Abstract: Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a transfer region housing defining an internal volume. A sidewall of the transfer region housing may define a sealable access for providing and receiving substrates. The systems may include a plurality of substrate supports disposed within the transfer region. The systems may also include a transfer apparatus having a central hub including a first shaft and a second shaft concentric with and counter-rotatable to the first shaft. The transfer apparatus may include a first end effector coupled with the first shaft. The first end effector may include a plurality of first arms. The transfer apparatus may also include a second end effector coupled with the second shaft. The second end effector may include a plurality of second arms having a number of second arms equal to the number of first arms of the first end effector.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, includes a stage including a through-hole vertically penetrating the stage, a pin inserted into the through-hole, and a support member configured to support the pin. The pin has a protrusion configured to protrude from the upper surface of the stage through the through-hole, and a large diameter portion located below the protrusion and formed thicker than the protrusion. The stage further includes a lateral hole formed to extend from a side surface of the stage so as to intersect with the through-hole. The support member is inserted into the lateral hole. The support member is configured to support the pin by an engagement with the large diameter portion while the support member is inserted into the lateral hole. An upper opening end of the through-hole is thinner than the large diameter portion.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, a drive section connected to the frame and including at least one independently controllable motor, at least two substrate transport arms connected to the frame and comprising arm links arranged for supporting and transporting substrates, and a mechanical motion switch coupled to the at least one independently controllable motor and the at least two substrate transport arms for effecting the extension and retraction of one of the at least two substrate transport arms while the other one of the at least two substrate transport arms remains in a substantially retracted configuration.

Abstract: A transport apparatus includes a transport unit configured to transport a protection material in each operation of a packing operation and an unpacking operation; a protection material placement portion on which the protection material is stacked; a container placement portion on which a container main body portion is placed; a control unit configured to control the transport unit in an operation mode selected from a plurality of operation modes corresponding to types of the protection material; an attachment determination unit configured to determine attachment/detachment of components that are selected in correspondence with the type of the protection material and form the transport unit, the protection material placement portion, and the container placement portion; and a consistency determination unit configured to determine consistency between the selected operation mode and a determination result of the attachment determination unit.

Abstract: A gripper head is for a robotic gripping system. The gripper head body has an attachment section and a tool section defining an attachment region for a tool. The attachment section is configured to attach the gripper head body to a mount of a robot. The gripper head body has a first port at the attachment section and a second port at the tool section. The gripper head body defines an internal channel mutually connecting the first port and the second port. The internal channel is configured to pass air between the first port at the attachment section and the second port at the tool section.

Abstract: A multi-wafer deposition tool includes a vacuum enclosure including a platen laterally surrounding multiple wafer stages, a spindle-blade assembly including a spindle and multiple transfer blades attached to the spindle, and a controller configured to transfer wafers between the multiple wafer stages through rotation of the multiple transfer blades around a rotation axis pasting through the spindle. A chamber clean process may be performed while the transfer blades of the spindle-blade assembly are positioned over the multiple wafer stages. Alternatively or additionally, a deposition cycle may be performed while the transfer blades of the spindle-blade assembly are positioned between neighboring pairs of the wafer stages and while a purge gas that flows out of purge gas openings into spaces between the wafer stages.

Abstract: An apparatus including a drive having motors and coaxial drive shafts; an arm assembly having a first arm and a second arm; and a controller. The first arm includes a first upper arm, a first forearm, a first end effector, and a first transmission, where the first transmission includes a non-circular pulley, and where the first upper arm and the first forearm have unequal effective lengths. The second arm includes a second upper arm, a second forearm, a second end effector, and a second transmission, where the second upper arm and the second forearm have substantially equal effective lengths. The controller is configured to cause the drive to extend and retract the arms to move an upper substrate and a lower substrate on the substrate holding areas such that the arm assembly and upper substrate do not travel over the lower substrate.

Abstract: A laser irradiation apparatus includes a laser generation device, a levitation unit to levitate an object to which the laser light is applied, and a conveyance unit to convey the levitated object. The conveyance unit includes a holding mechanism for holding the object by absorption, and a moving mechanism for moving the holding mechanism in a conveyance direction. The holding mechanism includes a base including a plurality of through holes, a plurality of pipes respectively connected to the through holes, a vacuum generation device configured to evacuate air from the pipes, and a plurality of absorption assistance valves each disposed in the middle of a respective one of the pipes, each of the plurality of absorption assistance valves being configured to be closed when a flow rate of a gas flowing into the pipe through the through hole becomes equal to or higher than a threshold.

