Abstract: An apparatus including a controller; a robot drive; a robot arm connected to the robot drive, where the robot arm has links including an upper arm, a first forearm connected to a first end of the upper arm, a second forearm connected to a second opposite end of the upper arm, a first end effector connected to the first forearm and a second end effector connected to the second forearm; and a transmission connecting the robot drive to the first and second forearms and the first and second end effectors. The transmission is configured to rotate the first and second forearms relative to the upper arm and rotate the first and second end effectors on their respective first and second forearms. The upper arm is substantially rigid and movement of the upper arm by the robot drive moves both the first and second forearms in opposite directions.

Abstract: A robot includes a first member and a second member, the first member includes a housing having a first wall and a second wall disposed to face each other, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion, a drive section having a motor body, a drive pulley and a flange, a joint section having a driven pulley and a belt, the first protrusion and the second protrusion having support sections that support both end portions of the flange, a separation distance between the support sections being shorter than a length of the flange in which the flange protrudes, and missing sections configured such that a separation distance between the missing sections is longer than the length of the flange in the direction in which the flange protrudes, both end portions of the flange passing through the missing sections.

Abstract: A modularized externally-driven joint structure that can be used for general purposes. In one aspect, an externally-driven joint structure includes: a shaft member that extends in an axial direction; and a plurality of rotatable members that are arranged along the axial direction, and are coupled with each other by the shaft member in an axially rotatable manner. Each of the rotatable members includes a pair of face portions that face each other in the axial direction, a side wall portion that is arranged along the outer circumferential edges of the pair of face portions, and at least one coupling portion that is arranged at the face portions or the side wall portion, and is coupled with a link member constituting a link of a robot.

Abstract: A system for polishing a surface of a component includes a motorized apparatus including a body, a drive system coupled to the body, and an arm including a proximal end coupled to the body and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The motorized apparatus further includes a tool coupled to the distal end of the arm. The tool is configured to polish the surface of the component. The motorized apparatus also includes an actuator coupled to the arm. The system also includes a controller configured to position the tool relative to the component by positioning at least one of the body and the arm relative to the component to reach the target area on the component while maintaining a distance between the tool and the body that is less than a threshold distance. The threshold distance is less than a full reach of the arm and is determined to prevent vibrations of the tool and the arm from exceeding a predefined level.

Abstract: A mower includes a frame, at least one cutting unit, and a lifting unit. The lifting unit is connected to the at least one cutting unit and includes a yoke assembly, a first arm assembly, a second arm assembly, and a third arm assembly. The yoke assembly is connected to the cutting unit. The first arm assembly is pivotably mounted to the vehicle frame about a first pivot axis. The second arm assembly is pivotably mounted to the first arm assembly about a second pivot axis and to the yoke assembly about a third pivot axis with the second pivot axis and third pivot axis being non-parallel to the first pivot axis. The third arm assembly includes a first end pivotally connected to the frame and a second end pivotally connected to the second arm assembly.

Abstract: A driving device includes a motor, a wave gear device including a wave generator having first thickness, a flex spline, and a circular spline having thickness larger than the first thickness, a housing functioning as a housing of the motor and including a flange, and an oil seal fixed to the inner side of the flange and extending along the outer circumference of the shaft. The wave generator is set closer to the opposite direction of the flange to configure an internal space with the members. When the internal space is filled with grease, a distance between the oil seal and the wave generator is set smaller than distances among the other members.

Abstract: The invention relates to a joining unit (10, 40) for an articulated arm robot (12, 44) for joining a component (24, 58) with a joining element (28, 60) by applying an axial force. The joining unit (10, 40) comprises a base element (14, 42) for connecting to an articulated arm robot (12, 44). The base element (12, 42) is connected to an advancing unit (13, 46), which can be moved relative to the base element (14, 42) in an axial direction in and against a setting direction. The advancing unit (13, 46) is connected to a setting device (16, 54), which can be moved together with the advancing unit (13, 46). Furthermore, a pressure piece (26, 50) mounted for movement relative to the advancing unit (13, 46) in and against the setting direction is connected to the advancing unit (13, 46) by means of a coupling unit (17, 48).

