Abstract:
A device is disclosed for manipulating a substrate having an inside diameter (ID). The device includes a handle, a trigger that slides within the handle, an alignment shaft and a plurality of substrate supports having distal ends. A plurality of substrate support actuators are connected to the trigger. The trigger can move the plurality of substrate supports between a substrate engaging position and a substrate releasing position through selective engagement of the plurality of substrate supports by the plurality of substrate support actuators. In the substrate engaging position the distal ends of the substrate supports move radially outward to engage the ID of the substrate, enabling the device to hold the substrate without touching the substrate faces. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of device manufacturing. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an improved device for enabling safe and clean handling of substrates without touching the fragile substrate faces. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of Related Art 
         [0004]    Attempts have been made to automate the handling and transfer of thin substrates during ion implantation, sputter coating and other processes. Such handling and transfer has been aimed at preventing contamination, abrasion or damage to the substrates and at achieving a high throughput in terms of the number of substrates processed per unit time. 
         [0005]    Substrate cassettes are often used to hold a plurality of substrates for storage and transport before and after processing. Automated substrate transfer systems may be employed to remove substrates from the cassette and to place the substrates in a container or carrier for transfer to a processing chamber where one or more deposition, implantation or other treatment processes can be performed on the substrates. 
         [0006]    Substrate handling devices are used to transfer individual substrates between a cassette and a transfer container or carrier. A problem with current substrate handlers is that they can contact a portion of the substrate faces. This is undesirable because such contact can cause damage to the substrate faces. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is a need for an improved system and method for transferring substrates between cassettes and containers or carriers. The system and method should provide consistent and reliable engagement of the substrate to eliminate substrate face damage that can otherwise occur by dropping, by contact with of the substrate face, or by contacting other substrates. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A device is provided for enabling stable, safe and clean handling of substrates along their inside diameter (ID) without contacting the substrate faces. The device can engage substrates in a variety of orientations, including but not limited to horizontal or vertical positions. 
         [0009]    The device can include a handle, trigger, trigger lock, substrate supports and alignment shaft. A user can grasp the handle to activate the trigger with their thumb to engage a substrate positioned in a horizontal or vertical orientation. Depressing the trigger causes the substrate supports to radially retract or compress together so they can be fit through the substrate ID. Depressing the trigger also sets a trigger lock, which holds the substrate supports in position and eliminates the need for the user to apply constant thumb force to maintain the device in a desired configuration. 
         [0010]    To engage a substrate, the retracted/compressed substrate supports can be aligned with the substrate ID, whereupon the trigger lock can be released to enable the disk supports to radially expand to contact the ID of the substrate. The device can then be used to move the substrate to a carrier where it can be held for further processing. To deposit the substrate in a carrier, the device&#39;s alignment shaft may aligned with a corresponding alignment feature on a substrate carrier to load the substrate onto the device. When in the desired position is achieved, the trigger can be actuated, retracting the substrate supports to disengage them from the substrate ID, leaving the substrate in place in the carrier. 
         [0011]    The trigger may be spring loaded, so that the trigger is automatically returned to a ready position after the trigger lock is released. The trigger lock may also have a spring that sets the lock when the trigger is depressed to the desired position. The substrate support ends may be recessed (e.g., have a “V” shape) so that they can positively retain the ID of the substrate without contacting the substrate faces. 
         [0012]    The disclosed device enables a user to pick up a substrate, no matter the orientation (horizontal, vertical or other), without touching the substrate with their hands. It provides a stable platform for moving the substrate while minimizing the chances for substrate slippage, and while eliminating substrate face contact. 
         [0013]    Thus, a device is disclosed for manipulating a substrate having an inside diameter (ID). The device includes a handle portion having first and second ends, and a trigger portion slideably received within the handle portion for movement along a longitudinal axis between first and second ends of the handle portion. The handle portion may have an end cap disposed at the first end of the handle portion, where the end cap has a first stop surface for limiting movement of the trigger portion in a first direction along the longitudinal axis. The device may include an alignment shaft disposed at the second end of the handle portion. The alignment shaft may include a second stop surface for limiting movement of the trigger portion in a second direction along the longitudinal axis. The device may also include a plurality of substrate supports engaged with the alignment shaft. The plurality of substrate supports may have distal substrate engaging ends positioned radially away from the alignment shaft. A plurality of substrate support actuators can be connected to the trigger portion, where each of the plurality of substrate support actuators is associated with a respective one of the plurality of substrate supports. The trigger portion may be operable to move the plurality of substrate supports between a substrate engaging position and a substrate releasing position through selective engagement of the plurality of substrate supports by the plurality of substrate support actuators. 