Abstract: A cleaning assembly may include a chuck. The cleaning assembly may include a plurality of lift pins positioned proximate to the chuck. The plurality of lift pins may be configured to engage a cleaning substrate and translate the cleaning substrate to allow the cleaning substrate to capture one or more particles from the surface of the chuck via at least one of electrostatic attraction or mechanical trapping when the cleaning substrate is positioned in the second position. The cleaning assembly may include a replaceable top skin coupled to the chuck and configured to capture the one or more particles.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer transfer arm includes, in one embodiment, a mechanical arm and a contact pad including contact points. The contact points are configured to secure a semiconductor wafer at a non-active area of the semiconductor wafer and offset the contact pad from an active area of the semiconductor wafer by a predetermined distance. The transfer arm prevents foreign material from contacting the wafer and thus reduces instances of die cracking caused by foreign material during a semiconductor wafer transfer process.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, an upper arm rotatably mounted to the frame about a shoulder axis, a forearm rotatably mounted to the upper arm about an elbow axis where the forearm includes stacked forearm sections dependent from the upper arm through a common joint, and independent stacked end effectors rotatably mounted to the forearm, the forearm being common to the independent stacked end effectors, wherein at least one end effector is mounted to the stacked forearm sections at a wrist axis, where the forearm is configured such that spacing between the independent stacked end effectors mounted to the stacked forearm sections is decoupled from a height build up between end effectors accommodating pass through instrumentation.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a SCARA arm mounted to the frame at a shoulder joint having two links with at least one end effector dependent therefrom, the links defining an upper arm and a forearm, each end effector pivotally joined to the forearm at a wrist to rotate about a wrist axis, and a drive section with at least one degree of freedom operably coupled to the arm to rotate the arm about a shoulder axis articulating extension and retraction, wherein the end effector is coupled to a wrist joint pulley so that extension and retraction effects rotation of the pulley and end effector as a unit about the wrist axis, and wherein a height of the end effector is within a stack height profile of the wrist joint so that a total stack height is sized to conform with and pass through a pass-through of a slot valve.

Abstract: A process system of performing a fabrication process on a wafer includes a wafer storage cassette, one or more process chambers, a transfer chamber having a body and a lid that detachably covers the body, and a locking pin. The transfer chamber also includes a robot hub, a robot arm attached to the robot hub, and a blade attached to the robot arm. The body of the transfer chamber is connected to the wafer storage cassette and the process chambers, and the robot arm is configured to transfer a wafer from the wafer storage cassette through the body of the transfer chamber to one or more of the process chambers. The locking pin is configured to detachably attach to the robot arm to constrain the blade at a predetermined position within the transfer chamber.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, an upper arm rotatably mounted to the frame about a shoulder axis, a forearm rotatably mounted to the upper arm about an elbow axis where the forearm includes stacked forearm sections dependent from the upper arm through a common joint, and independent stacked end effectors rotatably mounted to the forearm, the forearm being common to the independent stacked end effectors, wherein at least one end effector is mounted to the stacked forearm sections at a wrist axis, where the forearm is configured such that spacing between the independent stacked end effectors mounted to the stacked forearm sections is decoupled from a height build up between end effectors accommodating pass through instrumentation.