Abstract: A deflection amount estimating device is provided for estimating an amount of deflection of a four-bar linkage structure part of a robotic arm. The four-bar linkage structure part swings in a given angle range. The deflection amount estimating device comprises processing circuitry configured to calculate a swing angle of the four-bar linkage structure part; calculate a load received by the four-bar linkage structure part, determine a stiffness value, corresponding to the swing angle of the four-bar linkage structure part, based on a stiffness-value determining function indicating a correlation between the stiffness value and the swing angle of the four-bar linkage structure part, the stiffness value indicating a value of each element in a stiffness matrix associating the load with the amount of deflection of the four-bar linkage structure part; and calculate the amount of deflection of the four-bar linkage structure part based on the load and the stiffness matrix.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus including a frame, multiple arms connected to the frame, each arm having an end effector and an independent drive axis for extension and retraction of the respective arm with respect to other ones of the multiple arms, a linear rail defining a degree of freedom for the independent drive axis for extension and retraction of at least one arm, and a common drive axis shared by each arm and configured to pivot the multiple arms about a common pivot axis, wherein at least one of the multiple arms having another drive axis defining an independent degree of freedom with respect to other ones of the multiple arms.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a frame and a transport apparatus connected to the frame. The transport apparatus has an upper arm link, a forearm link rotatably coupled to the upper arm link about an elbow axis, at least a third arm link rotatably coupled to the forearm about a wrist axis, and an end effector rotatably coupled to the third arm link about a knuckle axis. A two degree of freedom drive system is operably connected to at least one of the upper arm link, the forearm link, and the third arm link for effecting extension and retraction of the end effector wherein a height of the end effector is within the stack height profile of the wrist axis so that a total stack height of the end effector and wrist axis is sized to conform within a pass through of a slot valve.

Abstract: An adjustable joint for insertion into a linkage of a substrate handler utilized for substrate processing. The adjustable joint allows for adjusting the pitch and roll of an attached link. Such adjustment may permit aligning a pickup surface of an end effector to a desired plane. Once adjusted, the joint may be fixed to maintain the desired orientation of the attached link. The adjustable joint allows for correcting deflection of a pickup surface of an end effector relative to a desired pickup plane due to, for example, drooping caused by high temperature usage, mechanical tolerances and/or installation errors.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a joint support structure of a robot and a robot having the same. The joint support structure comprises: a drive motor; a reducing transmission mechanism; a motor side casing; a transmission side casing; and a knee joint sleeve disposed on outer peripheries of the motor side casing and of the transmission side casing and connected to the reducing transmission mechanism; the motor side casing has a first annular groove; the transmission side casing has a second annular groove; the knee joint sleeve is provided with an annular connector circumferentially surrounding the motor side casing, and the annular connector has a third annular groove matched with the first annular groove to form a first ball track for accommodating first balls; the knee joint sleeve has a fourth annular groove is matched with the second annular groove to form a second ball track.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices including a robot apparatus with at least one lower arm configured to rotate about a first rotational axis and at least one upper arm rotatably coupled to the at least one lower arm at a second rotational axis that is spaced away from the first rotational axis. The robot apparatus further include a first end effector coupled to the upper arm. The robot apparatus further includes a second end effector coupled to the at least one upper arm. The robot apparatus is suitable for accommodating varying pitches between two adjacent processing chambers or between two adjacent load lock chambers. The robot apparatus may operate in dual substrate handling mode, single substrate handling mode, or a combination thereof. The robot apparatus may also be an off-axis robot.

Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention includes: a robot including a hand configured to hold a substrate, and an arm configured to move the hand; a robot control device configured to set a moving path for the hand and control the arm such that the hand moves on the moving path toward a target position; and a camera disposed so as to be able to capture an image of the substrate held by the hand located at a predetermined confirmation position. The robot control device sets the moving path so as to pass through the confirmation position, obtains an image captured by the camera when the hand is located at the confirmation position, calculates a distance between a predetermined environment and the substrate which are taken in the image, and calculates a positional deviation amount from a reference position of the substrate on the basis of the distance.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media applicable to balancing robots. Some implementations are directed to maintaining a given end effector pose (relative to a world frame) of an end effector of a balancing robot when there is a disturbance to a balancing base of the balancing robot. Some implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to transitioning a balancing robot from a fallen configuration to a balanced configuration. Some implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to mitigating the risk that a balancing robot will fall when interacting with actuable environmental objects (e.g., doors) and/or to lessen the disturbance to a balancing base when interacting with actuable environmental objects.

Abstract: An apparatus including a controller; a robot drive; a robot arm connected to the robot drive, where the robot arm has links including an upper arm, a first forearm connected to a first end of the upper arm, a second forearm connected to a second opposite end of the upper arm, a first end effector connected to the first forearm and a second end effector connected to the second forearm; and a transmission connecting the robot drive to the first and second forearms and the first and second end effectors. The transmission is configured to rotate the first and second forearms relative to the upper arm and rotate the first and second end effectors on their respective first and second forearms. The upper arm is substantially rigid and movement of the upper arm by the robot drive moves both the first and second forearms in opposite directions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a buffer device for temporarily storing an article container for containing an article to be picked up, including: a placing unit on which the article container is placed and which is configured to transport the placed article container in a direction away from a pick-up area; a supply unit which supplies the article container from the pick-up area to an end area on a side of the placing unit close to the pick-up area; a movable carriage unit which is configured to travel in a transport direction of the article container in the placing unit and which allows the article container to be placed; and a transfer device which transfers the article container at least between the placing unit and the movable carriage unit.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprising a transport arm having serially connected arm links, at least one of the arm links having a predetermined arm link height, at least a first pulley and a second pulley, where the second pulley is fixed to an arm link of the serially connected arm links, and at least one torque transmission band extending longitudinally between and coupled to each of the first pulley and the second pulley, the at least one torque transmission band having a corresponding band height for the predetermined arm link height and a variable lateral thickness such that the at least one torque transmission band includes a segment of laterally increased cross section for the corresponding band height.

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 driving apparatus has a problem in that a tip end of an output shaft, which is inserted through a hollow space, is difficult to be fitted into the apparatus body during the maintenance. Therefore, a driving apparatus includes an input shaft with a hollow space formed therein that penetrates therethrough in the axial direction, a motor that rotates the input shaft, a reduction gear that receives the power of the motor from the input shaft, an output shaft inserted through the hollow space of the input shaft and adapted to rotate about the rotation axis with power output from the reduction gear, and a coupling connected to a tip end of the output shaft. A first bearing for supporting the output shaft is arranged, and a second bearing for supporting the output shaft is arranged in the hollow space between the input shaft and the output shaft.

Abstract: A robotic transport system including a drive section connected to a frame, an articulated arm operably coupled to the drive section providing the articulated arm with arm motion in at least one axis of motion moving at least a portion of the articulated arm in a collaborative space, corresponding to the frame, from a first location to another different location in the collaborative space, the articulated arm having an end effector with a workpiece grip having workpiece engagement members engaging and holding a workpiece during workpiece transport, by the arm motion in the at least one axis of motion, wherein at least one of the workpiece engagement members is frangible compliant, having a frangible compliant coupling between a distal portion of the at least one of the workpiece engagement members and a base portion of the end effector from which the at least one of the workpiece engagement members depends.

Abstract: A robot includes a robot arm, a base supporting the robot arm, and a cable coupled to the base, wherein the base has a housing a circuit board, a connector unit located on a side surface of the housing and electrically coupled to the circuit board, to which the cable is coupled, a cover member having an insertion portion through which the cable is inserted and attached to the side surface of the housing to cover the connector unit, and a wall portion located between a coupling portion by which the cover member is coupled to the side surface of the housing and the connector and provided to project from the side surface of the housing within a space surrounded by the side surface of the housing and the cover member.

