Patent ID: 8758552

Claim:
A debonding chuck for holding an assembly of a wafer and a plate bonded together, the plate having a lateral dimension that is larger than a lateral dimension of the wafer such that the assembly includes a peripheral area on the plate that is not covered by the wafer, the chuck comprising: a first surface that defines a recess having a lateral dimension that is sufficiently large to accommodate the lateral dimension of the wafer, but less than the lateral dimension of the plate, such that when the assembly with the wafer facing the recess is positioned on the chuck for debonding, at least a portion of the peripheral area of the plate engages at least a portion of the first surface to remain outside of the recess while the wafer is substantially within the recess; a second surface disposed in the recess and separated from the first surface to define a depth of the recess, the second surface defining at least one suction opening configured to facilitate delivery of a suction force to the wafer via the recess, the depth being selected to be greater than the wafer's thickness such that when the wafer is debonded from the plate by the suction force, the wafer is allowed to become separated from the plate and engage the second surface while the plate remains engaged to the first surface; and a side wall that joins the first and second surfaces, the side wall defining at least one opening dimensioned to limit a pressure difference between the recess and outside of the recess during the application of the suction force.