         [0014]    A device is disclosed for manipulating a substrate having an inside diameter (ID). The device may include a handle portion having first and second ends, a trigger portion slideably received in the handle portion for movement between the first and second ends, an alignment shaft disposed at the second end of the handle portion, and a plurality of substrate supports engaged with the alignment shaft. The plurality of substrate supports may have distal substrate engaging ends positioned radially away from the alignment shaft. A plurality of substrate support actuators may be movable with the trigger portion, where each of the plurality of substrate support actuators is associated with a respective one of the plurality of substrate supports. The device can have a substrate engaging position in which the trigger portion is positioned toward the first end of the handle portion so that the plurality of substrate support actuators do not contact the plurality of substrate supports and the distal substrate engaging ends are positioned a first radial distance from the alignment shaft. The device can also have a substrate releasing position in which the trigger portion is positioned toward the second end of the handle portion so that the plurality of substrate support actuators engage the plurality of substrate supports to position the distal substrate engaging ends a second radial distance from the alignment shaft, the second radial distance being smaller than the first radial distance. 
         [0015]    A method is disclosed for manipulating a substrate having an inside diameter (ID). The method may include positioning a substrate holder adjacent to an ID of a substrate, where the substrate holder having a plurality of movable substrate supports configured in a first position such that the plurality of movable substrate supports is receivable within the ID of the substrate; aligning the plurality of movable substrate supports with the ID of the substrate; and moving the movable substrate supports radially outward into engagement with the ID of the substrate to lock the substrate to the substrate holder. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    For a better understanding of the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference and in which: 
           [0017]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective and cross-section views, respectively, of an exemplary substrate cassette; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary substrate handling system; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the disclosed substrate holder engaged with a single substrate; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the disclose substrate holder taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an end view taken along line view  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  showing the substrate supports in the compressed condition; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is an end view similar to that of  FIG. 4  showing the substrate supports in the expanded condition; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are end views of the holder of  FIG. 3  showing the interrelation between the substrate holders and a substrate when the substrate holders are in the compressed and expanded configurations, respectively; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8A  is a cross section view of an exemplary trigger lock taken along line  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 3 ; and  FIG. 8B  is an expanded view of a portion of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9A-9G  are series of perspective views illustrating the disclosed substrate holder removing an exemplary substrate from a substrate lifter; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  are series of perspective views illustrating the disclosed substrate holder engaging an exemplary substrate with a substrate carrier; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is an exemplary logic flow implementing an embodiment of the disclosed method. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show an exemplary substrate cassette  10  containing a plurality of substrates  24 . The cassette  10  may have front and back surfaces  16 ,  17 , first and second sidewalls  14 ,  15 , and pairs of left and right dividers  18   a,    18   b  that receive the substrates. The cassette  10  functions to protect the substrates  24  during transport and storage. The substrates  24  may be subject to one or more processing steps, such as ion implantation or plasma doping. For such processing, the substrates may be transferred from the cassette to another holding device, an example of which is often referred to as a front opening unified pod, or “FOUP.” The FOUP may be part of a substrate handling system that manipulates the individual substrates and subjects the substrates to one or more processing steps. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary substrate handling system  30  in which a plurality of FOUPs  31  each can hold a plurality of substrates. The substrates are transferred from the FOUPs  31  to a process chamber  32  via a buffer chamber  33 , load locks  34  and  35  and a wafer handler chamber  36 . Pod doors  37  interface the between the FOUPs  31  and the buffer chamber  33  so that substrates can pass between the FOUPs  31  and buffer chamber  33 . In buffer chamber  33 , an atmospheric robot  38  transports wafers along a track  39  to move wafers between the FOUPs  31  and load locks  34  and  35 . The buffer chamber  33  may be at or near atmospheric pressure, and provides a controlled, low particulate environment. The load locks  34  and  35  communicate with substrate handler chamber  36  through isolation valves  40  and  41 , respectively. The substrate handler chamber  36  may include one or more vacuum robots  42  and a substrate alignment station  43 . A substrate is transferred by one of the robots  42  from one of the load locks  34 ,  35  to substrate alignment station  43 . The substrate then is transferred to a process station  44  in process chamber  32  for processing, such as by ion implantation. The same process is reversed to transfer the substrate back to one of the FOUPs. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  shows an exemplary substrate holder  50  that may be used for transferring substrates  24  between a substrate cassette  10  and a FOUP  31  or other carrier. The holder  50  may include a generally cylindrical handle portion  52 , a trigger portion  54 , a trigger lock  56 , a plurality of substrate supports  58 , and an alignment shaft  60 . The trigger portion  54  may be slideably received within the handle portion  52 , and may have an activation end  62  and an oppositely disposed substrate support engaging end  64 . The activation end  62  of the trigger portion may extend outward from a first end  66  of the handle portion while the substrate support engaging end  64  may extend beyond a second end  68  of the handle portion. An end cap  70  may be fixed to the first end  66  of the handle portion  52 , and may have an opening  72  through which the activation end  62  of the trigger portion  54  extends. 