Abstract: A parallel type integrated actuator is proposed. The actuator includes: a driving unit composed of a first motor, a second motor, a third motor, and a fourth motor; a first shaft, a second shaft, and a third shaft, each shaft being inserted into each other through a hollow structure and forming a co-axis, each shaft being capable of rotating relative to each other in an inserted state, and each shaft having the other end part thereof extending outside the driving unit; an distal end part disposed outside the driving unit and on which an actuator is mounted; a first link part, a second link part, and a third link part allowing the distal end part to rotate in pitching, yawing, and rolling directions; and a universal link part connecting the fourth rotor, which is a rotor of the fourth motor, and the distal end part to each other.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a lower linearly driven effector structure with spaced paddles, and an upper linearly driven end effector structure with spaced paddles and no rotating joints above a paddle of the lower end effector structure. A drive subsystem is configured to linearly drive the lower end effector structure and to linearly drive the upper end effector structure independent of the lower end effector structure.

Abstract: Transfer system for sealed enclosure, said sealed enclosure defining a first closed volume and comprising at least one device for sealed connection to a second closed volume, said transfer system being intended to be arranged in said enclosure (E) and to be fixed to a wall thereof, said transfer system comprising at least one arm, a first rotating hinge between the arm intended to be arranged between the arm and said wall of the enclosure, said first rotating hinge comprising a first axis of rotation, a chute and a second rotating hinge between the arm and the chute, said second rotating hinge comprising a second axis of rotation, the chute comprising a docking edge configured to cooperate with the device for sealed connection.

Abstract: In a teaching method for a transfer mechanism that transfers a substrate to a mounting table, the method includes: transferring an inspection substrate having a plurality of imaging devices on an outer peripheral edge thereof to a transfer position where the substrate is transferred between the transfer mechanism and the mounting table; imaging a part of the mounting table which includes an outer periphery of the mounting table at the transfer position by the imaging devices; calculating a central position of the mounting table based on the image obtained by the imaging devices; and correcting the transfer position based on the central position of the mounting table which is calculated in the calculating and a central position of the inspection substrate at the transfer position.

Abstract: A robotic system and method that includes a robot having one or more axes of movement and which can be coupled to a supplemental axis unit that is structured to rotatably displace the robot about a supplemental axis. The robot can be coupled to a rotatable wheel portion of a table unit of the supplemental axis unit. The wheel portion can be operably coupled to a drive unit having a motor that provides rotational power for the rotational displacement of the wheel portion, and thus the robot, about the supplemental axis of the supplemental axis unit. The robotic system can also include one or more controllers that can be configured to dynamically control or coordinate the movement of both the robot about the one or more axes of the robot and the rotational displacement of the wheel portion, and thus the robot, about the supplemental axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for blow molding plastic containers, particularly bottles, including a blow molding carousel, which can rotate about a main rotation axis and is functionally connected, at a first transfer station and at a second transfer station, to a line for feeding the preforms and to a line for unloading the bottles, the blow molding carousel supporting, at its peripheral region, a plurality of forming units arranged around the main rotation axis. Each forming unit has a mold that defines a first and a second forming cavity and is formed by two half-mold parts, which can move with respect to each other to pass between an open position for feeding the preforms and for unloading the bottles and a closed position, in which it defines at least one forming cavity.

Abstract: A motor unit includes a motor and an amplifier section including a drive circuit that drives the motor. The amplifier section includes an amplifier cover. A power line for supplying power to the motor is bound to the amplifier cover.

Abstract: A substrate transfer mechanism includes a moving body, a support body supported by the moving body, first and second rotary shafts at the support body, first and second arms respectively extending from first and second rotary shafts and having first and second substrate support regions. The first arm and the second arm are disposed at different height positions. The mechanism includes a third rotary shaft rotating the support body with respect to the moving body, and a switching mechanism switching a first rotation operation of rotating the support body such that a distance in a right-left direction between the first and second substrate support region is maintained and a second rotation operation of rotating the support body together with rotation of at least one of the first and second rotary shaft such that the distance is changed between a first distance and a second distance shorter than the first distance.

