TWI846916B - Substrate transport apparatus and method of operating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate transport apparatus includes a transport chamber, a drive section, a robot arm, an imaging system with a camera mounted through a mounting interface of the drive section in a predetermined location with respect to the transport chamber and disposed to image part of the arm, and a controller connected to the imaging system and configured to image, with the camera, the arm moving to or in the predetermined location, the controller effecting capture of a first image of the arm on registry of the arm proximate to or in the predetermined location, the controller is configured to calculate a positional variance of the arm from comparison of the first image with a calibration image of the arm, and determine a motion compensation factor changing an extended position of the arm. Each camera effecting capture of the first image is disposed inside the perimeter of the mounting interface.

Description

Substrate transport equipment and method for operating substrate transport equipment

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally relate to substrate processing equipment, and more specifically to substrate transport equipment.

Generally speaking, semiconductor automation operates in a vacuum environment with unknown and high temperature variations imposed by various processing module stations, such as coupled to or forming cluster tools. Conventional semiconductor automation designs (e.g., robotics designs) rely on embedded position feedback devices that are located remotely from the position where the substrate is held in space. For example, an analog or digital rotary or linear encoder is used to detect the position of the motor actuator, and this information is used to calculate the expected position of the robot end effector in space via an assumed motion model of the robot arm. Due to the large dimensional variations in the robot arm linkage caused by the environment in which the robot arm operates (e.g., thermal effects), the actual position of the linkage and end effector may be unknown.

In general, different solutions have been proposed for substrate processing accuracy. As an example, vision systems have been used in the processing stations to be able to provide additional position feedback loops. Other types of robotic position sensing (such as GPS-based) have also been proposed as a way to locate the robot not only in space but also to locate individual processing stations. Other approaches use reflected or through-beam laser sensors positioned near the gates of the processing stations to correct for wafer/substrate misalignment relative to the end effector. These solutions may be referred to as Active Wafer Centering (AWC) with thermal compensation. Some versions of AWC also compensate for changes in the dimensions of the robot arm linkage due to thermal effects, such as by using AWC sensors to track the characteristics of the end effector or robot arm wrist as the arm dimensions change over time, such as at the process module station or gate valve.

The above-described known solutions for substrate processing accuracy may be insufficient because, for example, undesirable changes (e.g., due to cost, downtime, etc.) to cluster tools (or other processing equipment configurations) are required to support additional position or temperature feedback information. Sensing technologies may not operate well near harsh environments (e.g., high temperatures or corrosive gases). Sensing technologies may not provide sufficient information to correctly predict thermal growth (or contraction).

12: Interface section

15: Transport arm

18B: Transport room module

18i: Transport room module

26B: Transport arm

26i: Transport arm

30i: Workpiece station

30S1: Static workpiece support/axis

30S2: Static workpiece support/axis

56A: Load lock module

56S1: Static workpiece support/axis

56S2: Static workpiece support/axis

56: Load lock module

199A1: Interface section

199A2: Interface section

199A3: Interface section

199A4: Interface section

199A5: Interface section

199A6: Interface section

199A7: Interface section

214: Linear Sliding Arm

216A: Frog Leg Arm

216B: Frog Leg Arm

216: Frog Leg Arm

217: Leapfrog Arm

218A: Bi-symmetric arms

218B: Bisymmetrical arms

218: Bisymmetrical arms

219A: First joint arm

219B: Second joint arm

219E: End Executor

219: Teleporting Arm

410: Processing tools

412: Entry/Exit Station

416:Transportation Room

500: Vacuum chamber wall

510P: Peripheral

510: Installation interface

511: Part of the installation interface

512: Part of the installation interface

570: Encoder

571: Encoder

572: Encoder

599: Vacuum chamber

600: Imaging system

601: Imaging sensor

602: Imaging sensor

603: Imaging sensor

605: Window

606: Open mouth

610:Sensor housing

615:Window clip ring

700A: Cross configuration

700B: Circular configuration

700C: Double crosshair configuration

700:Indicator

701:Indicator

702:Indicator

901: Image

902: Baseline image

1100: Compensation algorithm

1101: Correction of motion model

1102: Motion control algorithm

1300: External device

1301: Block

1302: Block

1303: Block

1304: Block

1305: Block

1306: Block

1601: Block

1602: Block

1603: Block

1604: Block

1605: Block

2010: Linear substrate processing system

2012: Interface section

2050: Interface

2060: Interface

2070: Interface

2080: Substrate transportation

2300A: Arm

2300: Substrate transport equipment

3018A: Transport room module

3018I: Transport room module

3018J:Transportation room module

3018:Transportation room module

11000: Normal pressure front end

11005: Load port module

11010: Vacuum load lock

11011:Alignment device

11013: Transportation equipment

11014: Transportation equipment

11020: Vacuum rear end

11025:Transportation Room

11030: Processing station

11040: Load port

11050: Film box

11060: Microenvironment

11090: Tool Station

11091K: Motion solver

11091:Controller

23000: Transportation equipment

23201: Upper arm

23202:Forearm

23203P: Wrist plate

23203: End executor

23204: Drive section

23598:Axle

23610: Second transmission device

23612:Drive pulley

23614: Idler pulley

23616:Belt

23620:First transmission device

23622:Drive pulley

23624: Idler pulley

23626: Belt

23634H: Shell

23646:Elbow

23652:Shoulder

23660: Coaxial shaft assembly

23662: Motor

23663:Sleeve

23664: Motor

23666: Motor

23668a:Inner shaft

23668b:Middle shaft

23668c:External shaft

23668d:Drive shaft

23672:Inner shaft

23674:External shaft

23675: Coaxial shaft assembly

23678a: Stator

23678b: stator

23678c: stator

23680a:Rotor

23680b:Rotor

23680c:Rotor

23698:Axle

23750: Idle pulley

23751:Belt

23752: Third transmission device

23753:Drive pulley

23754: Idler pulley

23755:Belt

25115A:SCARA arm

25115B:SCARA arm

25115EA: End effector

25155EB: End effector

25155FA: Forearm connecting rod

25155FB: Forearm connecting rod

25155UA: Upper arm connecting rod

25155UB: Upper arm connecting rod

dL1: length change

dL2: length change

DP: vector

DP1: Position change

DP2: Position change

θ1: arm angle

θ2: arm angle

L: Arm length

L1: Arm length

L2: Arm length

LL: Load lock

PM: Processing module

R: radial direction

R1: radial direction

Rz: Rotation

S1: Substrate

S2: Substrate

X: axis

Y: axis

Z: axis

Z1: axis

Z2: axis

Z3: axis

The attached figures will be combined in the following description to describe the aforementioned aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiments, in which: [Figures 1A-1D] are schematic diagrams of substrate processing equipment incorporating the disclosed aspects; [Figures 2A-2E] are schematic diagrams of a transport arm having the disclosed aspects; [Figure 3] is a schematic diagram of a portion of a substrate processing equipment according to the disclosed aspects; [Figure 4] is a schematic diagram of a portion of a substrate processing equipment according to the disclosed aspects; [Figure 5] is a schematic diagram of a portion of a substrate processing equipment according to the disclosed aspects [FIG. 6] is a schematic diagram of a portion of a substrate processing device according to the disclosed aspect; [FIG. 7] is a schematic diagram of substrate transportation of a substrate processing device according to the disclosed aspect; [FIG. 8A] is a schematic diagram of substrate transportation of a substrate processing device according to the disclosed aspect; [FIG. 8B] is a schematic diagram of an exemplary target for substrate transportation according to the disclosed aspect; [FIG. 8C] is a schematic diagram of substrate transportation of a substrate processing device according to the disclosed aspect; [FIG. 9 ] is a schematic diagram of the pointer position conversion caused by thermal effect according to the disclosed embodiment; [FIG. 10A] is a schematic diagram of the motion model of the substrate transport arm under baseline conditions according to the disclosed embodiment; [FIG. 10B] is a schematic diagram of the motion model of the substrate transport arm under non-baseline conditions according to the disclosed embodiment; [FIG. 11] is a schematic controller flow chart for motion model correction according to the disclosed embodiment; [FIG. 12] is an expansion (expa) of the arm linkage of the substrate transport according to the disclosed embodiment nsion); [FIG. 13] is an exemplary diagram of training data collection for machine learning heat compensation model according to the disclosed aspects; [FIG. 14A and 14B] are exemplary diagrams for deriving link length expansion based on camera measurement according to the disclosed aspects; [FIG. 15] is a flow chart of the operating method of substrate transport equipment according to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments; and [FIG. 16] is a flow chart of the operating method of substrate transport equipment according to one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments.

[Content of invention] and [implementation method]

Figures 1A-1D depict exemplary schematic diagrams of substrate processing equipment according to aspects of the present disclosure. Although the various aspects of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the figures, it should be understood that the various aspects of the present disclosure may be embodied in a variety of forms. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of components or materials may be used.

The concept of high precision substrate processing originates from the idea of being able to place a substrate in a desired position with minimal positional variation regardless of environmental changes. As will be more clearly described below, aspects of the present disclosure provide an apparatus and method for improving substrate transport placement accuracy in a closed or sealed environment (such as that found in the substrate processing apparatus of FIGS. 1A-1D or any other suitable substrate processing apparatus/chamber). Aspects of the present disclosure provide a stand-alone solution that employs a vision-based (and/or other non-contact) sensing system without requiring modifications to the substrate processing apparatus and its chamber. The disclosed aspects provide a highly accurate feedback and thermal compensation of the position of a substrate transport device in space (e.g., the position of a robot arm or an end effector), which does not require modification of the structure of the substrate processing equipment, does not require the addition of electronic equipment to the vacuum environment, and has minimal or no impact on the mechanical design of the substrate transport device arm and/or robot arm.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a substrate transport apparatus is provided based on a vision sensor system/positioned on the atmospheric side of a processing system (e.g., outside of a vacuum chamber/environment in which an arm of the substrate transport apparatus operates) to measure the position of at least one point or index on the arm of the substrate transport apparatus in one or more arm linkage positions in space using an arm linkage. An exemplary position of an arm linkage is a robot top center posture (or a fully retracted position/orientation of the arm) or any other appropriate predetermined posture of the arm. The robot top center posture (or other predetermined arm posture) is set or calibrated when the arm is manufactured (e.g., at the original position or zero position of the motor encoder).

