Patent · US Expired

Vacuum plasma processing wherein workpiece position is detected prior to chuck being activated

US5670066A · kind A · utility

182Cited by
14References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 17, 1995
Grant dateSep 23, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 17, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T279/23
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A determination of whether a workpiece is properly positioned on an electrostatic chuck in a vacuum plasma processing chamber is made by measuring the capacitance across a pair of electrodes of the chuck. If the chuck is properly positioned, the workpiece is held in situ on the chuck by applying a DC voltage to the chuck. The workpiece is then processed by the plasma.

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