The present disclosure generally relates to the field of semiconductor processing, and in particular devices and methods for handling and accurately positioning wafers during various stages of semiconductor manufacturing. The present disclosure further relates to semiconductor processing systems comprising said specifically designed devices.

A substrate treatment line is disclosed. The substrate treatment line may include a chamber portion including a plurality of treatment chambers stacked in a vertical direction, and a vertical return robot, including a plurality of gripping portions, to transfer a plurality of substrates in a vertical direction simultaneously and load or unload the substrates to the treatment chambers.

A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices includes repeatedly performing a transfer operation which transfers each of a plurality of semiconductor wafers between a substrate handling module and a processing chamber through a wafer access port, the processing chamber including at least one consumable component. Using the processing chamber, a semiconductor manufacturing process is performed on each of the plurality of semiconductor wafers; and detecting an optical signal from the at least one consumable component during a time when the processing chamber is not performing the semiconductor manufacturing process on the wafers.

Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a plurality of processing regions. The systems may include a transfer region housing defining a transfer region fluidly coupled with the plurality of processing regions. The systems may include a plurality of substrate supports, and each substrate support of the plurality of substrate supports may be vertically translatable between the transfer region and an associated processing region of the plurality of processing regions. The systems may include a transfer apparatus including a rotatable shaft extending through the transfer region housing. The transfer apparatus may include an end effector coupled with the rotatable shaft. The end effector may include a central hub defining a central aperture fluidly coupled with a purge source. The end effector may also include a plurality of arms having a number of arms equal to a number of substrate supports of the plurality of substrate supports.

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.

Discussed is a self-assembly apparatus that can include a chamber, at least one first supply part configured to supply a fluid to the chamber, a mounting part disposed on a first side of the chamber to mount a substrate to be inclined with respect to a horizontal plane of the chamber, the substrate having an assembly surface, and a magnet module disposed on an opposite surface of the substrate opposite to the assembly surface of the substrate, wherein the mounting part is configured to: insert the substrate into an upper side of the chamber, guide the inserted substrate from the upper side of the chamber toward a lower side of the chamber, and fix the guided substrate to the lower side of the chamber.

Provided are a transfer unit and a substrate treatment apparatus which can stably vacuum-adsorb a substrate and can be used for a long time. The transfer unit includes: a robot arm; and an end effector connected to the robot arm, wherein the end effector includes: a body; a vacuum hole formed in the body; and a pad installed on the body to surround the vacuum hole and including a first pad layer and a second pad layer stacked sequentially, wherein the first pad layer has greater elasticity than the second pad layer, and the second pad layer has greater hardness than the first pad layer.

The present disclosure relates to a substrate transfer device for sensing deflection of an end-effector and a substrate processing apparatus having the same. The substrate transfer device includes: an end-effector extending in a first direction and supporting a substrate; an end-effector hand connected with one side in the first direction of the end-effector; a horizontal movement unit connected with the end-effector hand and moving the end-effector in the first direction; and a deflection sensing unit including a light emitting part and a light receiving part, which are respectively disposed at both sides of a movement path of the end-effector, and sensing deflection of the end-effector.

A fixture, for example, comprised in a semiconductor processing system, includes a standoff arranged for fixation relative to a reaction chamber of a semiconductor processing system. A slide member is slidably supported by the standoff and is translatable along a carrying axis extending into the reaction chamber. A male threaded member depends from the slide member and is rotatable about a seating axis that is angled relative to the carrying axis. A paddle member depends from the male threaded member, defines along the carrying axis, is fixed relative to slide member along the carrying axis to carry a component of a process kit into the reaction chamber using translation of the slide member, and is free relative to the slide member along the seating axis to seat the process kit component within the reaction chamber using rotation of the male threaded member.

Provided is an apparatus of processing a substrate. The apparatus includes: a first module; a second module; and a buffer chamber disposed between the first module and the second module and temporarily storing a substrate transferred between the first module and the second module. The transfer chamber includes: a housing providing an inner space; a support unit including a plurality of support plates supporting the substrate in the inner space; a plurality of shower plates having an injection hole for injecting the gas to the substrate supported by the support unit; and a gas supply unit for supplying the gas to the shower plate, and the support plates are provided in a stacked structure, and each of the shower plates is provided to correspond to each of the support plates.