The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 2020
Filed:
Dec. 10, 2018
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Aaron Louis LaBrie, Sherwood, OR (US);
Claudiu Valentin Puha, Aloha, OR (US);
Robert Marshall Stowell, Wilsonville, OR (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
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.