up and down. With this movement, the mapping sensors detect presence or absence of substrates in a horizontal direction crossing a fore-and-aft direction in which the substrates are moved into and out of the carrier, and a height sensor detects heights of the mapping sensors. Consequently, substrate heights are detected in two different locations in the fore-and-aft direction. Based on the substrate heights, a substrate condition acquiring unit acquires a tilt of each substrate relative to the horizontal in the fore-and-aft direction. The tilt of each substrate inside the carrier is acquired in advance, thereby to be able to prevent substrate damage due to contact between a hand of a substrate transport mechanism and the substrates.