A vision-based sensor system images at least one point or index on the arm at a baseline temperature of the transport chamber to establish a reference position and temperature (e.g., a baseline measurement). As the arm operates and the temperature within the transport chamber changes relative to the baseline measurement, the arm motion can be updated with the new measurement to provide accurate adjustments to the robot motion model running within the controller of the substrate transport apparatus. The vision-based sensor system provided by the present disclosure does not interfere with the arm of the substrate transport apparatus or interfere with the customer's semiconductor process.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B , a processing apparatus (e.g., a semiconductor tool station 11090) is shown according to aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Although a semiconductor tool 11090 is depicted in the drawings, aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein may be applied to any tool station or application employing a robotic arm. In this example, tool 11090 is shown as a cluster tool, however aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be applied to any suitable tool station, such as a linear tool station as shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D and described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 8,398,355 (issued on March 19, 2013, entitled “Linearly Distributed Semiconductor Workpiece Processing Tool”), which is incorporated herein by reference for its disclosure. The tool station 11090 generally includes an atmospheric front end 11000, a vacuum load lock 11010, and a vacuum back end 11020. In other aspects, the tool station can have any suitable configuration. Components of each of the front end 11000, the load lock 11010, and the back end 11020 can be connected to a controller 11091, which can be part of any suitable control architecture (such as control of a cluster structure). The control system can be a closed loop controller having a master controller, a cluster controller, and an automated remote controller, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 7,904,182, entitled "Scalable Motion Control System," issued on March 8, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In other aspects, any suitable controller and/or control system can be used. The controller 11091 includes any suitable memory and processor including non-transitory program code for operating the processing apparatus described herein to implement automated substrate centering and/or automated position of a substrate holding station of the substrate processing apparatus and to teach the substrate transport apparatus about the position of the substrate holding station as described herein. For example, in one aspect, the controller 11091 includes embedded substrate positioning instructions (e.g., for determining the eccentricity between a substrate and an end effector of the substrate transport apparatus). In one aspect, the substrate positioning instructions can be embedded pick/place instructions for moving a substrate and an end effector holding a substrate through or over one or more automated substrate centering sensors. The controller is configured to determine the center of the substrate and a reference position of the end effector, and to determine the eccentricity of the substrate relative to the reference position of the end effector. In one aspect, the controller is configured to receive detection signals corresponding to one or more characteristics of the end effector and/or the transport arm of the substrate transport device/robot and determine thermal expansion or contraction of the substrate transport device or a component of the substrate transport device due to, for example, temperature within the processing module.

As can be implemented and will be described herein, in one aspect, the substrate station is located within a processing module having a vacuum pressure environment therein and the auto-teaching described herein occurs within the processing module. In one aspect, the vacuum pressure is a high vacuum such as ^10-5 Torr or less. In one aspect, the auto-centering and/or teaching described herein occurs in a substrate station feature located within a processing module that is, for example, in a process safe state (e.g., for processing substrates). A process safe state for processing substrates is a state of a processing module in which the processing module is sealed in a clean state in preparation for introducing a process vacuum or atmosphere into the processing module, or in preparation for introducing a production wafer into the processing module.

In one embodiment, the front end 11000 generally includes a load port module 11005 and a microenvironment 11060 (such as, for example, an equipment front end module (EFEM)). The load port module 11005 can be a 300 mm load port, a box opener/loader to tool standard (BOLTS) interface for front opening or bottom opening boxes/cassettes and cassettes that complies with SEMI standards E15.1, E47.1, E62, E19.5 or E1.9. In other embodiments, the load port module can be configured for a 200 mm wafer or 450 mm wafer interface, or any other suitable substrate interface (such as a larger or smaller wafer, or a flat panel for a flat panel display). Although two load port modules 11005 are shown in FIG. 1A , in other aspects, any suitable number of load port modules may be incorporated into the front end 11000 . The load port modules 11005 may be configured to receive substrate carriers or cassettes 11050 from an overhead transport system, an automated guided vehicle, a personnel guided vehicle, a rail guided vehicle, or any other suitable transport method. The load port modules 11005 may interface with the microenvironment 11060 via the load port 11040 . In one aspect, the load port 11040 allows a substrate to pass between the substrate cassette 11050 and the microenvironment 11060 .

In one aspect, the microenvironment 11060 generally includes any suitable transport robot 11013 incorporating one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein. In one aspect, the robot 11013 may be, for example, a tracked robot as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 6,002,840, the entire disclosure or other aspects of which are incorporated herein by reference, or any other suitable transport robot having any appropriate configuration. The microenvironment 11060 may provide a controlled, clean zone for substrate transport between multiple load port modules.

A vacuum load lock 11010 may be connected to and positioned between the microenvironment 11060 and the back end 11020. Again, the term vacuum as used herein may refer to a high vacuum (e.g., 10 ^-5 Torr or less) in which the substrate is processed. The load lock 11010 typically includes an atmospheric pressure and a vacuum slot valve. The slot valve may provide environmental isolation for evacuating the load lock after loading the substrate from the atmospheric pressure front end and maintaining a vacuum in the transport chamber while evacuating with an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen). In one embodiment, the load lock 11010 includes an aligner 11011 for aligning a base mark of the substrate to a desired position for processing. In other aspects, the vacuum load lock may be positioned in any suitable location in the processing equipment and have any suitable configuration and/or metering equipment.

The vacuum back end 11020 generally includes a transport chamber 11025, one or more processing stations or modules 11030, and any suitable transfer robots or equipment 11014. The transfer robot 11014 will be described below and can be positioned within the transport chamber 11025 to transport substrates between the load lock 11010 and each processing station 11030. The processing station 11030 can operate on the substrate through various deposition, etching, or other types of processes to form electrical circuits or other desired structures on the substrate. Typical processes include, but are not limited to, thin film processes using vacuum, such as plasma etching or other etching processes, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma vapor deposition (PVD), implantation (e.g., ion implantation), metrology, rapid thermal processing (RTP), dry strip atomic layer deposition (ALD), oxidation/diffusion, nitride formation, vacuum lithography, epitaxy (EPI), wire bonding and evaporation or other thin film processes using vacuum pressure. The processing station 11030 can be connected to the transport chamber 11025 to allow substrates to be transferred from the transport chamber 11025 to the processing station 11030, and vice versa. In one embodiment, the load port module 11005 and the load port 11040 are substantially directly coupled to the vacuum back end 11020 so that the cassette 11050 mounted on the load port is substantially (e.g., in one embodiment, at least the microenvironment 11060 is omitted, and in other embodiments, the vacuum load lock 11010 is also omitted so that the cassette 11050 is evacuated to a vacuum state in a manner similar to the vacuum load lock 11010) directly interfaced with the processing vacuum of the processing station 11030 and/or the vacuum environment of the transfer chamber 11025 (e.g., the processing vacuum and/or vacuum environment extends therebetween and is common between the processing station 11030 and the cassette 11050).

1C , a schematic plan view of a linear substrate processing system 2010 is shown in which a tool interface section 2012 is mounted to a transport chamber module 3018 such that the interface section 2012 faces generally toward (e.g., inwardly) but offset from a longitudinal X-axis of the transport chamber 3018. The transport chamber module 3018 may be extended in any suitable direction by attaching other transport chamber modules 3018A, 3018I, 3018J to the interfaces 2050, 2060, 2070 as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 8,398,355, previously incorporated herein by reference. Each transport chamber module 3018, 3019A, 3018I, 3018J includes any suitable substrate transport 2080, which may include one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein, for transporting substrates through the processing system 2010 and into and out of, for example, a processing module PM (which in one aspect is substantially similar to the processing station 11030 described above). As can be appreciated, each chamber module may be capable of maintaining an isolated or controlled atmosphere (e.g., N2, clean air, vacuum).

Referring to FIG. 1D , a schematic elevation view of an exemplary processing tool 410 is shown, such as it may be captured along the longitudinal X-axis of a linear transport chamber 416. In the aspect of the disclosed embodiment shown in FIG. 1D , the tool interface section 12 may be representatively connected to the transport chamber 416. In this aspect, the interface section 12 may define one end of the tool transport chamber 416. As shown in FIG. 1D , the transport chamber 416 may, for example, have another workpiece entry/exit station 412 at the opposite end of the interface station 12. In other aspects, other entry/exit stations may be provided for inserting/removing workpieces into/from the transport chamber. In one aspect, the interface section 12 and the entry/exit station 412 may allow workpieces to be loaded and unloaded from the tool. In other aspects, workpieces may be loaded into the tool from one end and removed from the other end. In one embodiment, the transport chamber 416 may have one or more transfer chamber modules 18B, 18i. Each chamber module may be capable of holding an isolated or controlled atmosphere (e.g., N2, clean air, vacuum). As previously described, the configuration/arrangement of the transport chamber modules 18B, 18i, load lock modules 56A, 56, and workpiece stations forming the transport chamber 416 as shown in FIG. 1D is merely exemplary, and in other embodiments, the transport chamber may have more or fewer modules arranged in any desired module configuration. In the embodiment shown, station 412 may be a load lock. In other embodiments, the load lock module may be positioned between end entry/exit stations (similar to station 412) or a joint transport chamber module (similar to module 18i) may be configured to operate as a load lock.