         [0031]    The alignment shaft  60  may be mounted to the second end  68  of the handle portion  52  and may receive the substrate support engaging end  64  of the trigger portion  54  therethrough. In the illustrate embodiment the alignment shaft  60  has a flange portion  74  that is fixed to the second end  68  of the handle portion using one or more fasteners  76 , which may be machine screws or other appropriate fasteners. A shaft portion  78  is connected to the flange portion  74 , extending longitudinally away from the handle portion  52 . The shaft portion  78  can include a distal nose portion  80  that, as will be described in greater detail later, can be used to align the holder  50  with other substrate handling or holding device such as a lifter or a carrier. 
         [0032]    The plurality of substrate supports  58  may be fixed to the shaft portion  78  of the alignment shaft  60  at a first end  82  of each of the supports. In the illustrated embodiment, the first ends  82  of the supports  58  are fixed to the shaft portion  78  using fasteners  84  such as machine screws. The second ends  86  of each of the substrate supports  58  extend radially and longitudinally outward from the shaft portion  78  such that the second ends  86  are disposed at an engaging end  88  of the holder  50 . The second ends  86  of the substrate supports  58  act as spring members that are engageable with the ID of a targeted substrate  24 . To further facilitate engagement between the holder and a substrate, the second ends  86  of the substrate supports may have a cup shape, v-shape, or other recessed profile that enables the second ends  86  of the supports to cradle the ID of the substrate  24 . In the illustrated embodiment, three substrate supports  58  are provided, disposed at approximately 120-degree intervals about the circumference of the holder  50  as viewed along the holder longitudinal axis A-A. 
         [0033]    To selectively force the spring-like substrate supports into and out of engagement with the ID of a substrate, the substrate support engaging end  64  of the trigger portion  54  may include a plurality of substrate support actuators  90  which extend through respective openings  92  formed in the flange portion  74 . The substrate support actuators  90  are configured to engage a central portion  94  of each of the substrate supports  58  when the trigger portion is slid toward the second end  68  of the handle portion  52 . As can be seen, the substrate supports  58  are relative thin, and as such they act as leaf springs when engaged by a respective substrate support actuator  90 . The substrate supports  58  can have a compressed configuration (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), in which the substrate support actuators  90  are fully extended to engage the substrate supports  58 , which forces the supports inward toward the alignment shaft  60 . In the compressed configuration the second ends  86  of the substrate supports are positioned a first radial distance “d 1 ” from the center of the alignment shaft  60 . 
         [0034]    The substrate supports  58  can also have an expanded configuration (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 ) in which the substrate support actuators  90  are retracted so that they do not engage the substrate supports  58 , which allows the supports to spring back outward away from the alignment shaft  60 . In the expended configuration the second ends  86  of the substrate supports are positioned a second radial distance “d 2 ” form the center of the alignment shaft  60 . As can be seen, the second radial distance d 2  is greater than the first radial distance d 1 . 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , when the substrate supports  58  are in the compressed configuration, the second ends  86  can be inserted into the central opening “CO” of a substrate ( FIG. 7A ). Once the end second ends  86  of the substrate supports  58  are aligned with the substrate ID, the supports can be moved (in the direction of arrows “B”) into the expanded configuration such that the second ends  86  of the supports engage the ID of the substrate  24 , locking the substrate to the holder ( FIG. 7B ). The substrate  24  may then be manipulated as desired by a user grasping the handle potion  52  of the holder  50 . 
