Centering fixture for electrostatic chuck system
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsDonald R. Boyea, Jr., Matthew J. Bombardier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centering fixture for centering a wafer on a chuck is provided. The centering fixture includes a body including an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner periphery and an outer periphery. A chuck seat is positioned in a lower portion of the inner periphery and configured to mate the body with the chuck. A wafer seat is positioned in an upper portion of the inner periphery above the chuck seat, the wafer seat configured to receive and center the wafer on the chuck. The centering fixture ensures centering of the wafer relative to the chuck for automated handling system calibration. The wafer, body, chuck, chuck seat and wafer seat can be circular.
Claims20
A centering fixture for centering a wafer on a chuck, the centering fixture comprising:
- a body including an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner periphery and an outer periphery;
- a chuck seat positioned in a lower portion of the inner periphery and configured to mate the body with the chuck;
- and
- a wafer seat positioned in an upper portion of the inner periphery above the chuck seat, the wafer seat configured to receive and center the wafer on the chuck.
A method of training an automated handling system for a semiconductor processing system regarding aligning a wafer to a chuck of the semiconductor processing system, the method comprising:
- placing a centering fixture on the chuck of the semiconductor processing system, the centering fixture including:
- a body including an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner periphery and an outer periphery,
- a chuck seat positioned in a lower portion of the inner periphery and configured to mate the body with the chuck, and
- a wafer seat positioned in an upper portion of the inner periphery above the chuck seat, the wafer seat configured to receive and align the wafer on the chuck;
- and
- calibrating the automated handling system based on a centered position of the wafer provided by the centering fixture.
An electrostatic chuck (ESC) system, comprising:
- a chuck;
- and
- a centering fixture for centering a wafer on the chuck, the centering fixture including:
- a body including an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner periphery and an outer periphery,
- a chuck seat positioned in a lower portion of the inner periphery and configured to mate the body with the chuck, and
- a wafer seat positioned in an upper portion of the inner periphery above the chuck seat, the wafer seat configured to receive and center the wafer on the chuck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.