Rotary wafer positioning system and method
US5982132A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/2036
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for positioning rectilinearly a wafer holding platform by performing rotations in a positioning system. A method comprises coupling a first clamp to a wafer holding platform, decoupling a second clamp from the wafer holding platform, and rotating the first clamp to cause the wafer holding platform to be moved to a first position. Further couplings, decouplings, and rotations may be performed to achieve a rectilinear translation to a final position without a resultant rotation after the rectilinear translation. An apparatus of the invention comprises a first clamp having a first axis of rotation, a second clamp having a second axis of rotation, where the first axis and the second axis are not concentric. A wafer holding platform is independently couplable to the first clamp and to the second clamp and has a plurality of points on the wafer holding platform which are positionable at a plurality of X,Y locations by rotating independently the first and second clamps.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.