Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for transferring a nearly circular wafer to the substantially center position of the surface of a nearly circular disc of similar diameter, said method comprising forming a water layer on said surface of said disc, laying the wafer on the water layer, and transferring the wafer to the center position of said disc by use of the surface tension of the water layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for transferring a nearly circular wafer to the substantially center position of the surface of a nearly circular disc of similar diameter, said method comprising forming a water layer on said surface of said disc, laying the wafer on the water layer, and transferring the wafer to the center position of said disc by use of the surface tension of the water layer.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for automatically centering a wafer atop the surface of a disc, comprising: providing a disc of substantially the same lateral size and shape as the wafer to be centered thereon; flooding the bare top surface of the disc with sufficient water to extend a water layer over substantially the full width of said disc surface by the surface tension of the water; thereafter placing a wafer atop the water layer without regard to centering of the wafer with respect to the disc; releasing the wafer and therewith using the surface tension of said water layer to center the wafer with respect to the disk.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for automatically centering a wafer atop the surface of a disc, comprising: providing a disc of substantially the same lateral size and shape as the wafer to be centered thereon; flooding the bare top surface of the disc with sufficient water to extend a water layer over substantially the full width of said disc surface by the surface tension of the water; thereafter placing a wafer atop the water layer without regard to centering of the wafer with respect to the disc; releasing the wafer and therewith using the surface tension of said water layer to center the wafer with respect to the disk.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said disc is porous, the step of forming a water layer on said surface including supplying water from the bottom of said disc and making the water slowly spout out onto said surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
The method of claim 3 including surrounding the periphery of said disc by a nonporous base seat with the diameter of said disc being a little smaller than that of the wafer and the outer diameter of said base seat being a little bigger than the diameter of the wafer and said surface of said disc and the upper surface of said base seat being substantially on the same level and wherein said flooding step includes extending the water layer over the upper surface of base seat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 4, including attracting and fixing the wafer on said surface by sucking air through said disc, performing a treatment of the wafer, stopping the sucking of air, again forming a water layer on said surface and thus floating the wafer up from said surface, removing the wafer from said surface, and putting the next wafer on said surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the wafer is a light weight silicon wafer of thickness less than that of the water layer.