An embodiment comprises: a guide moving in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction; a transfer arm provided on the guide and loading spaced apart wafers; a laser emission unit disposed on the guide and emitting first laser beams at the spaced apart wafers loaded on the transfer arm; and a laser detection unit disposed below the transfer arm and collecting, from among the first laser beams, second laser beams having passed through gaps between the spaced apart wafers.

The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

A multi-level hand apparatus includes a plurality of hands arranged in a vertical direction, and a plurality of clamp members disposed at the plurality of hands, respectively. Each of the clamp members is movable in a forward-rearward direction to clamp and release a workpiece. The apparatus further includes a movable head member extending in the vertical direction. Each clamp member includes a fixed spring receiving member, a movable spring receiving member movable in the forward-rearward direction, and a compression spring member arranged between the fixed spring receiving member and the movable spring receiving member. In each clamp member, the movable spring receiving member, as moving rearward, comes into contact with a front surface of the movable head member in a manner such that the movable spring receiving member is capable of moving in the vertical direction relative to the front surface.

Provided is holding finger 21 with which a thin-plate substrate W that has been subjected to surface processing can be transferred without generating a natural oxide film on a surface to be processed of the thin-plate substrate W. The holding finger 21 comprises: a finger body 47 which is internally formed with a flow path for circulating an inert gas; a pipe member which provides communication between an inert gas supply source and the flow path; an ejection port for ejecting the inert gas onto the surface to be processed of the thin-plate substrate W, the ejection port communicating with the flow path and being disposed on a surface of the finger body 47 opposing the surface to be processed of the thin-plate substrate W; an abutting member 49 which is disposed on the surface of the finger body 47 on which the ejection port is formed, and which abuts a peripheral portion of the thin-plate substrate W; a clamp member 57 which is disposed to be movable forward and backward with respect to the thin-plate substrate W; and a clamp mechanism for the clamp member 57 forward and backward.

A transfer device for transferring a substrate is provided, including a base plate, at least one suction unit disposed on a side of the base plate to generate suction on the substrate, and a plurality of movement restriction units disposed on the side of the base plate to limit the movement of the substrate during transfer. Each of the movement restriction units includes a main body, an abutting member, and a pusher. The main body is attached to the base plate and has a chamber therein. The abutting member is movably received in the chamber and has an abutting portion that protrudes beyond the main body to abut the substrate. The pusher is received in the chamber and configured to push the abutting member to move toward the substrate.

An improved stocker configuration for storing workpieces in a fabrication facility is disclosed, employing workpiece compartments arranged stationarily around a robot handling assembly. The robot handler can be designed with three degrees of freedom, to improve speed, throughput and minimum particle generation. In addition, the stocker storage area is stationary with the movable components are the robot assembly, thus further contributing to the cleanliness of the storage stocker. The stocker configuration can be open storage area for fast access, space saving and ease of clean air purging. The stocker configuration can provide highly dense workpiece storage, utilizing a circumferential edge gripper robot handling assembly.

The disclosure provides an apparatus, system and method for providing an end effector. The end effector may be capable of accommodating semiconductor wafers of varying sizes, and may include: a wafer support; a bearing arm capable of interfacing with at least one robotic element, and at least partially bearing the wafer support at one end thereof; a plurality of support pads on the wafer support for physically interfacing with a one of the semiconductor wafers; and a low friction moving clamp driven bi-directionally along a plane at least partially provided by the bearing arm, wherein the low friction moving clamp retractably applies force to a proximal edge of the semiconductor wafer.

A transfer device for transferring a substrate is provided, including a base plate, at least one suction unit disposed on a side of the base plate to generate suction on the substrate, and a plurality of movement restriction units disposed on the side of the base plate to limit the movement of the substrate during transfer. Each of the movement restriction units includes a main body, an abutting member, and a pusher. The main body is attached to the base plate and has a chamber therein. The abutting member is movably received in the chamber and has an abutting portion that protrudes beyond the main body to abut the substrate. The pusher is received in the chamber and configured to push the abutting member to move toward the substrate.