Abstract: A semiconductor process transport apparatus including a drive section with at least one motor, an articulated arm coupled to the drive section for driving articulation motion, a machine controller coupled to the drive section to control the at least one motor moving the articulated arm from one location to a different location, and an adapter pendant having a machine controller interface coupling the adapter pendant for input/output with the machine controller, the adapter pendant having another interface, configured for connecting a fungible smart mobile device having predetermined resident user operable device functionality characteristics, wherein the other interface has a connectivity configuration so mating of the fungible smart mobile device with the other interface automatically enables configuration of at least one of the resident user operable device functionality characteristics to define an input/output to the machine controller effecting input commands and output signals for motion control of the

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a frame defining a chamber with a substrate transport opening and a substrate transfer plane defined therein, a valve mounted to the frame and being configured to seal an atmosphere of the chamber when closed, the valve having a door movably disposed to open and close the substrate transport opening, and at least one substrate sensor element disposed on a side of the door and oriented to sense substrates located on the substrate transfer plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing tool is disclosed, the tool having a frame forming at least one chamber with an opening and having a sealing surface around a periphery of the opening, a door configured to interact with the sealing surface for sealing the opening, the door having sides perpendicular to the door sealing surface and perpendicular to a transfer plane of a substrate, and at least one drive located on the frame to a side of at least one of the sides that are substantially perpendicular to the door sealing surface and substantially perpendicular to the transfer plane of the substrate, the drive having actuators located at least partially in front of the sealing surface and the actuators being coupled to one of the sides of the door for moving the door from a sealed position. The at least one drive is located outside of a substrate transfer zone.

Abstract: A system for condition monitoring and fault diagnosis includes a data collection function that acquires time histories of selected variables for one or more of the components, a pre-processing function that calculates specified characteristics of the time histories, an analysis function for evaluating the characteristics to produce one or more hypotheses of a condition of the one or more components, and a reasoning function for determining the condition of the one or more components from the one or more hypotheses.

Abstract: A method for health assessment of a system including a transport apparatus including registering predetermined operating data embodying at least one dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus, determining a base value (CpkBase) characterized by a probability density function of each of the dynamic performance variable output, resolving from the transport apparatus in situ process motion commands of the apparatus controller and defining another predetermined motion set of the transport apparatus, registering predetermined operating data embodying the at least one dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus and determining with the processor another value (CpkOther) characterized by the probability density function of each of the dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus, and comparing the other value and the base value (CpkBase) for each of the dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus respectively corresponding to the predetermin

Abstract: A modular sample store including a storage area; a service area; a transfer area; a motorized robot with a lifting device and at least one platform; and a controller. The sample store service area includes one integrally formed cubic vat module and the sample store storage area includes at least one integrally formed cubic vat module. Each one of the aforementioned vat modules includes an essentially horizontal vat floor and four joining vat walls that are connected to the vat floor and that are leaving an open vat space. The modular sample store also includes upper side walls and a cover plate to close the sample store. Each vat floor and vat wall includes an outside liner and an inside liner, which outside and inside liners in each case are separated by a clearance.

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: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment a semiconductor processing apparatus is provided. The semiconductor processing apparatus includes a frame forming a sealable chamber having a longitudinal axis and lateral sides astride the longitudinal axis, the sealable chamber being configured to hold a sealed environment therein, at least one transport module mounted to the sealable chamber and having a telescoping carriage being configured so that the telescoping carriage is linearly movable relative to another portion of the transport module where the telescoping carriage and the other portion define a telescoping motion along the longitudinal axis, and at least one transfer robot mounted to the carriage, each of the at least one transfer robot having at least one transfer arm configured for holding a substrate thereon.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus auto-teach system for auto-teaching a substrate station location, the system including a frame, a substrate transport connected to the frame, the substrate transport having an end effector configured to support a substrate, and a controller configured to move the substrate transport so that the substrate transport biases the substrate supported on the end effector against a substrate station feature causing a change in eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector, determine the change in eccentricity, and determine the substrate station location based on at least the change in eccentricity between the substrate and the end effector.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer transport apparatus includes a frame, a transport arm movably mounted to the frame and having at least one end effector movably mounted to the arm so the at least one end effector traverses, with the arm as a unit, in a first direction relative to the frame, and traverses linearly, relative to the transport arm, in a second direction, and an edge detection sensor mounted to the transport arm so the edge detection sensor moves with the transport arm as a unit relative to the frame, the edge detection sensor being a common sensor effecting edge detection of each wafer simultaneously supported by the end effector, wherein the edge detection sensor is configured so the edge detection of each wafer is effected by and coincident with the traverse in the second direction of each end effector on the transport arm.

