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:
Sep. 30, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 29, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Tudor Thomas, Cardiff, GB;
Robert John Williams, Gwent, GB;
Assignee:
Surface Technology Systems PLC, Gwent, GB;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/168 ; H02N 1/300 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 2/168 ; H02N 1/300 ;
Abstract
There is provided a method of dechucking from an electrostatic chuck a substrate held by one or more residual forces to the chuck, the method comprising the steps of: (a) reducing a residual chucking force due to the electrostatic chuck polarisation; (b) contracting the chuck with the substrate attached thereto with a plasma for a time sufficient substantially to remove any residual charge from the surface of the substrate and the chuck; and (c) subsequently to, or simultaneously with, step (b) removing the substrate from the chuck. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing the method.