Workpiece support
AssigneeElectrotech Limited
InventorsMichael J. Cooke, Arthur J. McGeown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for supporting a workpiece has an enclosure, a means for reducing the pressure and a platen on which the workpiece is mounted. A heating mechanism is located within the platen and the platen is coated with a high emissivity material, which facilitates the radiative heat transfer between the platen and the workpiece. Consequently, the workpiece can be rapidly raised to a specific temperature. This apparatus is particularly applicable to the supporting of a semiconductor wafer within a vacuum system.
Claims15
An apparatus for supporting a workpiece comprising:
- an enclosure;
- means for reducing the pressure within the enclosure;
- a platen in the enclose for supporting a workpiece on a surface thereof, said surface of the platen having a coating for assisting heat transfer between the workpiece supported on the platen and the platen, said coating having an emissivity not less than the emissivity of the workpiece;
- and
- means for heating the workpiece supported on the platen to a temperature of at least 200.degree. C., said workpiece having an emissivity not greater than that of said coating.
A method of treating a workpiece, comprising the steps of:
- mounting said workpiece on a surface of a supporting platen, said supporting platen being within an enclosure, said surface having a coating thereon for assisting heat transfer between the workpiece and the platen, which coating has an emissivity not less than the emissivity of the workpiece;
- reducing the pressure within the enclosure;
- and
- heating the workpiece to a temperature of at least 200.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.