US-12628616-B2 - Wafer chuck table and wafer chuck system

Abstract

A wafer chuck table includes a center plate having a plurality of first protrusions each having an upper end at least partially defining a first reference plane, segmented plates arranged around the center plate and having a plurality of second protrusions, each having an upper end at least partially defining a second reference plane such that the segmented plates have separate, respective pluralities of second protrusions at least partially defining separate, respective second reference planes, and driving units configured to adjust an inclination angle of the segmented plates with respect to the center plate so that the first reference plane and the separate, respective second reference planes are coplanar.

Inventors

• Jonggu LEE
• SungHyup KIM
• Jeongdu KIM
• Hyeonjin Kim
• Junghwan Kim

Assignees

• SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220823

Priority Date

20211229

Claims (13)

1. 1 . A wafer chuck table, comprising: a center plate having a plurality of first protrusions, each first protrusion of the plurality of first protrusions having an upper end at least partially defining a first reference plane; segmented plates arranged around the center plate, each of the segmented plates having a plurality of second protrusions, each second protrusion of the plurality of second protrusions having an upper end at least partially defining a second reference plane such that the segmented plates have separate, respective pluralities of second protrusions at least partially defining separate, respective second reference planes; and driving units configured to adjust a respective inclination angle of each of the segmented plates with respect to the center plate so that the first reference plane and the separate, respective second reference planes are coplanar.
2. 2 . The wafer chuck table of claim 1 , wherein the segmented plates have an inner edge adjacent to a circumference of the center plate and an outer edge opposite the inner edge, and the wafer chuck table further comprises coupling members connecting the center plate to the inner edge of the segmented plates.
3. 3 . The wafer chuck table of claim 2 , wherein the segmented plates and the center plate are hinge-coupled by the coupling members.
4. 4 . The wafer chuck table of claim 2 , wherein the driving units each include at least one linear actuator adjacent to the outer edge of the segmented plates and at least one lifting shaft configured to press one side of each of the segmented plates according to driving of the at least one linear actuator.
5. 5 . The wafer chuck table of claim 1 , wherein the center plate has a first surface from which the plurality of first protrusions protrude, and the segmented plates each have a second surface from which the plurality of second protrusions protrude.
6. 6 . The wafer chuck table of claim 5 , wherein, when the first reference plane and the separate, respective second reference planes are aligned to be coplanar by the driving units, the second surface has a particular inclination angle with respect to the first surface.
7. 7 . The wafer chuck table of claim 1 , wherein the segmented plates have an inner edge adjacent to a circumference of the center plate and an outer edge opposite to the inner edge.
8. 8 . The wafer chuck table of claim 7 , wherein the driving units include at least one first driving unit adjacent to the outer edge of the segmented plates and configured to adjust a spacing distance of the outer edge of the segmented plates with respect to the first reference plane, and at least one second driving unit adjacent to the inner edge and configured to adjust a spacing distance of the inner edge of the segmented plates with respect to the first reference plane.
9. 9 . The wafer chuck table of claim 7 , wherein the upper end of each second protrusion of the plurality of second protrusions is inclined toward the outer edge of the segmented plates.
10. 10 . The wafer chuck table of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second protrusions are integrated with each of the segmented plates to form protrusion groups.
11. 11 . The wafer chuck table of claim 10 , wherein the protrusion groups define a plurality of corresponding second reference planes, respectively, and the driving units are configured to adjust an inclination angle of each of the segmented plates with respect to the center plate to be different from an inclination angle of at least one other segmented plate of the segmented plates so that the plurality of corresponding second reference planes are coplanar to the first reference plane.
12. 12 . The wafer chuck table of claim 1 , wherein the center plate has a first surface from which the plurality of first protrusions protrude, and the wafer chuck table further comprises, cover plates on the segmented plates, respectively, and having a plurality of through holes through which the plurality of second protrusions extend and an upper surface coplanar to the first surface, the plurality of second protrusions protruding from the upper surface.
13. 13 . The wafer chuck table of claim 12 , wherein, when the first reference plane and the second reference plane are aligned to be coplanar by the driving units, the upper surfaces of the cover plates are coplanar to the first surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0191087, filed on Dec. 29, 2021 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND The present inventive concepts relates to a wafer chuck table and a wafer chuck system. A plurality of protrusions for supporting a wafer are formed on a surface of a wafer chuck table for gripping the wafer. The plurality of protrusions may be unevenly worn by contact due to loading and unloading of the wafer. Accordingly, it may be difficult to maintain the loaded wafer horizontally, and the precision of a subsequent process may be deteriorated. SUMMARY Some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts is to provide a wafer chuck table and a wafer chuck system capable of correcting a step difference between a plurality of protrusions. According to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts, a wafer chuck table may include: a center plate having a plurality of first protrusions, each first protrusion of the plurality of first protrusions having an upper end at least partially defining a first reference plane; segmented plates arranged around the center plate, each segmented plate having a plurality of second protrusions, each second protrusion of the plurality of second protrusions having an upper end at least partially defining a second reference plane such that the segmented plates have separate, respective pluralities of second protrusions at least partially defining separate, respective second reference planes; and driving units configured to adjust a respective inclination angle of each of the segmented plates with respect to the center plate so that the first reference plane and the separate, respective second reference planes are coplanar. According to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts, a wafer chuck table may include: a center plate having a first surface on which a plurality of first protrusions are arranged; segmented plates arranged around the center plate and having a second surface on which a plurality of second protrusions are arranged and a third surface opposite to the second surface; and driving units configured to press at least one side of the third surface of each of the segmented plates. According to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts, a wafer chuck table includes: a center plate having a plurality of first protrusions; first and second segmented plates arranged around the center plate and each having a plurality of second protrusions; and driving units configured to independently adjust respective inclination angles of the first and second segmented plates with respect to the center plate. According to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts, a wafer chuck system includes: a center plate having a plurality of first protrusions; segmented plates arranged around the center plate and having a plurality of second protrusions; driving units configured to adjust an inclination angle of each of the segmented plates with respect to the center plate; and a control unit configured to operate the driving units so that an upper end of at least a portion of the plurality of second protrusions is in contact with a reference plane at least partially defined by an upper end of at least a portion of the plurality of first protrusions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present inventive concepts will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1A is a perspective view illustrating a wafer chuck table according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged view illustrating region ‘A’ of FIG. 1A according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIG. 1C is a partially enlarged view illustrating segmented plates of a modified example according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a wafer chuck table according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along I-I′ of FIG. 2 according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-IF of FIG. 2 according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a partial region of a wafer chuck table according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a partial region of a wafer chuck table according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts; FIGS. 6A and 6B are perspective views illustrating partial regi