PCB support assembly

Abstract

A support assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing station includes a housing, a pin, a plurality of bearing elements, and a retaining member. The housing includes a bore, a groove formed on the outer surface of the housing, and a plurality of windows intersecting the bore and positioned in the groove. The pin is positioned within the bore and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The pin includes a shaft with a plurality of bearing surfaces. The plurality of bearing elements are at least partially positioned in the corresponding windows. Each bearing element includes an outer surface configured to engage with the corresponding bearing surface of the shaft. The plurality of bearing elements and bearing surfaces cooperate to maintain the angular orientation of the pin as it moves between the retracted and extended positions. The retaining member is positioned in the groove.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to substrate support pins for use, for example, in semiconductor substrate processing.

Background Art

[0002] Substrates (such as semiconductor substrates) have conventionally been processed in a substrate processing system including a plurality of processing stations for processing the substrates. In order to facilitate the transfer of the substrate between the processing stations, support members such as, for example, a plurality of lift pin assemblies are mounted within a support pedestal inside the processing station so as to be able to lift the substrate from the support pedestal. Thereby, a transfer mechanism such as a robot blade can slide under the back side of the substrate and lift the substrate from the support member.

[0003] Conventional lift pin assemblies that restrict the rotation of lift pins include a lift pin positioned within a bore of a housing. The housing has a bore molded to engage with the surface of the pin to prevent the pin from rotating freely relative to the housing. As a result, during the axial movement of the pin, the pin contacts and rubs against the bore of the housing. This contact between the pin and the housing generates particles that can interfere with the processing being carried out in the processing station. In addition, this contact causes gradual wear of the surfaces of the pin and the housing, increasing friction between them, resulting in increased particle generation and potentially causing the pin to vibrate within the housing as it rubs along the surface of the bore. This vibration can damage the substrate. Furthermore, if one or more pins used to raise and lower the substrate are vibrating, the vibration may cause the substrate to fall off the pin, potentially damaging the substrate. In such cases, processing may need to be stopped until the fallen substrate is recovered and the faulty pin is replaced. Additionally, a spring may be placed within the housing to bias the pin into the retracted position. The spring force tends to apply a torsional force to the pin, increasing the frictional force between the pin and the housing. Due to friction caused by the worn contact area and / or spring force between a damaged pin and the housing, the pin may lock up, become immobile, or move suddenly. When a pin locks up, becomes immobile, or moves suddenly, the circuit board may fall and / or be damaged in other ways.

[0004] Therefore, in this art, there is a need for rotationally suppressed lift pins that reduce particle generation and the occurrence of failures such as locking, becoming immobile, suddenly moving, or vibrating during use. Furthermore, in this art, there is a need to extend the life of the lift pins in order to reduce maintenance of the processing stations in which the lift pins are installed. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0005] This disclosure generally relates to a support assembly configured to support and move a substrate within a substrate processing station.

[0006] In one embodiment, a support assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing station includes a housing, a pin, a plurality of bearing elements, and a retaining member. The housing includes a bore, a groove formed on the outer surface of the housing, and a plurality of windows intersecting the bore and positioned in the groove. The pin is positioned within the bore and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The pin includes a shaft with a plurality of bearing surfaces. The plurality of bearing elements are at least partially positioned in corresponding windows of the plurality of windows. Each bearing element includes an outer surface configured to engage with the corresponding bearing surface of the shaft. The plurality of bearing elements and bearing surfaces cooperate to maintain the angular orientation of the pin as it moves between the retracted and extended positions. The retaining member is positioned in the groove.

[0007] In one embodiment, a support assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing station includes a ceramic housing, a ceramic pin, a plurality of bearing elements, and a retaining member. The ceramic housing includes a bore, a groove formed on the outer surface of the housing, a plurality of windows positioned in the groove that intersect the bore, and a shoulder at the upper end configured to engage with the surface of a pedestal. The ceramic pin is positioned within the bore and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The pin includes a shaft with a plurality of bearing surfaces and a head having a support surface configured to engage with the bottom edge of the substrate. The plurality of bearing elements are positioned at least partially in corresponding windows of the plurality of windows. Each bearing element includes a ceramic roller having an outer surface configured to engage with the corresponding bearing surface of the shaft. The plurality of bearing elements and bearing surfaces cooperate to maintain the support surface aligned with the bottom edge of the substrate as the pin moves between the retracted and extended positions. The retaining member is positioned in the groove.

[0008] In one embodiment, a support assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing station includes a ceramic housing, ceramic pins, and a plurality of bearing elements. The ceramic housing includes an outer surface, an inner surface defining a bore, and a plurality of first windows extending from the outer and inner surfaces. The ceramic pin is positioned within the bore and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The ceramic pin includes a pin shaft with a plurality of bearing surfaces and a head having a support surface configured to engage with the bottom edge of the substrate. The plurality of bearing elements are at least partially positioned in corresponding windows of the plurality of first windows. Each bearing element includes a bearing shaft integrally formed with the ceramic housing and a ceramic roller having an outer surface configured to engage with the corresponding bearing surface of the pin shaft. The plurality of bearing elements and bearing surfaces cooperate to maintain the support surface aligned with the bottom edge of the substrate as the ceramic pin moves between the retracted and extended positions.

[0009] In one embodiment, a method for moving a substrate includes extending a plurality of pins of a plurality of support assemblies from a retracted position to engage with the bottom edge of the substrate engaging with the support surface of the pedestal. Each pin is rotationally locked by a plurality of bearing elements that engage with the pin, located within the housing of each support assembly. The method further includes extending the plurality of pins to an extended position to lift the substrate above the pedestal. The method further includes disengaging the substrate from the plurality of lift pins in the extended position.

[0010] To allow for a more detailed understanding of the above-mentioned features of this disclosure, a more specific description of this disclosure, which has been briefly summarized above, can be obtained by referring to embodiments, some of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings show only exemplary embodiments and should not be considered to limit its scope, as this disclosure may allow for other equally valid embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1A] This is an isometric view of a support assembly according to one embodiment. [Figure 1B] Figure 1A is an isometric view of the housing of the support assembly according to the embodiment shown. [Figure 1C] This is a partial cross-sectional view along the cutting line CC in Figure 1A, showing the arrangement of bearing elements and a cross-section of the shaft of the support assembly according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1A. [Figure 2A] This is a partial cross-sectional view of a support assembly positioned on a pedestal, showing the support assembly in a retracted position according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] This is a partial cross-sectional view of a support assembly positioned on a pedestal, showing the support assembly in the extended position according to the embodiment shown in Figure 2A. [Figure 3] This is a partial cross-sectional view of a support assembly having a set of bearing elements, including three bearing elements, according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a partial cross-sectional view of a support assembly having a set of bearing elements arranged in a triangular configuration according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A partial cross-sectional view of a support assembly having a set of bearing elements including channels arranged in a rhomboid configuration, according to one embodiment, is shown. [Figure 6] This is a partial cross-sectional view of a support assembly having a set of bearing elements including channels arranged in a triangular configuration, according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary support assembly showing a set of bearing elements arranged to suppress the rotation of a pin, according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing station. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating a method for moving a circuit board using multiple circuit board assemblies. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used to indicate identical elements common to the drawings, where possible. Elements and features of one embodiment are intended to be usefully incorporated into other embodiments without further detail.

