# US 12,109,681 B2 · Substrate handling device and processing chamber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,681 B2 - Document ID: US12109681B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/357,756 - Filed: 2023-07-24 - Published: 2023-11-16 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-22 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Inventors: You-Hua Chou; Kuo-Sheng Chuang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109681B2 ## CPC - B25J 11/0095: {Manipulators transporting wafers} - B25J 15/0014: {having fork, comb or plate shaped means for engaging the lower surface on a object to be transported} - H10P 72/3402: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/7602: {the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance} - H10P 72/7612: {characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins} - H10P 72/7614: {characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions} - H10P 72/7616: {characterised by a coating, a hardness or a material} - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A substrate handling device includes a substrate reception area defined by an edge. The substrate reception area includes a planar surface, wherein the edge extends upward from the planar surface. The substrate reception area further includes a plurality of contact structures extending upwards from the planar surface, wherein a first contact structure of the plurality of contact structures directly contacts a side surface of the edge, and a second contact structure of the plurality of contact structures is separated from the edge. The substrate reception area and the planar surface include a first material. At least one contact structure of the plurality of contact structures includes a second material different from the first material, and the second material has a hardness aligned to a hardness of a substrate material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate handling device comprising: a substrate reception area defined by an edge, the substrate reception area comprising: a planar surface, wherein the edge extends upward from the planar surface; and a plurality of contact structures extending upwards from the planar surface, wherein a first contact structure of the plurality of contact structures directly contacts a side surface of the edge, and a second contact structure of the plurality of contact structures is separated from the edge, the substrate reception area and the planar surface comprise a first material, and at least one contact structure of the plurality of contact structures comprises a second material different from the first material, and the second material has a hardness aligned to a hardness of a substrate material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, wherein the edge has a curved surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The substrate handling device of claim 2, wherein the first contact structure has a curvature matching the edge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, further comprising an aperture extending through the planar surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The substrate handling device of claim 4, wherein the aperture is between the first contact structure and the second contact structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contact structures comprises a third contact structure between the first contact structure and the second contact structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, wherein a sidewall of the first contact structure is angled with respect to the planar surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, wherein the second material comprises silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, metal, a metal alloy, a metal oxide, or a polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, wherein the hardness of the second material ranges from 8.5 to 10.5. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, wherein the hardness of the second material ranges from 5.0 to 9.0. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the at least one contact structure includes surface patterns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The substrate handling device of claim 1, further comprising a lift pin, wherein the lift pin is configured to move the second contact structure relative to the planar surface. ### Claim 13 A substrate handling device comprising: a substrate reception area defined by an edge, the substrate reception area comprising: a planar surface, wherein the edge extends upward from the planar surface; and a plurality of contact structures extending upwards from the planar surface, wherein each of the plurality of contact structure has a patterned top surface, a first contact structure of the plurality of contact structures directly contacts a side surface of the edge, and a second contact structure of the plurality of contact structures is separated from the edge, the substrate reception area and the planar surface comprise a first material, and at least one contact structure of the plurality of contact structures comprises a second material different from the first material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The substrate handling device of claim 13, wherein the second material has a hardness aligned to a hardness of a substrate material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The substrate handling device of claim 13, wherein the patterned top surface comprises a plurality of ridges. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The substrate handling device of claim 15, wherein a height of each of the plurality of ridges ranges from 2 microns (μm) to 10 μm from the planar surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The substrate handling device of claim 15, wherein a pitch between adjacent ridges of the plurality of ridges ranges from 5 μm to 100 μm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The substrate handling device of claim 13, wherein the patterned top surface comprises a plurality of grooves. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The substrate handling device of claim 13, wherein the patterned top surface comprises a plurality of pyramids. ### Claim 20 A processing chamber comprising: a substrate reception area, wherein the substrate reception area comprises a planar surface, and the substrate reception area comprises a first material; an edge surrounding at least a portion of the substrate reception area, wherein the edge protrudes perpendicular to the planar surface; a first contact structure directly contacting a side surface of the edge; a second contact structure separated from the edge, wherein a shape of the first contact structure is different from a shape of the second contact structure, the second contact structure comprises a second material different from the first material.