Patent ID: 6955741

Claim:
A reaction chamber for processing semiconductor wafers comprising: a support surface for supporting a semiconductor wafer inside the reaction chamber wherein the support surface comprises a plurality vertical through-bores, wafer-lift pins passing through the through-bores wherein a wafer-lift pin comprises a head comprising a top and a body comprising a lower end, a lift member linked with an elevating mechanism for moving the wafer-lift pins vertically between at least an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the lower ends of the wafer-lift pins are attached to the lift member, and wherein in the retracted position, the tops of the heads of the wafer-lift pins are substantially flush with the support surface, and an elastic component dynamically connected to the lift member, wherein the elastic component biases the lift member towards the retracted position; wherein the head of the wafer-lift pin has a columnar shape and the body is columnar with a diameter smaller than that of the head, and a first step at the boundary between the head and the body, and wherein the lower end of the body of the wafer-lift pin has a flattened profile engaged in a correspondingly shaped hole in the lift member, the combination of which prevents rotation of the wafer-lift pin.