Chuck assembly for use in a spin, rinse, and dry module and methods for making and implementing the same

A chuck assembly for use in a substrate spin, rinse, and dry (SRD) module, the chuck assembly comprising:

• a wedge having a sidewall, the wedge being configured to move from a lower position to an upper position and from the upper position to the lower position thus opening and closing the chuck assembly, respectively;
• a chuck body having a cylindrical shape, the chuck body being configured to include a plurality of linkage arms, the chuck body being configured to enclose the wedge such that each linkage arm is configured to be substantially in contact with the sidewall of the wedge, the cylindrical shape of the chuck body is configured to reduce air disturbance around a surface of a substrate;
• and
• a plurality of grippers configured to be coupled to the chuck body via a plurality of rotation pins, each of the grippers configured to stand substantially upright so as to engage the substrate when the wedge is in a lower position, and to lie substantially flat so as to disengage the substrate when the wedge is in the upper position.

A chuck assembly for use in preparing a substrate, the chuck assembly comprising:

• a chuck body designed to have a cylindrical shape configured to reduce air disturbance around a surface of the substrate, the chuck body having an outer ring and an inner ring, the outer ring being connected to the inner ring with a plurality of spokes, each spoke being configured to house a linkage arm;
• a chuck top plate having a ring, the chuck top plate configured to be attached to a top surface of the chuck body;
• a wafer backside plate having a cylindrical-disk shape, the wafer backside plate configured to be defined on a top surface of the chuck top plate;
• a plurality of grippers, each gripper being coupled to the chuck body with a rotation pin and to the respective linkage arm with a linkage pin, each gripper being configured to pivot about the respective rotation pin between a substantially upright position and a substantially flat position so as to engage or disengage the substrate;
• and
• a wedge having an angled sidewall and a substantially central throughbore, a radius at a top region of the wedge being greater than a radius at a bottom region of the wedge, the wedge being configured to move between a lower position and an upper position, wherein in the lower position the grippers are at the substantially upright position and in the upper position the grippers are at the substantially flat position.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a wedge having a sidewall, the wedge being configured to move from a lower position to an upper position and from the upper position to the lower position thus opening and closing the chuck assembly, respectively;
• a chuck body having a cylindrical shape, the chuck body being configured to include a plurality of linkage arms, the chuck body being configured to enclose the wedge such that each linkage arm is configured to be substantially in contact with the sidewall of the wedge, the cylindrical shape of the chuck body is configured to reduce air disturbance around a surface of a substrate;
• a wafer backside plate configured to include a cylindrical edge lip that defines a central aperture;
• and
• a plurality of grippers configured to be coupled to the chuck body via a plurality of rotation pins, each of the grippers configured to stand substantially upright so as to engage the substrate when the wedge is in the lower position, and to lie substantially flat so as to disengage a substrate when the wedge is in the upper position.

A method for making a chuck body for spinning a wafer, comprising:

• providing a cylindrical disk;
• machining the cylindrical disk to form an outer ring, an inner ring and a plurality of spokes;
• integrating a linkage arm in each of the plurality of spokes, the linkage arms having an outer end and an inner end;
• and
• attaching a gripper to each outer end of each linkage arm, each gripper configured to rotate about a rotation pin that is connected to an edge of the outer ring, and the outer end of the linkage arm being connected to the gripper by a linkage pin,
• whereby each gripper is configured to rotate between a substantially flat position when in a load or unload position and a substantially upright position when engaging the wafer.

A method for making a chuck for spinning a wafer, comprising:

• machining a disk, the machining configured to hog-out a center portion to define an inner ring and inner ribs to define a plurality of spokes and an outer ring;
• machining channels in each of the spokes;
• inserting a linkage arm in each channel of each spoke;
• and
• attaching a gripper to an outer end of each linkage arm, the grippers being defined along the outer ring, the grippers being configured to move between a substantially flat position and a substantially upright position.

A method for making a chuck for spinning a wafer, comprising:

• machining a disk, the machining configured to hog-out a center portion to define an inner ring and inner ribs to define a plurality of spokes and an outer ring;
• machining channels in each of the spokes;
• inserting a linkage arm in each channel of each spoke;
• attaching a gripper to an outer end of each linkage arm, the grippers being defined along the outer ring, the grippers being configured to move between a substantially flat position and a substantially upright position;
• and
• attaching a plate having a shape substantially similar to the disk to a top surface of the disk.

A method for making a chuck for spinning a wafer, comprising:

• machining a disk, the machining configured to hog-out a center portion to define an inner ring and inner ribs to define a plurality of spokes and an outer ring;
• machining channels in each of the spokes;
• inserting a linkage arm in each channel of each spoke;
• attaching a gripper to an outer end of each linkage arm, the grippers being defined along the outer ring, the grippers being configured to move between a substantially flat position and a substantially upright position;
• attaching a first plate having a shape substantially similar to the disk to a top surface of the disk;
• and
• defining a second plate having a shape substantially similar to the disk on a top surface of the first plate.