Substrate support for plasma processing

• US 6,273,958 B2
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kumar, Ananda H., Grimard, Dennis S., Salimian, Siamak, Chafin, Michael G., Dahimene, Mahmoud, Shamouilian, Shamouil
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASSANZADEH, PARVIZ
• Application Number:
  US09/329,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 118/728, 118/723.E, 118/724, 118/725, 118/715, 361/234, 279/128, 427/288, 156/345
• US Class Current: 118/728
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2007 Holding mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32559 Protection means, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32697 Electrostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67069 for drying etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks

Abstract

A support 55 comprises a dielectric 60 covering a primary electrode 70, the dielectric 60 having a surface 75 adapted to receive a substrate 25 and a conduit 160 that extends through the dielectric 60. The thickness of a portion of the dielectric 60 between an edge 195 of the primary electrode 70 and a surface 180 of the conduit 160 is sufficiently large to reduce the incidence of plasma formation in the conduit 160 when the primary electrode 70 is charged by an RF voltage to form a plasma of gas in the chamber 30 during processing of the substrate 25.

Claims

1. A support capable of supporting a substrate and energizing a gas in a chamber, the support comprising:

(a) an electrode that is chargeable to energize the gas in the chamber; and

(b) a dielectric covering the electrode, the dielectric having a surface adapted to receive the substrate, and the dielectric having a conduit extending therethrough, a thickness of a portion of the dielectric between an edge of the electrode and a sidewall of the conduit being sufficiently large to reduce plasma formation in the conduit.

2. A support according to claim 1 wherein the conduit is adapted to provide heat transfer gas to the surface of the dielectric.

3. A support according to claim 1 wherein the conduit is adapted to hold a lift pin adapted to lift and lower the substrate.

4. A support according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the portion of the dielectric between the electrode and the conduit is from about 2 times to about 200 times a thickness of the dielectric that overlies the electrode.

5. A support according to claim 4 wherein the thickness of the portion of the dielectric between the electrode and the conduit is less than about 10 mm.

6. A support according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the portion of the dielectric between the electrode and the conduit is at least about 3 mm.

7. A support according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric comprises a ceramic monolith.

8. A support according to claim 1 further comprising a second electrode covered by the dielectric.

9. A support according to claim 8 wherein the electrodes are not coplanar.

10. A support according to claim 8 wherein one of the electrodes is below the other electrode.

11. A support according to claim 8 wherein the perimeter of one of the electrodes is adjacent to an edge of the other electrode.

12. A support according to claim 8 wherein the second electrode comprises a collar.

13. A support according to claim 8 wherein the electrodes are different sizes.

14. A chamber comprising the support of claim 1, the chamber comprising:

(a) a gas distributor; and

(b) an exhaust,

whereby a substrate held on the support is processed by a plasma of gas distributed by the gas distributor and exhausted by the exhaust.

15. A support according to claim 1 wherein the edge of the electrode is an edge of a conduit in the electrode.

16. A support capable of supporting a substrate during processing in a chamber, the support comprising:

means for receiving the substrate;

means for providing a first gas below the substrate;

means for energizing a second gas above the substrate; and

means for reducing plasma formation in the means for providing a first gas below the substrate during processing of the substrate on the support in the chamber.

17. A support according to claim 16 wherein the first means comprises a dielectric covering an electrode, and the second means comprises a thickness of a portion of a dielectric between an edge of the electrode and a conduit that provides the first gas, the thickness being sufficiently large to reduce plasma formation in the first gas in the conduit.

18. A support according to claim 17 wherein the second means comprises a second electrode covered by a dielectric.

19. A support capable of supporting a substrate in a chamber, the support comprising:

(a) a dielectric having a surface adapted to receive the substrate, the dielectric comprising a conduit;

(b) a first electrode covered by the dielectric, the first electrode being chargeable to energize gas in the chamber, and the first electrode having an edge around the conduit; and

(c) a second electrode covered by the dielectric.

20. A support according to claim 19 herein the second electrode is adapted to suppress coupling of energy from the edge of the first electrode to gas in the conduit during processing of the substrate on the support in the chamber.

21. A support according to claim 19 wherein the second electrode is not in the same plane as the first electrode.

22. A support according to claim 19 wherein the second electrode is below the first electrode.

23. A support according to claim 19 wherein the second electrode comprises a perimeter adjacent to the edge of the first electrode.

24. A support according to claim 19 wherein the second electrode comprises a collar disposed about a portion of the first electrode.

25. A support according to claim 19 wherein the second electrode is smaller than the first electrode.

26. A support according to claim 19 wherein a thickness of a portion of the dielectric between the conduit and the edge of the first electrode is sufficiently large to reduce plasma formation in the gas in the conduit during processing of the substrate in the chamber.