Semiconductor wafer chuck assembly for a semiconductor processing device

Abstract

A wafer chuck assembly for a semiconductor wafer processing device has axially movable wafer support pins associated with a wafer chuck body of the wafer chuck assembly. The wafer support pins are biased to contact and support the backside of a semiconductor wafer when the semiconductor wafer is placed and/or maintained (typically via air suction) on the wafer chuck assembly. Each support pin axially moves independent of one another such that any area of contamination on the backside of the semiconductor wafer that registers with a support pin, moves the affected support pin axially downwardly.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
     
     
         7 . A wafer chuck assembly comprising: 
 a wafer chuck;    a suction bore in said wafer chuck and adapted to be connected to an air suction device;    a plurality of pin bores in said wafer chuck; and    a support pin axially movably disposed in each one of said plurality of pin bores.    
     
     
         8 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each pin bore is adapted to be coupled to an air pressure device.  
     
     
         9 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each support pin includes a skirt adapted to receive air pressure from an air pressure device and axially upwardly move the support pin.  
     
     
         10 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each support pin normally extends above an upper surface of said wafer chuck, and is axially downwardly movable when registered with an area of contamination on a backside of a semiconductor wafer placed thereon.  
     
     
         11 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 10 , wherein each support pin is of equal height.  
     
     
         12 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each pin bore extends from an upper surface to a lower surface of said wafer chuck and includes a stop adapted to limit axially downward movement of a support pin therein.  
     
     
         13 . A wafer chuck assembly for a semiconductor wafer processing device comprising: 
 a wafer chuck body having an upper surface and a lower surface;    a shield ring disposed on said upper surface of said wafer chuck body;    means for providing suction to said upper surface of said wafer chuck body; and    support means disposed in said upper surface of said wafer chuck body for receiving a backside contaminated semiconductor wafer for processing and providing a relatively planar processing surface for the backside contaminated semiconductor wafer.    
     
     
         14 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said support means comprises: 
 a plurality of pin bores in said upper surface of said wafer chuck; and    a support pin axially movably disposed in each one of said plurality of pin bores.    
     
     
         15 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each pin bore is adapted to be coupled to an air pressure device.  
     
     
         16 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 15 , wherein each support pin includes a skirt adapted to receive air pressure from an air pressure device and axially upwardly move the support pin.  
     
     
         17 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each support pin normally extends above said upper surface of said wafer chuck, and is axially downwardly movable when registered with an area of contamination on a backside of a semiconductor wafer placed thereon.  
     
     
         18 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each support pin is of equal height.  
     
     
         19 . The wafer chuck assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each pin bore extends from an upper surface to a lower surface of said wafer chuck and includes a stop adapted to limit axially downward movement of a support pin therein.