Support for supporting a substrate in a process chamber

• US 6,490,144 B1
• Filed: 11/29/1999
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Askari, Syed H., Kumar, Ananda H., Grimard, Dennis S., Bedi, Surinder S., Shamouilian, Shamouil, Narendrnath, Kadthala R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leja, Ronald W.
• Application Number:
  US09/450,791
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 361/230, 361/233, 361/234, 361/235, 279/128, 264/263
• US Class Current: 361/234
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67098 Apparatus for thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 13/00 Clutches or holding devices using electrostatic attraction, e.g. using Johnson-Rahbek effect

Abstract

A chamber 30 for processing a substrate 25 comprises a support 55 comprising a dielectric 60 enveloping an electrode 70. The electrode 70 may be chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate 25 or may be chargeable to form an energized gas in the chamber 30 to process the substrate 25. A base 130 is below the support 55, and a compliant member 300 is positioned between the support 55 and the base 130. The compliant member 300 may be adapted to alleviate thermal stresses arising from a thermal expansion mismatch between the dielectric 60 and the base 130.

Claims

1. A support capable of supporting a substrate during processing, the support comprising:

(a) a dielectric enveloping an electrode;

(b) a base below the dielectric; and

(c) a compliant member comprising a polymer layer bonding the dielectric to the base, the polymer layer comprising a thermoplastic adhesive having an elastic modulus of less than about 100×

10³ psi to withstand a coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch of at least about 15% between the dielectric and the base.

2. A support according to claim 1 wherein the polymer layer comprises a coefficient of thermal expansion of at least about 10 ppm/°

C.

3. A support according to claim 1 wherein the polymer layer comprises an elastic modulus of from about 10×

10³ to about 100×

10³ psi.

4. A support according to claim 1 wherein the compliant member comprises a thermal conductivity of at least about 1 W/(m-°

C.).

5. A support according to claim 4 wherein the compliant member comprises particulates, the particulates having a thermal conductivity of from about 2 to about 200 w/m-k.

6. A support according to claim 5 wherein the volume fraction of particulates is from about 20 to about 50%.

7. A support according to claim 5 wherein the particulates comprise TiB₂, AlN, Al₂O₃, BN or mixtures thereof.

8. A support according to claim 1 wherein the compliant member comprises a metal matrix.

9. A support according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric and base comprise alignable bores, and further comprising a ring around the interface of the bores.

10. A support according to claim 1 wherein the dielectric comprises ceramic and the base comprises metal.

11. A support according to claim 1 wherein the polymer layer is adapted to withstand a thermal expansion mismatch between the dielectric and the base of less than about 600%.

12. A chamber capable of processing a substrate, the chamber comprising:

(a) a support comprising a dielectric enveloping an electrode, a base capable of supporting the dielectric, and a compliant member comprising a polymer layer bonding the dielectric to the base, the polymer layer comprising a thermoplastic adhesive having an elastic modulus of less than about 100×

10³ psi to withstand a coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch of at least about 15% between the dielectric and the base;

(b) a gas distributor;

(c) a gas energizer; and

(d) an exhaust,

whereby a substrate supported on the support is capable of being processed by a process gas distributed by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust.

13. A chamber according to claim 12 wherein the thermoplastic adhesive comprises a bonding temperature that is between an operating temperature of the dielectric and an operating temperature of the base.

14. A chamber according to claim 12 wherein the thermoplastic adhesive comprises a bonding temperature of from about 20 to about 150°

C.

15. A chamber according to claim 12 wherein the dielectric comprises a bore and further comprising a ring around the bore.

16. A chamber according to claim 15 wherein the ring comprises a thickness th corresponds to a desirable thickness of the compliant member.

17. A chamber according to claim 16 comprising the ring is composed of polymer.

18. A chamber according to claim 12 wherein the polymer layer is adapted to withstand a thermal expansion mismatch between the dielectric and the base of less than about 600%.

19. A chamber according to claim 12 wherein the dielectric comprises a ceramic material and the base comprises a metal.

20. A support for supporting a substrate in a chamber, the support comprising:

(a) a ceramic dielectric having a surface capable of receiving the substrate;

(b) an electrode below the ceramic dielectric;

(c) an electrical connector extending through the ceramic dielectric to electrically connect to the electrode; and

(d) a polymer between the ceramic dielectric and the electrical connector to fill microcracks in the ceramic dielectric.

21. A support according to claim 20 wherein the polymer comprises an adhesive.

22. A support according to claim 21 wherein the adhesive comprises a cyanoacrylate.

23. A support according to claim 22 wherein the cyanoacrylate comprise methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, methoxyethyl or allylester cyanoacrylates or mixtures thereof.

24. A support according to claim 20 wherein the polymer is also in microcracks around the electrode.

25. A support according to claim 20 wherein the polymer substantially fills a gap around the electrical connector.

26. A support according to claim 25 wherein gap comprises an annular shape.

27. A support according to claim 20 wherein the electrode is adapted to electrostatically hold the substrate, energize a plasma of a process gas, or both.

28. A support according to claim 20 further comprising a base and a polymer layer between the ceramic dielectric and the base.

29. A substrate processing chamber comprising:

(a) a support having a surface capable of receiving a substrate, the support comprising a ceramic dielectric enveloping an electrode, an electrical connector extending through the ceramic dielectric to connect to the electrode, and a polymer between the ceramic dielectric and the electrical connector to fill microcracks in the ceramic dielectric;

(b) a gas distributor;

(c) a gas energizer; and

(d) an exhaust,

whereby a substrate supported on the support is capable of being processed by a process gas distributed by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust.

