Semiconductor wafer carrier and method

A semiconductor wafer carrier comprising, in combination:

• a rotating member;
• a vacuum source provided through at least one passage within the rotating member;
• a torque plate coupled to the rotating member in a plane substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the rotating member;
• a drive plate coupled to the torque plate;
• a conical receptacle coupled to the rotating member and having a concave conical portion positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating member;
• a spherical button fixedly coupled to the drive plate, and having a convex spherical portion coupled by friction to the concave conical portion of the conical receptacle;
• a carrier plate coupled to the drive plate with a v-band connector and gasket means for assuring the coupling of the drive plate to the carrier plate is gas-tight, the carrier plate having a plurality of holes coupled to the vacuum source;
• vacuum conduit means for connecting the vacuum source in the rotating member to the plurality of holes in the carrier plate;
• retaining ring means coupled to the carrier plate for providing a non-metallic contact area for a wafer coupled to the semiconductor wafer carrier;
• means for plugging at least one of the plurality of holes comprising plugs which can be screwed into each of said plurality of holes;
• the torque plate comprising a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the rotating member, the torque plate being coupled to the drive plate near the outermost extreme of each of the plurality of fingers, thereby providing a spring-loaded flexible connection between the rotating member and the drive plate, allowing the spherical button to rotate in the conical receptacle in a gimballing motion, thereby changing the plane of rotation of the drive plate;
• and
• edge effect reducing means comprising a cavity running along a perimeter surface of said carrier plate for permitting a perimeter surface of said wafer to move toward said cavity.

A method for providing a semiconductor wafer carrier comprising the steps of:

• providing a rotating member;
• providing a vacuum source through at least one passage within the rotating member;
• coupling a torque plate to the rotating member in a plane substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the rotating member;
• coupling a drive plate to the torque plate;
• coupling a conical receptacle to the rotating member, the conical receptacle having a concave conical portion positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating member;
• coupling a spherical button to the drive plate, and placing a convex spherical portion of the spherical button within the concave conical portion of the conical receptacle;
• and
• coupling a carrier plate to the drive plate, the carrier plate having a plurality of holes coupled to the vacuum source.