A semiconductor process transport apparatus including a drive section with at least one motor, an articulated arm coupled to the drive section for driving articulation motion, a machine controller coupled to the drive section to control the at least one motor moving the articulated arm from one location to a different location, and an adapter pendant having a machine controller interface coupling the adapter pendant for input/output with the machine controller, the adapter pendant having another interface, configured for connecting a fungible smart mobile device having predetermined resident user operable device functionality characteristics, wherein the other interface has a connectivity configuration so mating of the fungible smart mobile device with the other interface automatically enables configuration of at least one of the resident user operable device functionality characteristics to define an input/output to the machine controller effecting input commands and output signals for motion control of the articulated arm.

Exemplary integrated cluster tools may include a factory interface including a first transfer robot. The tools may include a wet clean system coupled with the factory interface at a first side of the wet clean system. The tools may include a load lock chamber coupled with the wet clean system at a second side of the wet clean system opposite the first side of the wet clean system. The tools may include a first transfer chamber coupled with the load lock chamber. The first transfer chamber may include a second transfer robot. The tools may include a thermal treatment chamber coupled with the first transfer chamber. The tools may include a second transfer chamber coupled with the first transfer chamber. The second transfer chamber may include a third transfer robot. The tools may include a metal deposition chamber coupled with the second transfer chamber.

A method for calibration including determining a temperature induced offset in a pedestal of a process module under a temperature condition for a process. The method includes delivering a wafer to the pedestal of the process module by a robot, and detecting an entry offset. The method includes rotating the wafer over the pedestal by an angle. The method includes removing the wafer from the pedestal by the robot and measuring an exit offset. The method includes determining a magnitude and direction of the temperature induced offset using the entry offset and exit offset.

A substrate handling chamber body is formed from a castable aluminum alloy including a manganese (Mn) constituent and an iron (Fe) constituent. The castable aluminum alloy has a manganese (Mn) constituent-to-iron (Fe) constituent ratio that between about 1.125 and about 1.525 to limit microporosity and shrinkage porosity within the castable aluminum alloy forming the substrate handling chamber body. Semiconductor processing systems and methods of making substrate handling chamber bodies for semiconductor processing systems are also described.

A substrate process station includes a housing including a transport region and process region. The process station further includes a magnetic levitation assembly disposed in the transport region configured to levitate and propel a substrate carrier. The magnetic levitation assembly includes a first track segment including first rails disposed in the transport region and below the process region, wherein the first rails each include a first plurality of magnets. The process station further includes a pedestal assembly comprising a pedestal disposed within the housing. The pedestal is moveable between a pedestal transfer position and a process position, wherein the pedestal is disposed between the first rails in the pedestal transfer position to receive a substrate from the substrate carrier, and wherein the pedestal is moveable between the first rails to position the received substrate in the process region in the process position.

There is provided a technique for suppressing interference between processes respectively performed in the plurality of reactors. According to one aspect thereof, a substrate processing apparatus includes: a first vessel including a transfer port and a process chamber; a second vessel adjacent to the first vessel and communicating with the first vessel via the transfer port; a lid for closing the transfer port; a seal arranged between the transfer port and the lid; and a controller for controlling the inner pressure of the first vessel to be lower than the inner pressure of the second vessel with the transfer port closed by the lid while the substrate is processed in the process chamber and the inner pressure of the first vessel to be higher than the inner pressure of the second vessel after the substrate is processed and before the first vessel comes into communication with the second vessel.

Plasma processing apparatuses, substrate bonding systems, and substrate bonding methods are provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma process chamber that includes a process space, a load-lock chamber connected to the process space, a first vacuum pump that adjusts a pressure of the load-lock chamber, a process gas supply that supplies the process space with a process gas, and an H.sub.2O supply that supplies the process space with H.sub.2O. The plasma process chamber includes a chuck that supports a substrate and a plasma electrode to which a radio-frequency (RF) power is applied.

A substrate process station includes a housing including a transport region and process region. The process station further includes a magnetic levitation assembly disposed in the transport region configured to levitate and propel a substrate carrier. The magnetic levitation assembly includes a first track segment including first rails disposed in the transport region and below the process region, wherein the first rails each include a first plurality of magnets. The process station further includes a pedestal assembly comprising a pedestal disposed within the housing. The pedestal is moveable between a pedestal transfer position and a process position, wherein the pedestal is disposed between the first rails in the pedestal transfer position to receive a substrate from the substrate carrier, and wherein the pedestal is moveable between the first rails to position the received substrate in the process region in the process position.

A method of inspection and an inspection system for the film deposition process for substrates that includes glass and wafer are disclosed. The inspection system includes multiple camera modules positioned in a load lock unit of a process chamber, such as the camera modules that can capture images of the substrate in the load lock. The images are analyzed by a controller of the inspection system to determine the accuracy of robots in handling the substrate, calibration of the robots based on the analysis, and defects in the substrate caused during the handling and deposition process.

A degassing chamber for degassing a material located on a workpiece, comprises a vacuum source and a vacuum reservoir in fluid communication with the vacuum source, a secondary chamber, a port valve which is movable between an open position to allow passage of a workpiece therethrough between the exterior of the degassing chamber and the secondary chamber and a closed position in which the port valve is fluidly sealed, and a reservoir valve which is movable between an open position to provide fluid communication between the secondary chamber and the vacuum reservoir and a closed position in which the reservoir valve is fluidly sealed. The degassing chamber may be provided subsequent to a printing machine in a production line, and has particular application for degassing silicone material when producing fuel cells.