[0013] Embodiments of this specification generally relate to substrate manufacturing, and more specifically to systems and methods for raising and lowering substrates within a processing station of a substrate processing system.

[0014] Figure 1A discloses an isometric view of one embodiment of a support assembly 100. The support assembly 100 includes a housing 110, a pin 130, a plurality of bearing elements 150 (Figure 1C), and two retaining members 170. The support assembly 100 is configured to facilitate the axial movement of the pin 130 for raising and lowering a substrate. The support assembly 100 may be placed on the pedestal of a substrate processing chamber. Figure 1A includes an X, Y, Z coordinate system for showing the orientation of the pin 130.

[0015] Figure 1B shows an isometric view of the housing 110 with other components of the support assembly 100 removed. The housing 110 is an annular member having a longitudinal bore 113 extending from the upper end 111 to the lower end 112 of the housing 110. The bore 113 is defined by the inner surface of the housing 110. The housing 110 is preferably a cylindrical tube, as shown in Figure 1B. The upper end 111 may include a shoulder 118 that protrudes beyond the outer diameter of the outer surface 120 of the housing 110. The shoulder 118 includes a shoulder surface 119 configured to abut against the surface of the pedestal to support the weight of the housing 110, the bearing element 150 (Figure 1C), and the retaining member 170 (Figure 1A) when the support assembly 100 is mounted on the pedestal (see Figure 2A).

[0016] The outer surface 120 extends from the upper end 111 to the lower end 112. The outer surface 120 shown in Figure 1B is defined by one or more grooves 122, a lower surface 124, an intermediate surface 126, and an upper surface 128. Each groove 122 is shown as a circumferential groove formed in the outer surface 120. The lower surface 124, intermediate surface 126, and upper surface 128 may have the same or substantially the same outer diameter. One or more grooves 122, such as the two grooves 122 shown in Figure 1B, are formed on the side of the housing 110 and separated from each other by the intermediate surface 126. The groove 122 closest to the lower end 112 (e.g., the lower groove) is separated from the lower end 112 by the lower surface 124. Furthermore, the groove 122 closest to the upper end 111 (e.g., the upper groove) is separated from the upper end 111 by the upper surface 128.

[0017] Each groove 122 includes a groove surface 123 recessed to the sides 124, 126, and 128. Each groove 122 has a plurality of windows 114 that extend radially from the groove surface 123 and intersect with the bore 113. Each window 114 is aligned with another window 114 on the opposite side of the bore 113. Notches 116 are also formed in the groove surface 123 of each groove 122 on both sides of the windows 114. For example, the housing 110 may include four windows in each groove to accommodate four bearing elements 150, as shown in Figures 1B and 1C.

[0018] FIG. 1C shows a partial cross-section along line C-C of FIG. 1A viewed towards the lower end 112. The pin 130 engages with one or more sets of bearing elements 150. The support assembly 100 includes two sets of bearing elements 150. Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C, the first set of bearing elements 150 is disposed in the window 114 and notch 116 formed in the upper groove 122, and the second set of bearing elements 150 is disposed in the window 114 and notch 116 formed in the lower groove 122. As shown in FIG. 1C, the window 114 and the bearing elements 150 are arranged in a square configuration. The bearing elements 150 are arranged to facilitate the axial movement of the pin 130 relative to the housing 110 within the bore 113 as the pin 130 moves between the retracted position (FIG. 2A) and the extended position (FIG. 2B). However, the shape of the pin 130 and the arrangement of the bearing elements 150 cooperate to lock the pin 130 in the rotational direction while allowing the pin 130 to move between the retracted position and the extended position and maintain the angular orientation of the pin 130. In other words, the pin 130 is inhibited from rotating about the Z-axis as it moves between the extended position and the retracted position.

[0019] FIG. 1C shows only one bearing element 150 in cross section. Each bearing element 150 includes a shaft 152 (e.g., a bearing shaft) disposed on a roller 154. Each shaft 152 extends into opposing notches 116 formed through the housing 110. Thus, the shaft 152 is supported by the housing 110 on both sides of the corresponding roller 154. Each roller 154 is disposed in a corresponding window 114 and extends partially into the bore 113 to engage a pin 130. Each roller 154 has an outer surface 156 configured to engage a corresponding bearing surface 134 of the pin 130. The outer surface 156 complements the bearing surface 134 in that the outer surface 156 is flat like the flat bearing surface 134. Each roller 154 is rotatable independently of the other rollers 154 relative to the housing 110 and facilitates axial movement of the pin 130. The rollers 154 are held in place via a friction fit facilitated by each end of the shaft 152 disposed on opposite sides within the notch 116 formed in the housing 110. Additionally, each end of each shaft 152 may be chamfered to form a conical shape as shown in FIG. 1C.

[0020] The pin 130 includes a shaft 132 (e.g., a pin shaft) disposed within the bore 113. The shaft 132 includes four flat bearing surfaces 134 corresponding to each roller 154. The bearing elements 150 are disposed within the housing 110 such that the outer surface 156 of each roller 154 is parallel to the corresponding bearing surface 134 of the pin 130. This arrangement inhibits rotation of the pin 130 within the bore 113 because when the pin 130 attempts to rotate about its longitudinal axis (e.g., the Z-axis), the opposing surfaces of the pin 130 and the roller 154 contact each other to limit rotation. Additionally, the shaft 132 and the roller 154 are sized to inhibit rotation of the pin 130, and the outer diameter of the shaft 132 is large enough to inhibit the shaft 132 from freely rotating within the gap between the four rollers 154 (e.g., being able to make one or more complete rotations in any rotational direction).

[0021] In some embodiments, the shaft 132 is sized such that its four bearing surfaces 134 are always engaged with the corresponding rollers 154. Alternatively, the shaft 132 may be sized such that there is a gap between the outer surface of the shaft 132 and one or more rollers 154.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1C, the shaft 132 has a square-like cross-section with rounded edges 136 between flat bearing surfaces 134. In other words, the bearing surfaces 134 are arranged in a square configuration. The shaft 132 may include rounded edges 136 to facilitate fitting the shaft 132 into the bore 113. In some embodiments, the shaft 132 has a square cross-section without rounded edges 136.

[0023] The partial cross-section in Figure 1C shows the cross-section of the second set of bearing elements 150 positioned in the window 114 and notch 116 formed in the lower groove 122.

[0024] After the bearing element 150 is installed in the housing 110, retaining members 170 are positioned in each groove 122. The retaining members 170 surround the bearing element 150 within the housing 110, preventing the bearing element 150 from falling out. The retaining members 170 may be C-shaped retaining springs, as shown in Figure 1A. The retaining members 170 engage tightly with the groove surface 123, preventing them from separating from the groove 122 while the support assembly 100 is installed on the pedestal. The opposing ends 172 of the retaining members 170 may engage or be separated by a small gap when installed in the housing 110. Furthermore, the retaining members 170 have a thickness less than or equal to the depth of the groove 122. In other words, the retaining members 170 do not protrude from the groove 122, preventing them from interfering with the installation of the support assembly 100 on the pedestal. In some embodiments, the retaining members 170 are snap rings.