30. A chamber according to claim 29 wherein the polymer comprises an adhesive.

31. A chamber according to claim 30 wherein the adhesive comprises a cyanoacrylate.

32. A chamber according to claim 29 wherein the polymer substantially fills a gap around the electrical connector.

33. A support capable of supporting a substrate during processing, the support comprising:

(a) a dielectric enveloping an electrode;

(b) a base below the dielectric; and

(c) a compliant member comprising a polymer layer between the dielectric and the base, the polymer layer comprising an adhesive having a bonding temperature that is between an operating temperature of the support and an operating temperature of the base.

34. A support according to claim 33 wherein the polymer layer comprises a coefficient of thermal expansion of at least about 10 ppm/°

C.

35. A support according to claim 33 the polymer layer is adapted to withstand a thermal expansion mismatch between the dielectric and the base of at least about 15%.

36. A support according to claim 33 wherein the polymer layer comprises an elastic modulus of from about 10×

10³ to about 100×

10³ psi.

37. A support according to claim 33 wherein the compliant member comprises a thermal conductivity of at least about 1 W/m-°

C.

38. A support according to claim 37 wherein the compliant member comprises particulates, the particulates having a thermal conductivity of from about 2 to about 200 W/m-K.

39. A support according to claim 38 wherein the volume fraction of particulates is from about 20 to about 50%.

40. A support according to claim 38 wherein the particulates comprise TiB₂, AlN, Al₂O₃, BN or mixtures thereof.

41. A support according to claim 33 wherein the compliant member comprises a metal matrix.

42. A support according to claim 33 wherein the dielectric and base comprise alignable bores, and further comprising a ring around the interface of the bores.

43. A support according to claim 33 wherein the polymer layer comprises a thermoplastic adhesive.

44. A support according to claim 43 wherein the thermoplastic adhesive is capable of softening and bonding the dielectric to the base under a pressure of from about 10 to about 25 psi and at a temperature of from about 30 to about 120°

C.

45. A chamber capable of processing a substrate, the chamber comprising:

(a) a support comprising a dielectric enveloping an electrode, a base capable of supporting the dielectric, and a compliant member comprising a polymer layer between the dielectric and the base, the polymer layer comprising an adhesive having a bonding temperature that is between an operating temperature of the dielectric and an operating temperature of the base;

(b) a gas distributor;

(c) a gas energizer; and

(d) an exhaust,

whereby a substrate supported on the support is capable of being processed by a process gas distributed by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust.

46. A chamber according to claim 45 wherein the dielectric, compliant member and base are bonded to one another.

47. A chamber according to claim 45 wherein the adhesive comprises a bonding temperature of from about 20 to about 150°

C.

48. A chamber according to claim 45 wherein the dielectric comprises a bore and further comprising a ring around the bore.

49. A chamber according to claim 48 wherein the ring comprises a thickness that corresponds to a desirable thickness of the compliant member.

50. A chamber according to claim 49 wherein the ring comprises a polymer.

51. A chamber according to claim 45 wherein the compliant member comprises a metal matrix.

52. A chamber according to claim 45 wherein the adhesive is capable of softening and bonding the dielectric to the base under a pressure of from about 10 to about 25 psi and at a temperature of about 30 to about 120°

C.

53. A support capable of supporting a substrate during processing, the support comprising:

(a) a dielectric enveloping an electrode;

(b) a base below the dielectric; and

(c) a compliant member comprising a polymer layer bonding the dielectric to the base, the polymer layer comprising a thermoplastic adhesive having an attachment temperature of from about 125 to about 200°

C.

54. A support according to claim 53 wherein the polymer layer is adapted to withstand a thermal expansion mismatch between the dielectric and the base of at least about 15%.

55. A support according to claim 53 wherein the polymer layer comprises an elastic modulus of from about 10×

10³ to about 100×

10³ psi.

56. A support according to claim 53 wherein the compliant member comprises a thermal conductivity of at least about 1 W/(m-°

C.).

57. A support according to claim 56 wherein the compliant member comprises particulates, the particulates having a thermal conductivity of from about 2 to about 200 W/m-K.

58. A support according to claim 57 wherein the volume fraction of particulates is from about 20 to about 50 %.

59. A support according to claim 57 wherein the particulates comprise TiB₂, AlN, Al₂O₃, BN or mixtures thereof.

60. support according to claim 53 wherein the compliant member comprises a metal matrix.

61. support according to claim 53 wherein the thermoplastic adhesive is capable of softening and bonding the dielectric to the base under a pressure of from about 10 to about 25 psi and at a temperature of from about 30 to about 120°

C.

62. A chamber capable of processing a substrate, the chamber comprising:

(a) a support comprising a dielectric enveloping an electrode, a base capable of supporting the dielectric, and a compliant member comprising a polymer layer bonding the dielectric to the base, the polymer layer comprising a thermoplastic adhesive having an attachment temperature of from about 125 to about 200°

C.;

(b) a gas distributor;

(c) a gas energizer; and

(d) an exhaust,

whereby a substrate supported on the support is capable of being processed by a process gas distributed by the gas distributor, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the exhaust.

63. A chamber according to claim 62 wherein the dielectric comprises a bore and further comprising a ring around the bore.

64. A chamber according to claim 63 wherein the ring comprises a thickness that corresponds to a thickness of the compliant member.

65. A chamber according to claim 64 comprising the ring composed of polymer.