Substrate Support Method

Abstract

The present invention includes a method for supporting a substrate that features a chuck body having a body surface with a pin extending therefrom having a contact surface lying in a plane, with the pin being movably coupled to the chuck body to move with respect to the plane. To that end, the method includes disposing the substrate upon two spaced-apart bodies; and moving one of the two spaced-apart bodies away from the substrate.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A substrate support system comprising:
 a chuck body having a body surface with a pin extending therefrom having a contact surface lying in a plane, said pin being movably coupled to said chuck body to move with respect to said plane, wherein said pin includes a cross-member having three spaced-apart contact lands extending from said cross-member and wherein said pin is formed by a pin cell that further comprises a flexure system coupled between said cross-member and said chuck body.   
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said cross-member comprises a plurality of spaced-apart contact lands. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said pin is coupled to said chuck body to move away from said plane in response to loads being un-envenly distributed on said pin. 
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein as a result of said pin moving away from said plane in response to an irregularity on a surface of said substrate, said surface of said substrate remains common to a plane common to a plurality of pairs of spaced-apart contact lands provided by a plurality of pin-cells. 
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said pin is coupled to said chuck body to rotate about a remote center of compliance spaced-apart from a region of said pin having a load thereon that is greater than a load to which the remaining regions of said pin are subjected. 
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said pin is coupled to said chuck body to rotate about a remote center of compliance spaced-apart from a region of said pin having a load thereon that is greater than a load to which the remaining regions of said pin are subjected, while avoiding any of the regions of said pin, lying in said plane, from moving toward said plane. 
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 6  further including a plurality of pins, with said plurality of pins surround by a rim. 
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 6  further including a plurality of pin-cells, each of which further comprises a pin including a cross-member having a longitudinal axis, with the longitudinal axis of cross-members of adjacent pins extending transversely. 
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 6  further including a plurality of pins-cells, each of which further comprises a pin including a cross-member having a longitudinal axis, with the longitudinal axis of cross-members of adjacent pins extending orthogonally. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 6  further including a plurality of pins-cells, each of which further comprises a pin including a cross-member having a longitudinal axis, with the longitudinal axis of cross-members of adjacent pins oriented randomly. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said chuck body is operable for disposing a substrate using an electrostatic force or using a force provided by a vacuum. 
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said chuck body comprises a plurality of pin-cells and wherein said plurality of pin-cells are formed by fusing a base layer and a pin layer.