US 11,955,366 B2
Pad raising mechanism in wafer positioning pedestal for semiconductor processing
Paul Konkola, West Linn, OR (US); Karl F. Leeser, West Linn, OR (US); and Easwar Srinivasan, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/863,173.
Application 17/863,173 is a continuation of application No. 16/781,996, filed on Feb. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,387,136.
Application 16/781,996 is a continuation of application No. 15/366,927, filed on Dec. 1, 2016, granted, now 10,573,549, issued on Feb. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0352004 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01L 21/687 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/458 (2006.01); C23C 16/50 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/68742 (2013.01) [C23C 16/45544 (2013.01); C23C 16/4584 (2013.01); C23C 16/4586 (2013.01); C23C 16/50 (2013.01); H01L 21/68785 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lift pad raising mechanism for a process chamber, the lift pad raising mechanism comprising:
a lift pad for a pedestal that is movably mounted to a main frame;
a main frame extension fixedly coupled to the main frame;
a lower hard stop fixedly coupled to the main frame extension;
a pedestal bracket movably coupled to the main frame, the pedestal bracket fixedly interconnected to the pedestal, wherein movement of the pedestal bracket translates into movement of the pedestal;
a first pedestal bracket extension fixedly coupled to the pedestal bracket and including a first bracket roller;
a second pedestal bracket extension fixedly coupled to the pedestal bracket and including a second bracket roller;
a slide fixedly coupled to the pedestal bracket;
a lift pad bracket movably coupled to the slide, the lift pad bracket interconnected to the lift pad;
a lever rotatably attached to a pin of the lift pad bracket, wherein the lever is loosely constrained between the first bracket roller and the second bracket roller when not engaged with the lower hard stop in a neutral position;
wherein when the pedestal bracket is moving downwards towards a bottommost downwards position, the lever is configured to rotate about the pin when engaged with the lower hard stop and the first bracket roller and separate the lift pad from a pedestal top surface of the pedestal.