High-hardness-material-powder infused elastomer for high friction and compliance for silicon wafer transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017040205-A1
Application number	US-201615219663-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 26, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2015
Publication date	Feb 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein, a contact pad for use on a robot arm in transfer chamber in a wafer processing tool is provided, comprising an elastomer body and a high hardness powder doping a surface of the elastomer body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A contact pad for use on a robot arm in a wafer processing tool, comprising:
an elastomer body; and a high hardness powder doping a surface of the elastomer body.

2 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the elastomer body comprises:
a contact surface; and an attaching stem for attaching the contact pad to an end effector.

3 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 2 , wherein the elastomer body further comprises a neck connected between the contact surface and the attaching stem, wherein the neck has a width that is less than half a width of the contact surface.

4 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 3 , wherein the high hardness powder comprises at least one of alumina (aluminum-oxide), zirconia (zirconium-oxide), silicon-carbide, boron-carbide, tungsten-carbide, aluminum-nitride, silicon-nitride, or diamond.

5 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 4 , wherein the elastomer body comprises at least one of unsaturated rubbers, saturated rubbers, or thermoplastics.

6 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 4 , wherein the elastomer body comprises perfluoroelastomers.

7 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the high hardness powder comprises at least one of alumina (aluminum-oxide), zirconia (zirconium-oxide), silicon-carbide, boron-carbide, tungsten-carbide, aluminum-nitride, silicon-nitride, or diamond.

8 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 7 , wherein the elastomer body comprises at least one of unsaturated rubbers, saturated rubbers, or thermoplastics.

9 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 7 , wherein the elastomer body comprises perfluoroelastomers.

10 . A processing tool, for processing a substrate, comprising:
a load lock chamber; a transport module chamber connected to the load lock chamber, wherein the transport module chamber comprises:
an end effector; and
at least three contact pads connected to the end effector, wherein each contact pad comprises:
an elastomer body; and
a high hardness powder doping a surface of the elastomer body; and

at least one processing chamber connected to the transport module chamber.

11 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 10 , wherein each elastomer body comprises:
a contact surface; and an attaching stem for attaching the contact pad to an end effector.

12 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 11 , wherein each elastomer body further comprises a neck connected between the contact surface and the attaching stem, wherein the neck has a width that is less than half a width of the contact surface.

13 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 12 , wherein the high hardness powder comprises at least one of alumina (aluminum-oxide), zirconia (zirconium-oxide), silicon-carbide, boron-carbide, tungsten-carbide, aluminum-nitride, silicon-nitride, or diamond.

14 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 13 , wherein the elastomer body comprises at least one of unsaturated rubbers, saturated rubbers, or thermoplastics.

15 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 13 , wherein the elastomer body comprises perfluoroelastomers.

16 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 10 , wherein the high hardness powder comprises at least one of alumina (aluminum-oxide), zirconia (zirconium-oxide), silicon-carbide, boron-carbide, tungsten-carbide, aluminum-nitride, silicon-nitride, or diamond.

17 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 16 , wherein the elastomer body comprises at least one of unsaturated rubbers, saturated rubbers, or thermoplastics.

18 . The contact pad, as recited in claim 16 , wherein the elastomer body comprises perfluoroelastomers.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Hiester Jacob L
• Blank Richard M
• Ringold Tyson L
• Woytowitz Peter J
• Salek Mohsen S

Classifications

• H10P72/3302 Primary

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/7602 Primary

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• B25J15/0014

  having fork, comb or plate shaped means for engaging the lower surface on a object to be transported · CPC title

• B25J9/0012

  making use of synthetic construction materials, e.g. plastics, composites · CPC title

• H01L21/67201

  Electricity · mapped topic