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:
Jul. 11, 2006
Filed:
May. 09, 2002
William Jones, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Paul Moroz, Marblehead, MA (US);
Andrej Mitrovic, Phoenix, AZ (US);
William Jones, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Paul Moroz, Marblehead, MA (US);
Andrej Mitrovic, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus determines how well a semiconductor wafer () is clamped to a support member (). The apparatus has at least one ultrasonic transducer () configured to emit ultrasonic energy () toward an interface between the water () and the support member () so that the interface generates echo signals, and a data processing unit () configured to analyze the echo signals to arrive at a determination as to how well the semiconductor wafer () is clamped to the support member (before semiconductor process is started. A first method ensures that a wafer () is securely clamped to a support member before a semiconductor process is started. A second method verifies proper de-clamping of a semiconductor wafer () from a support member () before the semiconductor wafer () is removed from the support member () upon completion of a semiconductor process.