Patent US5772773A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5772773A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Co-axial motorized wafer lift
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 1996-05-20
•
Granted: 1998-06-30
•
Expires: 2016-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A heating and lifting mechanism for positioning a semiconductor wafer within a processing chamber is provided including a pedestal for supporting the wafer within the process chamber, a drive shaft extending downwardly from a lower region of the pedestal, which has a lead screw at a distal portion thereof, and a drive mechanism, which is coaxial with the drive shaft, for providing linear vertical translation of the shaft and pedestal. The device also includes a CONFLAT® assembly located between the pedestal and drive shaft. The CONFLAT® assembly includes upper and lower substantially flat planar plates removably connected to one another. The upper plate is connected to a lower region of the pedestal, and the lower plate is connected to an upper end of the drive shaft. The CONFLAT® assembly permits removal of the heater pedestal without removing the entire lift assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Joe Wytman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:58
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7604; H10P72/7612; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0432; H10P72/7624; H10P72/7626; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/135
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for vertically moving and positioning a wafer within a chamber comprising: a pedestal for supporting the wafer within the chamber; a shaft extending downwardly from a lower region of the pedestal; a hollow shaft motor surrounding said shaft proximal to a distal portion thereof; and a drive means connected to said shaft motor for drivingly engaging the distal portion of said shaft.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for vertically moving and positioning a wafer within a chamber comprising: a pedestal for supporting the wafer within the chamber; a shaft extending downwardly from a lower region of the pedestal; a hollow shaft motor surrounding said shaft proximal to a distal portion thereof; and a drive means connected to said shaft motor for drivingly engaging the distal portion of said shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means surrounds said shaft proximal to said distal portion thereof and includes threads for rotatably engaging a lead screw formed in the distal portion of said shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a bearing surrounding said shaft above said hollow shaft motor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a bellows assembly surrounding said shaft between said hollow shaft motor and said pedestal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for removably connecting said bellows assembly to said pedestal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said removable connecting means comprises a pair of substantially flat planar plates removably connected to one another; an upper plate being connected to a lower region of the pedestal, and a lower plate being connected to the upper end of said shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said removable connecting means further comprises a metal gasket between said upper plate and said lower plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a lower surface of said upper plate and an upper mating surface of the lower plate exhibit a knife edge metal seal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said upper plate and said lower plate are removably connected to one another by a plurality of bolts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pedestal includes a heating element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said shaft is a hollow metal cylinder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of wires and cooling lines connected to said heating element and passing through said hollow metal cylinder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a base plate surrounding said shaft at a position between said drive means and said pedestal, said base plate being removably connected to a lower wall of the chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
90 words
A co-axial motorized wafer lift mechanism for vertically translating a wafer within a chamber comprising: a pedestal located within the chamber for supporting the wafer; a pair of substantially flat planar plates removably connected to one another; an upper plate being connected to a lower region of the pedestal; a shaft connected to a lower surface of a lower one of said pair of plates; said shaft extending downwardly therefrom through a lower wall of said chamber; and an external drive mechanism connected to a distal end of said shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
90 words
A co-axial motorized wafer lift mechanism for vertically translating a wafer within a chamber comprising: a pedestal located within the chamber for supporting the wafer; a pair of substantially flat planar plates removably connected to one another; an upper plate being connected to a lower region of the pedestal; a shaft connected to a lower surface of a lower one of said pair of plates; said shaft extending downwardly therefrom through a lower wall of said chamber; and an external drive mechanism connected to a distal end of said shaft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
The lift mechanism according to claim 14, wherein said external drive mechanism comprises: a hollow shaft motor surrounding said shaft proximal to said distal portion thereof; and a drive flange connected to said hollow shaft motor and surrounding said shaft proximal to said distal portion thereof, said drive flange including threads for rotatably engaging a lead screw formed in the distal portion of said shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The lift mechanism according to claim 15, further comprising a bearing surrounding said shaft above said hollow shaft motor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The lift mechanism according to claim 15, further comprising a bellows assembly surrounding said shaft between said hollow shaft motor and said pair of substantially flat planar plates.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The lift mechanism according to claim 14, further comprising a metal gasket between said upper plate and said lower plate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The lift mechanism according to claim 18, wherein a lower surface of said upper plate and an upper mating surface of the lower plate exhibit a knife edge metal seal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The lift mechanism according to claim 14, wherein said upper plate and said lower plate are removably connected to one another by a plurality of bolts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US381492A
Cited
US1636560A
Cited
US1849348A
Cited
US2187390A
Cited
US2500175A
Cited
US2471955A
Cited
US3211478A
Cited
US4022939A
Cited
US4226208A
Cited
SU735545A2
Cited
US4311427A
Cited
US4681773A
Cited
US4413180A
Cited
US4519138A
Cited
US5024830A
Cited
US4591044A
Cited
US4616860A
Cited
US4740702A
Cited
US4781551A
Cited
US4950002A
Cited
US4892321A
Cited
US4944860A
Cited
US5130585A
Cited
US5292383A
Cited
EP0397029A2
Cited
JPH03185824A
Cited
US5135635A
Cited
US5060354A
Cited
US5205179A
Cited
JPH04123430A
Cited
US5148714A
Cited
JPH04372150A
Cited
US5314574A
Cited
US5520743A
Cited
US5421229A
Cited
US5630881A
Cited
US5476548A
Cited
US5632873A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-29 | 2001-12-29 | 2002-06-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-29 | 2005-12-29 | 2006-06-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-29 | 2009-12-29 | 2010-06-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |