Substrate transfer mechanisms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9905454-B2
Application number	US-201514965228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2015
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

In one embodiment, a substrate support assembly includes a susceptor for supporting a substrate, and a supporting transfer mechanism coupled to the susceptor, the supporting transfer mechanism having a surface for supporting a peripheral edge of the substrate, the supporting transfer mechanism being movable relative to an upper surface of the susceptor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A substrate support assembly comprising:
a susceptor for supporting a substrate, the susceptor having a recessed surface with one or more ridges; and
a supporting transfer mechanism coupled to the susceptor, the supporting transfer mechanism having a surface for supporting a peripheral edge of the substrate, the supporting transfer mechanism being movable relative to an upper surface of the susceptor, wherein the supporting transfer mechanism comprises:
a disc-shaped body;
annular portions extending from a perimeter of the disc-shaped body; and
a pocket formed in the annular portion to receive one of the one or more ridges of the recessed surface.

2. The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the supporting transfer mechanism comprises a ring.

3. The substrate support assembly of claim 2 , wherein the ring has a first gap.

4. The substrate support assembly of claim 3 , wherein the ring has a second gap opposing the first gap.

5. The substrate support assembly of claim 3 , wherein the susceptor comprises a recessed portion sized to receive the ring.

6. The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the supporting transfer mechanism comprises a plurality of ring segments.

7. The substrate support assembly of claim 6 , wherein the susceptor comprises a recessed portion sized to receive the ring segments.

8. The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of lift pins for supporting the susceptor.

9. The substrate support assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of support pins positioned radially outward of the plurality of lift pins.

10. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of lift pins are independently movable relative to the plurality of support pins.

11. The substrate support assembly of claim 9 , wherein each of the support pins comprises a flared head disposed on a shaft.

12. The substrate support assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flared head comprises a sloped surface.

13. The substrate support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the disc-shaped body comprises a detachable support plate.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Ishii Masato
• Samir Mehmet Tugrul
• Lau Shu Kwan
• Tobin Jeffrey

Classifications

• 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

• H10P72/7611

  characterised by edge profile or support profile · CPC title

• H10P72/7602 Primary

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

• H10P72/3306

  Horizontal transfer of a single workpiece · CPC title

• H10P72/0436 Primary

  mainly by radiation · CPC title