Capacitance sensing for substrate cooling
AssigneeIntevac, Inc.
InventorsJames H. Rogers, Brian Hoffman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described is a cooling system for use in the manufacture of substrates into magnetic disk memory in which cooling plates are positioned dynamically in relation to a substrate to be cooled. This enables positioning the cooling plates closer for more effective cooling. Positioning is controlled by capacitive measurements between the cooling plates and the substrate to be cooled.
Claims15
Cooling apparatus to cool substrates used in the manufacture of magnetic disks, comprising,
- a vacuum compartment to cool disks in a magnetic disk making equipment,
- cooling plates within said compartment,
- means to place a substrate to be cooled between said cooling plates,
- said cooling plates being electrically connected to create capacitance between
- said plates and a substrate to be cooled in position between said plates,
- a servo motor controller programmed to compare the capacitance between said plates and said substrate and move said plates until each said plate is in position substantially parallel to said substrate and separated therefrom by less than 0.1 inch.
A cooling compartment comprising an enclosed chamber, two cooling plates positioned within said chamber, an opening to permit the insertion and removal of a substrate on a support therefor into and out of said chamber, a motor drive system to move said cooling plates close to and into substantial parallel position with a substrate in said chamber, a capacitance controller system to measure capacitance between each said cooling plate and a substrate in position within said chamber and to control drive circuits to position said cooling plates in said chamber in respect to said substrate, and a pump and feed system to control the pressure and environment within said chamber.
A method of cooling a substrate being processed in the manufacture of magnetic disks, comprising placing a substrate to be cooled into
- a cooling compartment between cooling plates,
- applying an AC voltage between said cooling plates and said substrate,
- measuring the capacitance between said plates and said substrate,
- moving said cooling plates closer to said substrate using the measurement of capacitance between said plates and said substrate until said plates are positioned a desired distance less than 0.1 inches from said substrate as selected prior to movement of said plates.
Cooling apparatus to cool substrates used in the manufacture of magnetic disks, comprising, a vacuum compartment to cool disks in a magnetic disk making equipment,
- cooling plates separated from one another while in a facing relationship within said compartment,
- a substrate support to place a substrate to be cooled between said cooling plates,
- said cooling plates being electrically connected to enable electrical measurements to determine distances between said plates and between a substrate to be cooled in position between said plates,
- a motor programmed to move said plates as controlled by said electrical measurements until each said plate is in position substantially parallel to said substrate while separated therefrom by less than 0.1 inch, and
- connections to introduce and remove a cooling gas from said compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.