Electrostatic chuck having a plurality of heater coils

• US 8,663,391 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Matyushkin, Alexander, Koosau, Dennis, Panagopoulos, Theodoros, Holland, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Zervigon, Rudy
• Application Number:
  US13/556,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20120285619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 118/728, 118/725, 118/724, 15634551-34553, 279/128, 219/406, 219/408, 219/483
• US Class Current: 118/725
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6831 using electrostatic chucks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6875 characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/23 with magnetic or electrostatic means

Abstract

An electrostatic chuck for receiving a substrate in a substrate processing chamber comprises a ceramic puck having a substrate receiving surface having a plurality of spaced apart mesas, an opposing backside surface, and central and peripheral portions. A plurality of heat transfer gas conduits traverse the ceramic puck and terminate in ports on the substrate receiving surface to provide heat transfer gas to the substrate receiving surface. An electrode is embedded in the ceramic puck to generate an electrostatic force to retain a substrate placed on the substrate receiving surface. A plurality of heater coils are also embedded in the ceramic puck, the heaters being radially spaced apart and concentric to one another.

Claims

1. An electrostatic chuck for receiving a substrate in a process chamber, the chuck comprising:

(a) a ceramic puck comprising (i) a substrate receiving surface having a plurality of raised plateaus defined by spaced apart mesas, the raised plateaus being distributed across the substrate receiving surface in a non-symmetrical pattern, (ii) an opposing backside surface, and (iii) central and peripheral portions;

(b) a plurality of heat transfer gas conduits traversing the ceramic puck and terminating in ports on the substrate receiving surface to provide heat transfer gas to the substrate receiving surface;

(c) an electrode embedded in the ceramic puck to generate an electrostatic force to retain a substrate placed on the substrate receiving surface; and

(d) a plurality of heater coils embedded in the ceramic puck, the heater coils being radially spaced apart and concentric to one another.

2. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the heater coils include a first heater coil located at the peripheral portion of the ceramic puck and a second heater coil located at the central portion of the ceramic puck.

3. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the heater coils are arranged side by side and substantially in the same plane.

4. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the heater coils each comprise at least one of

(i) a resistive heating element comprising molybdenum;

and

(ii) an electrical resistance sufficiently high to maintain the substrate receiving surface of the ceramic puck at temperatures of from about 80 to about 250°

C.

5. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic puck is composed of at least one of aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, and mixtures thereof.

6. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the ceramic puck comprises a peripheral ledge to receive a clamp ring that forms a seal around the ceramic puck.

7. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the raised plateaus are generally triangular or trapezoid shaped, and are separated by grooves.

8. A chuck according to claim 7 wherein the mesas comprise at least one of

(i) from about 10 to about 1000 mesas;

(ii) an average height of from about 5 to about 50 microns; and

(iii) an average diameter of from about 0.5 to about 5 mm.

9. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the backside surface further comprises backside mesas.

10. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the heater coils are independently controllable.

11. A chuck according to claim 1 wherein the first and second heater coils are arranged side by side and substantially in the same plane.

12. A ring assembly for the electrostatic chuck of claim 1 supported by a base in a substrate process chamber, the ceramic puck having a peripheral ledge having first and second steps, and the base having a top surface with a chuck receiving portion and a peripheral portion extending beyond the electrostatic chuck, the ring assembly comprising:

(a) a clamp ring comprising (i) a top surface, (ii) an upper lip that extends radially inward from the top surface to rest on the first step of the peripheral ledge of the ceramic puck, and (iii) an outer side surface which forms a radially outer perimeter; and

(b) an edge ring comprising a band having a foot resting on the top surface of the clamp ring, an annular outer wall enclosing the outer side surface of the clamp ring, and a flange covering the second step of the peripheral ledge of the ceramic puck,

whereby the clamp ring and the edge ring cooperate to reduce the formation of process deposits on the electrostatic chuck during the processing of a substrate.

13. An assembly according to claim 12 wherein the edge ring comprises a ceramic.

14. An assembly according to claim 12 wherein the ceramic comprises quartz.

15. An assembly according to claim 12 wherein the clamp ring comprises a metal or ceramic.

16. An assembly according to claim 12 wherein the clamp ring comprises holes that are secured to a peripheral portion of the top surface of the base to form a gas-tight seal.

17. A base for supporting the electrostatic chuck of claim 1 in a substrate process chamber, the base comprising:

(a) a metal body having a top surface comprising (i) a chuck receiving portion to receive the backside surface of the ceramic puck and comprising a peripheral groove, and (ii) a peripheral portion extending beyond the ceramic puck;

(b) a plurality of heat transfer gas passages for supplying heat transfer gas to the heat transfer gas conduits in the ceramic puck;

(c) at least one fluid channel in the metal body for circulating fluid therein; and

(d) an electrical terminal assembly for conducting electrical power to the electrode of the electrostatic chuck.

18. A base according to claim 17 wherein the electrical terminal assembly comprises a ceramic insulator jacket having embedded therein a plurality of terminal posts for supplying electrical power to the electrode and heater coils of the electrostatic chuck, each terminal post surrounded by a contact band comprising a metal and having a plurality of heat transfer louvers.

19. An electrostatic chuck for receiving a substrate in a process chamber, the chuck comprising:

(a) a ceramic puck comprising a substrate receiving surface having a plurality of spaced apart mesas and an opposing backside surface comprising backside mesas;

(b) a plurality of heat transfer gas conduits traversing the ceramic puck and terminating in ports on the substrate receiving surface to provide heat transfer gas to the substrate receiving surface;

(c) an electrode embedded in the ceramic puck to generate an electrostatic force to retain a substrate placed on the substrate receiving surface; and

(d) a plurality of heater coils embedded in the ceramic puck, the heater coils being radially spaced apart and concentric to one another.

20. A base for supporting the electrostatic chuck of claim 19 in a substrate process chamber, the base comprising a metal body having a top surface comprising a chuck receiving portion to receive the backside surface of the ceramic puck, and at least one fluid channel in the metal body.