Reusable wafer support for semiconductor processing

A metal reusable wafer holding device for transporting and supporting a standard-sized silicon wafer by a bottom surface of said wafer in a process chamber during very deep to through-wafer etching, said device comprising:

• a planar disk member with a diameter between 4 and 8 inches and a thickness between 0.030 and 1 inch;
• said disk member having a circular recession well in the top surface of said disk member, said recession well having a depth of between 0.01 and 0.9 inch and a diameter of between 1 and 3.9 inches and
• a concentric circular aperture with a diameter of between 0.1 and 2 inches, extending between the bottom surface of said recession well and the bottom surface of said disk member, through which a cooling gas can flow to contact said bottom surface of said wafer;
• a rubber O-ring with a diameter between 1 and 3.9 inches placed inside said recession well and continuously contacting the wall of said recession well;
• means for positioning said wafer on said disk member;
• means for securing said wafer to said disk member;
• and
• an annular concentric protrusion from said bottom surface of said disk member, sized equivalently to a standard silicon wafer, for engaging a robotic arm designed to transport a silicon wafer into and out of a processing chamber.

A wafer-processing system comprising:

• a sealed, airtight process chamber;
• means for creating and maintaining a vacuum within said chamber;
• a processing tool;
• a chuck within said chamber for holding a silicon wafer, said chuck having channels for flowing gas through;
• means for controlling gas flow through said chuck;
• a wafer holding device for supporting a wafer during transport onto said chuck and during processing on said chuck, said device having a protrusion similar in size and shape to a standard silicon wafer;
• means for removably fixing said wafer and said wafer holding device onto said chuck;
• and
• robotic transfer means for transporting said wafer holding device into said chamber and positioning said wafer holding device on said chuck, said transfer means having an arm fitted to hold a standard silicon wafer.