An alignment nozzle jig for centering a coater photoresist arm that includes an alignment nozzle block. The alignment nozzle jig also includes an endoscope holder removably secured to a bottom of the alignment nozzle block, an endoscope, and an alignment mark removably coupled to the endoscope holder opposite the alignment nozzle block. The alignment nozzle jig is retrieved from a nozzle bath by the coater arm and transferred to a center of a chuck in an associated process chamber. Via the endoscope, the coater photoresist arm is aligned with the center of the chuck using the alignment mark.

An alignment nozzle jig for centering a coater photoresist arm that includes an alignment nozzle block. The alignment nozzle jig also includes an endoscope holder removably secured to a bottom of the alignment nozzle block, an endoscope, and an alignment mark removably coupled to the endoscope holder opposite the alignment nozzle block. The alignment nozzle jig is retrieved from a nozzle bath by the coater arm and transferred to a center of a chuck in an associated process chamber. Via the endoscope, the coater photoresist arm is aligned with the center of the chuck using the alignment mark.

A system includes a robot configured to transfer either one of a substrate and an edge ring within a substrate processing system, a substrate aligner configured to adjust a rotational position of either one of the substrate or the edge ring relative to an end effector of the robot, and a carrier plate configured to support the edge ring. The robot is configured to retrieve the carrier plate with the end effector, retrieve the edge ring using the carrier plate supported on the end effector, and transfer the carrier plate and the edge ring to the substrate aligner.

A substrate rotating apparatus may include a spin chuck supporting a substrate and a stage rotating the spin chuck about an axis parallel to a first direction. The spin chuck may include a first magnetic element and a substrate supporting member thereon. The stage may include a stage housing, a rotating part rotating about the axis, an inner control unit controlling rotation of the rotating part, a power supplying part supplying a power to the rotating part, and a wireless communication part receiving a control signal from an outside and transmitting the control signal to the inner control unit. The rotating part may include a second magnetic element spaced apart from the first magnetic element and a rotation driver rotating the second magnetic element. The rotating part, the inner control unit, the power supplying part, and the wireless communication part may be placed in the stage housing.

A substrate rotating apparatus may include a spin chuck supporting a substrate and a stage rotating the spin chuck about an axis parallel to a first direction. The spin chuck may include a first magnetic element and a substrate supporting member thereon. The stage may include a stage housing, a rotating part rotating about the axis, an inner control unit controlling rotation of the rotating part, a power supplying part supplying a power to the rotating part, and a wireless communication part receiving a control signal from an outside and transmitting the control signal to the inner control unit. The rotating part may include a second magnetic element spaced apart from the first magnetic element and a rotation driver rotating the second magnetic element. The rotating part, the inner control unit, the power supplying part, and the wireless communication part may be placed in the stage housing.

Systems and techniques for determining and correcting inter-wafer misalignments in a stack of wafers transported by a wafer handling robot. An enhanced automatic wafer centering system is provided that may be used to determine a smallest circle associated with the stack of wafers, which may then be used to determine whether or not the stack of wafer meets various process requirements and/or if a centering correction can be made to better align the wafers with a receiving station coordinate frame.

Systems and techniques for determining and correcting inter-wafer misalignments in a stack of wafers transported by a wafer handling robot. An enhanced automatic wafer centering system is provided that may be used to determine a smallest circle associated with the stack of wafers, which may then be used to determine whether or not the stack of wafer meets various process requirements and/or if a centering correction can be made to better align the wafers with a receiving station coordinate frame.

An orientation chamber is provided. The orientation chamber includes a substrate holder, an orientation detector, and a purging system. The substrate holder is configured to hold a substrate. The orientation detector is configured to detect an orientation of the substrate. The purging system is configured to inject a cleaning gas into the orientation chamber and remove contaminants from the substrate. The purging system includes a gas regulator adjusting a volume of the cleaning gas supplied into the orientation chamber according to a detection signal output from a gas detector which indicates a content of a specific gas contaminant outgassed from the substrate.

A physical vapor deposition chamber comprising a tilting substrate support is described. Methods of processing a substrate are also provided comprising tilting at least one of the substrate and the target to improve the uniformity of the layer on the substrate from the center of the substrate to the edge of the substrate. Process controllers are also described which comprise one or more process configurations causing the physical deposition chamber to perform the operations of rotating a substrate support within the physical deposition chamber and tilting the substrate support at a plurality of angles with respect to a horizontal axis.

Provided is a FOUP transfer device for transferring FOUPs between load ports and which is capable of reducing remodeling work on a pre-installed conveyance device as much as possible. FOUP transfer devices 1-1, 1-2 are installed in the vicinity of the load ports of the conveyance device, comprising one or more load ports 18-1, 18-2, and transfer FOUPs 3 between the load ports 18-1, 18-2. The FOUP transfer devices 1-1, 1-2 have first optical I/O communication devices 31-3, 31-4 and are configured such that second optical I/O communication devices 31-1, 31-2 provided for the load ports 18-1, 18-2 are connected thereto, and so as to carry out, in place of the load ports 18-1, 18-2, the optical I/O communication carried out between the load ports 18-1, 18-2 and an OHT cart 11.