Actively clamped carrier assembly for processing tools
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsBenjamin B. RIORDON, James D. STRASSNER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to carrier assemblies that can clamp more than one optical device substrates and methods for forming the carrier assemblies. The carrier assembly includes a carrier, one or more substrates, and a mask. The carrier is magnetically coupled to the mask to retain the one or more substrates. The carrier assembly is used for supporting and transporting the one or more substrates during processing. The carrier assembly is also used for masking the one or more substrates during PVD processing. Methods for assembling the carrier assembly in a build chamber are described herein.
Claims20
A carrier assembly, comprising:
- a mask, the mask including a pattern of openings disposed through the mask, the mask including pinholes;
- a carrier, the carrier including:
- a magnet disposed in the carrier, the magnet magnetically coupled to the mask;
- a plurality of pockets recessed into the carrier, each pocket of the plurality of pockets having a width corresponding to a substrate to be disposed therein;
- and
- alignment pins disposed in the carrier and disposed through the pinholes in the mask, the alignment pins adjacent to a sidewall of the plurality of pockets.
A carrier assembly, comprising:
- a mask, the mask including a pattern of openings disposed through the mask, the mask including pinholes;
- a carrier, the carrier including:
- a magnet disposed in the carrier, the magnet magnetically coupled to the mask;
- a plurality of lips, a distance between adjacent lips of the plurality of lips corresponding to a substrate to be disposed on the adjacent lips of the plurality of lips;
- a plurality of pins disposed through the plurality of lips, the plurality of pins operable to surround the substrate disposed on the plurality of lips;
- and
- alignment pins disposed in the carrier and disposed through the pinholes in the mask, the alignment pins disposed through the plurality of lips.
A method, comprising:
- inserting a carrier having a mask thereon into a build chamber, the carrier chucked to a lower vacuum chuck in the build chamber;
- lifting the lower vacuum chuck, the mask in contact with an upper vacuum chuck in the build chamber;
- lowering the lower vacuum chuck, the mask chucked to the upper vacuum chuck;
- inserting one or more substrates to be in contact with one or more substrate chucks, the one or more substrates chucked to the one or more substrate chucks;
- lifting the lower vacuum chuck, the carrier magnetically coupled with the mask;
- and
- lowering the lower vacuum chuck, the mask released from the upper vacuum chuck and the one or more substrates released from the one or more substrate chucks to form a carrier assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.