As previously described, the transport room modules 18B, 18i have one or more corresponding transport devices 26B, 26i therein, which may include one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiments described herein. The transport devices 26B, 26i of the respective transport room modules 18B, 18i may cooperate to provide the linearly distributed workpiece transport system in the transport room. In this aspect, the transport device 26B (which may be substantially similar to the transport devices 11013, 11014 of the cluster tool depicted in Figures 1A and 1B) may have a general SCARA arm configuration (although in other aspects, the transport arm may have any other desired configuration, for example, a linear sliding arm 214 as shown in Figure 2B or other suitable arms with any suitable arm linkage mechanism). Suitable examples of arm linkage mechanisms can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 7,578,649, issued on August 25, 2009, 5,794,487, issued on August 18, 1998, 7,946,800, issued on May 24, 2011, 6,485,250, issued on November 26, 2002, 7,891,935, issued on February 22, 2011, 8,419,341, issued on April 16, 2013, and U.S. Patent Application Nos. 13/293,717, filed on November 10, 2011, entitled “Dual Arm Robot” and 13/293,717, filed on September 5, 2013, entitled “Linear Vacuum Robot with Z Motion Control”. and Articulated Arm" can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 13/861,693, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In the disclosed embodiments, at least one transfer arm can be derived from a conventional SCARA (selectively compliant articulated robot arm) type design, which includes an upper arm, a driven forearm and a constrained end effector, or a telescopic arm or any other suitable arm design. Suitable examples of transport arms can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 12/117,415, filed May 8, 2008, entitled "Substrate Transport Apparatus with Multiple Movable Arms Utilizing a Mechanical Switch Mechanism," and U.S. Patent No. 7,648,327, issued January 19, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The transport arms may be operated independently of one another (e.g., each arm may be extended/retracted independently of the other arms), the transport arms may be operated via a lost motion switch, or the arms may be operably connected in any suitable manner such that the arms share at least one common drive axis. In still other embodiments, the transport arm may have other desired configurations, such as a frog-leg arm 216 (FIG. 2A) configuration, a leaping frog arm 217 (FIG. 2D) configuration, a dual symmetric arm 218 (FIG. 2C) configuration, etc. In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 2E, the transport arm 219 includes at least first and second articulated arms 219A, 219B, wherein each arm 219A, 219B includes an end effector 219E configured to hold at least two substrates (S1, S2) side by side on a common transport plane (each substrate holding position of the end effector 219E shares a common drive for picking up and placing substrates S1, S2), wherein the spacing DX between the substrates S1, S2 corresponds to a fixed spacing between the side-by-side substrate holding positions. Suitable examples of transport arms may be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,231,297 issued May 15, 2001, 5,180,276 issued January 19, 1993, 6,464,448 issued October 15, 2002, 6,224,319 issued May 1, 2001, 5,447,409 issued September 5, 1995, 200 7,578,649 granted on August 25, 1999, 5,794,487 granted on August 18, 1998, 7,946,800 granted on May 24, 2011, 6,485,250 granted on November 26, 2002, 7,891,935 granted on February 22, 2011, and a filing entitled “Dual The present invention is found in U.S. Patent Application No. 13/293,717 entitled "Arm Robot" and U.S. Patent Application No. 13/270,844 filed on October 11, 2011 and entitled "Coaxial Drive Vacuum Robot", the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In one aspect, various aspects of the disclosed embodiments are incorporated into the transport arm of a linear transport shuttle such as those described in, for example, U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 8,293,066 and 7,988,398, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

In the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1D , the arms of the transport device 26B can be configured to provide what may be referred to as a "fast swap" configuration, which allows for rapid exchange of wafers from a pick/place position (e.g., picking up a wafer from a substrate holding position and then rapidly placing another wafer on the same substrate holding position). The transport arm 26B can have any suitable drive sections (e.g., coaxially arranged drive axes, side-by-side drive axes, horizontally adjacent motors, vertically stacked motors, etc.) for providing any suitable amount of degrees of freedom to each arm (e.g., independent rotation of Z-axis motion around the shoulder and elbow joints). As shown in FIG. 1D , in this aspect, modules 56A, 56, 30i may be positioned in the gap between transfer chamber modules 18B, 18i and may define appropriate processing modules, load locks LL, buffer stations, metrology stations, or any other desired stations. For example, the gap modules (e.g., load locks 56A, 56 and workpiece stations 30i) may each have a static workpiece support/axis 56S1, 56S2, 30S1, 30S2 that may cooperate with the transport arm to enable transfer of the workpiece through the length of the transport chamber along the linear X-axis of the transport chamber. By way of example, the workpiece may be loaded into the transport chamber 416 through the interface section 12. Using the transport arm 15 of the interface section, the workpiece can be placed on the support of the load lock module 56A. The workpiece in the load lock module 56A can be moved between the load lock module 56A and the load lock module 56 by the transport arm 26B in the module 18B, and in a similar and continuous manner between the load lock 56 and the workpiece station 30i using the arm 26i (in the module 18i), and between the station 30i and the station 412 using the arm 26i in the module 18i. This process can be reversed in whole or in part to move the workpiece in the opposite direction. Thus, in one embodiment, the workpiece may be moved in any direction along the X-axis and to any position along the transport chamber and may be unloaded from or loaded to any desired module (processing or otherwise) in communication with the transport chamber. In other embodiments, an interstitial transport chamber module with a static workpiece support or rack may not be disposed between the transport chamber modules 18B and 18i. In such embodiments, a transport arm engaging the transport chamber module may directly take the workpiece from the end effector or one transport arm and bring it to the end effector of another transport arm to move the workpiece through the transport chamber. The processing station modules may operate on the substrates through various deposition, etching, or other types of processes to form electrical circuits or other desired structures on the substrates. The processing station module may be connected to the transport chamber module to allow substrates to be transferred from the transport chamber to the processing station and vice versa. A suitable example of a processing tool having general features similar to the processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1D is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 8,398,355, which has been previously incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the substrate transport apparatus 2300 (as described above) will be described as having at least one multi-link or SCARA arm 2300A, however, this aspect of the present disclosure is also equally applicable to any suitable transport arm, as described above and including but not limited to a leapfrog arm configuration, a dual symmetric arm configuration, and an articulated wrist configuration. Generally speaking, the transport apparatus 2300 includes a SCARA arm 2300A (generally referred to as arm 2300A) having an upper arm 23201, a forearm 23202, a substrate holder or end effector 23203 (having a substrate holding station thereon), and a drive section 23204. A controller 11091 can be connected to the transport apparatus 2300 to move the arm sections of the SCARA arm 2300A as needed. In other embodiments, the arm assembly may have any other desired general SCARA configuration. For example, the assembly may have multiple forearms and/or multiple substrate holders.

The substrate holder 23203 is rotatably connected to the forearm 23202 at the wrist 23755 of the transport device 2300 through a shaft assembly 23754. The substrate holder 23203 can be rotatably connected to the forearm 23202 through a support shaft 23698. In one embodiment, the substrate holder 23203 can be a forked end effector. The substrate holder 23203 can have an active mechanical or passive edge clamp. In other embodiments, the substrate holder 23202 can be a paddle-type end effector with a vacuum suction cup. The forearm 23202 is rotatably connected to the upper arm 23201 at the elbow 23646 of the transport device 2300 through a coaxial shaft assembly 23675. The substrate holder 23203 has a predetermined center, wherein the end effector is configured to hold the substrate so that the center of the substrate coincides with the predetermined center of the end effector for transporting the substrate within the substrate processing apparatus as described herein. The upper arm 23201 is rotatably connected to the drive section 23204 at the shoulder 23652. In this embodiment, the upper arm 23201 and the forearm 23202 have equal lengths, but in other embodiments, the upper arm 23201 may be shorter than the forearm 23202, or vice versa, for example.

In the illustrated embodiment, the drive section 23204 may have an outer housing 23634H that houses a coaxial shaft assembly 23660 and three motors 23662, 23664, 23666 or drive shafts, each with a respective encoder 570, 571, 572, for example, to determine the rotational position of a respective stator 23678a-23678c (and a respective drive shaft 23668a-23668c coupled to the stator). In other embodiments, the drive section may have more or less than three motors. The drive shaft assembly 23660 has three drive shafts 23668a, 23668b and 23668c. In other embodiments, more or less than three drive shafts may be provided. The first motor 23662 includes a stator 23678a and a rotor 23680a connected to the inner shaft 23668a. The second motor 23662 includes a stator 23678b and a rotor 23680b connected to the middle shaft 23668b. The third motor 23666 includes a stator 23678c and a rotor 23680c connected to the outer shaft 23668c. The three stators 23678a, 23678b, 23678c are statically attached to the housing 23634H at different vertical heights or positions along the housing. In this embodiment, the first stator 23678a is the bottom stator, the second stator 23678b is the middle stator, and the third stator 23678c is the top stator. Each stator generally includes an electromagnetic coil. The three shafts 23668a, 23668b and 23668c are configured as coaxial shafts. The three rotors 23680a, 23680b, 23680c preferably include permanent magnets, but may alternatively include magnetic induction rotors without permanent magnets. The sleeve 23663 is located between the rotor 23680 and the stator 23678 to allow the transport device 2300 to be used in a vacuum environment, wherein the drive shaft assembly 23660 is located in the vacuum environment and the stator 23678 is located outside the vacuum environment. However, if the transport device 2300 is intended only for use in a normal pressure environment, the sleeve 23663 is not required.

The first shaft 23668a is an inner shaft and extends from the bottom stator 23678a. The inner shaft has a first rotor 23680a aligned with the bottom stator 23678a. The middle shaft 23668b extends upward from the middle stator 23678b. The middle shaft has a second rotor 23680b aligned with the second stator 23678b. The outer shaft 23668c extends upward from the top stator 23678c. The outer shaft has a third rotor 23680c aligned with the upper stator 23678c. Various bearings are provided around the shaft 23668 and the housing 23634H to allow the shafts to rotate independently relative to each other and relative to the housing 23634H. Each shaft 23668 may be provided with a suitable position sensor (e.g., such as a respective encoder 570-572) to signal the controller 11091 regarding the rotational position of the shafts 23668 relative to each other and/or relative to the housing 23634H. Any suitable sensor may be used, such as an optical or inductive sensor.

