Detachable electrostatic chuck for supporting a substrate in a process chamber

• US 20090201622A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Karl, Lau, Allen, Mehta, Vineet, Tsai, Cheng-Hsiung, Sherstinsky, Semyon, Sansoni, Steve, Wang, Wei W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/234
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/23 with magnetic or electrostatic means

Abstract

A substrate support has an electrostatic chuck comprising an electrostatic puck with a dielectric covering an electrode capable of being charged to energize a process gas. The chuck has a frontside surface to receive a substrate and a base plate having an annular flange. A spring loaded heat transfer plate contacts the base plate, and has a fluid channel comprising first and second spiral channels. A pedestal is below the heat transfer plate.

Claims

1. A substrate support for a substrate processing chamber, the support comprising:

(a) an electrostatic chuck comprising;

(i) an electrostatic puck comprising a dielectric covering an electrode capable of being charged to energize a process gas;

(ii) a frontside surface to receive a substrate; and

(iii) a base plate having an annular flange;

(b) a spring loaded heat transfer plate contacting the base plate, the heat transfer plate comprising a fluid channel comprising first and second spiral channels; and

(c) a pedestal below the heat transfer plate.

2. A support according to claim 1 wherein the first spiral channel is adapted to receive fluid that flows in a substantially opposite direction to the flow of fluid through the second spiral channel.

3. A support according to claim 1 wherein the heat transfer plate comprises an interior region, periphery, and fluid inlet located at an interior region of the plate to feed fluid to the first spiral channel, and

wherein the first spiral channel spirals outwardly from the fluid inlet towards the periphery.

4. A support according to claim 3 wherein the first spiral channel encircles the interior region more than once.

5. A support according to claim 3 wherein the heat transfer plate comprises a fluid outlet at the interior region, and wherein

the second spiral channel connects to the first spiral channel near the periphery, and runs adjacent to the first spiral channel part to trace a second spiraling flow path back to the fluid outlet.

6. A support according to claim 1 wherein the heat transfer plate comprises a set of springs resting on the pedestal with a compression ring positioned over the springs.

7. A support according to claim 6 wherein the pedestal comprises a bottom wall and the springs are positioned at intervals along the bottom wall to form one or more annular groupings of springs.

8. A support according to claim 6 wherein the springs apply a force to the heat transfer plate of from at least about 200 lbs.

9. A support according to claim 1 wherein the heat transfer plate comprises a first plate comprising a first material, and a second plate comprising a second material that is a different material from the first material.

10. A support according to claim 9 wherein the first material comprises copper and the second material comprises stainless steel.

11. A support according to claim 1 comprising a thermally conductive layer between the heat transfer plate and base plate.

12. A support according to claim 11 wherein the thermally conductive layer comprises graphite.

13. A support according to claim 1 wherein the base plate comprises a backside surface having a central protrusion with a circular contour portion having a radial center.

14. A support according to claim 13 wherein the central protrusion comprises asymmetrically offset orifices for receiving electrode terminal posts and a gas tube, the orifices being offset from one another by asymmetric angles.

15. A support according to claim 1 further comprising a gas tube mounted in the pedestal, the gas tube comprising a plurality of springs to press the gas tube into a gas coupler on the base plate.

16. A substrate support comprising:

(a) an electrostatic chuck comprising;

(i) a dielectric covering an electrode that is capable of being charged to energize the process gas;

(ii) a frontside surface to receive a substrate;

(iii) a backside surface having an orifice for receiving a gas coupler; and

(iv) an annular flange;

(b) a first polished ring encircling the gas coupler; and

(c) a second polished ring radially outward from the first polished ring to provide a seal around a heat transfer gas connection.

17. A support according to claim 16 that is capable of being attached to a pedestal having a groove, and wherein the first and second polished rings are adapted to receive an O-ring which sits in the groove in the pedestal.

18. A support according to claim 16 wherein the second polished ring is located at about the radial midpoint of the backside surface of the electrostatic chuck.

19. A support according to claim 16 wherein the backside surface of the electrostatic chuck comprises a central protrusion having the orifice for receiving the gas coupler.

20. A support according to claim 19 comprising an annular trough surrounding the central protrusion.