US3729966A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for contouring the surface of thin elements
Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1972-02-02
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Granted: 1973-05-01
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Expires: 1992-02-02
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and a method for contouring the surface of a thin element such as a semiconductor wafer, the apparatus including a plurality of individual reciprocatable suction cups for grasping at selected places the lower surface of the wafer. Superimposed of the wafer is a plurality of sensors for directing air against the opposite surface of the wafer and which senses, by back pressure, the distance from the terminal end of the sensor to the wafer thereby sensing the contour of the surface of the wafer. Each sensor is connected to a comparitor which responds to its associated sensor to actuate through a stepping motor and cam the individual reciprocatable suction cups to elevate or retract the same when the comparitor indicates a difference between the desired contour at that particular place on the surface and the actual contour of the wafer.
Inventors
- 👤 H Khoury
- 👤 H Rottmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:35
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70691; G03F7/707; H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/78; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/78
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for contouring a surface of a wafer, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of individual retaining means for gripping, at selected places, a surface of said wafer; a plurality of sensing means spaced from said retaining means for sensing the contour of the surface of said wafer opposite to the surface being gripped by said retaining means; comparing means responsive to said sensing means for comparing a desired contour with the contour of said wafer surface facing said sensing means; and actuator means connected to said retaining means for elevating and retracting selected ones of said retaining means when said comparing means indicates a difference between said desired contour and the contour of said wafer surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for contouring a surface of a wafer, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of individual retaining means for gripping, at selected places, a surface of said wafer; a plurality of sensing means spaced from said retaining means for sensing the contour of the surface of said wafer opposite to the surface being gripped by said retaining means; comparing means responsive to said sensing means for comparing a desired contour with the contour of said wafer surface facing said sensing means; and actuator means connected to said retaining means for elevating and retracting selected ones of said retaining means when said comparing means indicates a difference between said desired contour and the contour of said wafer surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said individual retaining means comprises suction cups, and means for applying a vacuum to said suction cups.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said sensing means comprises a tube having an open end adjacent to, superimposed of and aligned with respective ones of said retaining means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said sensing means comprises a tube having a first open end superimposed of said retaining means, and a second open end connected to said comparing means; and means for supplying a gaseous medium to said tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein each of said comparing means includes a housing having a chamber therein, a diaphragm in said housing dividing said chamber into first and second chamber portions, and means for applying said gaseous medium supplied to said tube to said first chamber portion, and means for applying the gaseous medium from said second open end of said tube to said second chamber portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 including bleeder means in said first chamber portion for balancing the pressure in said first chamber portion relative to the pressure in said second chamber portion when said first open end of said tube is a predetermined distance from said opposite surface of said wafer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 including first and second contact means on opposite sides of said diaphragm, and first means on said diaphragm for contacting the first of said contact means when the pressure in said second chamber is greater than the pressure in said first chamber, and second means on said diaphragm for contacting the second of said contact means when the pressure in said first chamber is greater than the pressure in said second chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said actuator means includes drive means connected to said retaining means, and means connecting said first and second contact means to said drive means; power supply means connected to said first and second means on said diaphragm, and means to effect movement of said drive means in a first direction when said first contact connects said first means on said diaphragm and in a second direction when said second contact connects the second means on said diaphragm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a pedestal, and said actuator means includes drive means connected to said pedestal; means connecting said comparing means to said drive means, and power supply means to effect movement of said drive means in opposite directions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said drive means includes a stepping motor, and cam means connected to said stepping motor and in engagement with said pedestal to effect reciprocation of said pedestal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus for contouring a surface of a wafer, said apparatus comprising: means to grip a first surface of said wafer, means to sense the topography of a second surface of said wafer; means to manipulate said first surface of said wafer, and means interconnecting said sensing means and said manipulating means to effect contouring of said second surface in accordance with the topography sensed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus for contouring a surface of a wafer, said apparatus comprising: means to grip a first surface of said wafer, means to sense the topography of a second surface of said wafer; means to manipulate said first surface of said wafer, and means interconnecting said sensing means and said manipulating means to effect contouring of said second surface in accordance with the topography sensed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 including comparing means intermediate said sensing means and said manipulating means, and means in said comparing means to compare the topography sensed with a predetermined topography, and to actuate said manipulating means to distort said first surface of said wafer until the topography of said second surface is substantially the same as the predetermined topography.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said means to grip said first surface comprises a plurality of suction cups.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said sensing means comprises a plurality of spaced apart tubes each having an end adjacent to and superimposed of said second surface of said wafer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 including means associated with said tubes for detecting the distance from the ends of said tubes to the underlying portion of the second surface of said wafer.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of contouring the surface of a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising the steps of: grasping one surface of said wafer at a plurality of places therealong; sensing the opposite surface of said wafer to determine the contour thereof; comparing the sensed surface contour with a desired contour; adjusting the first mentioned surface until said contour of said opposite wafer surface is substantially the same as the desired contour.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of contouring the surface of a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising the steps of: grasping one surface of said wafer at a plurality of places therealong; sensing the opposite surface of said wafer to determine the contour thereof; comparing the sensed surface contour with a desired contour; adjusting the first mentioned surface until said contour of said opposite wafer surface is substantially the same as the desired contour.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method in accordance with claim 16, including the step of: superimposing a mask adjacent said opposite wafer surface, and positioning said mask to achieve substantial parallelism between said opposite wafer surface and one surface of said mask.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method in accordance with claim 17, including the step of: contacting said opposite surface of said wafer with said mask.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method in accordance with claim 17, including the step of: spacing said mask from said wafer but closely adjacent thereto.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein said semiconductor wafer includes a layer of photoresist on said opposite surface of said wafer, and including the step of exposing said photoresist through said mask.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-30 | 1976-10-30 | 1977-05-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-30 | 1980-10-30 | 1981-05-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-30 | 1984-10-30 | 1985-05-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |