# US 2017/0256433 A1 · Apparatus for liquid treatment of wafer shaped articles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0256433 A1 - Document ID: US20170256433A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/063,349 - Filed: 2016-03-07 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-07 - Assignees: Lam Research Corporation - Applicants: Lam Research AG - Inventors: Dietmar HAMMER; Reinhold SCHWARZENBACHER; Milan PLISKA; Bridget HILL; Michael BRUGGER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170256433A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/0436: {mainly by radiation} - B08B 3/10: with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration - H10P 72/0414: {using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles} - H10P 72/7608: {characterised by a plurality of separate clamping members, e.g. clamping fingers} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article comprises a spin chuck configured to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter in a position wherein a lower surface of the wafer-shaped article is spaced a predetermined distance from an upper surface of the spin chuck. A treatment assembly is mounted above the upper surface of the spin chuck and underlying a wafer-shaped article when mounted on the spin chuck. The treatment assembly extends parallel to the upper surface from an axis of rotation of the spin chuck radially to a distance that is at least half the predetermined diameter. The spin chuck comprises upwardly projecting gripping pins configured to hold a wafer-shaped article in position, wherein the gripping pins do not pass through the treatment assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprising: a spin chuck configured to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter in a position wherein a lower surface of the wafer-shaped article is spaced a predetermined distance from an upper surface of the spin chuck; and a treatment assembly mounted above said upper surface of said spin chuck and underlying a wafer-shaped article when mounted on the spin chuck, the treatment assembly extending parallel to said upper surface from an axis of rotation of said spin chuck radially to a distance that is at least half said predetermined diameter; said spin chuck comprising upwardly projecting gripping pins configured to hold a wafer-shaped article in said position, wherein said gripping pins do not pass through said treatment assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the treatment assembly is stationary in relation to rotation of said spin chuck. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said spin chuck comprises a stationary central post and a chuck body rotatably mounted on said stationary central post. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said treatment assembly is rigidly secured to an upper end of said stationary central post. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gripping pins are mounted for pivotal movement relative to said spin chuck about respective vertical axes, at least one of said vertical axes intersecting said treatment assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gripping pins each comprise a lower portion underlying said treatment assembly, an intermediate portion positioned radially outside of said treatment assembly, and an upper portion including a gripping end that overlies said treatment assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said gripping pins is mounted for pivotal movement relative to said spin chuck about a respective vertical axis that passes through said upper and lower portions of said gripping pin but does not pass through said intermediate portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of said gripping pins is configured for pivoting movement between a closed position in which said gripping end occupies a radially innermost position and said intermediate portion occupies a radially outermost position, and an open position in which said gripping end occupies a radially outermost position and said intermediate portion occupies a radially innermost position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a peripheral region of said treatment assembly is positioned between said upper and lower portions of said gripping pins, and wherein an outer periphery of said treatment assembly is oriented parallel to said intermediate portions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said treatment assembly extends parallel to said upper surface over a distance that is greater than or equal to said predetermined diameter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said treatment assembly is a heater. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said heater comprises LED heating elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said heater comprises one or more infrared heating elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said central post comprises at least one conduit communicating with an interior of said treatment assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a ring gear in meshing engagement with all of said gripping pins, such that relative rotation between said spin chuck and said ring gear pivots said gripping pins in unison about their respective vertical axes. ### Claim 16 A gripping pin for use in an apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprising: a lower portion and an upper portion that are spaced apart from one another and which extend along a common axis; an intermediate portion that interconnects said lower and upper portions, said intermediate portion being parallel to and offset from said common axis; wherein said upper portion comprises a gripping end configured to contact and retain a peripheral edge of a wafer-shaped article. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The gripping pin according to claim 16, wherein said lower end comprises a gear mounted coaxially with said upper and lower portions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The gripping pin according to claim 16, wherein said gripping end is positioned eccentrically in relation to said common axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The gripping pin according to claim 16, wherein said gripping end and said intermediate portion are positioned relative to one another and said common axis such that rotation of said gripping pin about said common axis causes said gripping end and said intermediate portion to move in opposite directions perpendicular to said common axis.