The outer shaft 23668c is fixedly connected to the upper arm 23201 so that the shaft 23668c rotates with the upper arm 23201 as a unit around the Z1 axis. The middle shaft 23668b is connected to the first transmission device 23620 in the upper arm 23201, and the inner shaft 23668a is connected to the second transmission device 23610 in the upper arm 23201, as shown in Figure 23. The first transmission device 23620 preferably includes a drive pulley 23622, an idler pulley 23624 and a drive cable or belt 23626. The drive pulley 23622 is fixedly mounted to the top of the middle shaft 23668b and connected to the idler pulley 23624 through the drive belt 23626. The idler pulley 23624 is fixedly mounted to the bottom of the inner shaft 23672 of the coaxial shaft assembly 23675 that connects the forearm 23202 to the upper arm 23201. The second transmission 23610 in the upper arm 23201 preferably includes a drive pulley 23612, an idler pulley 23614, and a drive cable or belt 23616. The drive pulley 23612 is fixedly mounted to the top of the inner shaft 23668a of the coaxial shaft assembly 23660 in the drive section 23204. The idler pulley 23614 is fixedly mounted to the bottom of the outer shaft 23674 of the coaxial shaft assembly that connects the forearm 23202 to the upper arm 23201. The drive belt 23616 connects the drive pulley 23612 to the idler pulley 23614. The diameter ratio (e.g., pulley ratio) between the idler and drive pulleys 23624, 23622 of the first transmission 23626 and the diameter ratio between the idler and drive pulleys 23614, 23612 of the second transmission 23610 can be any suitable drive ratio, as described herein. The drive belts 23616, 23626 are configured to rotate the respective idler pulleys 23614, 23624 in the same direction as the corresponding drive pulleys 23612, 23622 (e.g., clockwise rotation of the drive pulleys 23612, 23622 will cause the idler pulleys 23614, 23624 to rotate clockwise).

The coaxial shaft assembly 23675 connecting the forearm 23202 to the upper arm 23201 is rotatably supported from the upper arm 23201 by suitable bearings which allow the outer and inner shafts 23674, 23672 of the shaft assembly to rotate about the Z2 axis relative to each other and to the upper arm 23201. The outer shaft 23674 of the coaxial shaft assembly 23675 is fixedly mounted to the forearm 23202 so that the shaft 23674 and forearm 23202 can rotate together about the Z2 axis as a unit. When the idler pulley 23614 of the second transmission device 23610 in the upper arm 23201 rotates through the inner shaft 23668a of the drive section 23204, the forearm 23202 rotates around the Z2 axis. Therefore, the inner shaft 23668a of the drive section 23204 is used to make the forearm 23202 rotate independently relative to the upper arm 23201.

The inner shaft 23672 of the coaxial shaft assembly is fixedly attached to the drive pulley 23753 of the third transmission device 23752 in the forearm 23202. The third transmission device 23752 in the forearm 23202 preferably includes a drive pulley 23753, an idler pulley 23750, and a drive cable or belt 23751. The idler pulley 23750 is fixedly mounted to the shaft 23698. The drive belt 23751 connects the drive pulley 23753 to the idler pulley 23750. The shaft 23698 is rotatably supported from the forearm 23202 by suitable bearings that allow the shaft 23698 to rotate relative to the forearm 23202 about the Z3 axis. In this regard, the diameter ratio between the idler and drive pulleys 23750, 23753 of the third transmission device 23752 can be any suitable drive ratio, as described herein. The drive belt 23751 is configured to rotate the idler pulley 23750 in the same direction as the drive pulley 23753 (e.g., clockwise rotation of the drive pulley 23753 will cause the idler pulley 23750 to rotate clockwise).

The shaft 23698 is fixedly mounted to the substrate holder 23203. Therefore, the shaft 23698 rotates together with the substrate holder 23203 as a unit around the Z3 axis. When the idler pulley 23750 of the third transmission device 23752 rotates through the drive pulley 23753, the substrate holder 23203 rotates around the Z3 axis. The drive pulley 23753 is in turn rotated by the inner shaft 23672 of the coaxial shaft assembly 23675. When the idler pulley 23624 of the first transmission device 23626 in the upper arm 23201 rotates through the middle shaft 23268b of the drive section 23204, the inner shaft 23672 rotates. Therefore, the substrate holder 23203 can rotate independently around the Z3 axis relative to the forearm 23202 and the upper arm 23201.

Referring to FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, the transport device 2300 may include two SCARA arms 25155A, 25155B, which are substantially similar to the arm 2300A. For example, each SCARA arm 25155A, 25155B includes an upper arm link 25155UA, 25155UB, a forearm link 25155FA, 25155FB, and an end effector 25155EA, 25155EB. In this embodiment, the end effectors 25155EA, 25155EB are driven by the upper arm, but in other embodiments, the end effectors can be driven independently. The arms 25155A, 25155B (shown as three link SCARA arms) can be coaxially coupled to the drive section 23204 and can be stacked vertically on top of each other to allow independent theta motion (using, for example, four axis drives - see drive axis 23668d) or coupled theta motion (using, for example, three axis drives), where the coupled theta motion is rotation of the machine arm as a unit about the shoulder axis Z1 with no extension or retraction. Each arm 25155A, 25155B is driven by a pair of motors and can have any suitable drive pulley configuration. In one aspect, the diameter ratio between the shoulder pulley, elbow pulley, and wrist pulley for each arm can be (for non-limiting purposes) a 1:1:2 ratio or a 2:1:2 ratio. To extend each arm, for example, using a 1:1:2 ratio, each motor in the pair of motors rotates in substantially equal and opposite directions. To extend each arm, for example, using a 2:1:2 ratio, the shoulder pulley is held substantially stationary (e.g., substantially non-rotating) and the motor coupled to the upper arm is rotated to extend the arm. Theta motion is controlled by rotating the motors in the same direction at substantially the same speed. Where the end effectors are in the same plane, the theta motion of each arm relative to each other is restricted, however, if the arms move together, the arms can move infinitely in theta. If achievable, when each arm is driven independently of the other arms, such as when using a four-axis drive, each arm can move infinitely in theta without the end effectors being in the same plane.

5, the drive section 23204 is shown coupled to a vacuum chamber wall 500 of a vacuum chamber 599 (such as any suitable transport chamber of the substrate processing apparatus described herein). It should be noted that although a vacuum chamber is described, the chamber 599 may have any suitable processing environment therein. Here, the drive section 23204 includes a mounting interface 510 that is sealingly coupled to the vacuum chamber wall 500 to form an isolation barrier that substantially isolates (or seals) the vacuum environment within the vacuum chamber 599 from the atmospheric pressure environment surrounding the vacuum chamber 599. For example, the mounting interface 510 mounts the drive section 23204 to the vacuum chamber 599 and forms a perimeter, which separates the inside of the vacuum chamber 599 outside the perimeter from the outside of the vacuum chamber 599 inside the perimeter 510P. It should be noted that the extension and retraction of the robot arm 2300A are related to the shoulder axis Z1 located inside the perimeter 510P. Here, at least a portion of the drive section 23204 is set in a normal pressure environment. The mounting interface 510 is configured so that a portion 511 of the mounting interface 510 is exposed to the vacuum environment, and another portion 512 of the mounting interface 510 is set in a normal pressure environment .

6, a transport device 2300 is depicted having an arm 2300A mounted within a vacuum chamber 599. As described above, the arm 2300A includes an end effector 23203 at a distal end of the arm 2300A configured to support a substrate thereon. The arm 2300A is operably connected to a drive section 23204 that utilizes the at least one independent drive axis (described above) to produce at least arm motion along a radial direction R (see FIG. 7) to extend and retract the arm 2300A and to move the end effector 23203 from a retracted position (e.g., the robot top center posture depicted in FIG. 7) along the radial direction R to an extended position. The transport device 2300 includes an imaging system 600 having at least one imaging sensor 601 mounted via the mounting interface 510 in a predetermined position relative to the vacuum chamber 599, the imaging sensor being configured to image at least a portion of the arm 2300A. Each imaging sensor 601 is positioned proximate the shoulder axis relative to a distal position of the robotic arm 2300A end effector 23203 of the extended robotic arm 2300A. In one aspect, the imaging sensor 601 is disposed in or otherwise coupled to a sensor housing 610 that includes a window 605 through which the imaging sensor 601 extends its field of view into the interior of the vacuum chamber 599. Window 605 may be constructed of glass or other suitable transparent material, and the window material may be selected depending on the type of vision-based information to be received by controller 11091 (e.g., the optical properties provided by the window may allow for the transmission of wavelengths detected by the imaging sensor and propagation between vacuum and atmospheric environments). In one aspect, the transparency of window 605 may form a lens (i.e., having a unitary lens shape) that is configured to focus (e.g., within a particular portion of vacuum chamber 599 and/or a transport robot) one or more of the imaging sensor 601 field of view, magnify the imaging sensor 601 field of view, and change the direction of the imaging sensor 601 field of view to view various/different portions of vacuum chamber 599, or at least partially define the imaging characteristics of the imaging sensor 601 field of view. In other aspects, the window 605 can be configured to receive a lens (i.e., a lens can be coupled to the window), wherein the lens (coupled to the window 605) is configured to focus on the imaging sensor 601 field of view, magnify the imaging sensor 601 field of view, and change the direction of the imaging sensor 601 field of view in a manner similar to that described above (e.g., the lens can be a wide angle lens that is fixed relative to the window 605 or has variable/adjustable viewing characteristics, wherein the lens adjustment system can be disposed on the window 605 outside the vacuum chamber). The window 605 is configured to form a boundary across a pressure differential between the vacuum environment within the vacuum chamber 599 and the atmospheric pressure environment outside the vacuum chamber 599. The window 605 can be aligned with the opening 606 of the mounting interface 510, and the sensor housing 610 and/or the window 605 are sealed relative to the mounting interface 510 on the portion 512 of the mounting interface 510 exposed to the atmospheric environment. In one aspect, the size of the window 605 (and the opening 606) is not limited by the size of the opening of the imaging sensor 601, so that the window can be larger than the imaging sensor 601 opening to provide the imaging sensor 601 with an unrestricted view into the vacuum chamber 599. In other aspects, the window 605 and the transparency of the window 605 are oversized relative to the mounting interface 510, and the imaging sensor 601 has an opening, so that the window 605 sets the imaging sensor's field of view within the vacuum chamber 599 (e.g., to a wide field of view or a field of view of any suitable size). In still other embodiments, the sensor housing 610 may be omitted so that the window 605 therein is secured against the mounting portion 512 of the mounting interface 510 by a window ring 615 or other suitable fastener constructed of any suitable material (e.g., acetal homopolymer resin). The imaging sensor 601 may be any suitable imaging sensor, such as a CCD or CMOS sensor, an infrared sensor, and/or an infrared camera, which is mounted to the mounting interface 510 or otherwise configured in any suitable manner so that the field of view of the imaging sensor 601 extends through the window 605 and the opening 606 and into the interior of the vacuum chamber 599.

