Apparatus for wafer detection
US6075375A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 13, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 11, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02N13/00
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and a method for detecting the presence and position of a wafer upon a semiconductor wafer support pedestal surface. Specifically, a wafer detector comprising a plurality of electrodes on a surface of the wafer support pedestal. The electrodes are coupled to a capacitance measurement circuit that measures the capacitance between the electrodes and generates a signal corresponding to a wafer's presence, location and chucking condition. The wafer's presence completes an electrical circuit between the electrodes, increasing the capacitance between the electrodes. As such, the presence of a wafer, the position of the wafer, and the condition of the wafer, i.e., wafer damage, can be detected upon a wafer support pedestal during wafer processing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.