Method of making a dielectric chuck

• US 5,634,266 A
• Filed: 05/24/1995
• Issued: 06/03/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Birang, Manoocher, Sherstinsky, Semyon, Mak, Alfred, Shamouilian, Shamouil, Tam, Simon W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arbes, Carl J.
• Application Number:
  US08/449,135
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 29/825, 29/527.2, 29/530, 279/128, 361/234
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4586 Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6833 Details of electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 13/00 Clutches or holding devices using electrostatic attraction, e.g. using Johnson-Rahbek effect
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/23 with magnetic or electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A method of making a dielectric chuck for securing a semiconductor wafer on a pedestal having multiple apertures for the introduction of cooling gas beneath the wafer. The wafer is held by electrostatic force against a laminate of an electrode layer sandwiched between two dielectric layers in accordance with the method, such that the laminate presents a planar surface to the wafer for a substantial distance beyond the outer edge of the electrode layer. The laminate construction method ensures that a large wafer area beyond the outer edge of the electrode is in contact with the laminate, to minimize cooling gas leakage near the edge, and provides a longer useful life by increasing the path length of dielectric material between the electrode layer and potentially damaging plasma material surrounding the chuck.

Claims

1. A method of making a dielectric chuck having a pedestal and a laminate member with an insulated electrode, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a shallow recess in the top of the pedestal, the recess having a depth equivalent to the thickness of the electrode;

placing a first dielectric layer across pedestal;

placing the electrode layer over the first dielectric layer, whereby the electrode layer fits within the recess;

placing a second dielectric layer across the first dielectric layer and the electrode layer, to form a relatively planar surface;

wherein the electrode layer is effectively insulated from the process environment by a relatively long insulator path.