Patent ID: 6578853
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G03F,H01L,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A chuck assembly for use in preparing a substrate, the chuck assembly comprising:a chuck body designed to have a cylindrical shape configured to reduce air disturbance around a surface of the substrate, the chuck body having an outer ring and an inner ring, the outer ring being connected to the inner ring with a plurality of spokes, each spoke being configured to house a linkage arm; a chuck top plate having a ring, the chuck top plate configured to be attached to a top surface of the chuck body; a plurality of grippers, each gripper being coupled to the chuck body with a rotation pin and to the respective linkage arm with a linkage pin, each gripper being configured to pivot about the respective rotation pin between a substantially upright position and a substantially flat position so as to engage or disengage the substrate; and a conical-type wedge having an angled sidewall and a substantially central throughbore, a radius at a top region of the conical-type wedge being greater than a radius at a bottom region of the conical-type wedge, the conical-type wedge being configured to move between a lower position and an upper position, wherein in the lower position the grippers are at the substantially upright position and in the upper position the grippers are at the substantially flat position.