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. 26, 2000
Filed:
May. 18, 1999
Vincent P Mulligan, Port Ewen, NY (US);
Charles R Tompkins, Jr, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Wing Fung Yuen, Fishkill, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A vacuum holding chuck is presented. The vacuum holding chuck of the present invention is particularly well suited for holding semiconductor wafers of multiple diameters during various testing and manufacturing operations. In an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum chuck comprises a body having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the first surface includes first and second recessed circular platforms to receive wafers having first and second diameters, respectively. The second surface includes at least one recessed circular platform to receive a wafer having a third diameter. Each circular platform is defined at least in part by an annular shoulder and each circular platform further includes a vacuum trough which is connected to a vacuum source which when activated, evacuates the air from the vacuum trough and securely holds a wafer in place within the circular platform.