Patent ID: 6551404
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An apparatus for treating a wafer manufactured from semiconducting material, the apparatus comprising a first and a second housing part arranged for movement away from and towards each other, the two housing parts in a closed position, moved together, bounding a treatment chamber, at least one gas feed channel being provided in the first and/or second housing part which opens into the treatment chamber, the first and the second housing part around the treatment chamber being provided with a first and second boundary surface respectively, while in the closed position a gap is present between the first and the second boundary surface for discharging the gas fed into the treatment chamber in radially outward direction, wherein in at least one of the two boundary surfaces, there is provided a first groove connected to gas discharge means, while in at least one of the two boundary surfaces, there is provided a second groove connected to gas feed means, both the first and the second groove extending substantially along the circumference of the treatment chamber, the first groove being located radially within the second groove, and, in use, the pressure created by the gas feed means being such that from the second groove, gas flows both in radial inward and in radial outward direction in the gap between the first and the second boundary surface, wherein in the first and/or the second housing part, gas feed channels are provided which open into the treatment chamber through a treatment surface facing the treatment chamber to form a gas bearing in the treatment chamber for supporting the wafer contactlessly in the treatment chamber.