International Business Machines Corporation

Anne L Petrosky

Conal Eugene Murray

Ismail C Noyan

Steffen K Kaldor

Mohammed Fazil Fayaz

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for flattening a warped substrate. The substrate is placed on a planar surface of a clamping apparatus in direct mechanical contact with the planar surface. The substrate comprises surface regions S, S, . . . , Shaving an average warpage of W, W, . . . , W, respectively, wherein W&#x2266;W&#x2266; . . . &#x2266;Wand W&#x2266;W. Zones Z, Z, . . . , Zof the planar surface respectively comprise vacuum port groups G, G, . . . , G. Each group comprises at least one vacuum port. N is at least 2. A vacuum pressure P, P, . . . , Pis generated at each vacuum port within group G, G, . . . , G, at a time of T, T, . . . , Tto clamp surface region S, S, . . . , Sto zone Z, Z, . . . , Z, respectively. The vacuum pressure P, P, . . . , Pis maintained at the vacuum ports of group G, G, . . . , G, respectively, until time T. T&#x3c;T&#x3c; . . . &#x3c;T&#x3c;T.

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Lagrangeville, NY, United States of America

Anne L Petrosky