Mandrel for substrate transport system with notch

1. A mandrel for transporting a set of substrates, comprising:

a rod having a free end and a fixed end, the fixed end configured to be coupled to a transport mechanism;

a series of spacer elements arranged on the rod to keep the set of substrates seated on the rod in respective fixed positions with a last spacer element nearest to the fixed end; and

a notch arranged on the rod between the fixed end and the last spacer element configured to catch a substrate that becomes unseated from the last spacer element, wherein a linear surface of the rod on which the substrates are seated is tapered linearly inward toward the notch from a point near the last spacer element allowing the unseated substrate to slide into the notch.

2. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is configured with the notch at a distance from the last spacer element to maintain a clearance between a caught substrate and the nearest seated substrate.

3. The mandrel of claim 1 ,

wherein the set of substrates is held within a cassette and each of the substrates has a hole, and

wherein the free end of the rod is configured to penetrate the set of substrates through each hole.

4. The mandrel of claim 3 , wherein the spacer elements are arranged to span a length of the rod approximately equal to the length of the cassette.

5. The mandrel of claim 3 , wherein the mandrel is configured with the notch at a distance from the last spacer element to maintain a clearance between a caught substrate and the cassette when the mandrel is fully inserted into the cassette.

6. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein each of the substrates has a hole, wherein the free end of the rod is configured to penetrate the set of substrates for capturing the set of substrates together at a first location with an edge of the hole in each substrate seated between a respective pair of spacer elements, and to withdraw from the set of substrates when releasing the set of substrates together at a second location.

7. The mandrel of claim 1 , wherein the rod is configured to be propelled or retracted by the transport mechanism in three dimensional motion.

8. A system for transporting a set of substrates, comprising:

a mandrel comprising:

a rod having a free end and a fixed end,

a series of spacer elements arranged on the rod to keep the set of substrates seated on the rod in respective fixed positions with a last spacer element nearest to the fixed end; and

a notch arranged on the rod between the fixed end and the last spacer element configured to catch a substrate that becomes unseated from the last spacer element; and

a transport mechanism having a first member coupled to the fixed end of the rod, and configured to propel or retract the rod in three dimensional motion, wherein a linear surface of the rod on which the substrates are seated is tapered linearly inward toward the notch from a point near the last spacer element allowing the unseated substrate to slide into the notch.

9. The system of claim 8 ,

wherein the free end of the rod is configured to penetrate through a hole in each substrate of the set of substrates, and

wherein the mandrel is configured with the notch at a distance from the last spacer element to maintain a clearance between a caught substrate and a sensor system when the mandrel is fully inserted into the set of substrates.

10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a sensor system arranged around the set of substrates, wherein the transport mechanism is configured to propel or retract the rod in response to feedback from the sensor system.

11. A method for transporting substrates by a transport system comprising a mandrel having a rod, a series of spacer elements and a notch arranged on the rod, the method comprising:

handling the substrates by the mandrel, wherein each substrate is seated within the series of spacer elements at a fixed position on the rod; and

catching a substrate in the notch, wherein the caught substrate is a formerly last substrate seated in the series of spacer elements nearest to the notch, wherein a linear surface of the rod on which the substrates are seated is tapered linearly inward toward the notch from a point near the last spacer element allowing the unseated substrate to slide into the notch.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the transport system includes a sensor system arranged around the substrates configured to send feedback for motion control of the mandrel, the method further comprising:

extending the rod to a limit allowed by the sensor system during a subsequent handling of substrates; and

maintaining a clearance between the caught substrate and the sensor system when the rod is extended to the limit.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the handling comprises capturing the substrates, comprising:

inserting a free end of the rod through a hole in each substrate of a set of substrates; and

lifting the rod to capture the set of substrates within the series of spacer elements.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the handling comprises:

moving the rod with the seated substrates and the caught substrate from a first location to a second location.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the handling further comprises:

releasing the seated substrates at the second location and withdrawing the rod from the substrates.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising maintaining a clearance between the caught substrate and the nearest seated substrate.