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:
Dec. 15, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 04, 1996
Phil Salzman, San Jose, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for lifting a wafer, or other such workpiece, from the surface of pedestal in a semiconductor wafer processing system. More specifically, the apparatus relates to a lift pin that is guided by a guide bushing and a guide pin. Preferably, the lift pin is hollow and is slideably engaged with a guide pin. The guide pin is fixed relative to the pedestal and coaxially aligned with a lift pin bore in the pedestal. An actuator drives the lift pin along the guide pin from a fully retracted lift pin position to a fully extended lift pin position. A guide bushing, located in the pedestal proximate the lift pin, also guides the lift pin as the pin passes through the lift pin bore. The guide bushing forms a lip seal between the lift pin and the pedestal. Furthermore, a bellows surrounding the lift pin and the guide pin, can also be used to preserve the integrity of the chamber environment.