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. 18, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 10, 2008
William D. Lee, Newburyport, MA (US);
Ashwin M. Purohit, Gloucester, MA (US);
Marvin R. Lafontaine, Kingston, NH (US);
Richard J. Rzeszut, Billerica, MA (US);
William D. Lee, Newburyport, MA (US);
Ashwin M. Purohit, Gloucester, MA (US);
Marvin R. LaFontaine, Kingston, NH (US);
Richard J. Rzeszut, Billerica, MA (US);
Axcelis Technologies, Inc., Beverly, MA (US);
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for declamping a semiconductor wafer that is electrically adhered to a surface of an electrostatic chuck by a clamping voltage. In this method, the clamping voltage is deactivated. For a time following the deactivation, a first region of the wafer is lifted an first distance from the surface of the electrostatic chuck while a second region of the wafer remains adhered to the surface of the electrostatic chuck. A predetermined condition is monitored during the time. The second region is lifted from the surface of the electrostatic chuck when the predetermined condition is met.