[0025] Referring back to Figure 1A, the pin 130 includes a head 140 connected to the upper end of the shaft 132. The head 140 includes a support surface 142 configured to support the underside of a substrate (not shown) around the periphery of the substrate (e.g., the bottom edge of the substrate). The head 140 is not the rounded or flat surface of the upper end of the shaft 132 of the pin 130. Instead, the head 140 of the pin 130 may extend beyond the periphery of the shaft 132, and beyond the edge of the bore 113, and above the upper end 111 of the housing 110, as shown in Figure 1A. In some embodiments, the head 140 may extend beyond the edge (e.g., the periphery) of the shoulder portion 118. In some embodiments, the head 140 is heterogeneous, as shown in Figure 1A. Although the head 140 is heterogeneous, it may be symmetrical with respect to the line of symmetry, as shown in Figure 1A. The support surface 142 may be positioned laterally to the point where the shaft 132 joins the head 140. In other words, the head 140 extends beyond the periphery of the shaft 132, and the support surface 142 is positioned laterally away from the shaft 132 such that the support surface 142 is not positioned directly above the upper end of the shaft 132.

[0026] The support assembly 100 maintains the angular orientation of the pin 130, and therefore the head 140, around the Z-axis (e.g., the longitudinal axis) as the pin 130 moves axially along the Z-axis, because the rotation of the pin 130 is restrained by the bearing element 150 and the corresponding bearing surface 134. In other words, the orientation of the pin 130, and therefore the head 140, with respect to its position on the X and Y axes is maintained while the pin 130 is translated along the Z-axis. Maintaining the angular orientation of the head 140 during the translation of the pin 130 ensures that the support surface 142 remains in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate, facilitating the raising and lowering of the substrate. Maintaining the angular orientation of the pin 130 ensures that the support surface 142 remains aligned with the substrate and housing 110 during the axial movement of the pin 130. If the pin 130 were allowed to rotate freely, the support surface 142 could become misaligned with the bottom edge of the substrate, potentially leading to the substrate falling.

[0027] In some embodiments, the support assembly 100 maintains the angular orientation of the head 140 relative to the substrate and housing 110 by completely preventing rotational movement of the pin 130 relative to the housing 110. In other words, the pin 130 translates straight up and down along the Z axis without changing the angular position of the pin 130 with respect to the X and Y axes. In some embodiments, the support assembly 100 maintains the angular orientation of the head 140 even if the shaft 132 is allowed to partially rotate (e.g., oscillate) around the Z axis as the pin 130 moves axially. For example, the pin 130 may oscillate slightly within the bore 113 if there is a gap between the bearing surface 134 and the corresponding bearing element 150. However, this partial rotation is limited and insufficient for the support surface 142 of the head 140 to displace (e.g., disengage) from the substrate as the pin 130 moves axially to raise and / or lower the substrate. In other words, the angular orientation of the pin 130 may be maintained by keeping the angular position of the pin 130 within an acceptable range of rotation so that the support surface 142 remains aligned with, and therefore engaged with, the bottom edge of the substrate when the pin 130 is translated. For example, the pin 130 may be allowed to rotate less than 1 degree, e.g., less than 0.5 degrees, around the Z-axis when the pin 130 is translated along the Z-axis. In some embodiments, the pin 130 is prevented from rotating less than 0.1 degrees. Furthermore, rotation of the pin 130 may cause the support surface 142 to rub against the bottom surface of the substrate, potentially generating particles that could interfere with the processing of the substrate. Therefore, completely preventing the rotation of the pin 130 or limiting its oscillation reduces the generation of particles caused by contact between the head 140 and the substrate.

[0028] In some embodiments, the head 140 may be a homogeneous body extending from the upper end of the shaft 132, having a substrate support surface that contacts the lower surface of the substrate. For example, the head 140 may be a cylindrical pad having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 132. The homogeneous head 140 may contact the lower surface of the substrate at the periphery of the substrate, or the support assembly 100 may be positioned so that the head 140 contacts the lower surface of the substrate at a location inset from the bottom edge of the substrate. In addition, the head 140 may be a rounded or flat end of the shaft 132, and the substrate support surface is the upper end of the shaft 132 configured to engage with any portion of the lower surface of the substrate. By limiting or preventing the rotation of the pin 130 having a homogeneous head, the amount of particles generated by frictional contact between the head 140 and the substrate is also reduced.

[0029] The lower end of the shaft 132 may be connected to a pin lift assembly used to move the pin 130 axially between an extended position and a retracted position. For example, the pin lift assembly may be a lift plate (e.g., a hoop) that moves relative to the pedestal by an actuator. The lower end of the shaft 132 is attached to the lift plate. As the lift plate moves, the pin 130 moves with the lift plate. For example, the pin lift assembly is used to raise the lift pin 130 relative to the pedestal, thereby lifting the head 140 into contact with the substrate. Further movement of the pin 130 lifts the substrate above the pedestal so that a gap exists between the top surface of the pedestal and the bottom surface of the substrate. A robot blade can then be inserted into the gap below the substrate. An example of a pin lift assembly (see pin lift assembly 830) is shown in Figure 8.

[0030] Alternatively, the lower end of the shaft 132 does not have to be connected to a pin lift assembly that moves the pin relative to the pedestal. Instead, the lower end of the shaft 132 may extend beyond the bottom surface of the pedestal, and the pin 130 may be freely suspended within the housing 110. The pedestal can be lowered to a transfer position within the processing chamber, thereby bringing the lower end of the shaft 132 into contact with the bottom surface of the processing chamber. The contact of the lower end of the shaft 132 with the surface causes the pin 130 to move relative to the pedestal, into contact with the substrate, and lift the substrate upwards on the pedestal. As a result, the substrate is supported above the surface of the pedestal by the pin 130, with a gap between the top surface of the pedestal and the bottom surface of the substrate. A robot blade can be inserted into the gap beneath the substrate. The pin 130 can return to its retracted position under the influence of gravity when the pedestal rises and the lower end of the shaft 132 is disengaged from the bottom surface of the processing chamber.

[0031] The bearing elements 150, such as the housing 110, pins 130, and rollers 154, may each be made of ceramic material. While not bound by theory, it is believed that using ceramic material reduces friction and, therefore, reduces the generation of particles caused by frictional contact. Examples of ceramic materials include alumina, titanium nitride, silicon nitride, and silicon carbide. Thus, forming the housing 110, pins 130, and rollers 154 from ceramic material is expected to extend the life of the support assembly 100 and reduce its maintenance.