The controller 11091 is communicatively connected to the imaging system 600 (e.g., via an appropriate wired and/or wireless connection) and is configured to use the imaging sensor 601 to image at least a portion of the arm 2300A (or a set of one or more markers disposed on at least a portion of the arm 2300A, as described above) as the arm moves to or in a predetermined repeatable position/posture (e.g., a robot top center posture or other predetermined posture) defined by at least one independent drive axis, or in other aspects, to use the imaging sensor 601 to image at least a portion of the robot arm 2300A (or a set of one or more markers disposed on at least a portion of the arm, as described above) as the arm moves along a path defined by at least one independent drive axis or in a predetermined position. The controller is configured to calculate a positional variation of at least a portion of the robotic arm 2300A, or a positional variation of a substrate holding station of the end effector 23203 of the multi-link robotic arm 2300A, by comparing the first or subsequent image with a calibration image of at least a portion of the robotic arm 2300A, or a calibration image of the set of one or more markers 701-702 (as described herein) on at least a portion of the multi-link robotic arm 2300A, and to determine from the positional variation a motion compensation factor that changes the extended position of the robotic arm 2300A, wherein the imaging sensors 601-603 that capture the first or subsequent image are disposed within the perimeter of the mounting interface 510. The at least partial set of one or more markers 701-702 captured in the first or subsequent image determines the position variation of the substrate holding station of the end effector 23203. The position variation calculated by the controller from the first or subsequent image and the at least partial calibration image of the robot arm 2300A includes: a position variation component in the radial direction; and another variation component in a direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the robot arm 2300A in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction (please refer to at least Figures 10A and 10B described herein). The at least portion of the robot arm 2300A captured in the first or subsequent image includes the end effector 23203 with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector 23203 with the substrate is imaged in the first or subsequent image, and the controller 11091 determines the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16/257,595, entitled “Automatic wafer centering method and apparatus” filed on January 25, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

A controller is provided to capture a first image of at least a portion of the arm 2300A when the arm 2300A is near or aligned at or near the predetermined repeatable position. Alignment of the arm 2300A may occur when the arm 2300A is mounted to at least one independent drive axis, wherein at least one drive axis is in a predetermined orientation so that the encoder 570-572 (see also FIG. 5 ) of the at least one drive axis is in a home position or zero position (e.g., the home position or zero position is the position from which the rotation of the at least one drive axis (and arm extension) is measured). As described above, this home position or zero position of the at least one drive axis corresponds to a robot top center pose in one aspect. As will be described herein, with brief reference to FIG7, at least one link of the robotic arm 2300A has features describing linear and rotational characteristics of position relative to a predetermined plane, wherein the controller 11091 records the linear and rotational characteristics of position based on images of the features captured using the imaging system. In one aspect, the features describing or otherwise characterizing both the linear and rotational characteristics of the arm position (or at least one link of the multi-link robotic arm 2300A relative to a radial (extension/retraction) direction) include a set of one or more indicia or markers 701-702 on the arm 2300A imaged by the imaging sensor 601 that are used to determine thermal and other effects caused to the arm 2300A. When arm 2300A is aligned (at a predetermined registration/calibration temperature), imaging sensor 601 images arm 2300A and markers 701-702 to calibrate arm 2300A and determine baseline measurements of arm 2300A (e.g., in what is referred to as a calibration image).

It should be noted that if arm 2300A is removed and replaced with a different arm, calibration of the different arm can be simplified by imaging at least one drive axis to the different arm's index(es) in an original or zeroed position and comparing the image of the different arm to the calibration image. In this way, imaging sensor 601 can be pre-calibrated to drive section 23204/arm 2300A and mounted as a substantially unitary module with drive section 23204. Although various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with respect to solving the example of the effects on the transport arm due to thermal effects, various aspects of the present disclosure may also be used to monitor the temperature of the arm linkage, for example by including a non-contact thermal sensor as described above (e.g., an infrared sensor, an infrared camera, etc.) instead of or in combination with the imaging sensor 601, mounted via the mounting interface/flange 510 in the manner described herein without intruding into the processing environment of the vacuum chamber 599.

Referring to FIG. 7 , exemplary imaging sensor 601 (or other suitable sensor) locations are depicted. In FIG. 7 , there are three imaging sensors 601-603 coupled to mounting interface 510 in the manner described herein. At the exemplary locations shown, the three imaging sensors 601-603 may be employed to measure points/locations on arm 2300A that may be identified using any suitable indicia. For example, also referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B , indicia 700-702 may be located at any suitable location along arm 2300A, such as along upper arm 22301, forearm 23202, and end effector 23203. For example, indicia 700 is disposed on upper arm 23201. The pointer 701 may be disposed at a wrist bearing location of the forearm 23202 (e.g., at the rotation axis of the wrist that couples the end effector 23203 to the forearm 23202). The pointer 702 may be disposed on the wrist plate 23203P of the end effector 23203. The targets 700-702 are disposed on the arm and configured to provide respective positions and orientations of respective arm linkages along predetermined planes in space (e.g., such as a substrate transport plane or a plane in which the arm linkages operate) when imaged by one or more imaging sensors 601-603. The pointers 700-702 are embedded into respective linkages of the arm 2300A through a machining/etching/engraving process, or are coupled to the arm 2300A in any suitable manner.

As shown in FIG8B , the indicators 700-702 may have any suitable configuration, such as a crosshair configuration 700A, a circular configuration 700B, and a double crosshair configuration 700C. The indicators 700-702 may be configured so that when the respective arm links are extended and retracted, the imaging system 600 may detect a discernible change in the shape of the indicators 700-702 (e.g., lengthening or shortening) when compared, for example, to a baseline measurement. For example, also referring to FIG16 , the arm 2300A moves to a predetermined repeatable position, such as to a (completely) retracted robot top center pose (or other predetermined position, see FIGS. 7 , 8A and 8C ) ( FIG16 , block 1601). While in a predetermined repeatable position, the imaging sensor 601 images and the controller 11091 captures at least one successive image of the indexes 700-704 on the arm 2300A (FIG. 16, blocks 1602 and 1603). The successive image is compared to the calibration image (FIG. 16, block 1604). The position variance is determined based on the comparison of the two images (FIG. 16, block 1605).

In other aspects, the position of the pointer 700-704 in the field of view of the respective imaging sensor 601-603 may change relative to the baseline measurement. The controller 11091 can recognize/detect this change in shape or position of the pointer 700-702 and determine the thermal expansion/contraction of the arm linkage to modify the control movement of the arm 2300A for picking up and placing the substrate. The measurement of one or more pointer positions can be measured simultaneously or at different times. For example, referring to Figures 8A and 8C, due to the movement of the arm, it may not be possible to obtain all pointer measurements at the same time. However, measurements may be taken at different arm positions to accommodate the mechanical and/or motion limitations of the arm 2300A (compare FIGS. 8A and 8C where the arm 2300A is extended to measure the index 701 at the wrist bearing location). For applications where such measurements are used to compensate for thermal expansion at the overall end effector 23203 location, measurements from different locations may be measured at different times, where the time interval between measurements taken from different locations on the arm 2300A is constrained to be a fraction of the time constant of the arm/wafer thermal system.

In order to accurately track the position of the arm in space (e.g., in the arm processing environment), the imaging system 600 can be used by the controller 11091 to obtain information to achieve tracking changes in the arm 2300A relative to a reference or baseline measurement. The reference or baseline can be defined as a measurement (e.g., image and/or temperature) at a known position (e.g., reported by an appropriate position feedback device such as encoders 570-572) and conditions (e.g., such as ambient temperature). For example, referring to Figure 5, the encoders 570-572 can be rotational (or other suitable) encoders that provide the absolute position of each arm drive axis 23668a-23668c to the controller 11091. For illustrative purposes only, at room temperature, the arm may be in the position shown in FIG7. In the arm 2300A position shown in FIG7 and measured at ambient temperature conditions, the drive axis encoder position is uniquely correlated to the index images recorded by the imaging sensors 600-602 superimposed with the upper arm 23201 and the end effector 23203 as shown. These images are used by the controller 11091 as "reference or baseline measurements." As the arm 2300A is used for a period of time and performs high temperature wafer processing operations, the temperature of the arm 2300A and the end effector 23203 will increase and cause the linkage length to change relative to the reference or baseline conditions. Controller 11091 is configured (e.g., programmed) to activate imaging sensors 601-603 to capture images of targets 700-702 when the drive shafts 23668a-23668c reach predetermined reference positions. Due to thermal expansion of arm 2300A, the positions of the indicators 700-702 within the image and/or the shapes of the indicators 700-702 may change in position and/or orientation.

9, controller 11091 is configured to calculate the translation, deformation, and/or rotation of the pointers 700-702 in the "new" or subsequent image 901 relative to the reference/baseline image 902, the amount of change being indicated by the vector DP and the rotation Rz . The calculation of the translation, deformation, and/or rotation may be performed for each pointer 700-702, the calculation being performed by its respective imaging sensor. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the DPi and rotation Rzi amounts of each measured change reported by each index " i " on/in the arm 2300A can be used by the controller 11091 (e.g., by the motion solver 11091K of the controller 11091 (see FIG . 1A)) to calculate a more accurate motion model of the substrate transport apparatus 2300 (compared to a motion model that does not consider the thermal effects of the arm 2300A). Also refer to FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 11, which depict exemplary modifications of the motion model based on thermal effects. In this example, a two-link arm is depicted, but in other aspects, the robot arm may have more or less than two links. Here, each arm link (e.g., such as the upper arm 23201 and the forearm 23202) is affected by thermal expansion relative to a reference ambient temperature. FIG. 10A depicts a motion model (e.g., arm lengths L1, L2, arm angles θ1, θ2, etc.) used by the controller 11091 without thermal expansion (e.g., a baseline motion model). FIG. 10B depicts a motion model affected by thermal expansion (where dL1 and dL2 represent changes in the length of the respective arm links relative to the baseline dimension, and DP1 and DP2 represent changes in the positions of the pointers 700 and 704 in the upper arm 23201 and the forearm 23202). The change in the position of the indicators DP1, DP2 is determined using the controller 11091 based on information from the imaging system 600, and the change value is used to estimate the link thermal expansion dL1 and dL2 so that the motion model can be corrected to better determine the position of the arm in space. For example, referring to Figure 11, the controller 11091 is configured with a compensation algorithm 1100 that uses inputs (e.g., L1, L2, θ1, θ2, DP1, and DP2) to determine dL1 and dL2 and generate a corrected motion model 1101 to compensate for the thermal effects on the arm 2300A. The controller 11091 uses the corrected motion model 1101 in a motion control algorithm 1102 to generate arm 2300A motions for picking up and placing substrates at substrate holding locations of a substrate processing system as described herein.

