CPC H01L 21/02057 (2013.01) [H01L 21/67766 (2013.01); H01L 21/6838 (2013.01); H01L 21/68764 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |
1. A horizontal pre-clean module, comprising:
a chamber comprising a basin and a lid which collectively define a processing area;
a rotatable vacuum table disposed in the processing area, the rotatable vacuum table comprising a substrate receiving surface;
a pad conditioning station disposed proximate to the rotatable vacuum table;
a pad carrier positioning arm having a first end and a second end distal from the first end;
a pad carrier assembly coupled to the first end of the pad carrier positioning arm; and
an actuator coupled to the second end of the pad carrier positioning arm and configured to swing the pad carrier assembly between a first position over the rotatable vacuum table and a second position over the pad conditioning station, wherein:
the pad carrier assembly comprises a gimbal base and a pad carrier coupled to the gimbal base, the gimbal base and the pad carrier are configured to support a buffing pad by a mechanical clamping mechanism and a suction clamping mechanism,
the gimbal base comprises a lip portion on a peripheral edge of the gimbal base,
the pad carrier comprises a tapered portion on a peripheral edge of the pad carrier, and
the lip portion and the pad carrier are configured to provide the mechanical clamping mechanism by mechanically clamping the buffing pad along a peripheral edge of the buffing pad.
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