Programmable ultraclean electromagnetic substrate rotation apparatus and method for microelectronics manufacturing equipment
US5871588A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC23C16/4584
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus and method for wafer rotation in microelectronics manufacturing equipment is presented. The present invention combines an external stator assembly having a plurality of electromagnetic actuator coils with an internal rotor assembly having a plurality of multipolar permanent magnets or ferromagnetic coupling tabs. The rotor assembly supports the semiconductor wafer or any other substrate inside the process chamber. The electromagnetic actuator coils of the stator assembly receive a plurality of multi-phase, controlled frequency electrical currents to create magnetic fields around the actuator coils that interact with the multipolar permanent magnets or ferromagnetic coupling tabs of the rotor assembly to provide the rotational force to rotate the rotor assembly and thus, rotate the semiconductor wafer or any other substrate within the process chamber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.