12, an exemplary determination of changes in arm 2300A due to thermal expansion will be described in more detail below. As described above, each of the indicators 700-704 has a configuration, such as when at least one indicator 700-704 is sensed by the imaging system 600, the discrete variation in the length ΔL _i of the SCARA arm links 23201, 23202, 23203 and the pulley effect ΔV _i caused by the change in the temperature of each SCARA arm link 23201, 23202, 23203 can be determined. For example, at least one marker 700-704 is disposed on the SCARA arm 2300A so that the imaging system 600 detects the marker at a predetermined position (e.g., in one embodiment, in real time as the SCARA arm 2300 moves radially). Here, indicators 700-704 determine the difference between different discrete variations (e.g., ΔL _i ) in each of the different SCARA arm links 23201, 23202, 23203 due to different temperature changes ΔT _i in each SCARA arm link 23201, 23202, 23203, and thus differentially apply the respective different discrete variations to determine the respective pulley variations ΔV _i and the corresponding nonlinear effects (contributions) to the SCARA arm variations. The discrete variation can be expressed using a corresponding ratio or expansion factor (K _S(i) ) in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15/209,497, filed on July 13, 2016, entitled “On the fly automatic wafer centering method and apparatus,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, relating the variation to a predetermined datum reference (e.g., a reference temperature T _REF and an initial tie rod length L ₁ at the reference temperature).

The configuration of indicators 700-704 is deterministic (or deterministically distinguished between each different discrete variance based on the above deterministic distinction) to distinguish a three-link SCARA arm 2300A having an upper arm link 23201, a forearm link 23202, and an end effector 23203, but in other aspects, indicators 700-704 can have any suitable configuration for deterministically distinguishing an n-link arm (e.g., an arm having any suitable number of arm links). The configuration of the indicators 700-704 is deterministic in order to distinguish different discrete variations (ΔL _i , ΔV _i ) or expansion factors K _S(i) from the positions of the sensing indicators 700-704, as will be described in more detail below with respect to equations [1]-[4].

In one embodiment, the controller 11091 (or the motion solver 11091K of the controller) is configured to determine different discrete variations ΔLi corresponding to each arm linkage 23201, 23202, 23203 from detection of at least the indicators 700-704, and to distinguish between the different discrete variations when determining the SCARA arm variation (e.g., ΔX, ΔY or R, θ depending on the coordinate system used) from the shoulder axis Z1 to the reference position EEC of the end effector 23203 (i.e., the wafer/end effector center position). As previously described, when the variation is expressed as an expansion factor K _S(i) corresponding to each arm link 23201, 23202, 23203, the controller 11091 is configured to determine the discrete relationship between the different expansion factors K _S(i) of each corresponding arm link 23201, 23202, 23203 based on the detection of the indicator, and to distinguish between the different expansion factors K _S(i) of different corresponding arm links 23201, 23202, 23203 by determining the variation of the reference position EEC of the end effector 23203. In other words, the controller includes a motion effect solver configured to determine the discrete relationship between the scaling factor K _S(i) and the different discrete variations ΔL _i of the different arm links 23201, 23202, 23203 of the SCARA arm 2300A from the detection of at least one index 700-704 through the imaging system 600 to quickly determine the variation of the SCARA arm as the SCARA arm 2300A moves radially. From the detection of at least one index 700-704, the controller 11091 is configured to determine the variations ΔX, ΔY of the SCARA arm 2300A by scanning the SCARA arm 2300 once through the respective imaging sensors 601 of the imaging system 600. In addition, the controller 11091 (or motion solver 11091K) is configured to solve the nonlinear motion effects _ΔVi of individual pulleys (see, for example, the pulleys of FIG. 3 ) due to temperature variations _ΔTi , which differentiate the different nonlinear motion effects ΔVi of each pulley due to the different temperatures at the arm joints or pulley shafts Z1, Z2, Z3. The pulley variation corresponding to the nonlinear motion effects _ΔVi can be expressed as the pulley drive ratio of the pulleys at the opposite ends of each individual arm link 23201, 23202, 23203.

Referring to FIG. 12 , for illustrative purposes and convenience, a transport device is depicted as having a single SCARA arm, wherein the upper arm and forearm links 23201, 23202 of the SCARA arm 2300A are depicted as having the same length L at a reference temperature T _REF , however in other embodiments, the upper arm and forearm links may have unequal lengths. In other embodiments, the aspects of the present disclosure may be applied to any suitable arm. In addition, for illustrative purposes and convenience, the SCARA arm links are constructed with similar materials to have similar thermal expansion coefficients, however in other embodiments, the arm links may be made of different materials to have different thermal expansion coefficients. In one embodiment, for illustrative purposes only, the upper arm link 23201 and the forearm link 23202 are driven by respective motor shafts, and the end effector 23203 is driven by the upper arm link 23201. In FIG. 12, the SCARA arm 2300A is depicted before and after thermal expansion at the same motor position (the thermal expansion arm is depicted in dashed lines). The general motion of the SCARA arm can be written as: At reference temperature: Y ( θ ) = 2 L cos ( θ ) + L _{EE 0}

X ( θ )=0

After temperature increase and thermal expansion: Y ( θ ) = L ₁ cos ( θ ) + L ₂ cos ( θ ₁ ) + ( L _{EE 0} + Δ L _EE ) cos ( θ ₂ )

X ( θ ) = L ₂ sin ( θ ₁ ) - L ₁ sin ( θ ) + ( L _{EE 0} + Δ L _EE ) sin ( θ ₂ )

Where: θ ₁ =( G ₁ -1) θ

And _G1 and _G2 are the pulley gear ratios for upper arm to elbow and wrist to elbow.

At the calibration temperature T _REF , the upper arm link 23201 and the forearm link 23202 each have a length L. After the temperature change, the length of the upper arm link 23201 is marked as L1, and the length of the forearm link 23202 is marked as length L2.

At the same motor position, assuming that the upper arm temperature changes by ΔT ₁ , the forearm temperature changes by ΔT ₂ , and the thermal expansion coefficient for the upper arm connecting rod 23201 is α ₁ and the thermal expansion coefficient for the forearm connecting rod 23020 is α ₂ , then the upper arm length L1 and the forearm length L2 after thermal expansion are: L ₁ =L+α ₁ *ΔT ₁ *L=(1+α ₁ *ΔT ₁ )*L=K _s1 *L; [1]

_L2 =L+ _α2 * _ΔT2 *L=(1+ _α2 * _ΔT2 )*L= _Ks2 *L; [2]

The expansion factor is defined as: K _s1 =(1+α ₁ *ΔT ₁ ); [3]

K _s2 =(1+α ₂ *ΔT ₂ ); [4]

Since the temperature is distributed from the end effector 23203 to the shoulder axis Z1 of the SCARA arm 2300A, the distributed temperature changes the pulley ratio of the pulleys at the SCARA arm joints (e.g., Z1, Z2, Z3 axes) especially during the temperature rise to a stable state, because the pulleys thermally expand at different rates. This pulley thermal expansion will change the angles involved and the end effector orientation. Referring again to Figure 27, an example of simulation results showing the impact of changes in pulley drive ratios on the end effector center EEC assumes that the pulleys are at different temperatures but the link length remains unchanged.

The following table depicts typical pulley drive ratios for pulleys on a SCARA arm 2300A, identifying the pulley location and expressing the diameter in common measurement units.

For SCARA arm 2300A, shoulder axis Z1 is connected to elbow axis Z2 via a transmission including a pulley with a drive ratio of 2:1, while wrist axis Z3 is connected to elbow axis Z2 via a transmission including a pulley with a drive ratio of 2:1.

Assuming that the temperature change at the shoulder axis Z1 is ΔT1 and the temperature change at the elbow axis is ΔT2, and α is the thermal coefficient of the arm link material, the pulley ratio of the shoulder axis Z1 to the elbow axis Z2 can be expressed as: G ₁ =2*(1+α*ΔT1)/(1+α*ΔT2); using equations [3] and [4]: G ₁ =2*K _s1 /K _s2 ; [5]

Therefore, after the pulley ratio changes, the angle is: θ ₁ =(2*K _s1 /K _s2 -1)*θ; [6]

Assuming the temperature change on the end effector is ΔT ₃ , the pulley ratio between the wrist axis Z3 and the forearm axis Z2 can be expressed as: G ₂ =2*(1+α*ΔT3)/(1+α*ΔT2)

Furthermore, the expansion factor can be defined as: K _s3 =(1+α*ΔT3); then: G ₂ =2*K _s3 /K _s2

The angle change of the end effector 23203 can be expressed as: θ ₂ =θ*(G ₁ /G ₂ -G ₁ +1)=θ*(K _s1 /K _s3 -2K _s1 /K _s2 +1); [7]

The "compensation algorithm" described above and depicted in FIG11 can be implemented by analytical derivation or machine learning, wherein a training grid can be implemented with the assistance of an external measurement device that can accurately monitor the actual position of the robot's end effector in space. FIG13 shows an example of obtaining training grid data to develop a machine learning-based model for robot arm error compensation. Given environmental conditions and available measurements, external devices 1300 (e.g., cameras or other appropriate sensors) may be used to measure actual end effector positions for various input conditions in order to provide data to appropriately train the machine learning based model.

In another aspect, FIGS. 14A and 14B show an example of analytical derivation, which is about how to calculate the thermal expansion of the connecting rods of the upper arm 230201 and the forearm 23202 based on the imaging sensor measurements DP1 and DP2. It should be noted that the analytical derivation can use the calculated thermal expansion of the connecting rods dL1 and dL2 to calibrate the robot motion model to accurately determine the position of the robot end effector in space.

