Patent ID: 6135051
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: C23C,Y10S

Abstract:
An end effector for transferring a substrate between a cassette module and a process module, the substrate having a central portion for receiving a deposition material and having a peripheral portion which is provided with first and second opposite ends and on which no material is to be deposited, including,a body,a web extending from the body,means operatively coupled to the body and the web for holding the web in a rigidified relationship to the body,the body and the web being constructed and disposed relative to each other to hold the substrate on the body and the web with the peripheral portion of the substrate supported at the first end by the body and at the second end by the web and with no contact of the central portion of the central portion of the substrate with the body or the web,a robotic assembly including a plurality of arms pivotable relative to one another to define contracted and expanded relationships,the body, the web and the robotic assembly being disposed in a transport module between the cassette module and the process module,means operatively coupled to the robotic arm assembly for providing a rotation of the body, the web and the robotic assembly to face the robotic assembly toward a selective one of the cassette module and the process module,means operatively coupled to the robotic assembly for pivoting the arms in the robotic assembly between the contracted and expanded relationships with the robotic assembly facing the selective one of the cassette module and the process module,means operatively coupled to the robotic assembly for providing a transfer of the substrate between the cassette module and the transport module in accordance with the movement of the arms between the contracted and expanded relationships when the arms are facing the selective one of the cassette module and the process module, andmeans operatively coupled to the robotic assembly for providing a transfer of the substrate between the process module and the transport module in accordance with the movement of the arms between the contracted and expanded relationships when the arms are facing the selective one of the cassette module and the process module.