Abstract: A number of wafer center finding methods and systems are disclosed herein that improve upon existing techniques used in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A helium management control system for controlling the helium refrigerant supply from a common manifold supplies a plurality of cryogenic refrigerators with an appropriate helium supply. The system employs a plurality of sensors to monitor and regulate the overall refrigerant supply to deliver an appropriate refrigerant supply to each of the cryogenic refrigerators depending on the computed aggregate cooling demand of all of the cryogenic refrigerators. An appropriate supply of helium is distributed to each cryopump by sensing excess and sparse helium refrigerant and redistributing refrigerant accordingly. If the total refrigeration supply exceeds the total refrigerant demand, or consumption, excess refrigerant is directed to cryogenic refrigerators which can utilize the excess helium to complete a current cooling function more quickly.

Abstract: An ionization gauge that eliminates a hot cathode or filament, but maintains a level of precision of gas density measurements approaching that of a hot cathode ionization gauge. The ionization gauge includes a collector electrode disposed in an ionization volume, an electron source without a heated cathode, and an electrostatic shutter that regulates the flow of electrons between the electron source and the ionization volume. The electrostatic shutter controls the flow of electrons based on feedback from an anode defining the ionization volume. The electron source can be a Penning or glow discharge ionization gauge.

Abstract: Software for controlling processes in a heterogeneous semiconductor manufacturing environment may include a wafer-centric database, a real-time scheduler using a neural network, and a graphical user interface displaying simulated operation of the system. These features may be employed alone or in combination to offer improved usability and computational efficiency for real time control and monitoring of a semiconductor manufacturing process. More generally, these techniques may be usefully employed in a variety of real time control systems, particularly systems requiring complex scheduling decisions or heterogeneous systems constructed of hardware from numerous independent vendors.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a frame and a load port connected to the frame and adapted to mate a substrate transport container to the frame. The apparatus has transportable storage that is adapted to be removably connected to the frame and fit beneath the load port. The storage may be an enclosure housing electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical devices of the substrate processing apparatus.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having a station for loading and unloading substrates from the apparatus, includes an aperture closure for sealing a loading and unloading aperture of the station, a fluidic magazine door drive for removing a door of a substrate magazine and thus opening the substrate magazine and for operating the aperture closure to open the aperture, and sensor for mapping vertical locations of substrates mounted to the magazine door of the drive. The fluidic magazine door drive may include an encoder different from the sensor, the encoder being configured for determining the vertical location of the sensor.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a casing, a low port interface and a carrier holding station. The casing has processing devices within for processing substrates. The load port interface is connected to the casing for loading substrates into the processing device. The carrier holding station is connected to the casing. The carrier holding station is adapted for holding at least one substrate transport carrier at the load port interface. The carrier holding station is arranged to provide a fast swap section for replacement of the substrate transport carrier from the carrier holding station.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment a substrate transport system is provided. The system has a guideway and at least one transport vehicle. The transport vehicle is adapted for holding at least one substrate and capable of being supported from and moving along the guideway. The guideway comprises at least one travel lane for the vehicle and at least one access lane offset from the travel lane allowing the vehicle selectable access on and off the travel lane.

Abstract: A system for aligning an end effector with a substrate in a substrate transport apparatus. The system comprises a first sensor connected to the end effector and a controller for moving the substrate transport apparatus. The sensor has a sensing path pointed in an outward direction. The sensing path does not intersect the substrate when the substrate is located on the end effector. The controller for moving the substrate transport apparatus moves the substrate transport apparatus, based at least partially upon input from the sensor, to position the end effector at a predetermined position relative to the substrate to pick up the substrate onto the end effector.

Abstract: A flat workpiece transport apparatus having a movable arm and an end effector. The end effector is connected to the arm. The end effector has a movable grip for holding a flat workpiece on the end effector. The end effector has a grip actuator operably connected to the movable grip. The grip actuator has more than one actuation members and a resiliently flexible member connecting the more than one actuation members. Each actuation member actuates at least one corresponding grip element of the movable grip to capture or release the workpiece. Flexure of the resiliently flexible member effects movement of at least one of the more than one actuation members for actuation of the at least one corresponding grip element. The resiliently flexible member is sandwiched by substantially rigid portions of the more than one actuation members.

Abstract: A reticle manipulating device with an at least substantially closed housing for maintaining clean-room conditions inside the housing, an input/output station for introducing and discharging reticles in and out of the housing, and at least one functional unit arranged in the housing for impressing a predetermined function on the reticles. The device has a manipulating device also arranged inside the housing, for manipulating the reticles in the housing.

