Patent ID: 7522267

Claim:
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a frame forming a substrate station surface on which a substrate can be seated; and a leveling device connected to the frame for leveling the substrate station surface relative to a predetermined reference frame; wherein the leveling device comprises a drive system connected to the frame, a movable arm connected to the drive system and having a movable through-beam sensor thereon, and a control system connected to the drive system for moving the through-beam sensor and positioning the through-beam sensor relative to the substrate station surface; and wherein the control system is programmed to position the through-beam sensor for sensing at least one predetermined geometric feature connected to the substrate station surface so that detection of the predetermined geometric feature with the through-beam sensor is capable of defining, in the control system, an inclination of the substrate station surface relative to the reference frame, where the at least one predetermined feature is a feature of the substrate station surface.