Lifting and supporting device
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a lifting and supporting device for handling and positioning particularly large-surface elements in the shape of panels, especially in plasma processing installations. Said lifting and supporting device comprises a particularly metallic base plate, on which a plurality of particularly dielectric pins are arranged. Said pins may be set in pin holes especially provided in the base plate. Said panel-shaped element may be positioned on the pin end for the handling thereof or during a plasma processing. Said panel-shaped element may present an electrostatic charge. A small diameter for the pins and pin holes is selected such that, in conformity with the panel-shaped element provided with the electrostatic charge, an undesired electrostatic charge on said panel-shaped element is essentially avoided or, in conformity with the panel-shaped element to be plasma processed, a plasma perturbation in the area of the pin holes or pins is essentially avoided.
1. A lifting and supporting device for handling and supporting particularly large-surface elements in the shape of panels in plasma processing installations, with a base plate on which there is arranged a plurality of dielectric pins on the ends of which the panel-shaped element can be supported for handling, where the panel-shaped element may carry an electrostatic charge, characterized in that the diameter of the pins is selected sufficiently small, so that, matched to the panel-shaped element carrying the electrostatic charge, an undesired electrostatic discharge on the panel-shaped element is substantially avoided, and wherein the diameter of the pins is less than 1 mm and also smaller than the thirtieth part of their length that can be raised above the base plate.
2. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pins can be lowered into pin holes provided on the base plate.
3. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the diameter of the pins is smaller than the thickness of the plasma sheath.
4. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the number of the pins per square meter of the surface area of the base plate is greater than 5.
5. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the average distance between the pins is not greater than 300 mm and that the pins are uniformly distributed over the base plate.
6. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pins have a low dielectric coefficient.
7. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pins are made of an elastic material.
8. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pins are made of a polymer.
9. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pins are arranged so as to be rotatable about their longitudinal axis.
10. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pins can perform an oscillating sliding motion along their longitudinal axis.
11. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that there are provided two mutually independent sets of pins that render possible independent raising and lowering motions.
12. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pin ends on which the panel-shaped element is supported are provided with a polished surface and/or a coating with a low coefficient of friction.
13. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates, characterized in that the panel-shaped substrates are moved with the lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 .
14. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates, characterized in that the installation comprises a lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 for handling and supporting substrates that are moved, by the lifting and supporting device.
15. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 4 , characterized in that the number of pins per square meter of the surface area of the base plate is greater than 10.
16. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 15 , characterized in that the number of pins per square meter of the surface area of the base plate is greater than 15.
17. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 8 , characterized in that the pins are made of polytetrafluorethylene, polyisoethylene, polyacrylates or polyethylene.
18. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the pins are made of a ceramic material.
19. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 18 , characterized in that the pins are made of quartz, cordierite, aluminum oxide or zirconium.
20. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 13 , characterized in that the method includes coating the panel-shaped substrates.
21. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 20 , characterized in that coating includes coating the panel-shaped substrates by means of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
22. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 13 , characterized in that the method includes etching the panel-shaped substrates.
23. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 22 , characterized in that etching includes dry etching.
24. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 22 , characterized in that etching includes plasma etching.
25. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 13 , characterized in that substrates are dielectric substrates.
26. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 25 , characterized in that dielectric substrates are glass or semiconductor materials.
27. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 14 , characterized in that processing includes coating the panel-shaped substrates.
28. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 27 , characterized in that coating includes coating the panel-shaped substrates by means of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
29. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 14 , characterized in that the processing includes etching the panel-shaped substrates.
30. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 29 , characterized in that etching includes dry etching.
31. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 29 , characterized in that etching includes plasma etching.
32. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 14 , characterized in that substrates are dielectric substrates.
33. Installation for processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 32 , characterized in that dielectric substrates are glass or semiconductor materials.
34. A lifting and supporting device for handling and supporting large-surface elements in the shape of panels in plasma processing installations, where the element may carry an electrostatic charge, comprising:
a metallic base plate having pin holes;
a plurality of pins that can be lowered into the pin holes;
the pins having ends on which the element can be supported for handling or during the plasma processing;
wherein the pins or the pin holes have a small diameter that substantially does not perturb plasma of the element in a region abutting the pins or the pin holes;
wherein the pins are made of dielectric material; and
wherein the diameter of the pins is less than 1 mm and also smaller than the thirtieth part of their length that can be raised above the base plate.
35. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the diameter of the pins is smaller than the thickness of a plasma sheath.
36. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the number of the pins per square meter of a surface area of the base plate is greater than 5.
37. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 36 , characterized in that the number of the pins per square meter of a surface area of the base plate is greater than 10.
38. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 37 , characterized in that the number of the pins per square meter of a surface area of the base plate is greater than 15.
39. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claims 34 , characterized in that an average distance between the pins is not greater than 300 mm and that the pins are uniformly distributed over the base plate.
40. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the pins have a low dielectric coefficient.
41. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the pins are made of an elastic material.
42. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the pins are made of a polymer or a ceramic material.
43. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 42 , characterized in that the pins are made of polytetrafluorethylene, polyisoethylene, polyacrylates or polyethylene.
44. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 42 , characterized in that the pins are made of quartz, cordierite, aluminum oxide or zirconium.
45. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the pins are arranged so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the pins.
46. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the pins can perform an oscillating sliding motion along a longitudinal axis of the pins.
47. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that there are provided two mutually independent sets of pins that render possible independent raising and lowering motions.
48. A lifting and supporting device in accordance with claim 34 , characterized in that the ends on which the element is supported are provided with a polished surface and/or a coating with a low coefficient of friction.
49. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates comprising:
providing large-surface elements in the shape of panels in plasma processing installations, the element carrying an electrostatic charge;
providing a lifting and supporting device comprising a metallic base plate having pin holes and a plurality of pins that can be lowered into the pin holes
supporting the element on ends of the pins;
substantially not perturbing plasma of the element in a region abutting the pins or the pinholes;
wherein the pins are made of dielectric material; and
wherein the diameter of the pins is less than 1 mm and also smaller than the thirtieth part of their length that can be raised above the base plate.
50. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 49 , characterized in that the method includes coating the elements.
51. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 49 , characterized in that the method includes etching the elements.
52. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 51 , characterized in that etching includes dry etching.
53. A method of processing panel-shaped substrates in accordance with claim 51 , characterized in that etching includes plasma etching.