[0032] The arrangement of the bearing element 150 also prevents the shaft 132 of the pin 130 from contacting the surface of the bore 113. In other words, the outer surface of the shaft 132 contacts only the outer surface 156 of the roller 154, thereby limiting the surface area available for particle generation due to frictional contact to the contact area between the bearing surface 134 and the outer surface 156 of the roller 154. Thus, by arranging the bearing element 150 within the housing 110, the possibility of particle generation due to frictional contact between the moving pin 130 and the surface of the bore 113 is eliminated. Furthermore, by preventing contact between the pin 130 and the housing 110 (e.g., the surface of the bore 113), the possibility of vibration caused by wear and damage due to repeated scraping between the length of the pin and the housing, as experienced in conventional systems, is reduced. In addition, by limiting the contact area between the pin 130 and other components of the support assembly 100 (e.g., bearing element 150), the lifespan of the support assembly 100 is extended, and therefore, maintenance of the processing chamber in which the support assembly 100 is installed is reduced.

[0033] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1A to 1C, the support assembly 100 does not include a biasing member, such as a spring, to bias the pin 130 toward a position such as the retracted position. A biasing member is not necessary because the bearing element 150 guides the axial movement of the pin 130, and the pin 130 returns to the retracted position by the pin lift assembly or under the influence of gravity. Eliminating the biasing member eliminates the possibility of particle generation caused by frictional contact between the biasing member and the housing and / or pin. Furthermore, eliminating the biasing member also eliminates the possibility of a spring force being applied as the pin 130 moves axially, thereby increasing friction between the pin 130 and the bearing element 150 and thus increasing further particle generation. Moreover, eliminating the biasing member and including the bearing element 150 avoids problems associated with conventional systems where the pin could lock up and become immobile due to the spring force and the worn contact area between the pin and the housing, or move suddenly, resulting in the substrate falling.

[0034] In some embodiments, the substrate support assembly 100 may have only one set of bearing elements 150 and therefore only one retaining member 170. Thus, the housing 110 has only one groove 122 and one set of windows 114 and notches 116. In some embodiments, the support assembly 100 may have three or more sets of bearing elements 150. For example, the support assembly 100 may have three sets of bearing elements, and the housing includes a third groove and a third set of windows 114 and notches 116 in which the third set of bearing elements 150 are arranged. The number of retaining members 170 corresponds to the number of separate sets of bearing elements 150.

[0035] Figures 2A and 2B show support assemblies 100 installed on a portion of the pedestal 200. The pedestal 200 can be installed in a processing chamber, such as the processing station 800 shown in Figure 8. Figure 2A shows a pin 130 in a retracted position (e.g., downward position) below the substrate 230. Figure 2B shows a pin 130 in an extended position (e.g., upward position) engaged with the substrate 230. Three or more support assemblies 100 can be installed on the pedestal 200 to raise and lower the substrate 230.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2A, the pedestal 200 includes a recess 210 configured to receive the support assembly 100. The recess 210 may include a shoulder 212 configured to fit with a shoulder 118 of the housing 110. The recess 210 may also include a shaft portion 214 that allows a shaft to extend through the pedestal 200. The support assembly 100 may be held in the recess 210 by a retaining plate 220 which includes a bore 223 aligned with a bore 113 of the housing 110. The retaining plate 220 may be attached to the pedestal 200 by one or more fasteners 222. The support assembly 100 is oriented in the recess 210 such that the support surface 142 is properly aligned with the substrate to facilitate the raising and lowering of the substrate.

[0037] The bore 223 of the retaining plate 220 is sized so that the retaining plate 220 does not come into contact with the shaft 132 during the axial movement of the pin 130. By preventing contact between the shaft 132 and the retaining plate 220 during the axial movement of the pin 130, the generation of particles that would occur if the shaft 132 and the retaining plate 220 were allowed to rub against each other during the movement of the pin 130 is avoided. In some embodiments, the support assembly 100 is configured to prevent the lower surface of the head 140 from coming into contact with the retaining plate 220 in order to avoid the generation of particles. For example, the pin 130 may be connected to a lift plate, and the shaft 132 may have a length such that there is a gap between the lower surface of the head 140 and the retaining plate 220 when the pin 130 is in the retracted position, as shown in Figure 2A.

[0038] The substrate 230 is shown engaged with the upper surface 240 of the pedestal 200. The upper surface 240 is part of the support surface of the pedestal 200 that supports the substrate 230 during processing. The substrate 230 protrudes from the upper surface 240 above the support surface 142 of the head 140 while the pins 130 are in the retracted position. The upper surface 240 may be positioned higher than the support assembly 100 in the recess 210 so that the substrate 230 does not come into contact with the support assembly 100 during processing.

[0039] After processing the substrate 230, the pins 130 can be raised axially from a retracted position to an extended position by a pin lift assembly (not shown), as shown in Figure 2B, to position the substrate 230 above the upper surface 240. For example, the pins 130 of three or more support assemblies 100 can be extended simultaneously to lift the substrate 230. A robot, such as a robot blade, can be inserted into the gap 250 located between the lower surface and the upper surface 240 of the substrate 230. The robot can then lift the substrate from the support surface 142, or retract the pins 130 to disengage the substrate 230 from the support surface 142.

[0040] In some embodiments, the pedestal 200 may also include a number of guide pins configured to raise and lower a covering (not shown) positioned closer to the edge of the pedestal than the support assembly 100. These guide pins can lower the covering and engage with the upper surface of the substrate when the pins 130 are in the retracted position, in order to isolate the support assembly 100 from process gases. The guide pins can also raise the covering, allowing the pins 130 to move to the extended position without contacting the covering.

[0041] Figures 3 and 4 show alternative embodiments of a support assembly configured to maintain the angular orientation of a pin, including a shaft having flat sides that engage with corresponding flat surfaces of a bearing element. Figure 7 also shows an embodiment of a support assembly configured to maintain the angular orientation of a pin, including a shaft having flat sides that engage with corresponding flat surfaces of a bearing element.

[0042] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the support assembly 300, showing a set of bearing elements 350 arranged to restrain the rotation of the pin 330. The support assembly 300 includes one or more sets of bearing elements 350, similar to the bearing elements 150. As shown, each set of bearing elements 350 in the support assembly 300 has three bearing elements 350. Only one bearing element 350 is shown in cross-section. The housing 310 is similar to the housing 110, except that it includes three windows 314a, 314b located in grooves 322 formed in the outer surface 320 of the housing 310. The bearing elements 350 and windows 314a, 314b are arranged in a "U" configuration. As shown, the window 314a formed in the housing 310 is not aligned with the opposing window on the opposite side of the bore 313. Instead, the window 314a, and therefore the bearing element 350 located therein, faces a portion of the surface defining the bore 313. However, the window 314b and the bearing element 350 positioned therein face each other. The retaining member 370 is positioned in the groove 322 and holds the bearing element 350 within the housing 310. As shown in Figure 3, the pin 330 is similar to the pin 130 in that the shaft 332 of the pin 330 has a cross-section similar to a square, with a rounded edge 336 between flat bearing surfaces 334. The shaft 332 also includes a surface 335 opposite to the bearing surface 334 that faces the bearing element 350 positioned in the window 314a. This surface 335 does not engage with the bearing element 350 and faces the surface of the bore 313. The surface 335 may be round or flat. Similar to the support assembly 100, the bearing element 350 is positioned within the housing 310 such that the outer surface 356 of each roller 354 is parallel to the corresponding bearing surface 334 of the pin 330. This arrangement maintains the angular orientation of the pin 330, and therefore the head (not shown), as the pin 330 moves axially between the retracted and extended positions, because the opposing surfaces of the pin 330 and the roller 354 come into contact with each other when the pin 330 attempts to rotate. Maintaining the angular orientation of the pin 330 keeps the support surface of the head (not shown) aligned with the substrate and the housing 310.

