Genmark Automation, a vanguard of semiconductor equipment fabrication, receives patent for robot having independent end-effector linkage motion

Sunnyvale, CA - October 25, 2001: Genmark Automation, Inc., a California based semiconductor equipment manufacturer on the leading-edge of precision robotic transport systems, announced today that it has been issued a sequential U.S. patent for its innovative technological solutions. U.S. Patent No.6297611 for robot having independent end-effector linkage motion, the GPR SM, confirms Genmark’s inventive approach to wafer handling.

The GPR-SM authors, Alexander Todorov, Director of R&D/Product Design, Zlatko Sotirov, Director of R&D/Application Engineering, and Mila Genov, President and CEO, invented a robot that supersedes an industry common radial robot on a linear track. The GPR-SM is the only robot on the market that combines an extended range of motion, compact footprint, and wafer swapping ability. The three-link arm with dual-arm integrated end-effectors allow a rotation capability of up to 680° enabling the ultra-fast wafer swapping, i.e. transport and processing of two wafers simultaneously. The GPR-SM, while keeping its small footprint, is capable of accessing up to four in-line 300mm wafer carriers or process stations, without the space-consuming track system or dual robot team. The reduction of a total moving mass minimizes vibrations, inducible by the linear track and eliminates the risk of accidental wafer slippage in case of the sudden power shutdown. The linear motion of the three-link robotic arm enables the multiform substrate placement, therefore rejecting the constricting requirement of the radial equipment setup. Like all Genmark’s Global Positioning Robot, the GPR-SM utilizes the patented GPR technology, which enables and effectively equalizes the equipment setup or payload induced deflections. This sophisticated approach eliminates the alignment variance between the transported material and workstation, which could harmfully influence yield. The GPR-SM control system features advanced motion planning in multi-segment smooth trajectories. By overlapping the velocity profiles of the trajectory’s adjacent segments, the GPR-SM can significantly improve the wafer transfer throughput without increasing axial velocity and acceleration. The GPR-SM possesses wide range of optional features, like: a variety of end-effectors, scanning capabilities and Ethernet connectivity. The GPR-SM is designed to handle up to 300mm wafers with compliance to all applicable SEMI standards.

About Genmark
Genmark Automation, Inc. is a worldwide leading supplier of factory automation solutions for the semiconductor, flat panel display and data storage manufacturing industries. We provide our customers with ?turn-key,? highly sophisticated hardware and software automation solutions for both atmospheric and vacuum environments, supporting numerous applications across the semiconductor, flat panel, and data storage fabrication industries. OEM and Fab customers leverage Genmark?s automation technologies to maximize equipment productivity in dynamic manufacturing environments.

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