Patent · US Expired

Method for aligning a wafer

US6063440A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
2References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 11, 1997
Grant dateMay 16, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 11, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/68
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method for aligning a wafer on a support member within a vacuum chamber includes increasing the pressure within the vacuum chamber to at least about 1 Torr before aligning the wafer. The wafer is introduced into the vacuum chamber on the support member, the pressure is increased to at least about one Torr, and the support member is lifted into a shadow ring that has a frustoconical inner cavity constructed to funnel the wafer to a centered, aligned position.

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