WAFER CHUCK AND PROCESSING ARRANGEMENT

• US 20180211821A1
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Kogler, Rudolf, Steinbrenner, Juergen, Dastel, Wolfgang, Huetter, Harald, Kahn, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 10,629,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4583 the substrate being supported substantially horizontally
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4585 Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4586 Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/503 using dc or ac discharges
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/505 using radio frequency discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/3321 CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/334 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/335 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/338 Changing chemical properties of treated surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32027 DC powered
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32697 Electrostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32715 Workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67034 for drying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68735 characterised by edge profile or support profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68742 characterised by a lifting arrangement, e.g. lift pins
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68785 characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a wafer chuck may include at least one support region configured to support a wafer in a receiving area; a central cavity surrounded by the at least one support region configured to support the wafer only along an outer perimeter; and a boundary structure surrounding the receiving area configured to retain the wafer in the receiving area.

Claims

1. A wafer chuck, comprising:

at least one support region configured to support a wafer in a receiving area;

a central cavity surrounded by the at least one support region configured to support the wafer only along an outer perimeter; and

a boundary structure surrounding the receiving area configured to retain the wafer in the receiving area.

2. The wafer chuck of claim 1;

wherein the at least one support region comprises a support surface configured to physically contact an edge surface region of an edge region of the wafer, the edge surface region facing the wafer chuck.

3. The wafer chuck of claim 1;

wherein the boundary structure defines a maximal diameter of the wafer to be received in the receiving area and wherein the at least one support region defines a minimal diameter of the wafer to be received in the receiving area.

4. The wafer chuck of claim 1;

wherein the boundary structure, the central cavity, and the at least one support region are concentrically arranged.

5. The wafer chuck of claim 2,

wherein the central cavity comprises a bottom surface disposed at a first level less than a second level of the support surface.

6. The wafer chuck of claim 1,

wherein the central cavity is provided by a single recessed region.

7. The wafer chuck of claim 5;

wherein the bottom surface is curved.

8. The wafer chuck of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of notches extending from an outer circumference of the wafer chuck into the wafer chuck.

9. The wafer chuck of claim 8;

wherein each of the plurality of notches is configured to host a handling pin of a wafer handler to lower the wafer into the receiving area and to raise the wafer out of the receiving area.

10. The wafer chuck of claim 1, further comprising:

a mounting flange at a side opposite the receiving area to mount the wafer chuck in a processing tool.

11. A processing arrangement comprising:

a processing tool for processing a wafer in a processing region;

a wafer chuck to position the wafer in the processing tool;

the wafer chuck comprising;

at least one support region configured to support the wafer in a receiving area;

a central cavity surrounded by the at least one support region configured to support the wafer only along an outer perimeter; and

a boundary structure surrounding the receiving area configured to retain the wafer in the receiving area.

12. The processing arrangement of claim 11,

wherein the processing tool is a plasma-processing tool.

13. The processing arrangement of claim 11,

wherein the wafer chuck is configured as an electrode.

14. The processing arrangement of claim 11, further comprising:

a wafer handler to lower the wafer into the receiving area and to raise the wafer out of the receiving area.

15. The processing arrangement of claim 14;

wherein the wafer chuck comprises a plurality of notches extending from an outer perimeter of the wafer chuck into the wafer chuck,

wherein the wafer handler comprises a plurality of handling pins configured to be raised and lowered through the plurality of notches to raise and lower the wafer.

16. The processing arrangement of claim 11,

wherein the central cavity comprises a bottom surface disposed at a first level less than a second level of a support surface of the at least one support region.

17. The processing arrangement of claim 11,

wherein the central cavity is provided by a single recessed region.

18. The processing arrangement of claim 16;

wherein the bottom surface is curved.

19. The processing arrangement of claim 16, further comprising:

a wafer in the receiving area, wherein the bottom surface of the cavity is equidistantly arranged relative to a surface of the wafer facing the wafer chuck or facing away from the wafer chuck.

20. A wafer chuck, comprising:

a baseplate comprising a receiving area for receiving a wafer; and

a recessed region disposed in the baseplate, the recessed region is configured to provide a cavity surrounded by at least one support region to support the wafer in the receiving area, wherein the cavity comprises a curved bottom surface facing the receiving area.

21. The wafer chuck of claim 20, further comprising:

an additional support structure at least partially disposed in the cavity and configured to support the wafer in the receiving area.