Douglas B Macdonald, 99Concord, CA

6183026, Feb 6, 2001

Apr 7, 1999

9/287325

Lihong Cai - Fremont CA
Douglas MacDonald - Los Gatos CA

GaSonics International Corporation - San Jose CA

B25J 1506

294 641

An improved end effector includes an end effector body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. A contact member is attached to the top surface of the proximal end portion for supporting a substrate over a contact surface area. The contact member spaces the substrate from the end effector body to reduce the contact area between the end effector and the substrate. The contact member is made of a material with a low thermal conductivity. The reduced contact area and low thermal conductivity serve to decrease heat conduction between the contact member and the substrate so as to reduce a temperature gradient and thermal stresses in the substrate caused by the contact. The end effector body includes a plurality of apertures disposed between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion. At least some of the apertures overlap in position with portions of the substrate to provide open areas between blocked portions of the end effector body which overlap in position with the substrate. The open areas facilitate heat transfer by radiation for the substrate to reduce temperature gradient in the substrate caused by the overlap in position between the end effector body and the substrate.