[0043] Alternatively, the support assembly 300 may have only two bearing elements 350 in each set. For example, the window 314a and the bearing element 150 located therein may be eliminated, leaving two bearing elements 350 to restrain the rotation of the pin 330.

[0044] The bearing elements 350, such as the housing 310, pins 330, and rollers 354, may each be made of ceramic material.

[0045] Figure 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary support assembly 400, showing a pair of bearing elements 450 arranged to restrain the rotation of pin 430. The housing 410 of the support assembly 400 includes a window 414 for each bearing element 450, the windows 414 formed in a triangular arrangement within the housing 410 within a groove 422 formed in the outer surface 420 of the housing 410. The support assembly 400 includes one or more pairs of bearing elements 450 arranged in a triangular configuration within the windows 414. Each individual bearing element 450 is similar to the bearing element 150. Each pair of bearing elements 450 in the support assembly 400 has three bearing elements in a triangular arrangement, rather than each bearing element having a corresponding bearing element located on the opposite side of the bore, as in the support assembly 100. The shaft 452 is supported within a notch 416 formed within the groove 422. A retaining member 470 is positioned in the groove 422 and holds the bearing elements 450 within the housing 410. The shaft 432 of the pin 430 includes a cross-section that includes three flat bearing surfaces 434 arranged in a triangle, such as being positioned at an angle of approximately 60 degrees to each other. In some embodiments, each flat bearing surface 434 is separated from adjacent flat bearing surfaces 434 by the rounded edge of the shaft 432 of the pin 430. The bearing elements 450 are positioned such that the outer surfaces 456 of the rollers 454 are parallel to the bearing surfaces 434 of the shaft 432, as shown in Figure 4. Each flat bearing surface 434 is configured to engage with the outer surface 456 of the corresponding bearing element 450 to guide the axial movement of the pin 430. In some embodiments, the bearing elements 450 may be positioned such that their outer surfaces 456 are positioned at 60 degrees to each other.

[0046] The engagement of the bearing element 450 with the corresponding bearing surface 434 maintains the angular orientation of the pin 430 as it moves between the extended and retracted positions, keeping the support surface of the head (not shown) aligned with the substrate and housing 410. When the pin 430 attempts to rotate, the opposing surfaces of the pin 430 and the roller 454 come into contact with each other, thus maintaining the angular orientation.

[0047] The bearing elements 450, such as the housing 410, pins 430, and rollers 454, may each be made of ceramic material.

[0048] In some embodiments, the shaft 432 of the pin 430 may have a hexagonal cross-section similar to that of the pin 730 shown in Figure 7. The bearing element 450 is positioned to engage with the hexagonal pin and guide the axial movement of the hexagonal pin shaft.

[0049] Figures 5 and 6 show alternative embodiments of a support assembly configured to maintain the angular orientation of a pin, including a bearing element having a mirror channel that reflects the shape of the corresponding bearing surface of the pin shaft.

[0050] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary support assembly 500, showing a set of bearing elements 550 arranged in a rhomboid configuration to restrain rotation of the pin 530. Similar to the support assembly 100, each bearing element 550 is arranged with a corresponding window 514 and corresponding notch 516 located in a groove 522 formed in the outer surface 520 of the housing 510. A retaining member 570 is located in the groove 522 and holds the bearing elements 550 within the housing 510. The shaft 532 of the pin 530 has a rhomboid (e.g., square) cross-section. Each bearing element 550 engages with a corresponding bearing surface 534 of the shaft 532. The bearing surface 534 is where adjacent flat surfaces of the shaft 532 converge at a certain angle. In other words, the bearing surface 534 is a corner of the shaft 532. Each bearing element 550 is similar to bearing element 150 and includes a shaft 552 and a roller 554, except that the outer surface 556 of the roller 554 is not flat like the outer surface 156, but is defined by a channel that mirrors the bearing surface 534 of the shaft 532. The outer surface 556 complements the contour of the corresponding bearing surface 534. As shown in Figure 5, the outer surface 556 is the outer surface of a triangular (e.g., V-shaped) channel formed in the roller 554 that fits with the bearing surface 534 of the shaft 532 (e.g., a corner). The angle of the converging flat surface (e.g., outer surface 556) of the triangular channel may be the same as the angle of the bearing surface 534. This arrangement of bearing elements 550 suppresses the rotation of the pin 530 within the bore 513 because the engagement of the bearing element 550 with the bearing surface 534 of the shaft 532 prevents the pin 530 from rotating freely. Therefore, this arrangement of the bearing element 550 and the shape of the shaft 532 maintain the angular orientation of the pin 530, and thus its head (not shown), as the pin 530 moves axially between the extended and retracted positions. The head of the pin 530 may be similar to the head 140. By maintaining the angular orientation of the pin 530, the support surface of the head (not shown) is kept aligned with the substrate and housing 510.

[0051] The support assembly 500 is shown with four bearing elements 550 engaged with corresponding bearing surfaces 534 (e.g., corners) of the shaft 532, but the support assembly 500 may alternatively have only two bearing elements 550 positioned on opposing corresponding bearing surfaces 534 (e.g., opposing corners). In some embodiments, the support assembly 500, like the support assembly 300, may have three bearing elements engaging with three corresponding bearing surfaces 534 of the shaft 532.

[0052] The bearing elements 550, such as the housing 510, pins 530, and rollers 554, may each be made of ceramic material.

[0053] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary support assembly 600, which shows a set of bearing elements 650 arranged in a triangular configuration to restrain rotation of the pin 630. Similar to the support assembly 100, each bearing element 650 is arranged with a corresponding window 614 and corresponding notch 616 located in a groove 622 formed in the outer surface 620 of the housing 610. A retaining member 670 is positioned in the groove 622 and holds the bearing elements 650 within the housing 610.

[0054] The shaft 632 of pin 630 has a triangular cross-section with three triangular corners. Figure 6 shows an example of a triangular cross-section similar to a three-point shield, with three triangular corners separated by a rounded surface 636. Each bearing element 650 engages with the corresponding bearing surface 634 of the shaft 632. The bearing surface 634 is where adjacent flat surfaces of the shaft 632 converge at a certain angle. In other words, the bearing surface 634 is a triangular corner of the shaft 632. Each bearing element 650 is similar to bearing element 150 and includes a shaft 652 and a roller 654, except that the outer surface 656 of the roller 654 is not flat like the outer surface 156, but is defined by a channel that mirrors the bearing surface 634 of the shaft 632.

