Patent Publication Number: US-2004046096-A1

Title: Support apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates in general to a support apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a support apparatus for a semiconductor process. The support apparatus supports and protects a substrate in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] A conventional CVD mechanism is shown in FIG. 1. A glass substrate  10  is placed on a mechanism  12  and a robot  14  transports the glass substrate  10 . The CVD mechanism  10  is in a heating chamber. In conventional LCD process, the length of the glass substrate  10  is about 650 mm to 750 mm, and the width of the glass substrate  10  is about 550 mm to 650 mm. As shown in FIG. 1, the glass substrate  10  sags by its own weight. The transport of the glass substrate  10  by the robot  14  is thereby obstructed. The larger the glass substrate  10 , the more serious the sagging.  
       [0005] As mentioned above, to prevent sagging of the substrate to enable smooth transport, a support apparatus is used. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a support apparatus placed in a CVD mechanism. A glass substrate  20  is placed on a mechanism  22 , and a plurality of support apparatuses is disposed on the mechanism  22 . The plurality of support apparatuses supports the glass substrate  20 , and the glass substrate  20  does not sag by weight. Thus, the robot  24  transports the glass substrate  20  successfully.  
       [0006] At this point, the profile and material of the support apparatus is very important. The conventional support apparatus is usually produced of stainless steel or ceramic. When the support apparatus is ceramic, the support apparatus is integral and the top of the support apparatus is a plate. A drawback of this support apparatus is its light weight. When the substrate moves, the support apparatus easily adheres to the substrate due to static electricity, damaging the substrate. Another drawback is that since the contact surface between the substrate and the support apparatus is plate, the substrate is more easily damaged. When the support apparatus is stainless steel, and the CVD mechanism is disposed in a high-temperature chamber, the stainless steel easily reacts with the glass, damaging the substrate. Thus, the support apparatus of ceramic or stainless steel has many disadvantages; it can scratch and damage the substrate. During subsequent process, the glass substrate must be cut. When the cut line passes through scrape marks made by the support apparatus, the glass substrate is broken more easily. Thus, production and efficiency are negatively impacted.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a support apparatus that protects the substrate and increases process efficiency and quality.  
       [0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support apparatus that comprises a base, a supporting portion, and a fixing portion. The supporting portion is disposed on the base. The fixing portion connects and fixes the base and the supporting portion. The support apparatus of the present invention is utilized in an apparatus of a semiconductor process to support and protect a glass substrate.  
       [0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support apparatus utilized in a semiconductor process that comprises a base, a supporting portion, and a retainer ring. The base defines a hole. The supporting portion passes through the hole and protrudes from the base. The retainer ring firmly connects the base and the supporting portion.  
       [0010] The present invention also provides a support apparatus utilized in a semiconductor process comprising a base, a supporting portion, and a cover. The base provides a groove and a first fixing portion. The supporting portion is disposed in the groove of the base. The cover has a second fixing portion and connects to the first fixing portion of the base. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0011] The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description in conjunction with the examples and references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional CVD mechanism;  
     [0013]FIG. 2FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional support apparatus in a CVD mechanism;  
     [0014]FIG. 3 a  is a cross section of a support apparatus of the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 3 b  is a perspective exploded view of a support apparatus of the present invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 4 a  is a cross section of a support apparatus of the present invention;  
     [0017]FIG. 4 b  is a cross section of a support apparatus of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0018] A support apparatus of the present invention comprises a base, a supporting portion, and a fixing portion. The supporting portion is disposed on the base. The fixing portion connects and fixes the base and the supporting portion. The support apparatus of the present invention is utilized in an apparatus of a semiconductor process to support and protect a glass substrate. The supporting portion has a round top. During assembly of the support apparatus, the supporting portion is placed on the base. The base and the supporting portion are fastened by the fixing portion. During use, the support apparatus is placed on a shaft in the CVD chamber. The supporting portion contacts the substrate and provides a supporting force thereto.  
