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US 3,993,509 AGranted
Semiconductor device manufacture
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorGordon Kenneth McGinty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor wafer is electrostatically clamped against a support by positioning an intermediate solid dielectric layer therebetween and applying a potential difference, thereby firmly and evenly clamping the wafer for photoresist or ion beam implantation operations.
Claims10
A method of holding a semiconductor wafer against a support while effecting a processing step at the surface of the wafer remote from the support, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a solid dielectric layer between facing surfaces of a support and a semiconductor wafer, said support and wafer being conductive, at least adjacent to said facing surfaces thereof, said dielectric layer preventing physical and electrical contact between said facing surfaces;
- and
- applying a potential difference between said facing surfaces, thereby clamping said wafer against said support by electrostatic force across said dielectric layer.
Apparatus for holding a semiconductor wafer for processing, comprising:
- support means having a flat electrically conductive support surface;
- a solid dielectric layer covering at least a region of said support surface for maintaining a semiconductor wafer surface in close facing relationship with said support surface without physical or electrical contact therebetween;
- first electrical connection means mounted on said support means and electrically insulated therefrom for electrically contacting the edge of a semiconductor wafer positioned on said dielectric layer;
- and
- second electrical connection means in electrical contact with said support surface, whereby an electrical potential difference may be applied between said first and second electrical connection means to hold a semiconductor wafer against said dielectric layer by electrostatic force across said dielectric layer.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.