Non-Contact Substrate Chuck and Vertical Type Substrate Supporting Apparatus Using the Same

Abstract

A non-contact substrate chuck applies to sucking a substrate and comprises a first plate-like element, a second plate-like element paralleled the first plate-like element and a sucking element, wherein through holes of the first plate-like element and the second plate-like element jointly form a channel where the sucking element is accommodated. The chuck lets gas flow through a gas inlet of the sucking element toward the substrate to form a gap between an active surface of the substrate and a first surface of the first plate-like element. At least one side of the substrate is positioned by positioning protrusions of the first plate-like element. A least possible number of supporting points are used and arranged around the sides of the substrate without touching the substrate surface to prevent the substrate surface from being damaged. The present invention also discloses a vertical-type substrate supporting apparatus using the abovementioned chuck.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.