Workpiece support for vacuum chamber

Claim 2

A workpiece support for supporting a disc-shaped workpiece in a vacuum chamber wherein said workpiece is treated by a vacuum based process, the support comprising: a support member having a support surface for supporting a surface of the workpiece, said support member having a plurality of bores therethrough, said bores being distributed over said support surface and across a full radial extent of said support surface, and having first ends opening at said support surface; means defining a distribution chamber which is substantially co-extensive with said support surfaces, said distribution chamber being spaced from said support surface and said bores having second ends opening into said distribution chamber; means for actively changing the temperature of said support member; means defining a gas feed to said distribution chamber; and said plurality of bores having respective diameters substantially shorter than their respective extents from said distribution chamber to said support surface so as to provide for a distributed feed of gas at said first ends of said bores and between said support surface and the surface of the workpiece to act as a heat transfer medium substantially independently from respective starting positions for gas flow from said distribution chamber at said second ends of said bores.

Claim 3

The support of claim 1, wherein said bores each have equal diameters.

Claim 4

The support of claim 1, wherein said bores each have equal lengths in said support member.

Claim 5

The support of claim 1, wherein said bores are substantially vertical to said support surface and between said distribution chamber and said support surface.

Claim 6

The support of claim 1, further comprising heating means for heating said support member.

Claim 7

The support of claim 1, further comprising cooling means for cooling said support member.

Claim 8

The support of claim 1, further comprising holding means for holding the disc-shaped workpiece at the support surface when gas is supplied between the workpiece and the support surface.

Claim 9

The support of claim 1, wherein said bores are evenly distributed over said support member.

Claim 10

A workpiece support for supporting a disc-shaped workpiece in a vacuum chamber wherein said workpiece is treated by a vacuum based process, the support comprising: a support member having a support surface for supporting a surface of the workpiece, said support member having a plurality of bores therethrough, said bores being distributed over said support surface and having first ends opening at said support surface; means defining a distribution chamber which is substantially co-extensive with said support surfaces, said distribution chamber being spaced from said support surface and said bores having second ends opening into said distribution chamber; means defining a gas feed to said distribution chamber; said plurality of bores having respective diameters substantially shorter than their respective extents from said distribution chamber to said support surface so as to provide for a distributed feed of gas at said first ends of said bores and between said support surface and the surface of the workpiece to act as a heat transfer medium substantially independently from respective starting positions for gas flow from said distribution chamber at said second ends of said bores; and said support member having a lower surface, said support surface comprising an upper surface of said support member, said means defining said distribution chamber comprising a flange connected to said support member and extending over said lower surface of said support member, a first wall defining a lower boundary of an intermediate chamber for receiving said support member, a second wall spaced vertically above said first wall and defining an upper boundary of said intermediate chamber, said second wall having an opening therethrough large enough to receive said support member, elevating means connected to said support member for elevating said support member through said opening of said second wall, and means defining a treatment chamber above said second wall, said support member being movable by said elevating means from said intermediate chamber into said treatment chamber.

Claim 11

A workpiece support for supporting a disc-shaped workpiece in a vacuum chamber wherein said workpiece is treated by a vacuum based process, the support comprising: a support member having a support surface for supporting a surface of the workpiece, said support member having a plurality of bores therethrough, said bores being distributed over said support surface and having first ends opening at said support surface; means defining a distribution chamber which is substantially co-extensive with said support surfaces, said distribution chamber being spaced from said support surface and said bores having second ends opening into said distribution chamber; means defining a gas feed to said distribution chamber; said plurality of bores having respective diameters substantially shorter than their respective extents from said distribution chamber to said support surface so as to provide for a distributed feed of gas at said first ends of said bores and between said support surface and the surface of the workpiece to act as a heat transfer medium substantially independently from respective starting positions for gas flow from said distribution chamber at said second ends of said bores; and said support member having a lower surface, said support surface comprising an upper surface of said support member, said means defining said distribution chamber comprising a flange connected to said support member and extending over said lower surface of said support member, a first wall defining a lower boundary of an intermediate chamber for receiving said support member, a second wall spaced vertically above said first wall and defining an upper boundary of said intermediate chamber, said second wall having an opening therethrough large enough to receive said support member, elevating means connected to said support member for elevating said support member through said opening of said second wall, and means defining a treatment chamber above said second wall, said support member being movable by said elevating means from said intermediate chamber into said treatment chamber.

Claim 12

The support of claim 9, including holding means mounted for movement with respect to said support member, for holding a disk-shaped workpiece at the support surface when gas is supplied between the workpiece and the support surface.

Claim 13

The support of claim 10, including an annular cover connected to an upper surface of said second wall and extending around said opening of said second wall, said holding means being engagable against an inner surface of said annular cover for protecting said holding means when said support member is in said treatment chamber.

Claim 14

The support of claim 11, including a cylindrical outer member connected to said elevating means and extending around said support member, said outer member having an upper seal, said second wall having a lower valve seat extending around said opening of said second wall against which said seal is engagable when said elevating means raises said support member and said outer member, for sealing said intermediate chamber from said treatment chamber.

