Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Shih-Chang Hsu

Ming-Te Chen

Li-Chung Wang

Wen-Shan Chang

Da-Hsiang Chou

Cheng-Chia Kuo

Jung-Chang Chen

Kuo-Ming Yu

Kuo-Chuan Chen

Jong-Min Lin

A clamp for quickly, effectively and safely removing a cathode collar from an HDP deposition chamber for routine maintenance, cleaning or replacement of the collar. The clamp includes a pair of clamp plates which are capable of pivoting movement on respective ends of a connecting rod. A clamp shoe for gripping a corresponding edge of the annular collar is provided on the bottom end of each clamp plate, and a turnbuckle is fitted with a pair of threaded shafts which engage the upper end portions of the respective clamp plates. By rotating the turnbuckle, the threaded shafts are advanced away from each other against the clamp plates, which pivot on the connecting rod and cause the clamp shoes to tightly engage respective edges of the collar. The clamp is grasped to lift the collar from the chamber and replace the collar in the chamber after cleaning or maintenance.

Collar removing clamp for HDP chamber

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Shih-Chang Hsu