EP0650181A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Clamp with wafer release for semiconductor wafer processing equipment
Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Inc
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Filing: 1994-10-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-10-18
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for releasably clamping a substrate to a support platform, or other support means, at a face of the substrate is described. In one embodiment, a retractable clamp (30) holds a substrate (2) near its edges on a support platform (22) when the clamp is in its fully extended position. Oneor more leaf springs are mounted to the clamp and apply force to the substrate at respective points in the event the substrate adheres to the clamp, thereby releasing the substrate from the clamp. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one or more activators are positioned in cooperative relationship to the leaf springs to cause the leaf springs to retract into recesses in the clamp when the clamp is extended against the substrate. In their retracted position, the leaf springs do not contact the substrate so as to minimize the generation of particle contamination and the chance of the release leaf springs themselves adhering to the substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Adolphus E. Mcclanahan
- 👤 Frederick T. Turner
- 👤 Kenneth E. Anderson
- 👤 Phillip B. Nicholson
- 👤 Martin A. Hutchinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:50
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7604; H10P72/7608; H10P72/7611
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
Apparatus for releasably clamping substrates to a support means in a processing chamber, comprising: support means for supporting the substrate; clamp means translatable between an extended position and a retracted position, said clamp means for securely engaging the substrate at a plurality of points adjacent to the substrate edge when in its extended position, said clamp means moving away from the support means when being translated to its retracted position; a substrate release means mounted to said clamp means for preventing the substrate from adhering to said clamp means when said clamp means is retracted from its extended position, said substrate release means having a substrate releasing surface translatable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to said clamp means, said substrate releasing surface being extended as said clamp means is retracted such that, upon retraction of said clamp means from its extended position, said substrate releasing surface engages a surface of the substrate whenever it adheres to said clamp means so as to release it from said clamp means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said substrate releasing surface of said substrate release means is retracted when said clamp means is fully extended such that said substrate releasing surface does not contact the substrate when said clamp means is in its extended position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said substrate release means comprises one or more spring release mechanisms for engaging respective surfaces of the substrate in the event the substrate adheres to said clamp means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus of Claim 3 wherein said substrate release means further comprises one or more activators positioned in cooperative relationship to said spring release mechanisms to cause said spring release mechanisms to retract when said clamp means is fully extended such that said spring release mechanisms do not contact the substrate, upon retraction of said clamp means from the substrate said activators enabling said spring release mechanisms to extend and engage a substrate which has adhered to said clamp means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
105 words
The apparatus of Claim 3 wherein said substrate release means further comprises a contact surface positioned opposite to one of said spring release mechanisms, and wherein said one of said spring release mechanisms includes an activator mounted thereto and positioned in cooperative relationship to said contact surface to cause said spring release mechanism to retract when said clamp means is fully extended such that said spring release mechanism does not contact the substrate, upon retraction of said clamp means from the substrate said activator and contact surface enabling said spring release mechanism to extend and engage a substrate which has adhered to said clamp means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising: a wafer support platform; a retractable wafer clamping mechanism for holding a wafer near an edge thereof on said wafer support platform when in a fully extended position; and one or more spring release mechanisms for engaging respective surfaces of the wafer in the event the wafer adheres to said wafer clamping mechanism, the engaged spring release mechanisms causing the release of the wafer from said wafer clamping mechanism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus of Claim 6 further comprising one or more activators positioned in cooperative relationship to said spring release mechanisms to cause said spring release mechanisms to retract when said wafer clamping mechanism is fully extended such that said spring release mechanisms do not contact the wafer, upon retraction of said wafer clamping mechanism from the wafer said activators enabling said spring release mechanisms to extend and engage a wafer which has adhered to said wafer clamping mechanism.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of Claim 7 wherein said one or more activators are positioned near said support platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate support platform; and a retractable clamping mechanism for holding a substrate against said support platform when in a fully extended position, said clamping mechanism including a plurality of spring release mechanisms, each biased to apply a force to a surface of the substrate whenever the substrate adheres to said holding surface upon retraction of said clamping mechanism from said fully extended position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of Claim 9 further comprising a plurality of activators positioned in cooperative relationship to said spring release mechanisms to cause said spring release mechanisms to retract from engaging respective surfaces of the substrate when said retractable clamping mechanism is extended to hold the substrate against said support platform.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus of Claim 9 further comprising a contact surface positioned opposite to one of said spring release mechanisms, and wherein said one of said spring release mechanisms includes an activator mounted thereto and positioned in cooperative relationship to said contact surface to cause said spring release mechanism to retract from engaging a respective surface of the substrate when said retractable clamping mechanism is extended to hold the substrate against said support platform.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
A clamp mechanism comprising: a holding surface for engaging a substrate near an edge thereof against a support platform; and a spring release mechanism biased to engage a surface of the substrate whenever the substrate adheres to said holding surface upon retraction of said holding surface away from the substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The clamp mechanism of Claim 12 further comprising an activator positioned in cooperative relationship to said spring release mechanism to cause said spring release mechanism to retract from engaging a surface of the substrate when said holding surface is holding said substrate against the support platform.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of clamping a substrate to a platform in a processing chamber, comprising the steps of, positioning a substrate on a platform, translating a clamping mechanism to engage the substrate so that the substrate is securely held against said platform, processing the substrate while it is being held against the platform, translating the clamping mechanism away from the platform, using a wafer engaging surface to apply a separation force to said substrate if the substrate sticks to the clamping mechanism.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of Claim 14 wherein said step of using a wafer engaging surface to apply a separation force to said substrate is performed only when the substrate is stuck to the clamping mechanism.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of Claim 15 wherein said separation force is generated by a spring means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of Claim 15 wherein said wafer engaging surface is translated by an activation means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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