[0055] The outer surface 656 complements the contour of the corresponding bearing surface 634. As shown in Figure 6, the outer surface 656 is the outer surface of a triangular (e.g., V-shaped) channel formed in the roller 654 that engages with the bearing surface 634 (e.g., corner) of the shaft 632. The angle of the converging flat surface (e.g., outer surface 656) of the triangular channel may be the same as the angle of the bearing surface 634. The arrangement of the bearing element 650 restricts the rotation of the pin 630 within the bore 613 because the engagement of the bearing element 650 with the bearing surface 634 of the shaft 632 prevents the pin 630 from rotating freely. Thus, this triangular arrangement of the bearing element 650 and the triangular shape of the shaft 632 maintain the angular orientation of the pin 630, and therefore its head (not shown), as the pin 630 moves axially between the extended and retracted positions. The head of the pin 630 may be similar to the head 140. By maintaining the angular orientation of pin 630, the support surface of the head (not shown) is kept aligned with the substrate and housing 610.

[0056] In some embodiments, the shaft 632 of the pin 630 has a triangular cross-section in which the edges between the corners of each triangle are not curved. For example, the cross-section of the shaft 632 may be an equilateral triangle with three perfectly flat sides. The bearing element 650 and the window 614 are arranged so that the bearing element 650 can engage with the corresponding corners of the shaft 632.

[0057] Figure 7 also shows one embodiment of a support assembly configured to maintain the angular orientation of a pin, including a shaft having flat sides that engage with the corresponding flat surfaces of the bearing elements.

[0058] Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary support assembly 700, showing a pair of bearing elements 750 positioned to restrain the rotation of the pin 730. The housing 710 of the support assembly 700 includes a number of windows 714. The windows extend from the outer surface 720 of the housing 710 to the bore 713. The bearing elements 750 are located in some of the windows 714. As shown in Figure 7, the windows 714 in which the bearing elements 750 are located are formed in a triangular arrangement within the housing 710. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 7, the housing 710 does not have a circumferential groove formed on the outer surface 720 of the housing 710.

[0059] The support assembly 700 includes one or more sets of bearing elements 750 arranged in the window 714. Figure 7 shows three bearing elements 750 arranged in a triangular configuration. Each individual bearing element 750 is similar to the bearing element 150 and includes a roller 754 that rotates around a shaft 752. The shaft 752 is integral to the housing 710 rather than being inserted into a notch formed in the housing 710; that is, the shaft 752 is part of the housing 710. The housing 710 and the bearing elements 750 are formed together by additive manufacturing. Thus, the roller 754 is held within the window 714 by being formed around the shaft 752. Furthermore, each shaft 752 is located within the window 714. Thus, each shaft 752 partially defines the window 714 in which the shaft 752 is located.

[0060] The shaft 732 of the pin 730 has a hexagonal cross-section including three flat bearing surfaces 734. Each flat bearing surface 734 is separated from adjacent flat bearing surfaces 734 by a surface 736, such as the flat surface of the shaft 732 of the pin 730. The bearing elements 750 are positioned such that the outer surface 756 of the roller 754 is parallel to the bearing surfaces 734 of the shaft 732, as shown in Figure 7. Each flat bearing surface 734 is configured to engage with the outer surface 756 of the corresponding bearing element 750 to guide the axial movement of the pin 730. In some embodiments, the bearing elements 750 may be positioned such that their outer surfaces 756 are at 60 degrees to each other.

[0061] The engagement of the bearing element 750 with the corresponding bearing surface 734 maintains the angular orientation of the pin 730 as it moves between the extended and retracted positions, keeping the support surface of the head (not shown) aligned with the substrate and housing 710. When the pin 730 attempts to rotate, the opposing surfaces of the pin 730 and the roller 754 come into contact with each other, thus maintaining the angular orientation.

[0062] The housing 710 and bearing element 750 may be formed together by additive manufacturing. The additive manufacturing process may include, but is not limited to, processes such as polyjet deposition, inkjet printing, fused deposition, binder injection, powder bed fusion, selective laser sintering, stereolithography, vat photopolymerization, digital photoprocessing, sheet lamination, directed energy deposition, or other similar three-dimensional deposition processes. In some embodiments, an additive material process may be used to form the housing 710 and roller 754 from one or more different materials.

[0063] In some embodiments, the housing 710 and roller 754 are formed from a ceramic material and are formed together by an additive manufacturing process. For example, in three-dimensional printing, the print head ejects droplets of a formulation (e.g., ink for a printable material such as a printable ceramic material) from a nozzle onto a surface, and then cures the droplets with light from a light source such as an LED or focusing lamp in the printer, for example, ultraviolet light. In some embodiments, the housing 710 and roller 754 are formed from the same ceramic material. In some embodiments, the housing 710 and roller 754 are formed from different ceramic materials.

[0064] By forming the housing 710 and bearing elements 750 together using additive manufacturing, costs and the number of components are reduced. For example, circumferential grooves and retaining members can be omitted. Furthermore, the time and cost of mounting the roller shafts within the housing cutouts are also saved. In some embodiments, the housing 710 may include one or more windows within the housing 710 where the bearing elements 750 are not located inside, for example, the three windows shown in Figure 7. These windows 714 can be incorporated during the manufacturing of the housing 710 and bearing elements 750 to reduce material costs.

[0065] Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing station 800 used to process a substrate 840. The processing station 800 may be part of a substrate processing system, such as a cluster tool, which may include multiple processing stations configured to process the substrate. The processing station 800 includes a housing 802, a pedestal 810, a support assembly 820, a pin lift assembly 830, a source assembly 870, and a process kit assembly 880. A controller 801 communicates with the processing station 800 and controls one or more components of the processing station 800. An opening 806 is formed in the upper wall of the housing 802 between the pedestal 810 and the source assembly 870.

[0066] The pedestal 810 has a support plate 812 configured to support the substrate 840 during processing. A plurality of support assemblies 820 are installed on the pedestal 810. The support assemblies 820 may be any of the support assemblies 100, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 described herein. The support assemblies 820 are positioned on the pedestal 810 to facilitate the raising and lowering of the substrate 840, such as by being positioned to support the periphery of the substrate 840. The pins 822 of each support assembly 820 are connected to a pin lift assembly 830. As shown in the figure, the pin lift assembly 830 includes a hoop 832 configured to raise and lower relative to the pedestal 810. The pins 822 are attached to the hoop 832 and move axially between an extended position and a retracted position as the hoop 832 moves. The substrate 840 is moved relative to the pedestal 810 by extending and retracting each pin 822 of the support assembly 820.

[0067] After processing is complete, the pins 822 of the support assembly 820 can be extended to lift the substrate 840 from the support plate 812. Figure 8 shows the head 824 of the pins 822, and thus the support assembly 820 in the extended position so that the substrate 840 is above the surface of the support plate 812. The substrate 840 can be retrieved by inserting a robot blade 842 from a robot in a transfer chamber (not shown) through an opening in the processing station 800 into the gap between the substrate 840 and the support plate 812. The support assembly 820 can be retracted to transfer the substrate 840 to the robot blade 842. Similarly, the pins 822 of the support assembly 820 can be extended to disengage the substrate 840 from the robot blade 842 used to introduce the substrate 840 into the processing station 800, and then moved to the retracted position to lower the substrate 840 onto the support plate 812 for processing within the processing station 800.

