Applied Materials, Inc.

Jon T Clinton

Shamouil Shamouilian

Surinder S Bedi

Arnold Kholodenko

Andreas G Hegedus

Hyman J Levinstein

Robert W Wu

You Wang

Arik Donde

Edwin Charles Weldon

Alexander M Veytser

Donald J Olgado

Semyon Sherstinsky

Joseph Stevens

Syed Hasan Askari

Semyon L Kats

Liang-Guo Wang

Mark Contreras

Anand H Kumar

Anada H Kumar

Ricardo Leon

The present invention relates to a device that supplies electricity to a substrate. In one embodiment, the device includes multiple contacts, a current sensor, and a current regulator. The current sensor is attached to each of the plurality of contacts to sense their electric current. A current regulator controls current applied to each of the multiple contacts in response to the current sensor. In another embodiment, a compliant ridge is formed about the periphery of each contact to seal the contact from undesired chemicals.

Method and apparatus for supplying electricity uniformly to a workpiece

Apparatus for supporting a workpiece and method of making same. The apparatus comprises a flex circuit laminated to a contoured support pedestal. The flex circuit includes a reinforced layer to improve puncture resistance of the flex circuit. The top surface of the chuck has a contoured topography that is achieved by machining the upper surface of the pedestal prior to lamination of the flex circuit to the pedestal. The contoured topography improves the flow of backside cooling gas resulting in a more uniform wafer temperature profile.

Electrostatic chuck with improved temperature control and puncture resistance

An electrostatic chuck 20 for holding a substrate 25 in a process chamber 30 comprises an electrostatic member 115 comprising a polymer 120 covering an electrode 125, the polymer 120 having a receiving surface 135 for receiving the substrate 25. A heater 130 abutting the polymer 120 is provided to heat the substrate 25 during processing of the substrate 25. The heater 130 has a resistance that is sufficiently low to heat the substrate 25 without causing excessive thermal degradation of the polymer 120.

Polymer chuck with heater and method of manufacture

A failure resistant electrostatic chuck 20 for holding a substrate 35 during processing of the substrate 35 comprises one or more electrodes 25 covered by an insulator 30, the electrodes 25 capable of electrostatically holding a substrate 35 when a voltage is applied thereto. An electrical power bus 40 comprises one or more output terminals 45 that conduct voltage to the electrodes 25. The fuses 50 are positioned in hollow cavities 55 in the insulator 30, and electrically connect the electrodes 25 in series to the output terminals 45 of the power bus 40. Each fuse 50 can electrically disconnect an electrode 25 from an output terminal 45 when the insulator 30 covering the electrode 25 punctures and exposes the electrode 25 to a plasma process environment thereby causing a plasma current discharge to flow through the fuse 50.

Multi-electrode electrostatic chuck having fuses in hollow cavities

A puncture resistant electrostatic chuck (20) is described. The chuck (20) comprises at least one electrode (25); and a composite insulator (30) covering the electrode. The composite insulator comprises a matrix material having a conformal holding surface (50) capable of conforming to the substrate (35) under application of an electrostatic force generated by the electrode to reduce leakage of heat transfer fluid held between the substrate and the holding surface. A hard puncture resistant layer, such a layer of fibers or an aromatic polyamide layer, is positioned below the holding surface (50) and is sufficiently hard to increase the puncture resistance of the composite insulator.

Puncture resistant electrostatic chuck

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jon T Clinton