Abstract: Robots including spaced upper arms are described. The robot includes first and second upper arms rotatable about a shoulder axis wherein the second upper arm is spaced from the first upper arm. The other robot components (first and second forearms, first and second wrist members, and first and second end effectors) are interleaved in the space between the first and second upper arms. Each of the first and second upper arms may be individually and independently controlled. Methods of operating the robot and electronic device processing systems including the robot are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for determining and correcting inter-wafer misalignments in a stack of wafers transported by a wafer handling robot are discussed. An enhanced automatic wafer centering system is provided that may be used to determine a smallest circle associated with the stack of wafers, which may then be used to determine whether or not the stack of wafer meets various process requirements and/or if a centering correction can be made to better align the wafers with a receiving station coordinate frame.

Abstract: A robot arm comprising a plurality of limbs articulated relative to each other, the robot arm extending from a base to a distal limb carrying a tool or an attachment point for a tool, the distal limb being attached by a revolute joint to a second limb, and the robot arm comprising a motor having a body and a drive shaft configured to drive rotation of the distal limb relative to the second limb about the revolute joint, wherein the body of the motor is fast with the distal limb.

Abstract: A robot arm comprising at least two arm joints which are pivotally connected together and which are driven directly. The aim of the invention is to reduce the energy required to move the parts when pivoting the arm joint and allow an uncomplicated adaptation of the robot arm to changed use conditions. This is achieved in that at least one of the two arm joints has a motor part and a joint part, wherein the two parts are arranged in a mutually spaced manner via a spacer part, and the other arm joint is arranged so as to engage with the spacer part of the arm joint such that the position can be changed relative to the arm joint.

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: A processing system includes a robot arm with an end effector having a longitudinal axis, the robot arm having a reach of at least 45 inches, wherein the end effector includes: a first wafer pocket defined within the end effector at a first location along the longitudinal axis, wherein the first wafer pocket has the reach of at least 45 inches; and a second wafer pocket defined within the end effector at a second location along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second wafer pocket has a second reach that is less than 45 inches. The end effector is capable of concurrently carrying a first wafer in the first wafer pocket and a second wafer in the second wafer pocket.

Abstract: An apparatus including a controller; a robot drive; a robot arm connected to the robot drive, where the robot arm has links including an upper arm, a first forearm connected to a first end of the upper arm, a second forearm connected to a second opposite end of the upper arm, a first end effector connected to the first forearm and a second end effector connected to the second forearm; and a transmission connecting the robot drive to the first and second forearms and the first and second end effectors. The transmission is configured to rotate the first and second forearms relative to the upper arm and rotate the first and second end effectors on their respective first and second forearms. The upper arm is substantially rigid and movement of the upper arm by the robot drive moves both the first and second forearms in opposite directions.

Abstract: A linear actuator includes an actuator body including a housing, a gear set mounted inside the housing, a drive unit mounted outside the housing for rotating the gear set, a transmission mechanism including a lead screw with an axial rod at one end thereof fastened to the gear set, a stopper component set fastened to a neck of the axial rod, two bearing housings mounted on the axial rod at two opposite ends of the neck and two thrust bearings respectively mounted in the bearing housings. When the lead screw is rotated, a first stopper block of the stopper component set is engaged with the neck of the axial rod to force the stopper component set against the thrust bearings, enabling the linear actuator to carry greater axial thrust or tensile load, increasing the high impact load strength of the linear actuator and ensuring overall structural stability and reliability.

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 substrate transport apparatus including a lower linearly driven effector structure with spaced paddles, and an upper linearly driven end effector structure with spaced paddles and no rotating joints above a paddle of the lower end effector structure. A drive subsystem is configured to linearly drive the lower end effector structure and to linearly drive the upper end effector structure independent of the lower end effector structure.