Abstract: A transport apparatus including a drive section connected to a frame and including a multi-drive shaft spindle, with at least one coaxial shaft spindle, more than one different interchangeable motor module arranged in a stack, each having a motor operably coupled thereto and defining a corresponding independent drive axis, and a can seal disposed between the stator and rotor of each motor module and hermetically sealing the stator and rotor from each other, at least one of the motor modules is selectable for placement in the stack from other different interchangeable motor modules, each having a different predetermined characteristic, independent of placement in the stack, that defines a different predetermined drive characteristic of the corresponding drive axis, independent of shaft spindle location, so that selection of the at least one motor module determines the different predetermined drive characteristic of the corresponding axis different from another of the independent drive axis.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a pick head configured to transfer sample containers to and from a sample group holder, at least one sensor connected to the pick head and configured to detect at least one predetermined feature of the sample group holder, and a controller configured to receive a detection signal from the at least one sensor corresponding to detection of the at least one predetermined feature, determine a change in a predetermined characteristic of the sample group holder based on a detected position of the at least one predetermined feature, and determine a location of one or more samples in the sample group holder to allow for the transfer of the one or more sample containers to and from the sample group holder based on the edge detection signal.

Abstract: A buffer station for automatic material handling system can provide throughput improvement. Further, by storing to-be-accessed workpieces the buffer stations of an equipment, the operation of the facility is not interrupted when the equipment is down. The buffer station can be incorporated in a stocker, such as bare wafer stocker.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a first arm coupled to the frame at a shoulder axis having a first upper arm, a first forearm and at least one substrate holder serially and rotatably coupled to each other, a second arm coupled to the frame at the shoulder axis where shoulder axes of rotation of the arms are substantially coincident, the second arm having a second upper arm, a second forearm and at least one substrate holder serially and rotatably coupled to each other, and a drive section connected to the frame and coupled to the arms, the drive section being configured to independently extend and rotate each arm where an axis of extension of the first arm is angled relative to an axis of extension of the second arm substantially at each angular position of at least one of the first arm or the second arm.

Abstract: An automated storage system for storing large quantities of samples in trays includes a storage compartment, a tray shuttle compartment abutting the storage compartment on one side and a plurality of independent modules on the other side. The modules perform processing of samples that are retrieved from the storage compartment by a tray shuttle, including extraction of selected samples from retrieved source trays and transfer of the selected samples into a separate, destination tray that can be further processed or removed from the system for use. The independent operation of the modules permits handling and processing to be performed simultaneously by different modules while the tray shuttle accesses additional samples within the storage compartment. In one embodiment, a vertical carousel is used to vertically align a desired tray with the tray shuttle, while the tray shuttle operates within a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A storage system and methods for operating a storage system are disclosed. The storage system includes a plurality of storage shelves, and each of storage shelves has a shelf plate for supporting a container. Each of the storage shelves is coupled to a chain to enable horizontal movement and each is further coupled to a rail to enable guiding to one or more positions. A motor is coupled to a drive sprocket for moving the chain. The rail has some sections that are linear and some sections that are nonlinear. The sections are arranged in a loop. Example configurations of the storage system include one or more of stationary shelves, extended horizontal tracks for a hoist, a conveyor at a level of the storage system, and a manual loading station. The hoist, with an extended horizontal track interfaces with the manual loading station.

Abstract: An access arbitration module includes a plurality of active component communication ports for communicating with a plurality of active components, and includes a passive component communication port for communicating with a passive component. The access arbitration module also includes switching logic defined to control transmission of access communication protocol signals between each of the plurality of active component communication ports and the passive component communication port, such that an authorized one of the plurality of active component communication ports is connected in communication with the passive component communication port at a given time, and such that non-authorized ones of the plurality of active component communication ports are prevented from communication with the passive component communication port at the given time.

Abstract: A sample storage including a frame and an array of sample container holding areas disposed within the frame where a spacing between adjacent sample container holding areas is independent of a gripping area for sample containers held by the sample storage.

Abstract: A workpiece container stores at least one workpiece having a bottom surface and a peripheral edge. In one embodiment, a workpiece support structure is located within the container enclosure, which forms multiple vertically stacked storage shelves within the enclosure. Each storage shelf includes, in one embodiment, a first tine and a second tine for supporting the workpiece in a substantially horizontal orientation. The bottom surface and peripheral edge of a workpiece seated on a storage shelf extends beyond the outer edge of both the first tine and the second tine. An end effector may engage these extended portions or “grip zones” of the workpiece.

Abstract: A configurable cryogenic storage device has a freezer and a rack carrier positioned inside of the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to the rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor assembly. The rack carrier rests on the bearing in a manual rotation configuration and hangs from the drive shaft when the motor is connected. Coupling the drive shaft to the motor assembly lifts the rack carrier and decouples the bearing and enables automated rotation of the rack carrier by the motor. The rack carrier includes rack-mounting features holding a plurality of sample storage racks. The sample storage racks hang from the rack carrier and the rack-mounting features precisely position the end of each sample storage rack.