         [0036]    To deposit the substrate  24  in a desired location (e.g., carrier) he substrate supports  58  can be disengaged from the substrate  24  by moving the trigger portion  54  toward the first end  66  of the handle portion  54 . This causes the substrate support actuators  90  to move through the openings  92  in the flange portion  74  of the alignment shaft  60  so that they contact the substrate supports  58  to force them inward toward the alignment shaft  60 . 
         [0037]    To re-engage the substrate, the substrate support actuators may be retracted through the openings  92  in the flange portion  74  of the alignment shaft so that actuators no longer contact the substrate supports  58 , enabling them to spring back outward away from the alignment shaft  60 . To facilitate this retraction of the substrate support actuators, the trigger portion  54  may include a plurality of arms  96  associated with the plurality of substrate support actuators. These arms  96  may extend radially outward through openings  98  in the handle portion  52 . A forward surface  100  of each of the arms  96  may abut a rear surface  102  of the flange portion  74  of the alignment shaft  60 . Thus, the arms  96  act as stop surfaces which limit the travel of the substrate support actuators  90  as they compress the substrate supports  58 . The arms  96  also can be used to manually retract the substrate support actuators  90 . Thus, the arms can be used to slide the substrate support actuators  90  into and out of engagement with the substrate supports  58  to thereby actuate the holder. 
         [0038]    Referring again to  FIG. 4 , the holder  50  may include a spring  104  positioned within the handle portion  52  to bias the trigger portion toward the first end  66  of the housing portion. As will be appreciated, this biases the holder  50  so that the substrate supports  58  are in the expanded (i.e., substrate-engaging) configuration. In one embodiment, the spring  104  is a coil spring disposed in a recess  106  in the trigger portion  54 . The recess  106  has a stop surface  108  that engages a first end  110  of the spring  104 , while a second end  112  of the spring is engaged by the rear surface  102  of the flange portion  74  of the alignment shaft  60 . The trigger portion  54  is constrained in its movement toward the first end  66  of the housing via the interaction between a shoulder  114  of the trigger portion  54  and an inner surface  116  of the end cap  70  that is fixed to the first end  66  of the handle portion  52 . Thus arranged, the trigger portion  54  is movable, subject to the bias of the spring  104 , along the longitudinal axis A-A of the holder  50  subject to the aforementioned constraints. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate the trigger lock feature of the holder  50 , which enables the holder  50  to be locked in position with the substrate supports  58  in the compressed configuration, thus eliminating the need for the user to continually press the trigger portion in order to keep the holder in the compressed configuration. A trigger lock  56  may be slideably disposed in a radially-oriented trigger lock recess  118  formed in the trigger portion  54 . The trigger lock  56  may have a stepped configuration in which a first end  120  has a first diameter and an opposite second end  122  has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. The junction between the first and second diameters forms a circumferential shoulder  124 . A trigger lock spring  126  may be disposed between an end surface  128  of the trigger lock recess  118  and a trigger lock bore  130  formed in the trigger lock  56  to bias the trigger lock  56  radially outward, away from the trigger portion  54 . In one embodiment, the trigger lock spring  126  is a coil spring, though it will be appreciated that other types of springs can also be used. 
         [0040]    The handle portion  52  may include a longitudinally oriented keyslot  132  that extends through a wall  134  of the handle portion, and through which the second end  122  of the trigger lock  56  may extend so as to be actuatable by a user via thumb or finger contact. 
         [0041]    The keyslot  132  may consist of first and second portions  136 ,  138 . The first portion  136  may be sized to receive only the second end  122  of the trigger lock  56 , while the second portion  138  may form a recessed pocket in the wall  134  of the handle portion that receives the first portion as well as the shoulder  124 . Thus, arranged, as the trigger portion  54  is being actuated to configure the substrate supports in the compressed position ( FIG. 4 ), the trigger lock  56  moves with the trigger portion  54  toward the second end  68  of the handle portion  52  (along the longitudinal axis A-A). As the trigger lock moves, the circumferential shoulder  124  slides along an inner surface  140  of the handle portion  52  so long as the trigger lock is disposed in the first portion  136  of the keyslot  132  ( FIG. 8A ). As the trigger lock  56  continues its movement along the longitudinal axis A-A, it encounters the second portion  138  of the keyslot  132 . When the trigger lock  56  passes to the second portion of the keyslot, the trigger lock spring  126 the forces the trigger lock to moves radially outward into the recessed pocket of the second portion  138  of the keyslot ( FIG. 8B ). This radial outward motion captures the trigger lock shoulder  124  in the second portion of the keyslot, locking the trigger lock and the trigger portion  54  in place. In one embodiment, the trigger lock  56  and trigger portion  54  are locked in a position in which the substrate support actuators  90  are in the fully extended position (see  FIG. 4 ), configuring the substrate supports  58  in the compressed position. 
