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:
Jan. 02, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 09, 1999
Steven W. Taatjes, West Linn, OR (US);
John F. Ostrowski, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Novellus Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A dynamic chuck for holding a semiconductor wafer or other substrate includes a plurality of clamping arms mounted radially about a central axis of rotation of the wafer or other substrate. Each of the arms is mounted such that it is free to pivot about a horizontal axis. As the chuck rotates the substrate, a centrifugal force acts on each of the arms, causing it to pivot about its axis of rotation and thereby forcing a holding surface of the arm against a peripheral edge of the substrate. The dynamic chuck is applicable to any type of device in which a semiconductor wafer or other substrate must be held in a centered positioned while it is being spun, including wafer cleaning and rinsing apparatus.