Edge-contact wafer holder for CMP load/unload station

摘要

An edge-contact wafer holder which is suitable for holding wafers as the wafers are loaded onto and unloaded from a processing tool such as a CMP (chemical mechanical planarization) apparatus, for example. The edge-contact wafer holder includes a typically ring-shaped holder body which is mounted typically on a load cup on a HCLU (Head Clean Load/Unload) station of a CMP apparatus and supports each individual wafer at or near the wafer edge. Multiple guide pins may extend upwardly from the holder body to guide each wafer onto the holder body as the wafer is lowered in place onto the holder body.