Abstract: A robotic apparatus for transporting a workpiece includes a first arm that pivots about a first axis and a second arm that is pivotably connected to the first arm. The second arm has a surface upon which the workpiece can be received. A first drive unit of the robotic apparatus drives the first arm member to pivot about the first axis. The robotic apparatus includes a controller that controls the first drive unit to move the surface of the second arm member to transport the workpiece. The control unit also controls the first drive unit such that the surface is not moved at an acceleration value that exceeds a predetermined acceleration limit during the transport of the workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus including a robot drive, a first arm having a first upper arm, a first forearm and a first end effector, where the first end effector comprises a first and second substrate support sections and a leg located between the first and second support sections which connects the substrate support sections to a wrist joint with the first forearm, and where a connection of the leg to the wrist joint is offset unequal distances relative to respective centerlines of the first and second substrate support sections, and a second arm having a second upper arm connected to the robot drive, where the first and second upper arms are connected to a first shaft of the robot drive to be rotated in unison, and where the wrist joint does not intersect the drive axis while the first arm is being extended and retracted.

Abstract: Robots including spaced upper arms are described. The robot includes first and second upper arms rotatable about a shoulder axis wherein the second upper arm is spaced from the first upper arm. The other robot components (first and second forearms, first and second wrist members, and first and second end effectors) are interleaved in the space between the first and second upper arms. Each of the first and second upper arms and first and second forearms may be individually and independently controlled. Methods of operating the robot and electronic device processing systems including the robot are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: A system for mounting vacuum robot arms in horizontally elongate vacuum transfer modules is provided. The system provides mechanical isolation to the vacuum robot arm against deflections in the housing of the vacuum transfer module due to depressurization of the interior of the vacuum transfer module while the exterior of the vacuum transfer module is subjected to atmospheric pressure. Such systems may prevent undesirable, larger displacements of the end effector of such vacuum robot arms due to the deflection.

Abstract: A wafer clamp includes a platform with a top surface, a stopper disposed at a front end of the platform, a push rod disposed at a rear end of the platform, at least one actuator pivotally connected to the push rod, and a sensor disposed at the front end of the platform, the sensor measuring a distance between the sensor and a wafer over the sensor.

Abstract: An inductive detector for measuring the position of a first body relative to a second body along a measurement path comprises: a first body which comprises a substantially planar surface and a passive electromagnetic target; a second body which comprises a substantially planar surface facing the planar surface of the first body and an arrangement of laminar windings; said first and second body being configured such that the electromagnetic influence of the first body on the second body varies according to the position of the first body relative to the second body along the measurement path; wherein said passive electro-magnetic target comprises a first portion incorporating said planar surface and a second portion with a lower thickness than said first portion; whereby the second portion incorporates an insulating aperture.

Abstract: A dual-blade robot having overlapping frog-leg linkages is disclosed. The robot includes first and second arms, coplanar with each other and each rotatably coupled to a first blade, in a frog-leg configuration, and third and fourth arms, coplanar with each other and each rotatably coupled to a second blade, in a frog-leg configuration, where the third and fourth arms are vertically offset from the first and second arms. The third and fourth arms are configured to overlap at least a portion of the first and second arms when the first and second blades are in a retracted position. Methods of operating the robot and electronic device processing systems including the robot are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table, a post-exposure handling module, a substrate handling robot and a drying station. The substrate table is configured to support a substrate for an exposure process. The post-exposure handling module is configured to handle the substrate post-exposure. The substrate handling robot is configured to transfer the substrate from the substrate table along a substrate unloading path into the post-exposure handling module. The drying station is configured to actively remove liquid from a surface of the substrate. The drying station is located in the substrate unloading path. The drying station is located in the post-exposure handling module. The post-exposure handling module may be a substrate handler.

Abstract: A substrate transfer robot includes a base, a column provided on the base, a number of robotic arm groups protruding from the column in different directions. Each of the number of robotic arm groups includes at least one robotic arm and elevating mechanisms. The elevating mechanisms correspond to the robotic arm groups one by one and are fixedly connected to the robotic arm groups. The number of robotic arm groups can be driven by the respective elevating mechanisms, to move in a longitudinal direction of the column respectively. The substrate transfer robot can improve the handling efficiency.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus including a lower linearly driven effector structure with spaced paddles, and an upper linearly driven end effector structure with spaced paddles and no rotating joints above a paddle of the lower end effector structure. A drive subsystem is configured to linearly drive the lower end effector structure and to linearly drive the upper end effector structure independent of the lower end effector structure.