         [0042]    To disengage the trigger lock  56 , a user can apply sufficient downward force on the top surface  142  of the trigger lock to overcome the bias of the trigger lock spring  126 , moving the shoulder  124  out of the pocket of the second portion  138  of the keyslot  132 . The bias of trigger spring  104  can then move the trigger portion  54  and trigger lock  56  toward the first end  66  of the handle portion  52 , such that the trigger lock is disposed in the first portion  136  of the keyslot once again. In this configuration, the holder  50  may be in the expanded configuration shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0043]    Referring now to  FIGS. 9A-9G , an exemplary sequence is shown in which the disclosed holder  50  may be used to remove a substrate  24  from an exemplary substrate lifter  150 . The holder  50  and lifter  150  may have complementary features to enable the holder  50  to align precisely with a substrate  24  held by the lifter  150 . These complementary features ensure a smooth handoff of the substrate  24  from the lifter  150  to the holder  50 , minimizing the chance for damage to the substrate. In the illustrated embodiment, a substrate  24  is held in a vertical orientation by lifter  150 . Details of such a vertical lifter can be found in related U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, titled “Method and Apparatus for Removing a Vertically Oriented Substrate from a Cassette,” (Atty. Docket No. 2011-053), the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
         [0044]    The illustrated lifter  150  may engage the substrate  24  along the ID of the substrate via a lifter notch  152 . The substrate  24  may be stabilized about its outside diameter OD by a stabilizer  154  positioned adjacent to the substrate OD. The lifter  150  may include a nose slot  156  adjacent to the lifter notch  152 . The nose slot  156  is configured to receive the distal nose portion  80  of the holder&#39;s alignment shaft  60 . In addition, the lifter  150  may include a plurality of support slots  158  (see  FIG. 9B ) configured to receive the second ends  86  of the substrate supports  58 . These features enable the holder  50  to positively engage the lifter  150  to ensure proper repeatable alignment of the holder  50  with the substrate  24 . In the illustrated embodiment, the holder  50  includes three substrate supports  58  and a single distal nose portion  80 . It will be appreciated that other alignment configurations can also be used. For example, fewer or greater numbers of substrate supports can be used. In addition, it will be appreciated that the holder  50  can be used with a variety of other lifter configurations, and the illustrated embodiment is not limiting in that regard. 
         [0045]    In operation, the holder  50  may be positioned adjacent to the lifter  150 , which is engaged with the substrate  24  (see  FIG. 9C ). In this position, the holder  50  is in the retracted configuration. The holder  50  may then be moved in the direction of arrow “C” such that the distal nose portion  80  and the second ends  86  of the substrate supports  58  are received in the lifter nose slot  156  and support slots  158 , respectively (see  FIG. 9D ). In this position, the second ends  86  of the substrate supports  58  are positioned directly adjacent to the ID of the substrate  24 . The holder  50  may then be configured to the expanded configuration so that the second ends  86  of the substrate supports engage the ID of the substrate  24  (see  FIG. 9E ). The holder  50  may then be moved upward (along the direction of arrow “D”) so that the distal nose portion  80  of the holder  50  slides upward within the nose slot  156  and the second ends  86  of the substrate supports  56  slide upward within the support slots  158  of the lifter  150 . This upward movement continues until the substrate ID clears the lifter notch  152  and the substrate OD clears the stabilizer  154 , disengaging the substrate  24  from the lifter  150  (see  FIG. 9F ). The holder  50  and substrate  24  may then be moved away from the lifter  150  (see  FIG. 9G ) to a next process location (e.g., FOUP, etc.) 
