Coating apparatus – Work holders – or handling devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-15
2001-07-17
Nguyen, Nam (Department: 1753)
Coating apparatus
Work holders, or handling devices
C204S298150, C269S021000, C269S287000, C269S900000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261370
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a product holder which accommodates and holds a product such as an electronic device component, a semiconductor wafer or the like in order to convey and transport the product or to carry out a sputtering treatment or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor manufacturing device, a semiconductor surface treating device, or the like is designed for semiconductors having diameters of 6 inches, 8 inches, and 12 inches. Accordingly, when semiconductors having diameters other than the abovementioned diameters are to be processed by the semiconductor surface treating device or the like, a special product holder is needed. The product holder is used to fix in advance the product such as the electronic device component, the semiconductor wafer or the like in the case of conveying and transporting the product or carrying out a sputtering treatment or the like for the product, from the viewpoint of preventing the product from being contaminated or damaged. A holder formed by silicon or quartz has been conventionally used.
However, a product holder formed by silicon or quartz does not have sufficient strength. There arises a problem that the product holder formed by silicon or quartz is often cracked at the time of conveyance and transportation thereof or at the time of the sputtering treatment or the like. When the product holder formed by silicon or quartz is used, a portion of the product which abuts the product holder is apt to be contaminated by the product holder. Namely, as shown in
FIG. 8
, an other end surface
10
b
of a product
10
, which other end surface
10
b
contacts a bottom surface
2
a
of a product accommodating portion
2
of a product holder
1
and opposes an exposed one end surface
10
a
of the product
10
, is apt to be contaminated by the product holder
1
. Therefore, cleaning the product holder by acids in advance to eliminate contamination of the product holder has been considered. However, in the above case, there arises a problem that the product is melted by the acids. Further, there arises a problem that a product holder formed by transparent quartz cannot be detected by an infrared ray sensor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is provided in order to solve the abovedescribed problems with conventional product holders, and to accomplish the following object. The object of the present invention is to provide a product holder that does not cause a product to become contaminated or damaged at the time of conveyance and transportation thereof or at the time of a sputtering treatment or the like, can be detected by an infrared ray sensor, is vastly superior in its strength, durability, chemical resistance, and the like, and is easily handled.
A first aspect of the product holder of the present invention is a product holder for holding a product having opposite end surfaces comprising a silicon carbide sintered body having a product accommodating portion which accommodates and holds the product such that one end surface thereof is exposed, wherein a groove portion is formed in the product accommodating portion at a position which abuts the other end surface of the product, which opposes the one end surface thereof.
The product holder of the first aspect of the present invention is formed by the silicon carbide sintered body, and therefore has high strength. When the product is accommodated and held in the product accommodating portion, the product holder itself and the product accommodating portion do not become cracked. Even if it is necessary to carry out cleaning with acids or the like, the product holder is not melted by the acids. Further, the product holder is superior in its durability. The product holder has the product accommodating portion which accommodates and holds the product such that the one end surface thereof is exposed. The groove portion is formed in the product accommodating portion at a position which abuts the other end surface of the product, which opposes the one end surface thereof. Accordingly, since the contact area between the product accommodated and held in the product accommodating portion and the product accommodating portion is small, the product is not contaminated thereby.
According to a second aspect of the product holder of the present invention, an area of the other end surface of the product which abuts against the product accommodating portion is no more than 50% of the total area of the other end surface.
In the product holder of the second aspect of the present invention, the area of the other end surface of the product which abuts the product accommodating portion is 50% or less of the total area of the other end surface. Accordingly, since the contact area between the product and the product accommodating portion is small, the product is not contaminated due to contact with the product accommodating portion.
According to a third aspect of the product holder of the present invention, the product is a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer.
In the product holder of the third aspect of the present invention, the product is the disc-shaped semiconductor wafer. Therefore, the semiconductor wafer is securely accommodated and held in the product holder when the semiconductor wafer is conveyed and transported or is subjected to the sputtering treatment or the like. The semiconductor wafer is neither contaminated nor damaged thereby.
According to a fourth aspect of the product holder of the present invention, the silicon carbide sintered body is formed by sintering a mixture of silicon carbide powder and a non-metallic sintering aid and has a density of at least 2.9 g/cm
3
.
In the product holder of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the silicon carbide sintered body is formed by sintering the mixture of the silicon carbide powder and the non-metallic sintering aid and has a density of 2.9 g/cm
3
or more. Therefore, the product holder is superior in its strength, chemical resistance, durability, and the like.
According to a fifth aspect of the product holder of the present invention, the groove portion includes end portions, which abut the other end surface of the product when a product is held by the holder, the end portions being formed in a curved surface.
In the product holder of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the end portions of the groove portion, which abut against the other end surface of the product, are formed with a curved surface. Therefore, the product is not scratched by the end portions and damage and the like is not caused to the product at the time of conveyance and transportation thereof.
According to a sixth aspect of the product holder of the present invention, the groove portion includes a bottom surface and a through hole is formed through the bottom surface of the groove portion.
In accordance with the product holder of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the through hole is formed at the bottom surface of the groove portion. Accordingly, when gas or liquid such as water enters into the product accommodating portion from the through hole, the product can be easily removed from the product accommodating portion.
According to a seventh aspect of the product holder of the present invention, the product includes an outer circumferential side surface and an outer circumferential groove portion is formed, thereby exposing a circumferential side surface of the product when the product is accommodated in the product accommodating portion.
In accordance with the product holder of the seventh aspect of the present invention, the outer circumferential groove portion is formed, by which is exposed the circumferential side surface of the product accommodated and held in the product accommodating portion. Therefore, if a suitable bar member is made to abut against the exposed circumferential side surface of the product and is drawn up, the product can be easily removed from the product accommodating portion.
According to an eighth aspect of the product holder of the present i
Endo Shigeki
Otsuki Masashi
Bridgestone Corporation
Nguyen Nam
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
VerSteeg Steven H.
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