Lam Research Corporation

Aaron Louis LaBrie

Claudiu Valentin Puha

Cian Sweeney

Robert Lynden Braendle

Robert Marshall Stowell

Some examples provide a vacuum wafer chuck assembly for supporting a wafer. An example chuck assembly comprises a chuck hub and a centering hub disposed within the chuck hub. Chuck arms are mounted to the chuck hub, with each chuck arm extending radially between a proximal end adjacent the chuck hub, and a distal end remote therefrom. At least one vacuum pad is provided for supporting the wafer during a wafer centering or wafer processing operation. A vacuum sensor detects a presence or absence of a vacuum pressure at the vacuum pad during the wafer centering or processing operation, a detection indicative of a presence or absence of the wafer in the chuck assembly, or a presence of a defective wafer.

Detecting wafer status in a wafer chuck assembly

Some examples provide a vacuum wafer chuck assembly for supporting a wafer. An example chuck assembly comprises a chuck hub and a centering hub disposed within the chuck hub. Chuck arms are mounted to the chuck hub, with each chuck arm extending radially between a proximal end adjacent the chuck hub, and a distal end remote therefrom. A plurality of centering cams is provided, each cam mounted at or towards a distal end of a chuck arm and being movable radially inwardly or outwardly relative to the centering hub to engage or release an edge of a supported wafer in response to a rotational movement of the centering hub. At least one vacuum pad is provided for supporting the wafer during a wafer centering or wafer processing operation.

Wafer chuck assembly

A chuck useful for supporting a wafer during an edge bevel removal (EBR) process comprises a rotatable center hub having a plurality of support arms extending outwardly from the rotatable center hub, support pins on ends of the support arms, gas passages extending through upper surfaces of the support pins, and gas conduits in the support arms. The gas conduits supply gas to the gas passages or apply a vacuum to the gas passages. The support arms can include alignment cams which are rotatable from an outer non-alignment position away from a periphery of the wafer to an inner alignment position at which the wafer is centered. During centering, the wafer is floated on a gas cushion which reduces wear of the support pins.

Chuck for edge bevel removal and method for centering a wafer prior to edge bevel removal

The present disclosure generally relates to chuck technology for supporting semiconductor wafers during processing. In one example, a wafer chuck assembly comprises a chuck hub and a centering hub disposed within the chuck hub. An engagement device is operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position respectively to engage the chuck hub with the centering hub to prevent relative movement therebetween in at least a first direction, or to allow relative movement therebetween. A chuck motor is provided for selectively rotating the chuck hub and/or the centering hub during a wafer processing operation and a wafer centering operation based on an engaged or disengaged position of the engagement device. A plurality of chuck arms is mounted to the chuck hub, each chuck arm extending radially between a proximal end adjacent the chuck hub, and a distal end remote therefrom. Each of a plurality of centering cams is mounted at or towards a distal end of a chuck arm, and movable to engage or release a wafer edge in response to rotational movement of the centering hub relative to the chuck hub.

Growing community of inventors

Sherwood, OR, United States of America

Aaron Louis LaBrie