Abstract: End effector pads are provided that may be used to secure substrates to an end effector on a wafer handling robot. An end effector may have a plurality of end effector pads. Each of the end effector pads may have a thin diaphragm that allows a peripheral ring of the pad to tilt slightly to allow the ring to seal against a bottom surface of a bowed substrate. A vacuum may be used to pull down the substrate against a hard-stop on each end effector pad and hold the substrate more securely. The hard-stop may be used to consistently locate the z-position of the bottom surface of the substrate relative to the end effector.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are wafer handling robots and related systems for providing a blade-type end effector that has a built-in compliance mechanism that allows the end effector blades to rotate by a small amount relative to a wrist unit housing of the end effector wrist unit due to gravitational loading in both a first configuration and a second configuration in which the wrist unit housing is flipped upside down from the first configuration. Such a system may be used in conjunction with end effector blades made of high-stiffness materials such as silicon carbide, allowing such end effector blades to be used in conditions that normally require end effector blades made of more compliant materials.

Abstract: A collar may be provided having an aperture through it through which the turret of a wafer handling robot may be extended or retracted. The collar may have one or more radial gas passages. Gas directed inwards towards the turret from the radial passage(s) may turn downward when it strikes the turret. A bellows may be optionally affixed to the bottom of the turret and to the bottom of the base such that the volume of the base occupied by the turret and the bellows remains generally fixed regardless of the degree to which the turret is extended from the base.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for reducing or eliminating particulate contamination from wafer handling robots configured for vertical translation are disclosed. In one such technique, a collar may be provided having an aperture through it through which the turret of a wafer handling robot may be extended or retracted. The collar may have one or more radial gas passages. Gas directed at the turret from the radial passage(s) may turn downward when it strikes the turret and may act to prevent or discourage gas from within the base of the wafer handling robot from escaping through the aperture. In another technique, a bellows may be affixed to the bottom of the turret and to the bottom of the base such that the volume of the base occupied by the turret and the bellows remains generally fixed regardless of the degree to which the turret is extended from the base.