[0068] The pedestal 810 and hoop 832 are moved to their positions within the processing station 800 by actuators, which may include stepping motor or servo motor actuated lead screw assemblies, linear motor assemblies, pneumatic cylinder actuated assemblies, or other conventional mechanical linear actuation mechanisms. Seals, such as bellows assembly 808, are used to form seals between the outer diameter of the pedestal 810 and the housing 802, and between a portion of the pin lift assembly 830 and the housing 802, thereby isolating the interior of the processing station 800 from the atmosphere.

[0069] Figure 8 shows a source assembly 870 adapted to perform a physical vapor deposition ("PVD") process. An exemplary source assembly 870 includes a magnetron assembly 871, a target 872, a process assembly wall 873 coupled to a housing 802, a lid 874, and a sputtering power supply 875. In this configuration, the processing surface 872A of the PVD target 872 defines at least a portion of the upper part of the process region 860 overall. The magnetron assembly 871 includes a magnetron region 879 in which the magnetron 871A is rotated during processing by the use of a magnetron rotary motor 876. The target 872 and magnetron assembly 871 are typically cooled by supplying a cooling fluid (e.g., deionized water) to the magnetron region 879 from a fluid recirculation device (not shown). The magnetron assembly 871 includes a plurality of magnets 871B configured to generate a magnetic field extending below the processing surface 872A of the target 872, thereby facilitating the sputtering process performed in the process region 860 during the PVD deposition process.

[0070] The process kit assembly 880 may include a process area shield 882, an insulating ring 883, a seal assembly 885 which can be positioned above and / or within the opening 106 formed in the housing 802, a deposit ring (not shown), and a covering ring 886. In some embodiments, a support plate 812 is in contact with a portion of the process kit assembly 880, such as the seal assembly 885, to form a process area 860. The process area 860 may be evacuated by a vacuum pump 865 coupled to the station wall 884 of the housing 802 via a first port in the station wall 884.

[0071] For example, the vacuum pump 865 raises the pressure within the process area 860 to approximately 10 -3 The pressure can be reduced to below atmospheric pressure, approximately torr. The vacuum pump 865 may be a turbopump, cryopump, roughing pump, or other useful device capable of maintaining the desired pressure within the process area 860. The station wall 884 is coupled to the gas source assembly 866 and configured to supply one or more process gases (e.g., Ar, N2) to the process area 860 through the plenum during processing.

[0072] The process area shield 882 is located below the station wall 884. Typically, the process area shield 882 is used to collect sputtered deposits from the target 872 and to surround a portion of the process area 860. The insulating ring 883 is formed from a dielectric material and is configured to support the target 872 and to be positioned on the station wall 884. The insulating ring 883 is used to electrically isolate the target 872 from the grounded station wall 884 when the target 872 is biased by the sputtering power supply 875.

[0073] To process the substrate 840, the pedestal 810 rises from the transfer position shown in Figure 8 to the process position (not shown). When in the process position, a portion of the support plate 812 forms a separable seal with a portion of the seal assembly 885, substantially fluidly isolating the process area 860 from the rest of the interior of the processing station 800. Thus, when in the process position, the support plate 812, seal assembly 885, process area shield 882, station wall 884, insulating ring 883, and target 872 substantially surround and define the process area 860.

[0074] The seal assembly 885 may include an upper plate 885a, a flexible bellows 885b, and a lower plate 885c. The flexible bellows 885b is positioned between the upper plate 885a and the lower plate 885c. In some embodiments, the seal formed between a portion of the support plate 812 and the upper plate 885a of the seal assembly 885 is created in a seal region formed by physical contact between the surface of the region of the support plate 812 and the surface of the upper plate 885a. In some embodiments, the flexible bellows assembly 885b of the seal assembly 885 is configured to extend vertically when the portion of the support plate 812 is positioned in contact with the surface of the portion of the seal assembly 885. The compliant nature of the flexible bellows 885b assembly allows it to absorb any misalignment or difference in flatness between the surface of the portion of the support plate 812 and the surface of the portion of the seal assembly 885, resulting in a reliable, repeatable, and separable seal. The flexible bellows assembly 885b may, in particular, be a stainless steel bellows assembly or an Inconel bellows assembly.

[0075] Although the processing station 800 shown in Figure 8 is shown as adapted to perform a PVD deposition process, the source assembly 870 may include different hardware for performing different processes. For example, the source assembly 870 may be adapted to perform chemical vapor deposition ("CVD"), plasma chemical vapor deposition ("PECVD"), atomic layer deposition ("ALD"), plasma atomic layer deposition ("PEALD"), etching, lithography, ion implantation, ashing, cleaning, thermal processes (e.g., rapid heat treatment, annealing, cooling, thermal management control), degassing, and / or other useful substrate processes.

[0076] The controller 801 may include a programmable central processing unit (CPU) that can operate with memory (e.g., non-volatile memory) and support circuitry. The support circuitry may include, in conventional ways, caches, clock circuits, input / output subsystems, power supplies, and combinations thereof, which are coupled to the CPU and various components of the processing station 800 to facilitate control of the processing station 800. For example, in some embodiments, the CPU is one of any form of general-purpose computer processor used in an industrial environment, such as a programmable logic control unit (PLC) for controlling various polishing system components and subprocessors. The memory coupled to the CPU is non-temporary and is typically one or more of readily available memories, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), floppy disk drives, hard disks, or any other form of local or remote digital storage.

[0077] In this specification, memory is in the form of a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., non-volatile memory) containing instructions that, when executed by the CPU, facilitate the operation of the processing station 800. The instructions in memory are in the form of a program product, such as a program that implements the methods of this disclosure (e.g., middleware applications, device software applications, etc.). The program code may conform to one of several different programming languages. In one example, this disclosure may be implemented as a program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for use with a computer system. The program of the program product defines the functions of the embodiments, including the methods and operations described herein.

[0078] Examples of computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, (i) non-writable storage media on which information is stored permanently (e.g., read-only memory devices in a computer, such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, flash memory, ROM chips, or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory), and (ii) writable storage media on which modifiable information is stored (e.g., floppy disks in a diskette drive, or hard disk drives, or any type of solid-state random-access semiconductor memory). Such computer-readable storage media are embodiments of the present disclosure when they carry computer-readable instructions that direct the functions of the methods described herein.

