Device for treating surfaces of wafer-shaped articles and gripping pin for use in the device
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsUlrich Tschinderle, Andreas Gleissner, Thomas Wirnsberger, Franz Kumnig, Rainer Obweger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck having a series of pins adapted to hold a wafer shaped article on the rotary chuck. Each of the pins comprises a cylindrical body and a projecting gripping portion formed integrally therewith. The cylindrical body and gripping portion are made from a ceramic material. The gripping portion comprises cylindrical surfaces having a common generatrix with surfaces of the cylindrical body.
Claims18
A device for processing a wafer, the device comprising:
- a rotary chuck;
- and
- a series of pins disposed on the rotary chuck and adapted to hold the wafer on the rotary chuck,
- wherein
- each of the pins comprises
- a body that is cylindrically-shaped, and
- a gripping portion formed integrally with the body and formed of a ceramic material,
- the gripping portion comprises a groove, a first section and a second section,
- the groove is configured to receive an edge of the wafer,
- the first section is at a distal most end of the pin and includes a first portion of the groove,
- the second section is at a distal most end of the body and includes a second portion of the groove,
- the gripping portion comprises a first surface having a common generatrix with a second surface of the body,
- the second surface is cylindrically-shaped,
- the groove comprises a first sloped region extending from a radially innermost portion of the groove to the second surface of the body, and
- each of the pins further includes a second sloped region distinct from the first sloped region and extending from the second surface of the body to the first section of the gripping portion and the first sloped region.
A gripping pin for use in a device that processes a wafer, the gripping pin comprising:
- a body, wherein the body is cylindrically-shaped;
- a gripping portion formed integrally with the body,
- wherein
- the gripping portion is formed of a ceramic material,
- the gripping portion comprises a first cylindrically-shaped surface having a common generatrix with a second cylindrically-shaped surface of the body,
- the gripping portion comprises a groove,
- a width of the groove decreases circumferentially from a first end of the groove to a second end of the groove,
- the pin is configured to be rotated between a first position and a second position,
- while in the first position, the groove receives or releases the wafer at the first end of the groove,
- while in the second position, the groove grips the wafer via the second end of the groove, and
- the pin is rotated between the first position and the second position to release and grip the wafer;
- and
- a first sloped region extending between the body and the gripping portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.