Semiconductor processor wafer holder
AssigneeSemitool, Inc.
InventorsRaymon F. Thompson, Timothy J. Reardon, Aleksander Owczarz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wafer processor including a wafer support for holding semiconductor wafers. The wafer support member includes wafer gripping fingers mounted in receptacles formed through a wafer support plate. The fingers are angularly displaced to spread the fingers and allow loading of wafers therebetween. The fingers have central cores which are flexibly mounted within a mounting flange by a thin diaphragm. A pivot control supports the cores and carries axial loading. The pivot control members preferably are U-shaped and can serve as connections to an actuator. A locking mechanism is also shown to secure the actuator connection.
Claims44
A water processing head for holding a wafer, such as semiconductor waters, magnetic disks, optical disks and the like, during processing, the wafer processing head comprising:
- a wafer support member;
- at least one wafer gripping finger having a proximal end and a distal end;
- said distal end extending to engage and support a wafer along peripheral edges thereof;
- at least one mounting flange flexibly connecting the at least one wafer gripping finger to the wafer support member to allow angular displacement of the wafer gripping finger;
- said at least one mounting flange including a flexible septum surrounding the wafer gripping finger:
- at least one pivot control pivotally supporting the wafer gripping finger upon the wafer support member while allowing inward and outward displacement of the distal end of the wafer gripping finger;
- and
- at least one finger actuator operatively connected to said at least one wafer gripping finger for moving the wafer gripping finger.
A wafer processing head for holding a wafer, such as semiconductor wafers, magnetic disks, optical disks and the like, during processing, the wafer processing head comprising:
- a wafer support member;
- at least one wafer gripping finger having a proximal end and a distal end;
- said distal end extending to engage and support a wafer along peripheral edges thereof;
- at least one mounting flange flexibly connecting the at least one wafer gripping finger to the wafer support member to allow angular displacement of the wafer gripping finger;
- at least one pivot control pivotally supporting the wafer gripping finger upon the wafer support member while allowing inward and outward displacement of the distal end of the wafer gripping finger;
- and
- at least one finger actuator operatively connected to said at least one wafer gripping finger for moving the wafer gripping finger;
- wherein the at least one pivot control member is approximately U-shaped.
A semiconductor wafer processing head for holding and supporting a wafer, comprising:
- a wafer support member;
- at least one wafer gripping finger mounted in the wafer support member;
- said at least one wafer gripping finger being pliantly mounted in the wafer support member for controlled angular displacement;
- at least one finger actuator connected to said at least one wafer gripping finger to provide controlled angular displacement thereof;
- at least one pivot control link connecting the at least one wafer gripping finger to said wafer support member to restrain axial movement of the wafer gripping finger during angular displacement by said actuator.
A semiconductor wafer processor, comprising:
- a frame;
- a wafer support member mounted for movement relative to said frame;
- at least one wafer gripping finger mounted in the wafer support member;
- said wafer gripping finger being pliantly mounted in the wafer support member for controlled angular displacement;
- at least one finger actuator connected to said at least one wafer gripping finger to provide controlled angular displacement thereof;
- at least one pivot control link connecting the at least one wafer gripping finger to said wafer support member to restrain axial movement of the wafer gripping finger during angular displacement by said actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.