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EP0342688A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Wafer clamp for plasma reactor

Assignee: CollabRx Inc
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Filing: 1989-05-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-05-19
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Abstract

Abstract A wafer clamp is disclosed in which an annular resilient member (41) is flexed about a region intermediate the inner and outer diameters thereof. The outer edge of the member comprises a thicker, base portion (38) for attachment to the reactor. The inner edge of the clamp comprises a plurality of fingers (37,40) for holding a wafer to be processed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Roger Bennett Lachenbruch

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 02:25
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7604; H10P72/7606

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 96 words
In a plasma reactor having a chamber for containing one or more process gases, an upper electrode (12) and a lower electrode (13) for causing a glow discharge in said gases, and wherein said lower electrode is adapted to receive a semiconductor wafer to be processed, the improvement comprising: an annular, compliant member (41) having an inner diameter less than the diameter of said wafer and an outer diameter greater than the diameter of said wafer, said member having a plurality of inwardly extending, curved projections (37) for engaging said wafer at the outer edge thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 96 words
In a plasma reactor having a chamber for containing one or more process gases, an upper electrode (12) and a lower electrode (13) for causing a glow discharge in said gases, and wherein said lower electrode is adapted to receive a semiconductor wafer to be processed, the improvement comprising: an annular, compliant member (41) having an inner diameter less than the diameter of said wafer and an outer diameter greater than the diameter of said wafer, said member having a plurality of inwardly extending, curved projections (37) for engaging said wafer at the outer edge thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
The reactor as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising means (32,39) in said chamber for retaining said member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 46 words
The reactor as set forth in claim 2 wherein said lower electrode is movable between a first position, in which said chamber is opened, and a second position, in which said chamber is closed, and wherein said projections engage said wafer before the chamber is closed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
The reactor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower electrode (13) comprises at least one (25) aperture for supplying gas to the contact area between said wafer and said lower electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 49 words
The reactor as set forth in claim 4 and further comprising: a source (23) of gas for conductively cooling said wafer; means (8,9) for coupling said source to said aperture; and means (26,27,28) connected to said means for coupling, for diverting some of said cooling gas from said reactor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The reactor as set forth in claim 5 wherein the majority of said cooling gas is diverted from said reactor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
The reactor as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for diverting includes a chamber (26) to ballast the flow of gas through said means for diverting.

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