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:
Apr. 10, 2018
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2016
M Cubed Technologies, Inc., Newtown, CT (US);
Edward Gratrix, Monroe, CT (US);
M Cubed Technologies, Inc., Newtown, CT (US);
Abstract
In a wafer chuck design featuring pins or 'mesas' making up the support surface, engineering the pins to have an annular shape, or to contain holes or pits, minimizes sticking of the wafer, and improves wafer settling. In another aspect of the invention is a tool and method for imparting or restoring flatness and roughness to a surface, such as the support surface of a wafer chuck. The tool is shaped such that the contact to the surface being treated is a circle or annulus. The treatment method may take place in a dedicated apparatus, or in-situ in semiconductor fabrication apparatus. The tool is smaller than the diameter of the wafer pin chuck, and may be approximate to the spatial frequency of the high spots to be lapped. The movement of the tool relative to the support surface is such that all areas of the support surface may be processed by the tool, or only those areas needing correction.