Referring now to FIG. 15 , exemplary operations of aspects of the present disclosure will be described. In one aspect, method 1300 includes providing a transport chamber (such as described above) of a substrate transport apparatus (such as described above) ( FIG. 15 , block 1301). The transport chamber has a substrate transport opening 125OP that communicates with a substrate station module (such as a vacuum chamber or other suitable substrate holding location). The method further includes providing a drive section 23204 having a mounting flange or interface mount 510 connected to the transport chamber (FIG. 15, block 1302), and having a motor (as described above) defining at least one independent drive shaft, the mounting flange 510 mounting the drive section 23204 to the transport chamber and forming a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the exterior of the transport chamber inside the perimeter. The method 1300 further includes providing a robot arm 2300A having an end effector 23203 mounted inside the transport chamber (FIG. 15, block 1303). The robotic arm 2300A is operably connected to a drive section 23204 that utilizes the at least one independent drive axis to generate at least arm motion along a radial direction R to extend and retract the robotic arm 2300A and to move the end effector 23203 from a retracted position to an extended position along the radial direction R. When the robotic arm 2300A is at one of the predetermined repeatable positions described herein (defined by the at least one independent drive axis), the imaging system 600 uses one or more imaging sensors 601-603 mounted via the mounting flange 510 to image at least a portion of the robotic arm 2300A ( FIG. 15 , block 1304). The imaging system 600 is carried on the mounting interface 510 in a predetermined position relative to the transport room and images the robot arm 2300A moving to or within the predetermined repeatable position. The controller 11091 captures successive images of at least a portion of the robot arm 2300A as the robot arm 2300A approaches or is aligned at or near the predetermined repeatable position or at the predetermined position ( FIG. 15 , block 1305). By using subsequent imaging, a position variation Δ _PV ( FIG. 15 , block 1306 ) can be identified from a comparison between the subsequent image and the calibration image to determine a motion compensation factor that changes the extended position of the robot arm 2300A, wherein each imaging sensor that achieves capture of the first imaging is disposed within the periphery of the mounting flange, as described above.

It should be noted that although aspects of the present disclosure are described with respect to the arm 2300A being retracted or in a retracted position, aspects of the present disclosure may also be applied to situations where the arm 2300A is extended. For example, the arm 2300A may have a repeatable extended position that is selected during calibration of the arm 2300A. The repeatable extended position may be, for example, at a substrate holding position in a processing module that has a known predetermined rotational position (θ rotation of the drive axis) relative to a drive axis encoder reference. When the encoder reaches the known predetermined rotational position, the controller 11091 receives a signal from the encoder to indicate that the arm 2300A is in a repeatable extended position. Once in the repeatable extended position, motion compensation is determined in a substantially similar manner as described above with respect to the arm 2300A in the retracted position (i.e., images are captured and compared to pre-programmed calibration images).

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a substrate transport apparatus includes: a transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; a drive section having a mounting interface connected to the transport chamber and having a motor defining at least one independent drive axis, the mounting interface mounting the drive section to the transport chamber and forming a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the exterior of the transport chamber inside the perimeter; a robot arm having The robot arm is mounted inside the transport chamber and has an end effector at the distal end of the robot arm, the robot arm is configured to support the substrate thereon and is operably connected to the drive section, the drive section uses the at least one independent drive axis to generate at least arm movement in a radial direction to extend and retract the robot arm and move the end effector from a retracted position along the radial direction to an extended position; an imaging system, which is relative to the mounting interface through the mounting interface A camera is mounted in a predetermined position in the transport room, the camera being configured to image at least a portion of the robot arm; and a controller is communicatively connected to the imaging system and configured to use the camera to image at least a portion of the robot arm, the robot arm moving along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis or in the predetermined position, the controller performing an operation when at least a portion of the robot arm approaches or is aligned at the predetermined position. Capturing a first image of at least a portion of the robot arm, wherein the controller is configured to compare the first image with a calibration image of at least a portion of the robot arm to calculate a positional variance of the at least a portion of the robot arm, and to determine a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the robot arm from the positional variance, wherein the cameras for capturing the first image are disposed within the periphery of the mounting interface.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the position variation calculated by the controller from the first image and the calibration image of at least part of the robot arm includes: a position variation component in the radial direction; and another variation component in a direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the at least portion of the robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the controller determines an eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, at least one link of the robot arm has a feature that describes linear and rotational characteristics of a position relative to a predetermined plane, wherein the controller records the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on an image of the feature captured using the imaging system.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the robot arm, and the shoulder axis is located inside the periphery.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, each camera is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end effector of the extended robot arm.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a method includes: providing a transport chamber of a substrate transport apparatus, the transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; providing a drive section having a mounting flange connected to the transport chamber, and having a motor defining at least one independent drive shaft, the mounting flange mounting the drive section to the transport chamber and forming a perimeter that separates an interior portion of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from an interior portion of the perimeter. The transport chamber is outside; a robot arm is arranged inside the transport chamber and has an end effector at a distal end of the robot arm, the robot arm is configured to support a substrate thereon and is operable to be connected to the drive section; the at least one independent drive axis is used to generate at least a radial movement of the robot arm so as to extend and retract the robot arm and move the end effector from a retracted position to an extended position along the radial direction. ; using a camera of an imaging system mounted by the mounting flange in a predetermined position relative to the transport chamber to image at least a portion of the robot arm moving along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis to or in the predetermined position defined by the at least one independent drive axis; using a controller communicatively connected to the imaging system to capture the at least a portion of the robot arm when it approaches or is aligned at the predetermined position A first image of at least a portion of the robot arm; and using the controller to compare the first image with a calibration image of at least a portion of the robot arm to calculate a positional variance of the at least portion of the robot arm, and to determine a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the robot arm from the positional variance, wherein the cameras for capturing the first image are disposed within the periphery of the mounting flange.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the method further comprises: using the controller to compare the first image with the calibration image of at least a portion of the robot arm to calculate the position variation including: comparing the position variation component in the radial direction and another variation component in the direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the at least portion of the robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the method further includes using the controller to determine the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, at least one link of the robot arm has a feature that describes linear and rotational characteristics of a position relative to a predetermined plane, and the method further includes using the controller to record the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on an image of the feature captured using the imaging system.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the robot arm, and the shoulder axis is located inside the periphery.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, each camera is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end effector of the extended robot arm.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a substrate transport apparatus comprises: a transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; a drive section having a mounting interface connected to the transport chamber and having a motor defining at least one independent drive axis; a multi-link robot arm mounted inside the transport chamber and having an end effector at a distal end of the multi-link robot arm, the multi-link robot arm being configured to support a substrate thereon and being operably connected to the drive section, the drive section utilizing the at least one independent drive axis to move the substrate therefrom. A plurality of vertical drive axes are provided to generate arm motion in at least a radial direction to extend and retract the multi-link robot arm and to move the end effector from a retracted position to an extended position along the radial direction; a set of one or more markers on the multi-link robot arm that characterize both linear and rotational characteristics of at least one link of the multi-link robot arm relative to the radial direction; an imaging system having at least one imaging sensor mounted in a predetermined position relative to the transport chamber through the mounting interface, the imaging sensor being configured to imaging the group of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm; and a controller, which is communicatively connected to the imaging system and configured to use the at least one imaging sensor to image the group of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm, the multi-link robot arm moves along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis or is in the predetermined position, and the controller captures the at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm when the at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm approaches or is aligned at the predetermined position. A first image of the set of one or more markers, wherein the controller is configured to compare the first image with a calibration image of the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robotic arm to calculate a position variation of a substrate holding station of the end effector of the multi-link robotic arm, and determine a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the multi-link robotic arm from the position variation, wherein the at least one imaging sensor that captures the first image is each disposed within the periphery of the mounting interface.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the mounting interface mounts the drive section to the transport chamber and forms a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the exterior of the transport chamber inside the perimeter.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, at least a portion of the set of one or more markings captured in the first image determines the position variation of the substrate holding station of the end effector.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the position variation calculated by the controller from the first image and the calibration image of the group of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm includes: a position variation component in the radial direction; and another variation component in a direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the multi-link robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the set of one or more markings on the at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the controller determines the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the set of one or more markers on the multi-link robot arm describes the linear and rotational characteristics of the position relative to a predetermined plane, wherein the controller records the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on the image of the set of one or more markers captured using the imaging system.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the multi-link robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the multi-link robot arm, and the shoulder axis is located inside the periphery.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the at least one imaging sensor is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end effector of the extended multi-link robot arm.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a method includes: providing a transport chamber of a substrate transport apparatus, the transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; providing a drive section having a mounting flange connected to the transport chamber and having a motor defining at least one independent drive axis; providing a multi-link robot arm mounted inside the transport chamber and having an end effector at a distal end of the multi-link robot arm, the multi-link robot arm being configured to support a substrate thereon and operable to be connected to the drive section; utilizing the at least one independent drive shaft to generate at least a multi-link machine arm movement in a radial direction so as to extend and retract the multi-link machine arm and move the end effector from a retracted position to an extended position in the radial direction; providing a set of one or more marks on the multi-link machine arm that characterizes both the linear and rotational characteristics of at least one link of the multi-link machine arm relative to the radial direction; using the mounting flange to At least one imaging system of the imaging system mounted in the predetermined position relative to the transport chamber is used to image the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm moving along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis to or in the predetermined position; Using a controller communicatively connected to the imaging system to capture the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm when the at least portion of the multi-link robot arm approaches or aligns at the predetermined position A first image of a marker; and using the controller, comparing the first image with a calibration image of the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm to calculate the position variation of at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm, and determining a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the multi-link robot arm from the position variation, wherein the at least one imaging sensor that captures the first image is each disposed within the periphery of the mounting flange.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the mounting flange mounts the drive section to the transport chamber and forms a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the exterior of the transport chamber inside the perimeter.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, at least a portion of the set of one or more markings captured in the first image determines the position variation of the substrate holding station of the end effector.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the method further comprises: using the controller to compare the first image with the calibration image of the group of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm to calculate the position variation including: comparing the position variation component in the radial direction and another variation component in the direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the multi-link robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the set of one or more markings on the at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the method further includes using the controller to determine the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the set of one or more markers on the multi-link robot arm describes the linear and rotational characteristics of the position relative to a predetermined plane, and the method further includes using the controller to record the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on the image of the set of one or more markers captured using the imaging system.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the multi-link robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the multi-link robot arm, and the shoulder axis is located inside the periphery.

