Patent ID: 6749390
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: B25J,H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
An integrated tool for processing microelectronic workpieces, comprising:a cabinet defining an interior enclosure; a first single-wafer processing station in the enclosure configured to perform a procedure on an individual workpiece; a second single-wafer processing station in the enclosure configured to perform a procedure on the individual workpiece; a robot unit in the enclosure, the robot unit includingâ€”a transport unit configured to move within the interior enclosure; an arm assembly carried by the transport unit, the arm assembly including a waist member and an arm, wherein the waist member is operatively coupled to the transport unit to move along a lift path and to rotate about the lift path, and the arm has a fixed-length section projecting directly from the waist member; a first end-effector connected directly to a first pivot point along the fixed-length section of the arm; a second end-effector connected directly to a second pivot point along the fixed-length section of the arm, wherein the first and second end-effectors (a) rotate relative to the arm about at least one rotation axis generally parallel to the lift path and (b) are each configured to hold a microelectronic workpiece; a linear track in the enclosure; and whereinâ€”the transport unit is carried by the track to move along the track within the interior enclosure; the lift path along which the arm moves is transverse to the track; the first pivot point about which the first end-effector rotates is along a first rotation axis at one end of the arm; and the second pivot point about which the second end-effector rotates is along a second rotation axis at another end of the arm, and the first and second end-effectors rotate independently of each other and the arm so that each of the first and second end-effectors can load/unload workpieces from the first and second processing stations.