Abstract: A wafer shipping container has a first housing subcontainer. A second housing subcontainer mates with the first housing subcontainer to form a housing. The first housing subcontainer is substantially the same as the second housing subcontainer. A process carrier fits inside the housing.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having a station for loading and unloading substrates from the apparatus, includes an aperture closure for sealing a loading and unloading aperture of the station, apparatus for removing a door of a substrate magazine and thus opening the substrate magazine, and for operating the aperture closure to open the aperture, and an elevator for precisely positioning the open substrate magazine along a vertical axis within a usable range of motion. The station may also include a sensor for mapping locations of the substrates, and a mini-environment for interfacing the station to a substrate processing system.

Abstract: A semiconductor workpiece processing system having at least one processing apparatus for processing workpieces, a primary transport system, a secondary transport system and one or more interfaces between first transport system and second transport system. The primary and secondary transport systems each have one or more sections of substantially constant velocity and in queue sections communicating with the constant velocity sections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a multi-hot-cathode ionization gauge is provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in gaseous process environments. In example embodiments, the life of a spare cathode is extended by heating the spare cathode to a temperature that is insufficient to emit electrons but that is sufficient to decrease the amount of material that deposits on its surface or is optimized to decrease the chemical interaction between a process gas and a material of the at least one spare cathode. The spare cathode may be constantly or periodically heated. In other embodiments, after a process pressure passes a given pressure threshold, plural cathodes may be heated to a non-emitting temperature, plural cathodes may be heated to a lower emitting temperature, or an emitting cathode may be heated to a temperature that decreases the electron emission current.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having a frame, a housing, an access system and at least a substrate transport apparatus or a substrate processing device. The housing is connected to the frame. The access system is connected to the frame and forms an access through which substrates are moved in and out of the housing. The substrate transport apparatus or substrate processing device are connected to the frame and are at least partially positioned in the housing. The frame comprises a movable portion. The movable portion is movable relative to the frame so that movement of the movable portion causes separation of the access system and at least one of the substrate transport apparatus or substrate processing device from an installed position. The substrate transport apparatus is selectable from a number of different interchangeable substrate transport apparatus.

Abstract: A drive section for a substrate transport arm including a frame, at least one stator mounted within the frame, the stator including a first motor section and at least one stator bearing section and a coaxial spindle magnetically supported substantially without contact by the at least one stator bearing section, where each drive shaft of the coaxial spindle includes a rotor, the rotor including a second motor section and at least one rotor bearing section configured to interface with the at least one stator bearing section, wherein the first motor section is configured to interface with the second motor section to effect rotation of the spindle about a predetermined axis and the at least one stator bearing section is configured to effect at least leveling of a substrate transport arm end effector connected to the coaxial spindle through an interaction with the at least one rotor bearing section.

Abstract: An apparatus including a controller, a workpiece transport in communication with the controller having a movable portion and a transport path, and a multi-dimensional position measurement device including at least one field generating platen attached to the movable portion and at least one sensor group positioned along the transport path and in communication with the controller, the field generating platen is configured for position measurement and propelling the movable portion, each sensor in the at least one sensor group is configured to provide but one output signal along a single axis corresponding to a sensed field generated by the at least one field generating platen and the controller is configured calculate a multi-dimensional position of the movable portion based on the but one output signal of at least one of the sensors in the at least one sensor group, the multi-dimensional position including a planar position and a gap measurement.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus comprising a drive section, an upper arm, a first forearm, and a second forearm. The upper arm is rotatably connected to the drive section at a first end of the upper arm. The upper arm is rotatably connected to the drive section for rotating the upper arm about an axis of rotation of the drive section. The first forearm is pivotably connected to the upper arm for pivoting relative to the upper arm. The first forearm has a first end effector depending therefrom. The second forearm is pivotably connected to the upper arm for pivoting relative to the upper arm. The second forearm has a second end effector depending therefrom.

Abstract: A semiconductor workpiece processing apparatus having a first chamber, a transport vehicle, and another chamber. The first chamber is capable of being isolated from an outside atmosphere. The transport vehicle is located in the first chamber and is movably supported from the first chamber for moving linearly relative to the first chamber. The transport vehicle includes a base, and an integral semiconductor workpiece transfer arm movably mounted to the base and capable of multi-access movement relative to the base. The other chamber is communicably connected to the first chamber via a closable opening of the first chamber. The opening is sized to allow the transport vehicle to transit between the first chamber and the other chamber through the opening.