Patent ID: 7255524

Claim:
A mechanism for mapping slots in an enclosure, said enclosure constructed to present substrates to a substrate processing system, to enable delivery of said substrates from said enclosure to a load port of a loading module which is part of said substrate processing system, said mapping mechanism comprising: a probe supported on an elongated lever arm wherein said probe is constructed having a sensing plane extending transverse to a longitudinal axis of said lever arm; a through beam sensor mounted on said probe and defining said sensing plane, to generate a signal when said beam is interrupted; a mounting mechanism, positioned adjacent to a load port of said processing system, on which said probe is mounted for both rotational movement about said longitudinal axis and for linear movement to traverse the enclosure, the linear movement being transverse to the longitudinal axis and the lever arm being engaged to the mounting mechanism and extending longitudinally across an edge of a load port opening through which the substrates in the enclosure are accessed; and a control mechanism for rotating said sensing plane of said probe about said longitudinal axis from a stored position to a sensing position, wherein, in said sensing position, said sensing plane extends into said enclosure and said substrates present in said enclosure will interrupt said beam as the probe is moved past said substrate.