Rotary vacuum-chuck with water-assisted labyrinth seal
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorAlexander Lerner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary vacuum-chuck mounts a substrate such as a silicon wafer for rotation. The vacuum-chuck includes a hollow rotary shaft and a chuck mounted on the hollow rotary shaft and having a surface adapted to support a substrate, the surface having one or more openings in fluid communication with the hollow rotary shaft. A vacuum generator evacuates the hollow rotary shaft and the one or more openings so as to vacuum chuck a substrate to the chuck surface. A labyrinthine gap is defined between a first member that rotates with the hollow rotary shaft and a second member that is stationary. A fluid in the labyrinthine gap provides a gas-tight seal between the first and second members.
Claims9
A rotary vacuum-chuck adapted to mount a substrate for rotation, comprising:
- a hollow rotary shaft;
- a chuck mounted on the hollow rotary shaft and having a surface adapted to support a substrate, the surface having one or more openings in fluid communication with the hollow rotary shaft;
- a vacuum generator adapted to evacuate the hollow rotary shaft and the one or more openings;
- a labyrinthine gap defined between a first member that rotates with the hollow rotary shaft and a second member that is stationary;
- and
- a fluid in the labyrinthine gap so as to provide a gas-tight seal between the first member and the second member.
A method of mounting a substrate for rotation, comprising:
- providing a hollow rotary shaft on which a chuck, having openings in fluid communication with the hollow rotary shaft, is mounted;
- evacuating the hollow rotary shaft and the openings;
- forming a labyrinthine gap between a first member that rotates with the hollow rotary shaft and a second member that is stationary;
- and
- introducing a fluid into the labyrinthine gap so as to form a gas tight seal between the first member and the second member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.