Abstract: A machine featuring a treatment tool that grinds a surface to a desired profile, imparts a desired roughness to that surface, and removes contamination from the surface, the machine configured to control multiple independent input variables simultaneously, the controllable variables selected from the group consisting of (i) velocity, (ii) rotation, and (iii) dither of the treatment tool, and (iv) pressure of the treatment tool against the surface. The machine can move the treatment tool with six degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A machine featuring a treatment tool that grinds a surface to a desired profile, imparts a desired roughness to that surface, and removes contamination from the surface, the machine configured to control multiple independent input variables simultaneously, the controllable variables selected from the group consisting of (i) velocity, (ii) rotation, and (iii) dither of the treatment tool, and (iv) pressure of the treatment tool against the surface. The machine can move the treatment tool with six degrees of freedom.

Abstract: An article includes a ceramic material and features a machined surface that is characteristic of cold ablation laser machining, and the machined surface exhibits no visible oxidation. A laser machining apparatus and technique is based on cold-ablation, but is modified or augmented with an inert assist gas to minimize deleterious surface modifications and mitigate oxide formation associated with laser machining.

Abstract: In a deterministic setting for finishing the support surface of a chuck such as a wafer chuck, the treatment tool may have a contacting surface shaped as a ring, annulus, or toroid, or at least such will be the form of contact when the treatment tool is brought into contact with a flat surface. The treatment tool may have about the same hardness as the work piece (e.g., the wafer chuck) that is being finished. In one embodiment, the treatment tool, or at least the flat contacting surface, is made from silicon carbide (SiC), or contains SiC, for example, in the form of a composite material such as reaction-bonded SiC.

Abstract: A method for decontaminating support surfaces of a wafer chuck, such as a wafer chuck, entails lightly passing a treatment tool having a nominally flat contacting surface over the regions of the chuck where contaminants are to be removed. The treatment tool and the chuck surface may have about the same hardness. The treatment tool may be minimally constrained so that it may conform to the surface being processed. When the treatment tool is contacted to a flat surface, the locust of contact may be in the form of a circle, ring or annulus. At higher application pressures, the treatment tool will abrade the chuck, which here is to be avoided, or at least minimized. Thus, the instant inventors have discovered that the same treatment tool that is used to engineer the elevation or profile of the surface, and its roughness, at lower application pressures can be used to remove grinding debris and other contaminants from the surface.

Abstract: Grinding, lapping and polishing basically work by making scratches in the body being ground, lapped or polished. The scratches typically are linear. The scratches gives rise to a directionality component of friction: the friction coefficient is less in the direction along the scratch than in a direction orthogonal, or across, the scratch. In a wafer handling/chucking situation, one wants the wafer to settle on the chuck, which involves the outer regions of the wafer moving radially with respect to the chuck. One can reduce friction in the radial direction by giving the lapping scratches a preferred orientation, namely, radial. This can be achieved by making the final passes of the lapping tool move predominantly in radial directions.

Abstract: An article including a ceramic material and featuring a machined surface that is characteristic of cold ablation laser machining, wherein the machined surface exhibits no visible oxidation. A laser machining apparatus and technique based on cold-ablation, but modified or augmented with an inert assist gas, which minimizes the deleterious surface modifications and mitigates the oxide formation associated with laser machining.

Abstract: A laser texturing process modifies the surface of a semiconductor wafer-handling device so that flatness is maintained, but controlled roughness is imparted to prevent unwanted wafer sticking. The laser texturing may be from a thermal laser, a cold ablation laser, or either laser modified with an inert cover gas. The laser etches or burns away a portion or fraction of a flat surface, thereby reducing the area of contact to the semiconductor wafer and thereby reducing friction and sticking. The etched or burned-away portion is thus at a reduced, relieved or lower elevation than the unaffected portion. The laser texturing may take the form of a plurality of channels cut into the surface, or a plurality of holes. Laser machining can yield a semiconductor wafer handling device having finer detail than can be produced by other shaping techniques, with feature sizes on the order of 50 microns being achievable.

Abstract: A machine featuring a treatment tool that grinds a surface to a desired profile, imparts a desired roughness to that surface, and removes contamination from the surface, the machine configured to control multiple independent input variables simultaneously, the controllable variables selected from the group consisting of (i) velocity, (ii) rotation, and (iii) dither of the treatment tool, and (iv) pressure of the treatment tool against the surface. The machine can move the treatment tool with six degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A machine featuring a treatment tool that grinds a surface to a desired profile, imparts a desired roughness to that surface, and removes contamination from the surface, the machine configured to control multiple independent input variables simultaneously, the controllable variables selected from the group consisting of (i) velocity, (ii) rotation, and (iii) dither of the treatment tool, and (iv) pressure of the treatment tool against the surface. The machine can move the treatment tool with six degrees of freedom.

Abstract: In a wafer chuck design featuring pins or “mesas” making up the support surface, engineering the pins to have an annular shape, or to contain holes or pits, minimizes sticking of the wafer, and improves wafer settling. In another aspect of the invention is a tool and method for imparting or restoring flatness and roughness to a surface, such as the support surface of a wafer chuck. The tool is shaped such that the contact to the surface being treated is a circle or annulus. The treatment method may take place in a dedicated apparatus, or in-situ in semiconductor fabrication apparatus. The tool is smaller than the diameter of the wafer pin chuck, and may be approximate to the spatial frequency of the high spots to be lapped. The movement of the tool relative to the support surface is such that all areas of the support surface may be processed by the tool, or only those areas needing correction.

Abstract: In a wafer chuck design featuring pins or “mesas” making up the support surface, engineering the pins to have an annular shape, or to contain holes or pits, minimizes sticking of the wafer, and improves wafer settling. In another aspect of the invention is a tool and method for imparting or restoring flatness and roughness to a surface, such as the support surface of a wafer chuck. The tool is shaped such that the contact to the surface being treated is a circle or annulus. The treatment method may take place in a dedicated apparatus, or in-situ in semiconductor fabrication apparatus. The tool is smaller than the diameter of the wafer pin chuck, and may be approximate to the spatial frequency of the high spots to be lapped. The movement of the tool relative to the support surface is such that all areas of the support surface may be processed by the tool, or only those areas needing correction.

Abstract: In a deterministic setting for finishing the support surface of a chuck such as a wafer chuck, the treatment tool may have a contacting surface shaped as a ring, annulus, or toroid, or at least such will be the form of contact when the treatment tool is brought into contact with a flat surface. The treatment tool may have about the same hardness as the work piece (e.g., the wafer chuck) that is being finished. In one embodiment, the treatment tool, or at least the flat contacting surface, is made from silicon carbide (SiC), or contains SiC, for example, in the form of a composite material such as reaction-bonded SiC.

Abstract: Grinding, lapping and polishing basically work by making scratches in the body being ground, lapped or polished. The scratches typically are linear. The scratches gives rise to a directionality component of friction: the friction coefficient is less in the direction along the scratch than in a direction orthogonal, or across, the scratch. In a wafer handling/chucking situation, one wants the wafer to settle on the chuck, which involves the outer regions of the wafer moving radially with respect to the chuck. One can reduce friction in the radial direction by giving the lapping scratches a preferred orientation, namely, radial. This can be achieved by making the final passes of the lapping tool move predominantly in radial directions.

Abstract: A machine featuring a treatment tool that grinds a surface to a desired profile, imparts a desired roughness to that surface, and removes contamination from the surface, the machine configured to control multiple independent input variables simultaneously, the controllable variables selected from the group consisting of (i) velocity, (ii) rotation, and (iii) dither of the treatment tool, and (iv) pressure of the treatment tool against the surface. The machine can move the treatment tool with six degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A method for decontaminating support surfaces of a wafer chuck entails lightly passing a treatment tool having a nominally flat contacting surface over the regions of the chuck where contaminants are to be removed. The treatment tool and the chuck surface may have about the same hardness. The treatment tool may be constrained so that it may conform to the surface being processed. When the treatment tool is contacted to a flat surface, the area of contact may be in the form of a circle, ring or annulus. At application pressures, the treatment tool will abrade the chuck, which here is to be avoided, or at least minimized. Thus, the instant inventors have discovered that the same treatment tool that is used to engineer the elevation profile of the resurface, and its roughness, at lower application pressures can be used to remove grinding debris and other contaminants from the surface.

Abstract: The invention features a method for attaching a surface of a first optical element to a surface of a second optical element. The method includes: providing a bonding glass on at least one of the surfaces, wherein the bonding glass is selected to match the refractive indices of the first and second optical elements at the surfaces over a first range of wavelengths and absorb optical energy to a greater extent than that of the optical elements over a second range of wavelengths different from the first range of wavelengths; positioning the surfaces proximate one another; directing optical energy to the bonding glass through at least one of the optical elements at a wavelength in the second range of wavelengths, wherein the optical energy is sufficient to melt the bonding glass without deforming the optical elements; and allowing the melted bonding glass to solidify and fuse the proximately positioned surfaces.

Abstract: The invention features a method for attaching a surface of a first optical element to a surface of a second optical element. The method includes: providing a bonding glass on at least one of the surfaces, wherein the bonding glass is selected to match the refractive indices of the first and second optical elements at the surfaces over a first range of wavelengths and absorb optical energy to a greater extent than that of the optical elements over a second range of wavelengths different from the first range of wavelengths; positioning the surfaces proximate one another; directing optical energy to the bonding glass through at least one of the optical elements at a wavelength in the second range of wavelengths, wherein the optical energy is sufficient to melt the bonding glass without deforming the optical elements; and allowing the melted bonding glass to solidify and fuse the proximately positioned surfaces.