Semiconductor wafer carrier and method

Claim 2

A semiconductor wafer carrier comprising, in combination: a rotating member; a vacuum source provided through at least one passage within the rotating member; a torque plate coupled to the rotating member in a plane substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the rotating member; a drive plate coupled to the torque plate; a conical receptacle coupled to the rotating member and having a concave conical portion positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating member; a spherical button fixedly coupled to the drive plate, and having a convex spherical portion coupled by friction to the concave conical portion of the conical receptacle; and a carrier plate coupled to the drive plate and having a plurality of holes coupled to the vacuum source.

Claim 3

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 further comprising means for coupling the drive plate to the carrier plate.

Claim 4

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 2 wherein the means for coupling the drive plate to the carrier plate comprising a v-band connector and a gasket.

Claim 5

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 wherein the torque plate comprising a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the rotating member, the torque plate being coupled to the drive plate near the outermost extreme of each of the plurality of fingers, thereby providing a spring-loaded flexible connection between the rotating member and the drive plate, allowing the spherical button to rotate in the conical receptacle in a gimballing motion, thereby changing the plane of rotation of the drive plate.

Claim 6

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 further comprising vacuum conduit means for connecting the vacuum source in the rotating member to the plurality of holes in the carrier plate.

Claim 7

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 5 wherein the vacuum conduit means being coupled on one end to the vacuum source in the rotating member, and coupled on the other end to a passage in the drive plate, and wherein the drive plate and carrier plate are coupled in a gas-tight manner defining a gap between the drive plate and the carrier plate which communicates with the passage in the drive plate to provide vacuum pressure through the plurality of holes, through the gap, through the passage in the drive plate, through the vacuum conduit means, to the vacuum source in the rotating member.

Claim 8

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 further comprising a cover plate coupled to the drive plate and having an opening through which the rotating member passes.

Claim 9

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 wherein the carrier plate having circular notch means for receiving an O-ring gasket for assuring the coupling of the drive plate to the carrier plate is gas-tight.

Claim 10

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 wherein the drive plate having circular notch means for receiving an O-ring gasket for assuring the coupling of the drive plate to the carrier plate is gas-tight.

Claim 11

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 further comprising retaining ring means coupled to the carrier plate for providing a non-metallic contact area for a wafer coupled to the semiconductor wafer carrier, said carrier plate having edge effect reducing means comprising a cavity running along a perimeter surface of said carrier plate for permitting a perimeter surface of said wafer to move toward said cavity.

Claim 12

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 further comprising gasket means for assuring the coupling of the drive plate to the carrier plate is gas-tight.

Claim 13

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 further comprising means for plugging at least one of the plurality of holes.

Claim 14

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 12 wherein said means for plugging at least one of the plurality of holes comprising plugs which can be screwed into each of said plurality of holes.

Claim 15

The semiconductor wafer carrier of claim 1 wherein the rotating member having a first portion with internal threads coupled to a source of rotation and having a second portion having external threads coupled to the semiconductor wafer carrier such that the first and second portions are connected together by screwing the second portion into the first portion, and such that the semiconductor wafer carrier can be disconnected from the rotation source by unscrewing the first portion from the second portion.

Claim 16

A semiconductor wafer carrier comprising, in combination: a rotating member; a vacuum source provided through at least one passage within the rotating member; a torque plate coupled to the rotating member in a plane substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the rotating member; a drive plate coupled to the torque plate; a conical receptacle coupled to the rotating member and having a concave conical portion positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating member; a spherical button fixedly coupled to the drive plate, and having a convex spherical portion coupled by friction to the concave conical portion of the conical receptacle; a carrier plate coupled to the drive plate with a v-band connector and gasket means for assuring the coupling of the drive plate to the carrier plate is gas-tight, the carrier plate having a plurality of holes coupled to the vacuum source; vacuum conduit means for connecting the vacuum source in the rotating member to the plurality of holes in the carrier plate; retaining ring means coupled to the carrier plate for providing a non-metallic contact area for a wafer coupled to the semiconductor wafer carrier; means for plugging at least one of the plurality of holes comprising plugs which can be screwed into each of said plurality of holes; the torque plate comprising a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the rotating member, the torque plate being coupled to the drive plate near the outermost extreme of each of the plurality of fingers, thereby providing a spring-loaded flexible connection between the rotating member and the drive plate, allowing the spherical button to rotate in the conical receptacle in a gimballing motion, thereby changing the plane of rotation of the drive plate; and edge effect reducing means comprising a cavity running along a perimeter surface of said carrier plate for permitting a perimeter surface of said wafer to move toward said cavity.

Claim 17

A semiconductor wafer carrier comprising, in combination: a rotating member; a vacuum source provided through at least one passage within the rotating member; a torque plate coupled to the rotating member in a plane substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the rotating member; a drive plate coupled to the torque plate; a conical receptacle coupled to the rotating member and having a concave conical portion positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating member; a spherical button fixedly coupled to the drive plate, and having a convex spherical portion coupled by friction to the concave conical portion of the conical receptacle; a carrier plate coupled to the drive plate with a v-band connector and gasket means for assuring the coupling of the drive plate to the carrier plate is gas-tight, the carrier plate having a plurality of holes coupled to the vacuum source; vacuum conduit means for connecting the vacuum source in the rotating member to the plurality of holes in the carrier plate; retaining ring means coupled to the carrier plate for providing a non-metallic contact area for a wafer coupled to the semiconductor wafer carrier; means for plugging at least one of the plurality of holes comprising plugs which can be screwed into each of said plurality of holes; the torque plate comprising a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the rotating member, the torque plate being coupled to the drive plate near the outermost extreme of each of the plurality of fingers, thereby providing a spring-loaded flexible connection between the rotating member and the drive plate, allowing the spherical button to rotate in the conical receptacle in a gimballing motion, thereby changing the plane of rotation of the drive plate; and edge effect reducing means comprising a cavity running along a perimeter surface of said carrier plate for permitting a perimeter surface of said wafer to move toward said cavity.

Claim 20

The method of claim 16 wherein the coupling of the carrier plate to the drive plate produces a gas-tight connection between the carrier plate and the drive plate.

Claim 21

The method of claim 16 wherein the torque plate comprising a plurality of fingers extending radially outward from the rotating member, the torque plate being coupled to the drive plate near the outermost extreme of each of the plurality of fingers, thereby providing a flexible connection between the rotating member and the drive plate, allowing the conical receptacle to rotate upon the spherical button in a gimballing motion, thereby changing the plane of rotation of the drive plate.

Claim 22

The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of coupling retaining ring means to the carrier plate for providing a non-metallic contact area for a wafer coupled to the semiconductor wafer carrier and the step of forming an edge effect reducing means comprising a cavity running along a perimeter surface of said carrier plate for permitting a perimeter surface of said wafer to move toward said cavity.

Claim 23

The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of plugging at least one of the plurality of holes to obtain a custom configuration of open holes within the carrier plate.