Method and apparatus for controlling the spatial temperature distribution across the surface of a workpiece support

• US 6,847,014 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Steger, Robert, Benjamin, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Paik, Sang Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/062,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 219/443.1, 219/444.1, 219/445.1, 219/446.1, 219/449.11, 219/543, 219/544, 219/546, 219/547, 219/548, 118/724, 118/725
• US Class Current: 219/444.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2001 Maintaining constant desired temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67103 mainly by conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67248 Temperature monitoring

Abstract

A chuck for a plasma processor comprises a temperature-controlled base, a thermal insulator, a flat support, and a heater. The temperature-controlled base has a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece. The thermal insulator is disposed over the temperature-controlled base. The flat support holds a workpiece and is disposed over the thermal insulator. A heater is embedded within the flat support and/or disposed on an underside of the flat support. The heater includes a plurality of heating elements that heat a plurality of corresponding heating zones. The power supplied and/or temperature of each heating element is controlled independently.

Claims

1. A support comprising:

a temperature-controlled base having a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece;

a layer of thermal insulation material disposed over said base, said material having a thermal conductivity of less than about 1 W/mK;

an electrostatic chuck supporting said workpiece, said chuck disposed over said layer of thermal insulation material, said chuck bonded to said base by said layer of thermal insulation material and receiving an incoming heat flux form a plasma during a process; and

a heater embedded within said electrostatic chuck, said heater and said electrostatic chuck forming a single planar layer.

2. The chuck according to claim 1 wherein said temperature-controlled base and said layer of thermal insulation material further comprises a plurality of contiguous openings.

3. The chuck according to claim 1 further comprising a thermal conductor disposed between said electrostatic chuck and said workpiece.

4. The chuck according to claim 1 wherein said layer of thermal insulation material has a thermal resistance in a range from about 0.05 W/mK to about 0.20 W/mK.

5. The chuck according to claim 4 wherein said layer of thermal insulation material has a thickness of less than about 2 mm.

6. The chuck according to claim 5 wherein said temperature-controlled base is maintained at a constant temperature of less than 20°

C.

7. The chuck according to claim 6 wherein the power of said heater is less than about 3 W/cm².

8. The chuck according to claim 7 wherein said heater further comprises a plurality of planar heating elements.

9. The chuck according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of planar heating elements forms a corresponding plurality of heating zones on said workpiece.

10. The chuck according to claim 9 wherein the power of each planar heating element is controlled independently.

11. The chuck according to claim 10 further comprising a plurality of sensors corresponding with said plurality of heating zones, each sensor measuring and sending a signal representative of the temperature of each heating zone.

12. The chuck according to claim 11 further comprising a controller for receiving said signal from said sensor and for adjusting the power of each planar heating element based on a set point for each heating zone.

13. The chuck according to claim 7 wherein said heater further comprises an electrically resistive heater.

14. The chuck according to claim 7 wherein said heater further comprises an induction heater.

15. The chuck according to claim 7 wherein said heater further comprises a heating lamp.

16. The chuck according to claim 7 wherein said heater further comprises a plurality of thermoelectric modules.

17. A method for controlling the temperature across a workpiece having multiple zones, said method comprising:

holding the workpiece against a top face of a support, said support comprising;

a temperature-controlled base having a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece;

a layer of thermal insulation material disposed over said base, said material having a thermal conductivity of less than about 1 W/mK;

an electrostatic chuck supporting said workpiece, said chuck disposed over said layer of thermal insulation material, said chuck bonded to said base by said layer of thermal insulation material and receiving an incoming heat flux form a plasma during a process; and

a plurality of heaters embedded within said electrostatic chuck, said plurality of heaters and said electrostatic chuck forming a single planar layer,

heating each zone of the workpiece independently with said respective heater to control the temperature across said workpiece.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising monitoring the temperature of each zone with a sensor.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising adjusting the temperature of each zone based on said monitoring.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein said heater further comprises an electrically resistive heater.

21. The method according to claim 17 wherein said heater further comprises an induction heater.

22. The method according to claim 17 wherein said heater further comprises a heating lamp.

23. The method according to claim 17 wherein said heater further comprises a plurality of thermoelectric modules.