Abstract: Electronic device processing systems may include a mainframe housing having a transfer chamber, a first carousel assembly, a second carousel assembly, a first load lock, a second load lock, and a robot adapted to operate in the transfer chamber to exchange substrates between the first and second carousels and the first and second load locks. The robot may include first and second end effectors operable to extend and/or retract simultaneously or sequentially along substantially co-parallel lines of action. Methods and multi-axis robots for transporting substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: An example transfer apparatus comprises: a first arm, a second arm rotatably connected to the first arm, a plurality of hands rotatably connected to the second arm in order to hold objects, a hand position transmission mechanism serving as a transmission mechanism for determining the rotation center position of the plurality of hands, a hand rotation transmission mechanism serving as a transmission mechanism for rotating the plurality of hands around the rotation axes of the respective hands in different directions, a single hand position motor serving as a motor for providing power for the hand position transmission mechanism, and a single hand rotation motor serving as a motor for providing power for the hand rotation transmission mechanism.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, a drive section connected to the frame and including at least one independently controllable motor, at least two substrate transport arms connected to the frame and comprising arm links arranged for supporting and transporting substrates, and a mechanical motion switch coupled to the at least one independently controllable motor and the at least two substrate transport arms for effecting the extension and retraction of one of the at least two substrate transport arms while the other one of the at least two substrate transport arms remains in a substantially retracted configuration.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, an upper arm rotatably mounted to the frame about a shoulder axis, a forearm rotatably mounted to the upper arm about an elbow axis where the forearm includes stacked forearm sections dependent from the upper arm through a common joint, and independent stacked end effectors rotatably mounted to the forearm, the forearm being common to the independent stacked end effectors, wherein at least one end effector is mounted to the stacked forearm sections at a wrist axis, where the forearm is configured such that spacing between the independent stacked end effectors mounted to the stacked forearm sections is decoupled from a height build up between end effectors accommodating pass through instrumentation.

Abstract: An industrial robot may include a main body; a hand; and an arm having a top end side and a root end side, the top end side being rotatably connected to the hand and the root end side being rotatably connected to the main body. The arm may include a first part having a top end side and a root end side; and a second arm part having a top end side. The hand may be rotatably connected to the top end side of the first arm part. The root end side of the first arm part may rotatably connected to the top end side of the second arm part. The top end side of the first arm part is a reducing-width part where a width gradually narrows in a direction from the root end side of the first top-end-side arm part to the top end side.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a first SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a first radial axis; a second SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a second radial axis, the SCARA arms having a common shoulder axis of rotation; and a drive section coupled to the SCARA arms is configured to independently extend each SCARA arm along a respective radial axis and rotate each SCARA arm about the common shoulder axis of rotation where the first radial axis is angled relative to the second radial axis and the end effector of a respective arm is aligned with a respective radial axis, wherein each end effector is configured to hold at least one substrate and the end effectors are located on a common transfer plane.

Abstract: A joint includes: a motor coupled to the joint, the motor configured to move the joint; a joint side sensor configured to measure a parameter of interest of a joint side target; a motor side sensor configured to measure the parameter of interest of the motor; and a controller configured to control the motor, the controller operably connected to the joint side sensor, the controller operably connected to the motor side sensor.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a frame, an upper arm rotatably mounted to the frame about a shoulder axis, a forearm rotatably mounted to the upper arm about an elbow axis where the forearm includes stacked forearm sections dependent from the upper arm through a common joint, and independent stacked end effectors rotatably mounted to the forearm, the forearm being common to the independent stacked end effectors, wherein at least one end effector is mounted to the stacked forearm sections at a wrist axis, where the forearm is configured such that spacing between the independent stacked end effectors mounted to the stacked forearm sections is decoupled from a height build up between end effectors accommodating pass through instrumentation.

Abstract: Provided is a two-dimensional movement closed-link structure for supporting a moving object. The moving object can freely move in a plane includes a fixed link, a first link one end of which is rotatably connected to one end of the fixed link, a second link one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the first link, a third link one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the second link, and a fourth link one end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the third link and the other end of which is rotatably connected to the other end of the fixed link, the second link having joint parts at both ends at which the second link is connected and a bar part, and the moving object being disposed in the bar part of the second link.

Abstract: A method for depositing a thin film on a moveable substrate using atmospheric pressure atomic-layer deposition provides a chamber including a stationary support, through which fluid flows, that supports a moveable substrate. A moveable substrate includes a levitation stabilizing structure on the substrate that defines an enclosed interior impingement area of the substrate. The moveable substrate is positioned proximate to the stationary support so that the stationary support extends beyond the enclosed interior impingement area and the fluid flow is directed within the enclosed interior impingement area of the moveable substrate.

Abstract: A substrate transport arm including a plurality of links rotatably connected to each other in series; and a system for maintaining radial orientation of a third one of the links regardless of a rotational angle of first and second ones of the links relative to each other. The system for maintaining radial orientation includes a four-bar linkage.

