Temperature controlled substrate holder with non-uniform insulation layer for a substrate processing system

• US 20080083723A1
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Yuji, Strang, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,723,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/385
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4586 Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/46 characterised by the method used for heating the substrate C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 5/0037 Supports specially adapted for semi-conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2001 Maintaining constant desired temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67103 mainly by conduction

Abstract

A substrate holder for supporting a substrate in a processing system includes a temperature controlled support base having a first temperature, and a substrate support opposing the temperature controlled support base and configured to support the substrate. Also included is one or more heating elements coupled to the substrate support and configured to heat the substrate support to a second temperature above the first temperature, and a thermal insulator disposed between the temperature controlled support base and the substrate support. The thermal insulator includes a non-uniform spatial variation of the heat transfer coefficient (W/m²-K) through the thermal insulator between the temperature controlled support base and the substrate support.

Claims

1. A substrate holder for supporting a substrate in a processing system, comprising:

a temperature controlled support base having a first temperature;

a substrate support opposing said temperature controlled support base and configured to support the substrate;

one or more heating elements coupled to said substrate support, and configured to heat the substrate support to a second temperature above said first temperature; and

a thermal insulator disposed between said temperature controlled support base and said substrate support, wherein said thermal insulator comprises a non-uniform spatial variation of the heat transfer coefficient (W/m²-K) through said thermal insulator between said temperature controlled support base and said substrate support.

2. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said heat transfer coefficient varies in a radial direction between a substantially central region of the thermal insulator and a substantially edge region of the thermal insulator.

3. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said thermal insulator comprises a non-uniform spatial variation of the thermal conductivity (W/m-K) of said thermal insulator.

4. The substrate holder of claim 3, wherein said thermal conductivity varies in a radial direction between a substantially central region of the thermal insulator and a substantially edge region of the thermal insulator.

5. The substrate holder of claim 4, wherein said thermal conductivity varies between a first value between approximately 0.2 W/m-K and approximately 0.8 W/m-K and a second value between approximately 0.2 W/m-K and approximately 0.8 W/m-K.

6. The substrate holder of claim 4, wherein said thermal conductivity is approximately 0.2 W/m-K at a substantially central region of the thermal insulator and said thermal conductivity is approximately 0.8 W/m-K at a substantially edge region of the thermal insulator.

7. The substrate holder of claim 4, wherein said variation in said thermal conductivity substantially occurs between approximately a mid-radius region of the thermal insulator and a peripheral region of the thermal insulator.

8. The substrate holder of claim 4, wherein the thickness of said thermal insulator is substantially uniform.

9. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said thermal insulator comprises a non-uniform spatial variation of the thickness of said thermal insulator.

10. The substrate holder of claim 9, wherein said thermal insulator is relatively thinner at a substantially central region of the thermal insulator than at a substantially edge region of the thermal insulator.

11. The substrate holder of claim 9, wherein the thermal conductivity of said thermal insulator is substantially uniform.

12. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said one or more heating elements are embedded within said substrate support.

13. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said one or more heating elements comprise one or more resistive heating elements, or one or more thermo-electric devices, or a combination thereof.

14. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said one or more heating elements comprises a first heating element located at a substantially central region of the substrate support and a second heating element located at a substantially edge region of the substrate support.

15. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said substrate support comprises a clamp electrode embedded therein and configured to electrically clamp a substrate to said substrate support.

16. The substrate holder of claim 15, wherein said clamp electrode and said one or more heating element are embedded within said substrate support.

17. The substrate holder of claim 16, wherein said clamp electrode and said one or more heating elements lie within substantially the same plane.

18. The substrate holder of claim 16, wherein said clamp electrode and said one or more heating elements lie in separate planes.

19. The substrate holder of claim 16, wherein said clamp electrode and said one or more heating elements comprise the same physical electrode.

20. The substrate holder of claim 15, wherein said substrate support comprises one or more openings through which a heat transfer gas may be supplied to the backside of a substrate provided on an upper surface of said substrate support.

21. The substrate holder of claim 1, wherein said thermal insulator comprises an adhesive made of polymer, plastic or ceramic.

22. A substrate holder for supporting a substrate in a processing system, comprising:

a temperature controlled support base having a first temperature;

a substrate support opposing said temperature controlled support base and configured to support the substrate;

one or more heating elements coupled to said substrate support and configured to heat the substrate support to a second temperature above said first temperature; and

means for providing a non-uniform spatial variation of the heat transfer co-efficient (W/m²-K) between said temperature controlled support base and said substrate support.