Patent ID: 6183189
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A wafer chuck for positioning and releasably holding a wafer comprising:a support platform having an upper surface means for receiving, positioning, and supporting thereon the wafer;wafer banking pins affixed to said support platform used for positioning said wafer;a device for lowering and raising the wafer;a lifting device acting on the wafer when it rests on the support platform to move the wafer hoizontally relative to said support platform in a slanted direction away from said support platform, said lifting device having a plurality of wafer lifting fingers, said wafer lifting fingers cooperatively extending in two pairs in a slanted but substantially vertical direction, a first pair moving in a linear slanted direction, a second pair moving in a curvilinear direction, said two pairs extending synchronously, said wafer lifting fingers disposed in a pattern to be supportive of said wafer, each of said wafer lifting fingers having an end portion movable relative to said support platform, between a first retracted position in which it is lowered from the upper surface means of said support platform and a second extended position in which it is raised beyond the upper surface menas of said support platform so as to engage the wafer for lifting it relative to said support platform,a driving means to collectively engage distal ends of said pairs of wafer lifting fingers for moving said pairs of wafer lifting fingers between said first and second positions, wherein said driving means is disposed so as to be effectively associated with the distal end portions of said wafer lifting fingers.