Abstract: A wafer cleaning chamber comprising a plurality of carrier arms each having concentrically-mounted midpoints between opposing ends of the carrier arms with a wafer carrier mounted on each of the opposing ends of the carrier arms. A hub includes a plurality of concentrically mounted drives where each of the plurality of drives is coupled near the midpoint of a respective one of the plurality of carrier arms. Each of the plurality of drives is configured to be controlled independently of the remaining plurality of concentrically-mounted drives. A respective motor is coupled to each of the concentrically mounted drives and is configured to move the coupled carrier arm in a rotary manner under control of a program containing a velocity profile. At least one cleaning chemical-supply head is positioned proximate to a path of the wafer carriers.

Abstract: A calibrated mass damper for use with end effectors for semiconductor wafer handling robots is described. The calibrated mass damper reduces vibrational response in an end effector carrying a semiconductor wafer without requiring modification of the end effector structure.

Abstract: A robot arm apparatus includes an arm mechanism including a base member and a link pivotally connected to the base member for pivotal motion in a horizontal plane through a rotational shaft. The link holds a regular circular transport object at its distal end. The apparatus also includes an edge detector, provided on the base member, that detects two edges of the regular circular transport object as the link pivotally rotates with respect to the base member, a pivotal angle detector that detects a pivotal angle of the link with respect to the base member, and a center position calculator that calculates a center position of the regular circular transport object with respect to the link. The calculation is based on two pivotal angles detected by the pivotal angle detector when the edge detector detects the two edges of the regular circular transport object.

Abstract: A dual arm robot assembly has two arms each having a set of joint/link pairs that, in conjunction with an actuator assembly. Define at least three degrees of freedom to provide independent horizontal translation and rotation of a distalmost link. A vertical motion mechanism is also provided.

Abstract: A work picking system according to embodiments includes a three-dimensional measuring unit, a hand, a calculating unit, a determining unit, and an instructing unit. The three-dimensional measuring unit measures a three-dimensional shape of a work that is a gripping target. The hand is provided on a terminal movable unit of a multi-axis robot and includes a mechanism that changes a distance between gripping claws and a mechanism that changes a tip end direction of the gripping claws. The determining unit determines a tip end direction of the gripping claws based on the attitude of the work calculated by the calculating unit and a direction of a rotation axis of the terminal movable unit.

Abstract: A substrate support apparatus which can support a substrate having a center hole, comprises a support portion which can support the substrate. The support portion includes a support groove with a cross-sectional shape in which a groove width gradually increases in a counter-gravitational direction, and a width of the support groove between two end portions is larger than a width of the support groove at the center thereof.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a first SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a first radial axis; a second SCARA arm connected to the frame, including an end effector, configured to extend and retract along a second radial axis, the SCARA arms having a common shoulder axis of rotation; and a drive section coupled to the SCARA arms is configured to independently extend each SCARA arm along a respective radial axis and rotate each SCARA arm about the common shoulder axis of rotation where the first radial axis is angled relative to the second radial axis and the end effector of a respective arm is aligned with a respective radial axis, wherein each end effector is configured to hold at least one substrate and the end effectors are located on a common transfer plane.

Abstract: A compact, lightweight manipulation system that excels in operability and has a force feedback capability is provided. When automatic operation of a slave manipulator 105 that follows manual operation of a master manipulator 101 is bilaterally controlled by means of communication, the force acting on the slave manipulator is fed back to the master manipulator by operating the master manipulator primarily under electrically-driven speed control and the slave manipulator primarily under pneumatically-driven force control. Therefore, in the master manipulator, it is not necessary to compensate for the dynamics and the self-weight of the master manipulator in the motion range of a user, allowing highly accurate, broadband positional control, which is specific to an electrically-driven system, and in the slave manipulator, nonlinearity characteristics specific to a pneumatically-driven system presents passive softness, provides a high mass-to-output ratio, and produces a large force.

Abstract: A method of transporting a substrate with a substrate support, the method includes defining a frictional breakaway force between the substrate and the substrate support in a horizontal plane, moving the substrate in the horizontal plane along a horizontal trajectory, moving the substrate in a vertical direction along a vertical trajectory simultaneously while moving the substrate in the horizontal plane, and wherein the horizontal trajectory is determined based on the acceleration profile of the vertical trajectory and wherein the horizontal trajectory prevents the moving of the substrate from overcoming the coefficient of friction in the horizontal plane.

