Jigs and methods of teaching substrate handling in semiconductor processing systems using jigs

1 . A jig for teaching substrate handling in a semiconductor processing system, comprising:

a verification pin with a pin width;

a disc body having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a thickness separating the second surface from the first surface of the disc body,

wherein the first surface and the second surface define a verification aperture coupling the first surface to the second surface of the disc body,

wherein the verification aperture has an aperture width substantially equivalent to the pin width of the verification pin to teach a transfer position within the semiconductor processing system by slidably receiving the verification pin in both the verification aperture and a verification pin seat defined in a load lock of the semiconductor processing system while supported by a substrate transfer robot within the semiconductor processing system, and

wherein the disc body has an annular rim extending circumferentially about the verification aperture, wherein the annular rim is located radially between the verification aperture and an outer circumference of the disc body, and

at least one friction member fixed to the first surface of the disc body, wherein the at least one friction member is positioned radially between the annular rim and the outer circumference of the disc body,

wherein the annular rim is defined on one of the first surface and the second surface of the disc body, wherein the at least one friction member is fixed to the other of the first surface and the second surface of the disc body.

2 . The jig of claim 1 , wherein the disc body is formed from a carbon fiber material, and wherein the disc body has a diameter substantially equivalent to a 300-millimeter silicon wafer.

3 . The jig of claim 1 , wherein the disc body has one or more lightening aperture extending through the thickness of the disc body between the first surface and second surface of the disc body, wherein the lightening aperture is located radially between the verification aperture and the outer circumference of the disc body.

4 . The jig of claim 3 , wherein the lightening aperture is one of a plurality of lightening apertures symmetrically distributed about the verification aperture.

5 . The jig of claim 3 , wherein the lightening aperture is one of four (4) lightening apertures having a circular shape, wherein the four (4) lightening apertures are distributed circumferentially about the verification aperture on a common lightening aperture radius.

6 . The jig of claim 1 , further comprising a friction member that comprises an electrostatic material and an O-ring and that is fixed to the first surface of the disc body, wherein the friction member is located radially between the verification aperture of the disc body and the outer circumference of the disc body.

7 . The jig of claim 6 , wherein the friction member has a coefficient of friction that is greater than a coefficient of friction of a surface of a dummy silicon wafer.

8 . The jig of claim 6 , wherein the friction member comprises an O-ring formed from an elastomeric material, and wherein the outer circumference of the disc body has a notch.

9 . The jig of claim 6 , wherein the friction member is one of a plurality of friction members fixed to the first surface of the disc body.

10 . The jig of claim 9 , wherein the friction member is one of three (3) friction members fixed to the first surface of the disc body, wherein the plurality of friction members are distributed circumferentially about the verification aperture on a common friction member radius.

11 . The jig of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of friction members conform in spacing to tines of an end effector, the friction members spacing the disc body from the tines of the end effector.

12 . The jig of claim 1 , wherein the annular rim extends between a radially outer thin portion of the disc body and a radially-inner thick portion of the disc body, wherein the radially-inner thick portion extends radially between the annular rim and the verification aperture extending through the thickness of the disc body.

13 . The jig of claim 1 , wherein the disc body has at least one lightening aperture extending through the thickness of the disc body, wherein the at least one lightening aperture is located radially between the verification aperture and the annular rim of the disc body.

14 . The jig of claim 1 , wherein the annular rim conforms in radius to an arcuate segment of a face of an end effector of the semiconductor processing system.

15 . A semiconductor processing system, comprising:

a load lock with a verification pin seat;

a substrate centering sensor fixed relative to the load lock and having a field of view;

a front-end substrate transfer robot with a clamp end effector supported for movement relative for movement relative the load lock;

a back-end substrate transfer robot with a blade end effector supported for movement relative to the load lock; and

a jig as recited in claim 1 , wherein the disc body (a) clamped within the clamp end effector and fixed to the load lock by the verification pin, (b) frictionally supported on the blade end effector and fixed to the load lock by the verification pin, (c) captively supported on the blade end effector and fixed to the load lock by the verification pin, or (d) frictionally supported or captively supported on the blade end effector and within the field of view of the substrate centering sensor.