ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK WITH REDUCED ARCING

• US 20110157760A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: BUCHBERGER, DOUGLAS A. JR., WILLWERTH, MICHAEL D., PALAGASHVILI, DAVID, CHAFIN, MICHAEL G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/234
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6833 Details of electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/23 with magnetic or electrostatic means

Abstract

Embodiments of electrostatic chucks are provided herein. In some embodiments, an electrostatic chuck may include a body having a notched upper peripheral edge, defined by a first surface perpendicular to a body sidewall and a stepped second surface disposed between the first surface and a body upper surface, and a plurality of holes disposed through the body along the first surface; a plurality of fasteners disposed through the plurality of holes to couple the body to a base disposed beneath the body; a dielectric member disposed above the body upper surface to electrostatically retain a substrate; an insulator ring disposed about the body within the notched upper peripheral edge and having a stepped inner sidewall that mates with the stepped second surface to define a non-linear interface therebetween; and an edge ring disposed over the insulator ring, the non-linear interface limiting arcing between the edge ring and the fastener.

Claims

1. An electrostatic chuck, comprising:

a body having a notched upper peripheral edge, defined by a first surface perpendicular to a sidewall of the body and a stepped second surface disposed between the first surface and an upper surface of the body, and a plurality of holes disposed through the body along the first surface of the notched upper peripheral edge;

a plurality of fasteners disposed through respective ones of the plurality of holes to couple the body to a base disposed beneath the body;

a dielectric member disposed above the upper surface of the body to electrostatically retain a substrate disposed thereon;

an insulator ring disposed about the body and within the notched upper peripheral edge, the insulator ring having a stepped inner sidewall that mates with the stepped second surface of the notched upper peripheral edge to define a non-linear interface therebetween; and

an edge ring disposed over the insulator ring, wherein the non-linear interface limits arcing between the edge ring and the fastener when RF power is applied to the electrostatic chuck.

2. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises:

a plurality of heat transfer fluid conduits disposed proximate a lower surface of the body.

3. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises:

a plurality of heat transfer gas conduits disposed proximate the upper surface of the body.

4. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the body comprises an electrically conductive material.

5. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises:

an upper member coupled the body via the fasteners; and

a lower member disposed below the upper member.

6. The electrostatic chuck of claim 5, wherein the upper member comprises an electrically conductive material.

7. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, further comprising:

a second insulator ring circumscribing the body and the base.

8. The electrostatic chuck of claim 7, further comprising:

a grounding shell circumscribing the second insulator ring, wherein the second insulator ring electrically insulates the grounding shell from the body and at least a portion of the base.

9. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein each fastener comprises a screw.

10. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, the dielectric member further comprising:

a lip circumscribing the dielectric member proximate the upper surface of the body, the lip extending to the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the body.

11. The electrostatic chuck of claim 10, wherein an inner edge of the edge ring is disposed over the lip of the dielectric member.

12. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the dielectric member further comprises:

one or more chucking electrodes disposed therein.

13. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein stepped inner sidewall of the insulator ring further comprises:

a first portion extending downward from the insulator ring towards the first surface of the notched upper peripheral edge of the body; and

a second portion extending laterally from the insulator ring along the stepped second surface of the notched upper peripheral edge of the body.

14. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the insulator ring comprises quartz.

15. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the edge ring is disposed within a ledge disposed in an upper inner edge of the insulator ring.

16. The electrostatic chuck of claim 15, further comprising:

a second edge ring disposed atop an upper surface of the insulator ring.

17. The electrostatic chuck of claim 16, wherein the second edge ring comprises silicon (Si).

18. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the edge ring further comprises:

a ledge disposed about an upper inner edge of the edge ring, wherein the ledge is configured to be disposed beneath a substrate when the substrate is disposed on the dielectric member of the electrostatic chuck.

19. The electrostatic chuck of claim 18, wherein the substrate is disposed above the ledge when positioned on the electrostatic chuck and does not contact the edge ring.

20. The electrostatic chuck of claim 1, wherein the edge ring comprises silicon (Si).