Substrate holding apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016141201-A1
Application number	US-201514935893-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 9, 2015
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is disclosed an improved substrate holding apparatus which can minimize deformation of a spring, which is provided to bias a support post for supporting a substrate, even when a large centrifugal force acts on the spring. The substrate holding apparatus includes: a support post movable in an axial direction thereof; a chuck provided on the support post and configured to hold a periphery of a substrate; a spring biasing the support post in the axial direction; a first structure configured to restrict a movement of an upper portion of the spring in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the support post; and a second structure configured to restrict a movement of a lower portion of the spring in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the support post.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A substrate holding apparatus comprising:
a support post movable in an axial direction thereof; a chuck provided on the support post and configured to hold a periphery of a substrate; a spring biasing the support post in the axial direction; a first structure configured to restrict a movement of an upper portion of the spring in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the support post; and a second structure configured to restrict a movement of a lower portion of the spring in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the support post.

2 . The substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first structure has an inner circumferential surface that surrounds the upper portion of the spring, and the second structure is disposed inside the spring and has an outer circumferential surface that supports the lower portion of the spring.

3 . The substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first structure is disposed inside the spring and has an outer circumferential surface that supports the upper portion of the spring, and the second structure has an inner circumferential surface that surrounds the lower portion of the spring.

4 . The substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support post is rotatable relative to the second structure.

5 . The substrate holding apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a moving mechanism configured to move the support post in the axial direction against a force of the spring; and a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the support post about its axis in conjunction with a movement of the support post in the axial direction.

6 . The substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the support post is one of a plurality of support posts, the chuck is one of a plurality of chucks, the spring is one of a plurality of springs, the first structure is one of a plurality of first structures, and the second structure is one of a plurality of second structures; and the substrate holding apparatus further comprises a coupling ring which couples the plurality of support posts to each other.

7 . The substrate holding apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of support posts and the plurality of chucks are arranged along the periphery of the substrate.

Assignees

• Ebara Corp

Inventors

• Toyomura Naoki
• Miyazaki Mitsuru
• Inoue Takuya

Classifications

• H10P72/7608 Primary

  characterised by a plurality of separate clamping members, e.g. clamping fingers · CPC title

• H10P72/70

  for supporting or gripping · CPC title

• H10P72/7624

  characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support · CPC title

• H10P72/7618

  characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel · CPC title

• H10P72/7614

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