Micron Technology Incorporated

Rex A Smith

Shawn D Davis

Bruce L Hayes

Timothy A Strodtbeck

John S Molebash

A support including a plate having a top surface and a receiving hole, a lift element having a contacting end disposed through the receiving hole, a sensor disposed in a bore in the contacting end of the lift element, and a support member adjacent the top surface.

Thermal conditioning apparatus

A method of disposing a wafer on a support member protruding from a surface. The method includes supporting the wafer in a first position defined by a lift extending through the surface and manipulating the surface to place the wafer on the support member.

A method of exhausting vapors emanating from a surface. The method includes enclosing the surface and dividing the enclosed area into a stagnant region adjacent the surface and an interior region in communication with the stagnant region. The method also includes applying a suction to the interior region and admitting air into the interior region.

A vapor control apparatus including an endless rim, a stagnation plate and a cover having an exhaust port. The endless rim has a first edge engaging the cover, a second edge opposite the first edge, an interior region and an exterior region defined by the rim and the cover, and a flow passage from the interior region to the exterior region adjacent the cover. The exhaust port is in fluid communication with the interior region and the second edge is seatable on a wafer support. A stagnation plate is disposed in the interior region, defining a stagnant region intermediate the stagnation plate and the surface, and defining at least one flow path in fluid communication with the stagnant region and the interior region.

A wafer support including a plate having a top surface and a lift element opening extending trough said plate. The support also includes a support member adjacent the top surface having a proximal end, a distal end and a bore from the proximal to the distal end and a vacuum source in communication with the bore. The support furthermore includes a lift element having a contacting end disposed through the lift element opening and a drive coupled to at least one of the plate and the lift element.

Apparatuses are provided for thermally conditioning material. The apparatus includes a plate having a top surface for receiving material, a temperature controller connected to control the temperature of the top surface of the plate and the temperature controller is controlled by a computer controller. In a preferred embodiment, three tubular shaped ceramic support members, each containing a bore, are provided to support the material and a negative pressure source is provided in fluid communication with the bores. In addition, three lift elements having contacting ends are slidably disposed through receiving holes in the thermal conditioning plate and aligned to support the material on the contacting ends. Preferably, at least one of the lift pins contains a bore with a sensor positioned to detect the presence of material on the contacting end of the lift pin and provide a signal to the computer controller that can be used to control the negative pressure source and the relative movement of the plate and lift pins. Also, in a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes an exhausted cover providing for a stagnation region adjacent to the material during operation, thereby providing for more uniform heat transfer to the material.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Rex A Smith