[0079] Figure 9 shows a method 900 for moving a substrate within a processing station. Method 900 may be performed within the processing station 800 by a controller 801. As shown by operation 901, the substrate is first placed on the support surface of a pedestal. This substrate is being processed within the processing station, such as undergoing a PVD process in a process area 860. The support assembly within the pedestal is extended from a retracted position until the heads of the pins of the support assembly engage with the substrate. Each pin is rotationally locked by a plurality of bearing elements that engage with the pin, located in the housing of each support assembly. The support assembly may be any one of the support assemblies 100, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 described herein. For example, the bearing elements can be positioned such that the flat outer surface of the roller of each bearing element is parallel to the corresponding flat bearing surface of the pin, thereby locking the pin in the rotational direction. For example, a pin includes a shaft having multiple corners that engage with the outer surface of a corresponding bearing element to lock the pin in the rotational direction, the outer surface being defined by channels complementary to the corners of the shaft. In some embodiments, the support assembly may be positioned around the periphery of the substrate such that each support surface of each head engages with the bottom edge of the substrate.

[0080] As shown by operation 902, the pins of the support assembly move further to the extended position, lifting the substrate above the pedestal. This movement may be continuous with operation 901, or the upward movement of the pins may be stopped when the pins make contact with the substrate before moving the pins to the extended position. Lifting the substrate above the pedestal makes it possible to position a robot, such as a robot blade, between the underside of the substrate and the support surface of the pedestal.

[0081] As shown by operation 903, the substrate is disengaged from the support surface of the pin. The substrate may also be disengaged by using a robot to lift the substrate above the support surface of the pin. In some embodiments, the pin can be retracted to lower the substrate onto the robot. If the pin is kept lowered, the substrate will be disengaged from the pin and will remain supported on the robot.

[0082] In some embodiments, each bearing element is configured to engage with a sharp corner of the shaft, where two flat surfaces engage at a single point. In some embodiments, each bearing element is configured to engage with a rounded corner of the shaft.

[0083] A method for moving a substrate, comprising the steps of extending a plurality of pins of a plurality of support assemblies from a retracted position to engage with the bottom edge of the substrate engaging with the support surface of a pedestal, each pin being rotationally locked by a plurality of bearing elements that engage with the pin and are located inside the housing of each support assembly. The method further comprises the steps of extending the plurality of pins to an extended position to lift the substrate above the pedestal. The method further comprises the steps of disengaging the substrate from the plurality of lift pins in the extended position.

[0084] In one embodiment of the method for moving the substrate, the bearing elements are arranged such that the flat outer surface of the roller of each bearing element is parallel to the corresponding flat bearing surface of the corresponding pin, thereby locking the pin in the rotational direction.

[0085] In one embodiment of the method for moving the substrate, the pin includes a shaft having a plurality of corners that engage with the outer surface of a corresponding bearing element to lock the pin in the rotational direction, the outer surface of the bearing element being defined by channels complementary to the corners of the shaft.

[0086] While the above applies to embodiments of the present disclosure, other embodiments and further embodiments of the present disclosure can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A support assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing station, A housing comprising a bore, a groove formed on the outer surface of the housing, and a plurality of windows intersecting the bore and positioned in the groove, A pin disposed within the bore and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, comprising a shaft including a plurality of bearing surfaces, A plurality of bearing elements, at least partially positioned in corresponding windows among the plurality of windows, wherein each bearing element includes an outer surface configured to engage with a corresponding bearing surface of the shaft, and the plurality of bearing elements and bearing surfaces cooperate to maintain the angular orientation of the pin as the pin moves between the retracted position and the extended position, A retaining member arranged in the groove, A support assembly comprising:

2. The support assembly according to claim 1, comprising four flat bearing surfaces in which the plurality of bearing surfaces are arranged in a square configuration, and comprising four bearing elements in which the plurality of bearing elements are arranged in a square configuration.

3. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include three flat bearing surfaces arranged in a triangular configuration, and each flat bearing surface is separated from adjacent bearing surfaces by the rounded edge of the shaft.

4. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include the corners of the shaft, and the outer surface of the bearing element is defined by a channel complementary to the corners of the shaft.

5. The support assembly according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include four bearing surfaces, and the plurality of bearing elements include four bearing elements arranged in a rhombic configuration.

6. The support assembly according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include three bearing surfaces, and the plurality of bearing elements include three bearing elements arranged in a triangular configuration.

7. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pin includes a head extending beyond the periphery of the shaft, and the support surface includes a support surface configured such that the head engages with the bottom edge of a substrate.

8. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing, the pin, and the roller of the bearing element are formed from a ceramic material.

9. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the shaft of the pin is connected to a pin lift assembly configured to move the pin between the extended position and the retracted position.

10. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a shoulder portion at its upper end configured to engage with the surface of the pedestal.

11. A support assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing station, A ceramic housing comprising a bore, a groove formed on the outer surface of the ceramic housing, a plurality of windows intersecting the bore and positioned in the groove, and a shoulder at the upper end configured to engage with the surface of a pedestal, A ceramic pin disposed within the bore and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, comprising a shaft having a plurality of bearing surfaces and a head having a support surface configured to engage with the bottom edge of a substrate, A plurality of bearing elements, at least partially positioned in corresponding windows among the plurality of windows, each bearing element including a ceramic roller having an outer surface configured to engage with a corresponding bearing surface of the shaft, wherein the plurality of bearing elements and bearing surfaces cooperate to maintain the support surface aligned with the bottom edge of the substrate as the ceramic pin moves between the retracted position and the extended position, A retaining member arranged in the groove, A support assembly comprising:

12. The support assembly according to claim 11, comprising four flat bearing surfaces in which the plurality of bearing surfaces are arranged in a square configuration, and comprising four bearing elements in which the plurality of bearing elements are arranged in a square configuration.

13. The support assembly according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include three flat bearing surfaces arranged in a triangular configuration, and each flat bearing surface is separated from adjacent bearing surfaces by the rounded edge of the shaft.

14. The support assembly according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include the corners of the shaft, and the outer surface of the bearing element is defined by a channel complementary to the corners of the shaft.

15. The support assembly according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include four bearing surfaces, and the plurality of bearing elements include four bearing elements arranged in a rhombic configuration.

16. The support assembly according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include three bearing surfaces, and the plurality of bearing elements include three bearing elements arranged in a triangular configuration.

17. The support assembly according to claim 16, wherein the rounded surface of the shaft is positioned between adjacent bearing surfaces.

18. A support assembly for supporting a substrate within a processing station, A ceramic housing including an outer surface, an inner surface defining a bore, and a plurality of first windows extending from the outer surface and the inner surface, A ceramic pin disposed within the bore and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, comprising a pin shaft including a head having a plurality of bearing surfaces and a support surface configured to engage with the bottom edge of a substrate, A plurality of bearing elements, at least partially arranged in corresponding windows of the plurality of first windows, each bearing element includes a bearing shaft integrally formed with the ceramic housing and a ceramic roller having an outer surface configured to engage with a corresponding bearing surface of the pin shaft, wherein the plurality of bearing elements and the bearing surface cooperate to maintain the support surface aligned with the bottom edge of the substrate as the ceramic pin moves between the retracted position and the extended position, A support assembly comprising:

19. The support assembly according to claim 18, wherein the pin shaft has a hexagonal cross-section.

20. The support assembly according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of bearing surfaces include three flat bearing surfaces, and each flat bearing surface is separated from an adjacent bearing surface by a flat edge of the pin shaft.

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