Abstract: A compact, lightweight manipulation system that excels in operability and has a force feedback capability is provided. When automatic operation of a slave manipulator 105 that follows manual operation of a master manipulator 101 is bilaterally controlled by means of communication, the force acting on the slave manipulator is fed back to the master manipulator by operating the master manipulator primarily under electrically-driven speed control and the slave manipulator primarily under pneumatically-driven force control. Therefore, in the master manipulator, it is not necessary to compensate for the dynamics and the self-weight of the master manipulator in the motion range of a user, allowing highly accurate, broadband positional control, which is specific to an electrically-driven system, and in the slave manipulator, nonlinearity characteristics specific to a pneumatically-driven system presents passive softness, provides a high mass-to-output ratio, and produces a large force.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a drive section having at least one drive shaft and at least two scara arms operably coupled to the at least one drive shaft, the at least one drive shaft being a common drive shaft for the at least two scara arms effecting extension and retraction of the at least two scara arms, wherein the at least two scara arms are coupled to each other so that, with the at least one drive shaft coupled to the at least two scara arms, rotation of the drive shaft effects extension and retraction of one of the at least two scara arms substantially independent of motion of another of the at least two scara arms.

Abstract: A robot includes an arm member, a rotary actuator that swings the arm member, a hand member provided at an end of the arm member, a joint member that connects the arm member and the hand member to each other such that the arm member and the hand member are rotatable with respect to each other, a linear actuator that supports and linearly moves the rotary actuator, and a controller that operates the rotary actuator and the linear actuator in association with each other to linearly move the hand member in a forward-backward direction.

Abstract: A reduction gear is mounted on a revolving frame, and an electric motor having an electric motor shaft is disposed on the reduction gear. A hydraulic motor having a shaft is disposed on an upper side of the electric motor. A shaft insertion hole through which an upper end side of the electric motor shaft is inserted is provided in a lid portion of an electric motor casing. A male spline portion provided on the hydraulic motor shaft is spline-coupled to a female spline portion provided on the electric motor shaft. A bearing is provided between the shaft insertion hole and the electric motor shaft, and a pressure tight seal is provided by being located upwardly of the bearing. Hence, spline coupling portions of the female spline portion and the male spline portion are constantly lubricated by making use of drain oil which has leaked from the hydraulic motor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cleaning electrostatic chucks in processing chambers are provided. The process comprises flowing a backside gas comprising a reactive agent into a zone in a process chamber, the zone defined by a space between a surface of an electrostatic chuck or of a cleaning station and a surface of a substrate. The surface of the electrostatic chuck is etched with the reactive agent to remove debris. An apparatus for cleaning an electrostatic chuck is also provided, the apparatus comprising: a process chamber; an elongate arm having a reach disposed through a wall of the process chamber; an electrostatic chuck attached to the elongate arm; a cleaning station located within the reach of the elongate arm; and a reactive gas source that is operatively connected to the cleaning station.

Abstract: A redundantable robotic mechanism is disclosed for improving reliability of tranport equipment. The redundantable robot assembly typically comprises independent robots with separate controls, motors, linkage arms, or power, thus providing the capability of operation even if parts of the assembly are not operational or when parts of the assembly are removed for repair. The redundantable robot assembly can be also designed to allow in-situ servicing, e.g. servicing one robot when the other is running. The disclosed redundantable robot assembly provides virtual uninterrupted process flow, and thus greatly increases the yield for the manufacturing facility.

Abstract: An industrial robot may include a robot hand structured to mount a transfer object, a multi-joint arm section having at least two arms including a robot hand supporting arm structured to support the robot hand to be rotatable; and a main section structured to support the multi-joint arm section to be rotatable. The robot hand may include a grasping part structured to contact and grasp the transfer object and a biasing member structured to bias the grasping part in a direction for grasping the transfer object. The robot hand supporting arm may include an eccentric member fixed to the robot hand supporting arm at a position being eccentric from a turning center of the robot hand in relation to the supporting arm.

Abstract: A system for supplying articles to a platform rotating about a vertical axis, the platform exhibiting seatings (K) conformed for receiving corresponding articles (10), vertical axes (B) of which are situated on a circumference (C1) which is coaxial to an axis of the platform (60), the vertical axes (B) being angularly equidistanced such as to define a predetermined operating step (Po).

