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:
Jun. 12, 2018
Filed:
May. 20, 2016
Applied Materials Israel Ltd., Rehovot, IL;
Michael R. Rice, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Ron Naftali, Shoham, IL;
Natan Schlimoff, Rehovot, IL;
Igor Krivts (Krayvitz), Rehovot, IL;
Israel Avneri, Ramat-Gan, IL;
Yoram Uziel, Misgav, IL;
Zvika Rozenberg, Mevaselet, IL;
Erez Admoni, Petach-Tikva, IL;
Yochanan Madmon, Qiryat Equron, IL;
APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD., Rehovot, IL;
Abstract
Chamber elements defining an internal chamber to be utilized during a substrate related stage selected from the group consisting of substrate manufacturing stage and substrate inspection stage, the chamber elements comprising: a first element having a first surface; a second element having a second surface about the periphery of the internal chamber; a third element connected to the second element; and a clamping mechanism that is connected to the second and third elements and is arranged to press the second element towards the first element; wherein a first area of the first surface and a second area of the second surface come into proximity with each other at a first interface; wherein the first surface is positioned above the second surface; wherein a gas groove and a vacuum groove are formed in the second area; wherein the second element comprises a gas conduit that is arranged to provide gas to the gas groove and a vacuum conduit that is arranged to provide vacuum to the vacuum groove; wherein a provision of the gas and the vacuum assists in a formation of a gas cushion between the first and second areas; wherein the chamber elements are operable to partially surround a first portion of a movement system and a substrate during the substrate related stage, the movement system is arranged to introduce a movement of the first element in relation to the second element and the third element, wherein the gas cushion maintains predefined conditions in the internal chamber during the movement.