Granted Patent B2

US 12,273,052 · App. 18/500,462 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Inventors: Thorsten Meiss (Darmstadt, DE); Alexander Sendobry (Mühltal, DE)

Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.

H02N15/00

Abstract

Claims (52)

1. A substrate carrier assembly, comprising:

a carrier configured to support a substrate; and

a first mover coupled to the carrier, the first mover comprising:

a first set of poles extending in a first direction; and

a second mover coupled to the carrier, the second mover comprising:

a second set of poles extending in the first direction, wherein:

each pole of the first set and the second set comprise a ferromagnetic material;

the first set is spaced apart in a second direction from the second set; and

the first direction and the second direction are at a first angle to each other.

2. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first mover further comprises a first elongated bar that comprises the first set of poles, wherein the second mover further comprises a second elongated bar that comprises the second set of poles, and wherein the first elongated bar and the second elongated bar each comprise a single material.

3. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first set of poles and the second set of poles are formed in a linear array that extends in the first direction.

4. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first set of poles and the second set of poles extend in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

5. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third mover coupled to the carrier, the third mover comprising:

a third set of poles extending in the second direction; and

a fourth mover coupled to the carrier, the fourth mover comprising:

a fourth set of poles extending in the second direction, wherein:

each pole of the third set of poles and the fourth set of poles comprise a ferromagnetic material; and

the third set of poles is spaced apart in the first direction from the fourth set of poles.

6. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises an opening for receiving the substrate.

7. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 6 , wherein the opening extends in the second direction and a third direction, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

8. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 6 , further comprising one or more support portions coupled to the carrier and extending into the opening, the one or more support portions being configured to support the substrate.

9. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first set of poles and the second set of poles each comprise a surface that comprises a plurality protrusions.

10. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the carrier further comprises a first edge and a second edge, the second edge being opposite to the first edge,

the first set of poles are positioned adjacent to the first edge, and

the second set of poles are positioned adjacent to the second edge.

11. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is configured to support a second substrate.

12. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first elongated bar that comprises the first set of poles and a second elongated bar that comprises the second set of poles, and the first elongated bar and the second elongated bar each comprise a silicon steel, a ferritic steel or a martensitic steel.

13. A substrate carrier assembly, comprising:

a carrier configured to support a substrate; and

a first elongated bar coupled to the carrier, comprising:

a first set of poles extending in a first direction; and

a second elongated bar coupled to the carrier, comprising:

a second set of poles extending in a second direction, wherein:

each pole of the first set and the second set comprise a ferromagnetic material; and

the first direction and the second direction are at a first angle to each other.

14. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first set of poles form a first linear arrangement in the first direction, and wherein the second set of poles form a second linear arrangement in the second direction.

15. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 13 , wherein the carrier comprises an opening for receiving the substrate.

16. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 15 , further comprising one or more support portions coupled to the carrier and extending into the opening, the one or more support portions being configured to support the substrate.

17. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first elongated bar and the second elongated bar each comprise a silicon steel, a ferritic steel or a martensitic steel.

18. A substrate carrier assembly, comprising:

a carrier configured to support a substrate; and

a mover coupled to the carrier, the mover comprising:

a first set of poles extending in a first direction;

a second set of poles extending in a second direction; and

a third set of poles extending in the first direction or the second direction, wherein:

each pole of the first set, the second set, and the third set comprise ferromagnetic material; and

the first direction and the second direction are at a first angle to each other.

19. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 13 , wherein the carrier comprises an opening for receiving the substrate, and wherein the carrier substrate assembly further comprises:

one or more support portions coupled to the carrier and extending into the opening, the one or more support portions being configured to support the substrate.

20. The substrate carrier assembly of claim 18 , wherein the first set of poles are arranged to provide a reluctance-based angular force for moving the carrier in the first direction, and wherein the second set of poles are arranged to provide another reluctance-based angular force for moving the carrier in the second direction.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (132)