Substrate supporting apparatus and manufacturing method therefor

• US 20070157466A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Tachikawa, Toshihiro, Futakuchiya, Jun, Kida, Naoya
• Granted Patent: US 7,503,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/852
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4581 characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 29/046 with balls journaled in pockets
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6875 characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68757 characterised by a coating or a hardness or a material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49165 by forming conductive walled aperture in base

Abstract

A substrate supporting apparatus includes a plate member of an aluminum alloy having a flat upper surface, bottomed pits formed in the plate member, and spacer members held in the pits, individually. The spacer members are sapphire spheres. The diameter of each spacer member is a little smaller than that of each pit. The upper end of each spacer member projects from the upper surface of the plate member. A spot facing is formed in a region that includes the open edge portion of the pit. A bending portion which is obtained by plastically deforming the open edge portion of the pit toward the spacer member is formed on a bottom surface of the spot facing. A V-shaped groove is formed behind the bending portion.

Claims

1. A substrate supporting apparatus comprising:

a metallic plate member having a flat upper surface;

a pit formed in each of a plurality of portions of the upper surface of the plate member and having a circular open edge portion and a bottom;

a spacer member which has a diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the pit, is held in the pit, and has an upper end projecting from the upper surface;

a bending portion which is formed by plastically deforming the open edge portion toward the spacer member so that an opening width of the open edge portion is smaller than the diameter of the spacer member; and

a groove formed behind the bending portion so as to extend along a circumferential direction of the open edge portion.

2. A substrate supporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the groove has a V-shaped cross section, and the groove and the bending portion are arranged individually in continuous rings covering an entire circumference of the open edge portion.

3. A substrate supporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a spot facing is formed on that part of the upper surface of the plate member which surrounds the open edge portion, the bending portion and the groove being formed on a bottom surface of the spot facing.

4. A substrate supporting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a spot facing is formed on that part of the upper surface of the plate member which surrounds the open edge portion, the bending portion and the groove being formed on a bottom surface of the spot facing.

5. A substrate supporting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a bump is formed around the groove of the bottom surface of the spot facing, the bump being confined to a position lower than the upper surface of the plate member.

6. A substrate supporting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a bump is formed around the groove of the bottom surface of the spot facing, the bump being confined to a position lower than the upper surface of the plate member.

7. A substrate supporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spacer member is a sphere of aluminum oxide, and the plate member is formed of an aluminum alloy.

8. A substrate supporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spacer member is a sphere of a ceramic material, and the plate member is formed of an aluminum alloy.

9. A manufacturing method for a substrate supporting apparatus, comprising:

a step of forming a flat upper surface on a metallic plate member;

a step of forming a plurality of plain spot facings on the upper surface of the plate member by machining;

step of forming a pit having a circular open edge portion and a bottom in a bottom surface of each said plain spot facing;

a step of inserting a spacer member having a diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the pit into the pit;

a step of pushing in a ring-shaped tip of a wedgy tool, which extends along the open edge portion, around the open edge portion, thereby plastically deforming the open edge portion toward the spacer member so that an opening width of the open edge portion is smaller than the diameter of the spacer member.