Claim 15

A workpiece support for supporting a disc-shaped workpiece in a vacuum chamber wherein said workpiece is treated by a vacuum based process, the support comprising: a support member having a support surface for supporting a surface of the workpiece, said support member having a plurality of bores therethrough, said bores being distributed over said support surface and having first ends opening at said support surface; means defining a distribution chamber which is substantially co-extensive with said support surfaces, said distribution chamber being spaced from said support surface and said bores having second ends opening into said distribution chamber; means defining a gas feed to said distribution chamber; said plurality of bores having respective diameters substantially shorter than their respective extents from said distribution chamber to said support surface so as to provide for a distributed feed of gas at said first ends of said bores and between said support surface and the surface of the workpiece to act as a heat transfer medium substantially independently from respective starting positions for gas flow from said distribution chamber at said second ends of said bores; and a cylindrical outer member operatively connected to said support embmer, elevating means connected to said support member and to said outer member for raising said support member and said outer member, a wall having an opening therein large enough to receive said support member and separating an intermediate chamber from a treatment chamber, said elevating means operating to move said support member from said intermediate chamber into said treatment chamber and to engage said outer member against said wall for sealing said intermediate chamber from said treatment chamber.

Claim 16

A workpiece support for supporting a disc-shaped workpiece in a vacuum chamber wherein said workpiece is treated by a vacuum based process, the support comprising: a support member having a support surface for supporting a surface of the workpiece, said support member having a plurality of bores therethrough, said bores being distributed over said support surface and having first ends opening at said support surface; means defining a distribution chamber which is substantially co-extensive with said support surfaces, said distribution chamber being spaced from said support surface and said bores having second ends opening into said distribution chamber; means defining a gas feed to said distribution chamber; said plurality of bores having respective diameters substantially shorter than their respective extents from said distribution chamber to said support surface so as to provide for a distributed feed of gas at said first ends of said bores and between said support surface and the surface of the workpiece to act as a heat transfer medium substantially independently from respective starting positions for gas flow from said distribution chamber at said second ends of said bores; and a cylindrical outer member operatively connected to said support embmer, elevating means connected to said support member and to said outer member for raising said support member and said outer member, a wall having an opening therein large enough to receive said support member and separating an intermediate chamber from a treatment chamber, said elevating means operating to move said support member from said intermediate chamber into said treatment chamber and to engage said outer member against said wall for sealing said intermediate chamber from said treatment chamber.

Claim 17

The support of claim 13, including a ring engaged on said wall and extending around said opening, a plurality of hooks connected to said ring at locations for engaging around said support surface, said elevating means raising said support surface with a workpiece thereon, to engage said hooks on the workpiece, said elevating means functioning to raise said support member by an amount to lift said ring upwardly from said wall so that said hooks press downwardly on the workpiece due to the weight of said ring.

Claim 18

A workpiece support for supporting a disc-shaped workpiece in a vacuum chamber wherein said workpiece is treated by a vacuum based process, the support comprising: a support member having a support surface for supporting a surface of the workpiece, said support member having a plurality of bores therethrough, said bores being distributed over said support surface and having first ends opening at said support surface; means defining a distribution chamber which is substantially co-extensive with said support surfaces, said distribution chamber being spaced from said support surface and said bores having second ends opening into said distribution chamber; means defining a gas feed to said distribution chamber; said plurality of bores having respective diameters substantially shorter than their respective extents from said distribution chamber to said support surface so as to provide for a distributed feed of gas at said first ends of said bores and between said support surface and the surface of the workpiece to act as a heat transfer medium substantially independently from respective starting positions for gas flow from said distribution chamber at said second ends of said bores; and a wall separating an intermediate chamber from a treatment chamber, elevating means connected to said support member for moving said support member vertically from said intermediate chamber through an opening in said wall into said treatment chamber, and a carrier mounted for rotation about an axis extending parallel to the direction of movement of said elevating means, for moving a workpiece over said support member and in said intermediate chamber, said elevating means raising said support surface to engage the workpiece held by said carrier and further move the workpiece vertically from said carrier into said treatment chamber.

Claim 19

A workpiece support for supporting a disc-shaped workpiece in a vacuum chamber wherein said workpiece is treated by a vacuum based process, the support comprising: a support member having a support surface for supporting a surface of the workpiece, said support member having a plurality of bores therethrough, said bores being distributed over said support surface and having first ends opening at said support surface; means defining a distribution chamber which is substantially co-extensive with said support surfaces, said distribution chamber being spaced from said support surface and said bores having second ends opening into said distribution chamber; means defining a gas feed to said distribution chamber; said plurality of bores having respective diameters substantially shorter than their respective extents from said distribution chamber to said support surface so as to provide for a distributed feed of gas at said first ends of said bores and between said support surface and the surface of the workpiece to act as a heat transfer medium substantially independently from respective starting positions for gas flow from said distribution chamber at said second ends of said bores; and a wall separating an intermediate chamber from a treatment chamber, elevating means connected to said support member for moving said support member vertically from said intermediate chamber through an opening in said wall into said treatment chamber, and a carrier mounted for rotation about an axis extending parallel to the direction of movement of said elevating means, for moving a workpiece over said support member and in said intermediate chamber, said elevating means raising said support surface to engage the workpiece held by said carrier and further move the workpiece vertically from said carrier into said treatment chamber.