Wafer support assembly

Individual wafer support means comprising:

• a plurality of clip means for resiliently gripping edgewise one of said wafers;
• each of said means being spaced from each other and aligned in a first circular pattern of diameter greater than said water;
• each of said means having resilient arm portions extending generally inwardly toward the center of said circular pattern;
• each of said means having at the ends thereof nearest said center a finger portion opening generally centrally inward, said finger portions lying in a second circular pattern of diameter somewhat less than that of said wafer;
• each of said clip means including a clip support block anchoring the end of said arm portion opposite said finger portion;
• said finger portions engaging the edge of said wafer to be retained therein, and exerting resilient pressure centrally inwardly on said wafer;
• at least a portion of each of said arms defining a flat portion depressable to facilitate acceptance of a wafer;
• and
• support plate means defining an aperture, each of said clip support blocks being attached about the periphery of said aperture in spaced relationship;
• whereby individual wafers may be rapidly inserted into and removed from said clip means, and while retained therein, transported and processed;
• said support plate means defining for each of said blocks, fixed tabs for retaining said blocks against radial movement, and a pair of removable spring tabs gripping the block ends and engaging a slot of said plate menas to removably retain said blocks upon said plate means.

In a wafer processing station having a first environment maintained therein and provided with loadlock means capable of rapid evacuation, for transfer of a wafer between a second environment and said first environment, the improvement comprising:

• a thin plate-like support within said loadlock, said support provided with an aperture therethrough of area larger than that of a wafer to be processed;
• and
• a plurality of clip means for resiliently gripping edgewise said wafer in a generally radially inwardly direction and retaining same within said aperture, said clip means being mounted on said support about the periphery of and within said aperture, said clip means extending centrally inwardly of said aperture, and each having at the leading edge thereof a finger portion within which the edge of said wafer is retained;
• whereby said wafer is supported within said thin support, enabling said loadlock to be thin and of minimal volume, and permitting processing of both sides of said wafers.

Individual wafer support means comprising:

• support plate means defining an aperture having a diameter greater than said wafer;
• and
• a plurality of clip means for resiliently gripping edgewise one of said wafers and retaining same within said aperture;
• each of said clip means being mounted on said support plate means in a spaced apart relationship about the periphery of and within said aperture;
• each of said clip means having a resilient arm extending generally centrally inwardly of said aperture;
• each of said clip means having at the end of said resilient arm nearest said center a finger portion opening generally centrally inward;
• said finger portions engaging the edge of said wafer to be retained therein, and exerting resilient pressure centrally inwardly on said wafer;
• whereby individual wafers may be rapidly inserted into and removed from either side of said support plate means, and, while retained protectively within said support means, be transported and accessed from both sides for processing.