International Business Machines Corporation

Robert T Valley

Gary P Viens

James R Weightman

Raymond H Richardson

A spin-apply tool avoids contamination of a substrate back surface by providing exhaust along or beyond a periphery of a splash shield. The peripheral exhaust pulls a mist of droplets of liquid spun off the substrate away from the substrate. The spin-apply tool includes a spin chuck for holding the substrate, a basin extending around the chuck, a splash shield in the basin, and an exhaust substantially symmetric with the center of the substrate. The chuck surface defines a plane, and the splash shield extends as a ring around the chuck at an angle to that plane sufficient to deflect liquid flying off the chuck down to the basin. The basin may have a removable liner that can be cleaned and reused. Use of solvent to clean the backside of substrates is avoided. And a basin drain is eliminated, eliminating the need for any solvent consumption.

Spin-apply tool having exhaust ring

A conveying system for pneumatically conveying fragile, light weight workpieces by timed pulses of compressed air. Each pulse of air is used to propel a workpiece along a path that leads into a downwardly sloping chute and to decelerate the workpiece after it travels a selected distance down the chute so that all the initial momentum given the workpiece by the pulse of air is removed such that the workpiece will continue down the chute only under the influence of gravity. By decelerating or retarding the propelled workpiece it is prevented from impacting against queued workpieces, that proceeded it down the chute, with a high velocity that can cause breaking, chipping or jamming of the workpieces.

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South Burlington, VT, United States of America

Robert T Valley