Susceptor drive and wafer displacement mechanism
First Claim
1. A thermal reaction chamber for semiconductor wafer processing operations comprising:
- (i) a susceptor for supporting a semiconductor wafer within the chamber;
(ii) displacer means for displacing the susceptor vertically between at least a first and a second position;
(iii) a plurality of wafer support elements, each of which is suspended to be vertically moveable with respect to the susceptor and each of which extends beyond the underside of the susceptor; and
(iv) means for restricting the downward movement of the wafer support elements whereby,as the susceptor is displaced from its first position through an intermediate position before the second position, the means for restricting operate to stop the continued downward movement of the wafer support elements thereby causing the elements to move vertically upwards with respect to the downwardly moving susceptor and separate the wafer from the susceptor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal reaction chamber for semiconductor wafer processing operations comprising:
(i) a susceptor for supporting a semiconductor wafer within the chamber and having a plurality of apertures formed vertically therethrough;
(ii) displacer means for displacing the susceptor vertically between at least a first and a second position;
(iii) a plurality of wafer support elements, each of which is suspended to be vertically moveable within said apertures and each of which extends beyond the underside of the susceptor; and
(iv) means for restricting the downward movement of the wafer support elements. As the susceptor is displaced from its first position through an intermediate position before the second position, the means for restricting operate to stop the continued downward movement of the wafer support elements thereby causing the elements to move vertically upwards with respect to the downwardly moving susceptor and separate the wafer from the susceptor.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A thermal reaction chamber for semiconductor wafer processing operations comprising:
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(i) a susceptor for supporting a semiconductor wafer within the chamber; (ii) displacer means for displacing the susceptor vertically between at least a first and a second position; (iii) a plurality of wafer support elements, each of which is suspended to be vertically moveable with respect to the susceptor and each of which extends beyond the underside of the susceptor; and (iv) means for restricting the downward movement of the wafer support elements whereby, as the susceptor is displaced from its first position through an intermediate position before the second position, the means for restricting operate to stop the continued downward movement of the wafer support elements thereby causing the elements to move vertically upwards with respect to the downwardly moving susceptor and separate the wafer from the susceptor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A processing chamber for a substrate, comprising:
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a substrate support for supporting a substrate and having a plurality of apertures formed in parallel therethrough; and a plurality of pins movable relative to said substrate support within respective ones of said apertures between respective first positions whereat said pins support said substrate above said substrate support and respective second positions whereat said pins are held within said substrate support, said pins having bottom ends projecting below a bottom surface of said substrate support, said substrate being supportable by said substrate support when said pins are at said second positions; and at least one support cradle member for selectively contacting said bottom ends of said pins for moving them between said first and second positions relative to said substrate support. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of moving and supporting a wafer comprising the steps of:
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inserting movable pins within respective apertures passing through a substrate support, said pins being engageable with said substrate support at a first position of said pins relative to said substrate support and having bottom ends projecting below a bottom of said substrate support; moving at least one contact member vertically toward said substrate support relative to said substrate support to contact said bottom ends of said pins and thereafter to move vertically said bottom ends towards said substrate support, whereby top ends of said pins extend beyond a top surface of said substrate support for holding a substrate apart from said substrate; moving said at least one contact member vertically away from said substrate support relative to said substrate support and out of contact with said bottom ends of said pins while said pins are holding said substrate, whereby said pins are held at said first position within said substrate support and said substrate is supported by said top surface of said substrate support. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification