Patent US6326231B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5656093A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5656093A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Wafer spacing mask for a substrate support chuck and method of fabricating same
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1996-03-08
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Granted: 1997-08-12
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Expires: 2016-03-08
Abstract
Abstract A wafer spacing mask for supporting a workpiece in a spaced apart relation to a workpiece support chuck. More specifically, the wafer spacing mask contains a plurality of metallic support members deposited upon the support surface of the chuck. The support members maintain a wafer, or other workpiece, in a spaced apart relation to the support surface of the chuck. The distance between the underside surface of the wafer and the chuck is defined by the thickness of the support members. This distance should be larger than the expected diameter of contaminant particles that may lie on the surface of the chuck. In this manner, the contaminant particles do not adhere to the underside of the wafer during processing.
Inventors
- 👤 Vincent E. Burkhart
- 👤 Michael N. Sugarman
- 👤 Howard E. Grunes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:10
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/72; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S269/00; Y10S269/903; Y10T; Y10T279/00; Y10T279/23
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
Apparatus for supporting a workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to a support surface of a workpiece support chuck, comprising: a spacing mask, deposited upon said support surface of said workpiece support chuck, for supporting said workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to said support surface, where said spacing mask is fabricated of a metallic material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus for supporting a workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to a support surface of a workpiece support chuck, comprising: a spacing mask, deposited upon said support surface of said workpiece support chuck, for supporting said workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to said support surface, where said spacing mask is fabricated of a metallic material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said metallic material is a titanium, titanium-nitride or stainless steel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support surface is fabricated of a ceramic material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said ceramic material is partially conductive at temperatures above approximately 300 degrees Celsius.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said ceramic material is aluminum-nitride, boron-nitride, or alumina doped with a conductive oxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support surface is fabricated of a dielectric material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said workpiece support chuck is an electrostatic chuck.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spacing mask comprises support members forming a pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said workpiece support chuck is an electrostatic chuck containing a plurality of electrodes embedded beneath said support surface and said support members are formed in said pattern upon the support surface and between said plurality of electrodes, whereby said support members do not overlap said plurality of electrodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of pads.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of radial support strips and a plurality of concentric rings.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus for supporting a workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to a support surface of a ceramic electrostatic chuck comprising: a spacing mask, deposited upon said support surface of said ceramic electrostatic chuck, for supporting said workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to said support surface, where said spacing mask is fabricated of a metallic material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus for supporting a workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to a support surface of a ceramic electrostatic chuck comprising: a spacing mask, deposited upon said support surface of said ceramic electrostatic chuck, for supporting said workpiece in a spaced-apart relation to said support surface, where said spacing mask is fabricated of a metallic material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said metallic material is a titanium, titanium-nitride or stainless steel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a support surface of the ceramic electrostatic chuck is partially conductive at temperatures above approximately 300 degrees Celsius.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a support surface of said ceramic electrostatic chuck is fabricated of aluminum-nitride, boron-nitride, or alumina doped with a conductive oxide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said spacing mask comprises a support member forming a pattern.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said ceramic electrostatic chuck containing a plurality of electrodes embedded beneath said support surface and said support members are formed in said pattern upon the support surface and between said plurality of electrodes, whereby said support members do not overlap said plurality of electrodes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of pads.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said pattern comprises a plurality of radial support strips and a plurality of concentric rings.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
43 words
A method of fabricating a wafer spacing mask comprising the steps of: providing a workpiece support chuck having a support member; depositing a metallic material in a pre-defined pattern over a support surface of said support member to form said wafer spacing mask.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
43 words
A method of fabricating a wafer spacing mask comprising the steps of: providing a workpiece support chuck having a support member; depositing a metallic material in a pre-defined pattern over a support surface of said support member to form said wafer spacing mask.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said depositing step comprises the step of using a physical vapor deposition process to deposit the metallic material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said metallic material is a titanium, titanium-nitride or stainless steel.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said support member is fabricated of a ceramic material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said ceramic material is partially conductive at temperatures above approximately 300 degrees Celsius.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said ceramic material is aluminum-nitride, boron-nitride, or alumina doped with a conductive oxide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said support member is fabricated of a dielectric material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said pre-defined pattern comprises a plurality of pads.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said pre-defined pattern comprises a plurality of radial support strips and a plurality of concentric rings.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said workpiece support chuck is an electrostatic chuck containing a plurality of electrodes embedded beneath said support surface and said metallic material is deposited in said pre-defined pattern upon the support surface and between said plurality of electrodes, whereby said wafer spacing mask does not overlap said plurality of electrodes.
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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) | 2000-08-11 | 2001-02-10 | 2001-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-08-11 | 2005-02-10 | 2005-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-08-11 | 2009-02-10 | 2009-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |