Substrate handling robot with a batch loader and individual vacuum control at batch loader paddles

摘要

A substrate-handling robot comprises an arm drive mechanism with a first arm connected to it. A multiple substrate batch loader is connected to the first arm. The multiple substrate batch loader includes a set of vertically stacked substrate-handling paddles. A control circuit is connected to the arm drive mechanism. A vacuum control system is connected to the multiple substrate batch loader and the control circuit. The vacuum control system includes a set of vacuum control valves corresponding to the set of vertically stacked substrate-handling paddles. The set of vacuum control valves includes a selected vacuum control valve for a selected substrate-handling paddle. A set of vacuum sensors is connected to the set of vacuum control valves. The set of vacuum sensors includes a selected vacuum sensor corresponding to the selected vacuum control valve. The selected vacuum sensor provides a substrate-absent signal when a substrate is not present at the selected substrate-handling paddle. The substrate absent-signal is processed by the control circuit, which generates a shut-valve signal that causes the selected vacuum control valve to shut.