公开(公告)号：US20150179495A1

公开(公告)日：2015-06-25

申请号：US14571000

申请日：2014-12-15

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Luping Huang

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  G01N21/13 ,  G01N21/95 ,  B23B31/30

CPC classification number: H01L21/6838 ,  G01N21/9503 ,  G01N2021/8461 ,  H01L21/68728 ,  Y10T29/49998 ,  Y10T279/11

Abstract: A non-contact wafer chucking apparatus includes a wafer chuck and a gripper assembly coupled to a portion of the wafer chuck. The wafer chuck includes pressurized gas elements configured to generate pressurized gas regions across a surface of the wafer chuck suitable for elevating the wafer above the surface of the wafer chuck. The wafer chuck further includes vacuum elements configured to generate reduced pressure regions across the surface of the wafer chuck having a pressure lower than the pressurized gas regions. The reduced pressure regions are suitable for securing the wafer above the wafer chuck without contact to the wafer chuck. The chucking apparatus includes a rotational drive unit configured to selectively rotate the wafer chuck. The gripper elements are reversibly couplable to an edge portion of the wafer so as to secure the wafer such that the wafer and gripper assembly rotate synchronously with the wafer chuck.

Abstract translation: 非接触式晶片夹持装置包括与晶片卡盘的一部分耦合的晶片卡盘和夹持器组件。 晶片卡盘包括加压气体元件，其构造成在晶片卡盘的表面上产生加压气体区域，其适于将晶片升高到晶片卡盘的表面之上。 晶片卡盘还包括被配置为在晶片卡盘的表面上产生压力低于加压气体区域的压力的真空元件。 减压区域适用于将晶片固定在晶片卡盘上方而不与晶片卡盘接触。 夹持装置包括旋转驱动单元，其构造成选择性地旋转晶片卡盘。 夹持器元件可逆地联接到晶片的边缘部分，以便固定晶片，使得晶片和夹持器组件与晶片卡盘同步旋转。

公开(公告)号：US09960070B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-01

申请号：US14683555

申请日：2015-04-10

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Luping Huang

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  B25B11/00 ,  F16J3/04 ,  H01L21/687

CPC classification number: H01L21/6838 ,  B25B11/005 ,  F16J3/047 ,  H01L21/68785

Abstract: A vacuum chuck has at least one suction assembly that pulls a wafer surface toward a chucking surface. The suction assembly may be used with a wafer that is warped. A suction force engages a pad of a suction assembly with the wafer surface and retracts a bellows of the suction assembly. As the bellows retracts and draws the wafer surface closer to the chucking surface, the suction force provided by the vacuum chuck can pull the wafer flat.

公开(公告)号：US20180108559A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-19

申请号：US15383207

申请日：2016-12-19

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Aviv Balan ,  Luping Huang ,  Savita Chandan ,  Chia-Chu Chen ,  Teck Meriam

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: Methods and systems for vacuum mounting a warped, thin substrate onto a flat chuck are presented herein. A vacuum chuck includes three or more collapsible bellows that move above the chuck and into contact with a warped substrate. The bellows seal and vacuum clamp onto the backside surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the bellows collapse by at least five hundred micrometers while clamping. An extensible sealing element is mounted in a recessed annular channel on the surface of the chuck body. As the substrate moves toward the chucking surface, the extensible sealing element extends at least five millimeters above the chuck body and into contact with the substrate. As the space between the chuck and the substrate is evacuated, the extensible sealing element collapse into the recessed annular channel, and the substrate is clamped onto the flat chucking surface of chuck body.

公开(公告)号：US10468288B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-05

申请号：US15383207

申请日：2016-12-19

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Aviv Balan ,  Luping Huang ,  Savita Chandan ,  Chia-Chu Chen ,  Teck Meriam

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Methods and systems for vacuum mounting a warped, thin substrate onto a flat chuck are presented herein. A vacuum chuck includes three or more collapsible bellows that move above the chuck and into contact with a warped substrate. The bellows seal and vacuum clamp onto the backside surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the bellows collapse by at least five hundred micrometers while clamping. An extensible sealing element is mounted in a recessed annular channel on the surface of the chuck body. As the substrate moves toward the chucking surface, the extensible sealing element extends at least five millimeters above the chuck body and into contact with the substrate. As the space between the chuck and the substrate is evacuated, the extensible sealing element collapse into the recessed annular channel, and the substrate is clamped onto the flat chucking surface of chuck body.

公开(公告)号：US10381256B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-13

申请号：US15065430

申请日：2016-03-09

Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION

Inventor： Pradeep Subrahmanyan ,  Luping Huang ,  Chris Pohlhammer

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: An apparatus for fixing a wafer, including a chuck having a surface, a plurality of through bores in the chuck extending through the surface of the chuck, a fixed vacuum bellows, and a plurality of floating air bearings, wherein the fixed vacuum bellows and a respective floating air bearing of the plurality of floating air bearings are each individually arranged in separate through bores of the plurality of through bores and elevationally above the surface of the chuck.

公开(公告)号：US09653338B2

公开(公告)日：2017-05-16

申请号：US14571000

申请日：2014-12-15

Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation

Inventor： Luping Huang

IPC: G01N21/00 ,  H01L21/683 ,  G01N21/95 ,  H01L21/687 ,  G01N21/84

CPC classification number: H01L21/6838 ,  G01N21/9503 ,  G01N2021/8461 ,  H01L21/68728 ,  Y10T29/49998 ,  Y10T279/11

Abstract: A non-contact wafer chucking apparatus includes a wafer chuck and a gripper assembly coupled to a portion of the wafer chuck. The wafer chuck includes pressurized gas elements configured to generate pressurized gas regions across a surface of the wafer chuck suitable for elevating the wafer above the surface of the wafer chuck. The wafer chuck further includes vacuum elements configured to generate reduced pressure regions across the surface of the wafer chuck having a pressure lower than the pressurized gas regions. The reduced pressure regions are suitable for securing the wafer above the wafer chuck without contact to the wafer chuck. The chucking apparatus includes a rotational drive unit configured to selectively rotate the wafer chuck. The gripper elements are reversibly couplable to an edge portion of the wafer so as to secure the wafer such that the wafer and gripper assembly rotate synchronously with the wafer chuck.