Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for retaining wafers

US4817556A · kind A · utility

31Cited by
34References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 4, 1987
Grant dateApr 4, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 4, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T279/31
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A device for releaseably holding a workpiece includes a resilient collet which is pivotally attached to a base. Several fingers for holding the workpiece extend from the collet. The fingers are pivoted by actuating a member which elastically deforms the collet and causes the fingers to pivot from a position for engaging the workpiece to a position for releasing the workpiece and vice-versa. In one application, the base is a platen for supporting a wafer in a semiconductor processing system and a plurality of such platens and a corresponding plurality of the holding devices are arranged around the periphery of the disk. A counterweight ring is attached to the ring-shaped collet to counter-balance the moment generated by the centrifugal force of the wafer pressing against the fingers as the disk is rotated.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.