Patent ID: 6149367
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: C23C,Y10S

Abstract:
In combination in 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 on which no material is to be deposited,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 one end on the body and at an opposite end on the web and with no contact 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 robotic assembly being operatively coupled to the body,the body, the web and the robotic assembly being disposed in a transport module between the cassette module and the process module,means 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, andmeans 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,the web including a panel and first and second flanges respectively disposed at opposite ends of the panel,the first flange being operatively coupled to the body,the second flange being displaced from the body,support structure extending through the first and second flanges, to support the panel on the body,the body and the support structure and the flanges being constructed and disposed relative to one another to support the substrate at the peripheral portions of the substrate without any contact of the body and the flanges and the support structure with the central portion of the substrate.