Single ultra-planar wafer table structure for both wafers and film frames

A method for manufacturing a wafer table structure providing a wafer table surface suitable for handling wafers, portions of wafers, and/or and film frames on which wafers or portions thereof are mounted, the method comprising:

• providing a base tray having a first set of exposed upper surfaces, an interior surface, a set of compartments formed integrally with or attached to the interior surface, and at least one set of openings formed in the interior surface, the base tray formed of at least one type of material that is gas or fluid impermeable in response to applied negative pressures;
• disposing at least one type of compartment material within the set of base tray compartments, the at least one type of compartment material conformable to the set of compartments;
• hardening the at least one type of compartment material to provide a hardened compartment material in the set of compartments that is gas or fluid permeable in response to applied negative pressures or positive pressures, and which provides a second set of exposed upper surfaces;
• and simultaneously machining the first set of exposed upper surfaces and the second set of exposed upper surfaces by way of a common machining process to provide a planar wafer table surface for carrying wafers and film frames on which wafers or portions thereof are mounted;
• wherein the set of compartments comprises a plurality of compartments, wherein the wafer table structure further comprises a set of ridges that separates individual compartments within the plurality of compartments from one another, and
• a single set of ejector pin guide members through which a single set of ejector pins is configured to travel for handling wafers of multiple standard sizes,
• wherein the first set of exposed upper surfaces of the base tray includes exposed upper surfaces of the set of ridges, wherein the interior surface of the base tray includes a plurality of inner bottom surfaces, each ridge within the set of ridges borders an inner bottom surface of the base tray, and each ridge within the set of ridges partitions portions of different base tray inner bottom surfaces from one another to define the set of compartments, wherein each ridge within the set of ridges resides at a predetermined distance away from a center of the base tray, wherein each ridge within the set of ridges and each compartment within the set of compartments is dimensioned in a manner correlated with a standard wafer size or a standard film frame size, and wherein (a) the set of compartments includes:
• a first compartment containing a first volume of hardened compartment material exposed to a first set of openings corresponding thereto:
• and a second compartment containing a second volume of compartment material exposed to a second set of openings corresponding thereto, the second set of openings distinct from the first set of openings, and
• (b) a first ridge within the set of ridges surrounds the first compartment to thereby separate the first compartment from the second compartment.

A wafer table structure providing a wafer table surface suitable for handling wafers, portions of wafers, and film frames on which wafers or portions thereof are mounted, the wafer table structure comprising:

• a base tray comprising a first set of exposed upper surfaces, an interior surface, and a set of compartments formed integrally with or attached to the interior surface, the base tray formed of at least one type of material that is gas or fluid impermeable in response to applied negative pressures;
• at least one type of compartment material disposed within the set of compartments, the at least one type of compartment material conformable to the set of compartments and hardenable to provide a hardened compartment material in the set of compartments that is gas or fluid permeable in response to applied vacuum forces, and which provides a second set of exposed upper surfaces;
• a set of openings formed in the interior surface of the base tray, by which the hardened compartment material is exposable to negative pressures or positive pressures;
• and
• a single set of ejector pin guide members through which a single set of ejector pins is configured to travel for handling wafers of multiple standard sizes,
• wherein (a) the first set of exposed upper surfaces of the base tray and (b) the second set of exposed upper surfaces of the hardened compartment material are simultaneously machinable by way of a common machining process to provide a planar wafer table surface for carrying wafers and film frames,
• wherein the set of compartments comprises a plurality of compartments, the wafer table structure further comprises a set of ridges that separates individual compartments within the plurality of compartments from each other, and the first set of exposed upper surfaces of the base tray includes exposed upper surfaces of the set of ridges,
• wherein the interior surface of the base tray includes a plurality of inner bottom surfaces, each ridge within the set of ridges borders an inner bottom surface of the base tray, and each ridge within the set of ridges partitions portions of different base tray inner bottom surfaces from each other to define the set of compartments,
• wherein each ridge within the set of ridges resides at a predetermined distance away from a center of the base tray, and wherein at least a first compartment is surrounded by a ridge,
• wherein each ridge within the set of ridges and each compartment within the set of compartments is dimensioned in a manner correlated with a standard wafer size or a standard film frame size, and
• wherein
• (a) the set of compartments includes:
• a first compartment containing a first volume of hardened compartment material exposed to a first set of openings corresponding thereto;
• and
• a second compartment containing a second volume of compartment material exposed to a second set of openings corresponding thereto, the second set of openings distinct from the first set of openings, and
• (b) a first ridge within the set of ridges surrounds the first compartment to thereby separate the first compartment from the second compartment.