Substrate lift pin actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10283397-B2
Application number	US-201615135496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2016
Priority date	Jul 27, 2015
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

Implementations described herein provide a lift pin actuator. The lift pin actuator has a housing. The housing has an interior volume. A track is disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the housing. A center shaft is at least partially disposed in the interior volume of the housing. A guide is movably coupled to the track. At least one internal bellows is disposed in the interior volume, the internal bellows form a seal between the center shaft and the housing. An elastic member is disposed in the interior volume and configured to apply a force that retracts the center shaft into the housing. An inlet port is configured to introduce fluid into the interior volume between the internal bellows and the housing. The fluid generates a force opposing the elastic member to extend the center shaft relative to the housing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A lift pin actuator, comprising:
a housing having an interior volume;
a track disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the housing;
a center shaft at least partially disposed in the interior volume;
a guide stop extending along the track in the interior volume, the guide stop having an upper hard stop and a lower hard stop;
a guide configured to:
secure the center shaft; and
slide on the track between a first position and a second position;

at least one internal bellows disposed in the interior volume, the internal bellows forming a seal between the center shaft and the housing;
an elastic member disposed in the interior volume and configured to apply an elastic force that retracts the center shaft into the housing; and
an inlet port configured to introduce fluid into the interior volume between the internal bellows and the housing that generates a fluid force opposing the elastic member to extend the center shaft relative to the housing.

2. The lift pin actuator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a band disposed on the center shaft, a position of the band relative to the center shaft adjustable to adjust the elastic force exerted on the center shaft by the elastic member.

3. The lift pin actuator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal bellows comprises at least two axially aligned internal bellows.

4. The lift pin actuator of claim 3 , further comprising:
a bellows guide disposed between adjacent internal bellows, the bellows guide configured to maintain axial alignment of the internal bellows relative to the housing.

5. The lift pin actuator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sleeve disposed between the elastic member and the housing.

6. The lift pin actuator of claim 1 , wherein bearings of the guide are spring loaded.

7. The lift pin actuator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor configured to provide a metric indicative of a position of the center shaft.

8. The lift pin actuator of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises:
apertures for providing access to fasteners for mounting the track to the housing; and
removable plugs sealing disposed in the apertures.

9. A substrate support assembly, comprising:
a substrate support having a workpiece surface configured to support a substrate thereon;
a lift pin disposed through the substrate support configured to raise and lower the substrate from the workpiece surface; and
a lift pin actuator coupled to the lift pin and operable to retract and extend the lift pin, the lift pin actuator further comprising:
a housing having an interior volume;
a track disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the housing;
a center shaft coupled to the lift pin and at least partially disposed in the interior volume;
a guide stop extending along the track in the interior volume, the guide stop having an upper hard stop and a lower hard stop;
a guide configured to:
secure the center shaft; and
slide on the track between a first position and a second position;

at least one internal bellows disposed in the interior volume, the internal bellows forming a seal between the center shaft and the housing;
an elastic member disposed in the interior volume and configured to apply an elastic force that retracts the center shaft into the housing; and
an inlet port configured to introduce fluid into the interior volume between the internal bellows and the housing that generates a fluid force opposing the elastic member to extend the center shaft relative to the housing.

10. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a pedestal assembly, wherein the pedestal assembly comprises:
a base; and
a facility plate disposed between the base and the substrate support.

11. The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lift pin actuator is disposed inside the pedestal assembly of the substrate support assembly.

12. The substrate support assembly of claim 10 , wherein the lift pin actuator is disposed below the pedestal assembly of the substrate support assembly.

13. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a band disposed on the center shaft, a position of the band relative to the center shaft adjustable to adjust the elastic force exerted on the center shaft by the elastic member.

14. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one internal bellows comprises at least two axially aligned internal bellows.

15. The substrate support assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a bellows guide disposed between adjacent internal bellows, the bellows guide configured to maintain axial alignment of the internal bellows relative to the housing.

16. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a sleeve disposed between the elastic member and the housing.

17. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein bearings of the guide are spring loaded.

18. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor configured to provide a metric indicative of a position of the center shaft.

19. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the housing further comprises:
apertures for providing access to fasteners for mounting the track to the housing; and
removable plugs sealing disposed in the apertures.

20. The lift pin actuator of claim 1 , wherein the guide is configured to contact the upper hard stop at the first position and the lower hard stop at the second position.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Willwerth Michael D
• Cotlear Roberto Cesar

Classifications

• H10P72/72

  using electrostatic chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/7614

  characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions · CPC title

• H10P72/7612 Primary

  characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins · CPC title

• B66F3/247

  pneumatically actuated (B66F3/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66F3/25

  Constructional features · CPC title