Rotary vacuum-chuck with venturi formed at base of rotating shaft
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsDonald J. K. Olgado, Bernardo Donoso, Alexander Lerner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a first aspect, a rotary vacuum-chuck is provided that may hold a substrate such as a silicon wafer for rotation. The vacuum-chuck includes a hollow rotary shaft and a chuck mounted on the hollow rotary shaft and having a surface adapted to support a substrate. The chuck has one or more openings in fluid communication with the hollow rotary shaft. A venturi is formed near an end of the hollow rotary shaft to apply vacuum to the hollow rotary shaft and the openings in the chuck surface. No seal is required between the end of the hollow rotary shaft and a surrounding stationary block.
Claims21
A rotary vacuum-chuck adapted to hold a substrate for rotation, comprising:
- a hollow rotary shaft having a chuck with a surface adapted to support a substrate, the surface having one or more openings in fluid communication with the hollow rotary shaft;
- a venturi adjacent a first end of the hollow rotary shaft;
- and
- an inlet adapted to couple to a source of gas and to direct a flow of gas through the venturi so as to evacuate the hollow rotary shaft and the one or more openings in the surface of the chuck.
A rotary vacuum-chuck adapted to hold a substrate for rotation, comprising:
- a hollow rotary shaft having a first end and a second end;
- a chuck coupled to the first end of the hollow rotary shaft and having a surface adapted to support a substrate, the surface having one or more openings in fluid communication with the hollow rotary shaft;
- a venturi adjacent the second end of the hollow rotary shaft;
- an inlet adapted to couple to a source of gas and to direct a flow of gas through the venturi, thereby evacuating the hollow rotary shaft and the one or more openings in the surface of the chuck;
- and
- a rotation device coupled to the hollow rotary shaft and adapted to rotate the hollow rotary shaft.
A method of holding a substrate for rotation, comprising:
- providing a hollow rotary shaft having a first end and a second end, the first end including a chuck having openings in fluid communication with the hollow rotary shaft;
- providing a venturi adjacent the second end of the hollow rotary shaft;
- and
- flowing a gas through the venturi to evacuate the hollow rotary shaft and the openings so as to hold the substrate against the chuck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.