Abstract: A robot comprises a fixed member that has a lower end, a movable member, and an elastic sheet member. The movable member is supported by the fixed member to be movable between an uppermost position and a lowermost position of a movable range given to the movable member in a vertical direction relative to the fixed member. This movable member has a lower end at which an operation tool is provided The elastic sheet member has both ends. Of these ends, one end is fixed to the lower end of the fixed member and the other end is fixed to the lower end of the movable member. This sheet member droops when the movable member moves up to the uppermost position of the fixed member.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate transfer robot which can surely eliminate adhesion, shifting, dropping and the like of a substrate at the time of transferring the substrate. A vacuum processing apparatus provided with such substrate transfer robot is also provided. The substrate transfer robot is provided with a substrate receiving section for placing the substrate; a plurality of substrate slip preventing members, which are arranged on the upper surface of the substrate receiving section at intervals and are composed of an elastic material; and a extendable/retractable arm section whereupon the substrate receiving section is arranged at the leading end. On the upper end surface of the substrate slip preventing member, a protruding section is arranged. The vacuum processing apparatus is configured as a multi-chamber vacuum processing apparatus provided with the substrate transfer robot.

Abstract: A handling device which has a first hearing device forming a pivot point for two inner pivot arms, to each of which one outer pivot arm is pivotally attached. The two outer pivot arms support a platform. The platform is pivotally connected to the outer pivot arms by an outer three-ring bearing.

Abstract: A system for handling wafers comprising: at least one unload station; at least one intermediate station designed to hold the wafers at an angle; a processing station; and a transfer device configured to move the wafers between the stations. The intermediate station may be configured to receive the wafers in a back-to-back arrangement. An apparatus for handling wafers comprising: on one side, a vacuum gripper configured to grip individual wafers; and, on the other side, a gravity gripper configured to support one or more wafers when positioned beneath the wafers and lifted. A method for handling wafers, comprising: unloading wafers; transferring the wafers to an intermediate station; transferring the wafers from the intermediate station to a processing station; treating the wafers; unloading the wafers from the processing station; and reloading the wafers in a carrier, wherein the wafers are unloaded, transferred and reloaded by a transfer device.

Abstract: A conveying system includes a robotic arm, an end-of-arm-tool, carried by the robotic arm, and a conveyor. In one example, the end of arm tool includes a plurality of engagement mechanisms arranged in an array. Each engagement mechanism includes at least two opposed fingers moveable between engaged and released positions, and is thereby adapted to grasp a soft-sided article from the conveyor. The conveyor includes a plurality of parallel tracks, each track separated from an adjacent track by a groove. A plurality of stops is configured to stop a plurality of soft-sided articles in an array analogous to the arrayed engagement mechanisms of the end-of-arm tool. In operation, the opposed fingers of each engagement mechanism pass through the grooves defined within the conveyor, to grasp upstream and downstream sides of an article, respectively, and underneath the article, which is then lifted by the robotic arm.

Abstract: A transfer chamber for a flat display device manufacturing apparatus is provided. The transfer chamber may combine functions of a transfer chamber and a load-lock chamber. A robot may be provided aside from a center of the transfer chamber, and a buffer may be provided so as to avoid interference with the robot. An aligner may adjust a position of a substrate mounted on the buffer.

Abstract: A wafer transfer apparatus is provided. In a minimum transformed state where a robot arm is transformed such that a distance defined from a pivot axis to an arm portion, which is farthest in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis, is minimum, a minimum rotation radius R, is set to exceed ½ of a length B in the forward and backward directions of an interface space, the length B corresponding to a length between the front wall and the rear wall of the interface space forming portion, and is further set to be equal to or less than a subtracted value obtained by subtracting a distance L0 in the forward and backward directions from the rear wall of the interface space forming portion to the pivot axis, from the length B in the forward and backward directions of the interface space (i.e., B/2<R?B?L0).

Abstract: A wafer transfer apparatus is provided. In a minimum transformed state where a robot arm is transformed such that a distance defined from a pivot axis to an arm portion, which is farthest in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis, is minimum, a minimum rotation radius R, is set to exceed ½ of a length B in the forward and backward directions of an interface space, the length B corresponding to a length between the front wall and the rear wall of the interface space forming portion, and is further set to be equal to or less than a subtracted value obtained by subtracting a distance L0 in the forward and backward directions from the rear wall of the interface space forming portion to the pivot axis, from the length B in the forward and backward directions of the interface space (i.e., B/2<R?B?L0).