# US 2025/0153292 A1 · Vacuum chuck for high warpage wafers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0153292 A1 - Document ID: US20250153292A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/510,505 - Filed: 2023-11-15 - Published: 2025-05-15 - Earliest claimed: 2023-11-15 - Assignees: Applied Materials Israel Ltd. - Applicants: Applied Materials Israel Ltd. - Inventors: Hagay Cafri - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250153292A1 ## CPC - B23Q 3/088: {using vacuum means} - G01N 21/9501: {Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20)} - G01N 2035/00059: {vacuum chucks} - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A vacuum chuck for supporting a sample, the vacuum chuck comprising: a support plate having an upper planar support surface sized and shaped to retain a sample disposed thereon; one or more vacuum lines formed within the support plate; a plurality of cavities formed within the support plate, wherein each cavity is fluidly coupled to a vacuum line in the one or more vacuum lines and includes an aperture at an upper surface of the planar support surface; and a plurality of vacuum pad plungers corresponding in number to the plurality of cavities, wherein each vacuum pad plunger is disposed in a unique one of the cavities and comprises a plunger body having a vacuum channel extending through its length and a biasing mechanism, wherein the plunger body is moveable between an up position in which a portion of the plunger body extends through the aperture of its respective cavity protruding above the upper planar support surface and a down position in which the plunger body is retracted into the cavity, and wherein the biasing mechanism biases the plunger body in the up position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vacuum chuck for supporting a sample, the vacuum chuck comprising: a support plate having an upper planar support surface sized and shaped to retain a sample disposed thereon; one or more vacuum lines formed within the support plate; a plurality of cavities formed within the support plate, wherein each cavity is fluidly coupled to a vacuum line in the one or more vacuum lines and includes an aperture at an upper surface of the planar support surface; and a plurality of vacuum pad plungers corresponding in number to the plurality of cavities, wherein each vacuum pad plunger is disposed in a unique one of the cavities and comprises a plunger body having a vacuum channel extending through its length and a biasing mechanism, wherein the plunger body is moveable between an up position in which a portion of the plunger body extends through the aperture of its respective cavity protruding above the upper planar support surface and a down position in which the plunger body is retracted into the cavity, and wherein the biasing mechanism biases the plunger body in the up position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 1 wherein, the plunger body of each vacuum pad plunger comprises a lower body portion, an upper neck portion and a shelf extending perpendicularly away from the neck portion at a junction between the neck portion and the lower body portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 2 wherein neck portion of each plunger body is sized and shaped to fit through the aperture and the shelf of the plunger body limits a distance in which the neck portion can protrude above the upper planar support surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 2 wherein each plunger body comprises a first seal around an outer perimeter of the lower body portion that physically contacts and forms a vacuum tight seal with a sidewall surface of the cavity in which the plunger body is disposed that faces the outer perimeter of the lower body in an oppositional relationship. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 2 wherein the lower body and neck portions of each plunger are cylindrically shaped with a diameter of the neck portion being less than a diameter of the lower body portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 3 wherein each plunger body comprises a seal at its upper surface that surrounds an opening of the vacuum channel extending through the length of the plunger body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism for each vacuum pad plunger comprises a compression spring. ### Claim 8 A vacuum chuck that supports a sample in a evaluation tool, the vacuum chuck comprising: a support plate having an upper planar support surface sized and shaped to retain a sample disposed thereon; one or more vacuum lines formed within the support plate; a plurality of lift pin holes formed completely through the support plate; a plurality of cavities formed within the support plate, wherein each cavity is fluidly coupled to a vacuum line in the one or more vacuum lines and includes an aperture at an upper surface of the planar support surface; and a plurality of vacuum pad plungers corresponding in number to the plurality of cavities, wherein each vacuum pad plunger is disposed in a unique one of the cavities and comprises a plunger body having a vacuum channel extending through its length and a biasing mechanism, wherein the plunger body is moveable between an up position in which a portion of the plunger body extends through the aperture of its respective cavity protruding above the upper planar support surface and a down position in which the plunger body is retracted into the cavity, and wherein the biasing mechanism bias the plunger body in the up position; and a moveable stage configured to move the support plate, including the vacuum pad plungers, in X, Y and Z directions; and a plurality of lift pins corresponding in number to the plurality of lift pin holes, wherein each lift pin is aligned with a unique one of the lift pin holes and configured such that as the support plate is moved up and down in the Z direction by the moveable stage while the lift pins remain in a fixed position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 8 wherein, the plunger body of each vacuum pad plunger comprises a lower body portion, an upper neck portion and a shelf extending perpendicularly away from the neck portion at a junction between the neck portion and the lower body portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 9 wherein neck portion of each plunger body is sized and shaped to fit through the aperture and the shelf of the plunger body limits a distance in which the neck portion can protrude above the upper planar support surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 9 wherein each plunger body comprises a first seal around an outer perimeter of the lower body portion that physically contacts and forms a vacuum tight seal with a sidewall surface of the cavity in which the plunger body is disposed that faces the outer perimeter of the lower body in an oppositional relationship. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 9 wherein the lower body and neck portions of each plunger are cylindrically shaped with a diameter of the neck portion being less than a diameter of the lower body portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 8 wherein each plunger body comprises a seal at its upper surface that surrounds an opening of the vacuum channel extending through the length of the plunger body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The vacuum chuck set forth in claim 8 wherein the biasing mechanism for each vacuum pad plunger comprises a compression spring. ### Claim 15 A scanning laser inspection system for evaluating a sample, the system comprising: a vacuum chuck operable to hold a sample during a sample inspection process; a radiation source, adapted to irradiate a spot on the sample with coherent radiation; a detector, positioned to receive radiation reflected off the sample and to generate a signal responsive thereto; wherein the vacuum chuck comprises: a support plate having an upper planar support surface sized and shaped to retain a sample disposed thereon; one or more vacuum lines formed within the support plate; a plurality of cavities formed within the support plate, wherein each cavity is fluidly coupled to a vacuum line in the one or more vacuum lines and includes an aperture at an upper surface of the planar support surface; and a plurality of vacuum pad plungers corresponding in number to the plurality of cavities, wherein each vacuum pad plunger is disposed in a unique one of the cavities and comprises a plunger body having a vacuum channel extending through its length and a biasing mechanism, wherein the plunger body is moveable between an up position in which a portion of the plunger body extends through the aperture of its respective cavity protruding above the upper planar support surface and a down position in which the plunger body is retracted into the cavity, and wherein the biasing mechanism bias the plunger body in the up position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The scanning laser inspection system set forth in claim 15 wherein, the plunger body of each vacuum pad plunger comprises a lower body portion, an upper neck portion and a shelf extending perpendicularly away from the neck portion at a junction between the neck portion and the lower body portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The scanning laser inspection system set forth in claim 16 wherein neck portion of each plunger body is sized and shaped to fit through the aperture and the shelf of the plunger body limits a distance in which the neck portion can protrude above the upper planar support surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The scanning laser inspection system set forth in claim 16 wherein each plunger body comprises a first seal around an outer perimeter of the lower body portion that physically contacts and forms a vacuum tight seal with a sidewall surface of the cavity in which the plunger body is disposed that faces the outer perimeter of the lower body in an oppositional relationship. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The scanning laser inspection system set forth in claim 16 wherein the lower body and neck portions of each plunger are cylindrically shaped with a diameter of the neck portion being less than a diameter of the lower body portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The scanning laser inspection system set forth in claim 15 wherein each plunger body comprises a seal at its upper surface that surrounds an opening of the vacuum channel extending through the length of the plunger body.