         [0046]    Referring now to  FIGS. 10A-10D , an exemplary carrier  200  is shown for use in holding a plurality of substrates  24  while the substrates undergo one or more processing steps such as ion implantation and the like. The illustrated carrier  200  is generally circular and has a plurality of recesses  210  for receiving respective substrates. As with the lifter  150 , the carrier  200  and holder  50  may have complementary features to enable the holder  50  to align precisely with a recess  210  of the carrier  200  to ensure a smooth handoff of the substrate  24  from the holder  50  to the carrier  200 , minimizing the chance for damage to the substrate. Details of such a carrier can be found in related U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, titled “Method and Apparatus for Holding a Plurality of Substrates for Processing,” (Atty. Docket No. 2011-054), the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 10A , the carrier  200  may include a plurality of cylindrical recesses  210 , where each of the recesses includes a centrally located protrusion  220 . The recesses  210  and protrusions  220  are generally sized to receive the OD and ID of the substrate  24 . Moreover, the protrusion  220  include centrally located alignment recesses  225  sized and configured to receive the distal nose portion  80  of the alignment shaft  60  of the holder  50 . In addition, a top surface  240  of the protrusion  220  may engage a shoulder  81  of the distal nose portion  80 . These features enable the holder  50  to axially and radially align the holder  50  to the carrier to facilitate transfer of the substrate  24  therebetween. 
         [0048]    In operation, to transfer a substrate to the carrier the holder  50  may initially be engaged with a substrate (see  FIG. 9G ). The holder  50  may then be positioned as shown in  FIG. 10B  so that the distal nose portion  80  is generally aligned with the protrusion  220  and alignment recess  225  associated with a targeted recess  210  of the carrier  200 . The distal nose portion  80  may be inserted into the alignment recess  225  of the protrusion  20  by moving the holder in the direction of arrow “E” until the shoulder  81  contacts the top surface  240  of the protrusion  220  (see  FIG. 10C ). The carrier  200  may then be configured to engage the substrate OD using a notched substrate support arm  250  which can be moved into engagement with the substrate (see  FIG. 10D ) to lock the substrate  24  to the carrier  200 . The holder  50  may then be configured to the retracted position (such that substrate supports  58  move inward in the direction of arrow “F” to disengage the substrate ID). The holder  50  may then be removed, leaving the substrate  24  engaged with the carrier  200 . Although it will not be described in detail, it will be appreciated that the substrate  24  may be removed from the carrier  200  using the holder  50  according to a reverse sequence of the previously described steps. 
         [0049]    An exemplary logic flow will now be described in relation to  FIG. 11 . At step  1000 , a substrate holder is positioned adjacent to the ID of a substrate situated at a first location, where the substrate holder includes a plurality of movable substrate supports in a first configuration receivable within the ID of the substrate. At step  1100 , the plurality of movable substrate supports are aligned with the ID of the substrate. At step  1200 , the plurality of movable substrate supports are moved radially outward into a second configuration in which the substrate supports engage the ID of the substrate, locking the substrate to the substrate holder. At step  1300 , the holder and substrate are moved to a second location that is different from the first location. At step  1400 , the substrate is positioned adjacent to a substrate receiving surface situated at the second location. At step  1500 , the substrate holder is aligned with an alignment feature associated with the substrate receiving surface. At step  1600 , the plurality of movable substrate supports are moved radially inward into the first configuration in which the plurality of movable substrate supports disengage from the ID of the substrate. At step  1700 , the holder is moved away from the substrate and the substrate receiving surface. 
         [0050]    Some embodiments of the disclosed device may be implemented, for example, using a storage medium, a computer-readable medium or an article of manufacture which may store an instruction or a set of instructions that, if executed by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method and/or operations in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. Such a machine may include, for example, any suitable processing platform, computing platform, computing device, processing device, computing system, processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware and/or software. The computer-readable medium or article may include, for example, any suitable type of memory unit, memory device, memory article, memory medium, storage device, storage article, storage medium and/or storage unit, for example, memory (including non-transitory memory), removable or non-removable media, erasable or non-erasable media, writeable or re-writeable media, digital or analog media, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-optical media, removable memory cards or disks, various types of Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a tape, a cassette, or the like. The instructions may include any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, encrypted code, and the like, implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language. 
         [0051]    The present disclosure is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, other various embodiments of and modifications to the present disclosure, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Thus, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, although the present disclosure has been described herein in the context of a particular implementation in a particular environment for a particular purpose, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the present disclosure may be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadth and spirit of the present disclosure as described herein.