According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, the at least one imaging sensor is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end effector of the extended multi-link robot arm.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of the aspects of the present disclosure. Various alternatives and modifications may be conceived by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the aspects of the present disclosure are intended to cover all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the patent applications attached hereto. Furthermore, the mere fact that different features are described in mutually different dependent or independent items does not mean that a combination of such features cannot be used advantageously, and such a combination remains within the scope of the aspects of the present disclosure.

500: Vacuum chamber wall

510: Installation interface

511: Part of the installation interface

512: Part of the installation interface

570: Encoder

571: Encoder

572: Encoder

599: Vacuum chamber

600: Imaging system

601: Imaging sensor

605: Window

606: Open mouth

610:Sensor housing

615:Window clip ring

2300A: Arm

11091:Controller

23000: Transportation equipment

23201: Upper arm

23202:Forearm

23203: End executor

23204: Drive section

Claims (28)

A substrate transport apparatus comprises: a transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; a drive section having a mounting interface connected to the transport chamber and having a motor defining at least one independent drive axis, the mounting interface mounting the drive section to the transport chamber and forming a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the exterior of the transport chamber inside the perimeter; a robot arm mounted on the perimeter. The transport chamber is provided with an end effector at a distal end of the robot arm, the robot arm being configured to support a substrate thereon and being operably connected to the drive section, utilizing the at least one independent drive axis to generate arm motion at least in a radial direction so as to extend and retract the robot arm and move the end effector from a retracted position along the radial direction to an extended position; an imaging system, which is mounted via the mounting interface at a position relative to the transport chamber. A camera is mounted in a predetermined position, the camera being configured to image at least a portion of the robot arm; and a controller communicatively coupled to the imaging system and configured to use the camera to image at least a portion of the robot arm, the robot arm moving along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis or in the predetermined position, the controller capturing the at least a portion of the robot arm when the at least a portion of the robot arm approaches or is aligned at the predetermined position. A first image of a portion of the robot arm is captured, wherein the controller is configured to compare the first image with a calibration image of at least a portion of the robot arm to calculate a positional variance of the at least portion of the robot arm, and to determine a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the robot arm from the positional variance, wherein each of the cameras for capturing the first image is disposed within the periphery of the mounting interface. The substrate transport device as described in claim 1, wherein the position variation calculated by the controller from the first image and the calibration image of at least part of the robot arm includes: a position variation component in the radial direction; and another variation component in the angular direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least portion of the robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with the substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the controller determines the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one link of the robot arm has a feature that describes the linear and rotational characteristics of the position relative to a predetermined plane, wherein the controller records the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on an image of the feature captured using the imaging system. The substrate transport apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the robot arm, and the shoulder axis is located inside the periphery. The substrate transport device as described in claim 5, wherein each camera is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end actuator of the extended robot arm. A method of operating a substrate transport apparatus comprises: providing a transport chamber of the substrate transport apparatus, the transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; providing a drive section having a mounting flange connected to the transport chamber, and having a motor defining at least one independent drive shaft, the mounting flange mounting the drive section to the transport chamber and forming a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the substrate station module; providing a robot arm mounted inside the transport chamber and having an end effector at a distal end of the robot arm, the robot arm being configured to support a substrate thereon and being operably connected to the drive section; utilizing the at least one independent drive axis to generate at least radial movement of the robot arm so as to extend and retract the robot arm and to cause the end effector to move along the radial direction from a retracted position; The invention further comprises: a camera of an imaging system mounted by the mounting flange in a predetermined position relative to the transport chamber to image at least a portion of the robot arm moving along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis to or in the predetermined position; and a controller communicatively connected to the imaging system to capture at least a portion of the robot arm when the at least portion of the robot arm approaches or is aligned at the predetermined position. Using the controller to compare the first image with a calibration image of at least a portion of the robot arm to calculate a positional variance of at least a portion of the robot arm, and to determine a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the robot arm from the positional variance, wherein each of the cameras that capture the first image is disposed within the periphery of the mounting flange. The method as described in claim 7 further comprises: using the controller to compare the first image with the calibration image of at least part of the robot arm to calculate the position variation including: comparing the position variation component in the radial direction and another variation component in the angular direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least a portion of the robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the method further comprises using the controller to determine the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one link of the robot arm has a feature that describes linear and rotational characteristics of position relative to a predetermined plane, the method further comprising using the controller to record the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on an image of the feature captured using the imaging system. A method as described in claim 7, wherein the robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the robot arm, the shoulder axis being located within the periphery. The method of claim 11, wherein each camera is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end effector of the extended robot arm. A substrate transport apparatus comprises: a transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; a drive section having a mounting interface connected to the transport chamber and having a motor defining at least one independent drive axis; a multi-link robot arm mounted inside the transport chamber and having an end effector at a distal end of the multi-link robot arm, the multi-link robot arm being configured to support a substrate thereon and being operable to connect to the drive section, utilizing the at least one independent drive axis to generate arm movement in at least a radial direction to extend and retract the multi-link robotic arm and to move the end effector from a retracted position along the radial direction to an extended position; a set of one or more markers on the multi-link robotic arm that characterize both linear and rotational properties of at least one link of the multi-link robotic arm with respect to the radial direction; an imaging system having at least one imaging sensor mounted via the mounting interface in a predetermined position relative to the transport chamber, the imaging sensor being configured to image at least a portion of The controller is communicatively connected to the imaging system and configured to use the at least one imaging sensor to image the at least part of the multi-link robot arm, the multi-link robot arm moves along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis or is in the predetermined position, and the controller captures the at least part of the multi-link robot arm when the at least part of the multi-link robot arm approaches or is aligned at the predetermined position. A first image of one or more markers, wherein the controller is configured to compare the first image with a calibration image of the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robotic arm to calculate a position variation of a substrate holding station of the end effector of the multi-link robotic arm, and determine a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the multi-link robotic arm from the position variation, wherein the at least one imaging sensor that captures the first image is each disposed within the periphery of the mounting interface. The substrate transport apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the mounting interface mounts the drive section to the transport chamber and forms a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the exterior of the transport chamber inside the perimeter. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the set of one or more markings captured in the first image determines the position variation of the substrate holding station of the end effector. The substrate transport device as described in claim 13, wherein the position variation calculated by the controller from the first image and the calibration image of the set of one or more marks on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm includes: a position variation component in the radial direction; and another variation component in the angular direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the multi-link robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction. The substrate transport apparatus of claim 13, wherein the set of one or more markings on the at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the controller determines the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector. The substrate transport apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the set of one or more marks on the multi-link robot arm describes the linear and rotational characteristics of the position relative to a predetermined plane, wherein the controller records the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on an image of the set of one or more marks captured using the imaging system. The substrate transport apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein the multi-link robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the multi-link robot arm, and the shoulder axis is located inside the periphery. A substrate transport apparatus as described in claim 19, wherein the at least one imaging sensor is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end effector of the extended multi-link robot arm. A method for operating a substrate transport device, comprising: providing a transport chamber of the substrate transport device, the transport chamber having a substrate transport opening configured to communicate with a substrate station module; providing a drive section having a mounting flange connected to the transport chamber and a motor defining at least one independent drive axis; providing a multi-link robot arm mounted inside the transport chamber and having an end actuator at a distal end of the multi-link robot arm, the multi-link robot arm being configured to support a substrate on which and operatively connected to the drive section; utilizing the at least one independent drive shaft to generate at least radial direction multi-link machine arm motion to extend and retract the multi-link machine arm and move the end effector from a retracted position to an extended position along the radial direction; providing a set of one or more marks on the multi-link machine arm that characterizes both linear and rotational characteristics of at least one link of the multi-link machine arm relative to the radial direction; using the mounting At least one imaging system of an imaging system mounted at a predetermined position relative to the transport chamber with a flange to image the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm moving along a path defined by the at least one independent drive axis to or in the predetermined position; using a controller communicatively connected to the imaging system to capture the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm when the at least portion of the multi-link robot arm approaches or is aligned at the predetermined position. A first image of multiple markers; and using the controller, comparing the first image with a calibration image of the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm to calculate the position variation of the at least portion of the multi-link robot arm, and determining a motion compensation factor for changing the extended position of the multi-link robot arm from the position variation, wherein the at least one imaging sensor for capturing the first image is each disposed within the periphery of the mounting flange. The method of claim 21, wherein the mounting flange mounts the drive segment to the transport chamber and forms a perimeter that separates the interior of the transport chamber outside the perimeter from the exterior of the transport chamber inside the perimeter. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least a portion of the set of one or more markings captured in the first image determines the positional variation of the substrate holding station of the end effector. The method as described in claim 21 further comprises: using the controller to compare the first image with the calibration image of the set of one or more markers on at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm to calculate the position variation including: comparing the position variation component in the radial direction and another variation component in the angular direction with a non-zero intersection angle with the radial direction; and the motion compensation factor changes the extended position of the multi-link robot arm in at least one of the radial direction and the angular direction. The method of claim 21, wherein the set of one or more markings on the at least a portion of the multi-link robot arm captured in the first image includes the end effector with a substrate thereon, wherein the end effector with the substrate is imaged in the first image, and the method further comprises using the controller to determine the eccentricity of the substrate relative to a predetermined substrate holding position of the end effector. The method of claim 21, wherein the set of one or more markers on the multi-link robot arm describes the linear and rotational characteristics of the position relative to a predetermined plane, and the method further includes using the controller to record the linear and rotational characteristics of the position based on the image of the set of one or more markers captured using the imaging system. The method of claim 21, wherein the multi-link robot arm extends and retracts relative to a shoulder axis of the multi-link robot arm, the shoulder axis being located within the periphery. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one imaging sensor is positioned proximate to the shoulder axis relative to the distal end of the robot arm end effector of the extended multi-link robot arm.

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