     [0019]FIG. 3 a  is a cross section of a support apparatus of the present invention and FIG. 3 b  is a perspective exploded view of a support apparatus of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3 a  and FIG. 3 b , a support apparatus  30  of the present invention comprises a base  32 , a supporting portion  34 , and a fixing portion  36 . In this embodiment, the fixing portion  36  is a retainer ring.  
     [0020] The base  32  has a hole  321  in whose cross-section of the top is smaller than the bottom. The supporting portion  34  has a round top and a annular slot  341 . The fixing portion  36  is a standard C-shaped retainer ring. During assembly of the support apparatus  30 , the supporting portion  34  passes through the hole  321  of the base  32  from the underside thereof, such that the supporting portion  34  protrudes from the top of the base  32 . The fixing portion  36  then clips onto the supporting portion  34 , fitting into the annular slot  341  to connect the base  32  and the supporting portion  34 . During use, the support apparatus  30  is placed on a shaft in the CVD chamber. The supporting portion  34  of the support apparatus  30  contacts a substrate and provides a supporting force thereto.  
     [0021] Moreover, the base  32  mentioned above is stainless steel, having enough weight that the substrate does not adhere thereto due to static electricity.  
     [0022] The supporting portion  34  mentioned above is ceramic. The design of the round top of the supporting portion  34  decreases the contact area between the substrate and the supporting portion  34  so that the substrate is not scratched.  
     [0023] Otherwise, the supporting portion  34  can be polybenzimidazole (PBI), quartz or a heat-resistant material not easily reactant with glass.  
     [0024] As mentioned above, the base  32  and the supporting portion  34  are separable such that the supporting portion  34  can be different material for different requirement. The support apparatus  30  does not require integral manufacture, thus, it can decrease the costs and provide a conveniently changeable method. The support apparatus  30  of the present invention uses the fixing portion  36  to connect the base  32  and the supporting portion  34  without requiring a screw. Omitting, first, the inconvenience of a screw, and, second, the volume of the present invention is small, making screw operation difficult.  
     [0025]FIG. 4 a  and FIG. 4 b  are cross sections of a support apparatus of the present invention. A support apparatus  40  of the present invention comprises a base  42 , a fixing portion, and a supporting portion  44 . In this embodiment, the fixing portion is a threaded cover  43 .  
     [0026] The base  42  provides a groove  421  and a first fixing portion  422 , the supporting portion  44  has a round top, and the cover  43  has a second fixing portion  432 . During assembly of the support apparatus  40 , the supporting portion  44  is placed in the groove  421  of the base  42 . After that, the second fixing portion  432  of the cover  43  connects to the first fixing portion  422  of the base  42 . During use, the support apparatus  40  is placed on a shaft in the CVD chamber. The supporting portion  44  of the support apparatus  40  contacts a substrate and provides the substrate with a supporting force.  
     [0027] As mentioned above, the first fixing portion  422  is male threaded and the second fixing portion  432  is female threaded, although the configuration can be easily reversed.  
     [0028] Moreover, the base  42  and the cover  43  mentioned above are stainless steel. The base  42  has enough weight that the substrate does not adhere thereon due to static electricity.  
     [0029] The supporting portion  44  mentioned above is ceramic. The design of the round top of the supporting portion  44  decreases the contact area between the substrate and the supporting portion  44  so that the substrate is not scratched by the support apparatus  40 .  
     [0030] Otherwise, the supporting portion  44  can be polybenzimidazole (PBI), quartz or heat-resistant material not easily reactant with glass.  
     [0031] As mentioned above, the base  42  and the supporting portion  44  are separable such that the supporting portion  44  can be different material for different requirements. The support apparatus  40  of the present invention uses the first fixing portion  422  and the second fixing portion  432  to connect the base  42  and the supporting portion  44  without requiring a screw.  
     [0032] Finally, while the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.