Lam Research Corporation

Robert Steger

Neil M Benjamin

Richard Alan Gottscho

Keith Laurence Comendant

Nicolas J Bright

Christopher C Chang

Andrew J Perry

Chris Chang

A chuck for a plasma processor comprises a temperature-controlled base, a thermal insulator, a flat support, and a heater. The temperature-controlled base is controlled in operation a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece. The thermal insulator is disposed over at least a portion of 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 mounted to 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. The heater and flat support have a combined temperature rate change of at least 1&#xb0; C. per second.

Method and apparatus for controlling spatial temperature distribution

Method for controlling spatial temperature distribution across a semiconductor wafer

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.

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

A substrate support useful for a plasma processing apparatus includes a metallic heat transfer member and an overlying electrostatic chuck having a substrate support surface. The heat transfer member includes one or more passage through which a liquid is circulated to heat and/or cool the heat transfer member. The heat transfer member has a low thermal mass and can be rapidly heated and/or cooled to a desired temperature by the liquid, so as to rapidly change the substrate temperature during plasma processing.

Substrate support having dynamic temperature control

A method of tuning the thermal conductivity of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) support assembly comprises measuring the temperature at a plurality of sites on a support assembly surface in which each site is associated with a given cell, determining from the measurements any fractional reduction in area suggested for each cell, and removing material from the support assembly surface within each cell in accordance with the suggested fractional reduction in order to decrease thermal conductivity in that cell. The material removal can result in an improvement to the equilibrium temperature uniformity of the electrostatic chuck support assembly at the chuck surface of an electrostatic chuck bonded to the support assembly surface, or can result in an equilibrium temperature profile of the ESC support assembly which approaches or achieves a target equilibrium temperature profile. Thermal conductivity tuning can thus take place by a method comprising defining a cell structure, determining the target areal density of each cell and removing a fractional area of material to achieve the target areal density for that cell. Material removal can be effected by drilling, routing, laser machining or grit blast machining on an X-Y table.

Electrostatic chuck support assembly

A method of modifying the heat transfer coefficient profile of an electrostatic chuck by configuring the areal density of a mesa configuration of an insulating layer of the chuck is provided. A method of modifying the capacitance profile of an electrostatic chuck by adjustment or initial fabrication of the height of a mesa configuration of an insulating layer of the chuck is further provided. The heat transfer coefficient at a given site can be measured by use of a heat flux probe, whereas the capacitance at a given site can be measured by use of a capacitance probe. The probes are placed on the insulating surface of the chuck and may include a plurality of mesas in a single measurement. A plurality of measurements made across the chuck provide a heat transfer coefficient profile or a capacitance profile, from which a target mesa areal density and a target mesa height are determined. The target density and height are achieved mechanically; the target density by mechanically adjusting the areal density of existing mesas; and the target height by creating or deepening low areas surrounding planned or existing mesas, respectively. This can be accomplished using any of known techniques for controlled material removal such as laser machining or grit blast machining on an X-Y table.

Method of determining a target mesa configuration of an electrostatic chuck

An electrostatic chuck ('chuck') is provided for controlling a radial temperature profile across a substrate when exposed to a plasma. The chuck includes a number of independently controllable gas volumes that are each defined in a radial configuration relative to a top surface of the chuck upon which the substrate is to be supported. The chuck includes a support member and a base plate. The base plate positioned beneath and in a spaced apart relationship from the support member. The gas volumes are defined between the base plate and the support member, with separation provided by annularly-shaped thermally insulating dividers. Each gas volume can include a heat generation source. A gas pressure and heat generation within each gas volume can be controlled to influence thermal conduction through the chuck such that a prescribed radial temperature profile is achieved across the substrate.

Electrostatic chuck having radial temperature control capability

A method of cleaning an ESC comprises immersing a ceramic surface of the ESC in dielectric fluid; spacing the ceramic surface of the ESC apart from a conductive surface such that the dielectric fluid fills a gap between the ceramic surface of the ESC and the conductive surface; and subjecting the dielectric fluid to ultrasonic agitation while simultaneously applying voltage to the ESC.

Cleaning of electrostatic chucks using ultrasonic agitation and applied electric fields

Method of tuning thermal conductivity of electrostatic chuck support assembly

Methods for making gas distribution members for plasma processing apparatuses are provided. The gas distribution members can be electrodes, gas distribution plates, or other members. The methods include fabricating gas injection holes in a gas distribution member by a suitable technique, e.g., a mechanical fabrication technique, measuring gas flow through the gas distribution member, and then adjusting the permeability of the gas distribution member by the same fabrication technique, or by a different technique, e.g., laser drilling. The permeability of the gas distribution member can be adjusted at one or more zones of the member.

Methods of making gas distribution members for plasma processing apparatuses

A component delivery mechanism for distributing a component inside a process chamber is disclosed. The component is used to process a work piece within the process chamber. The component delivery mechanism includes a plurality of component outputs for outputting the component to a desired region of the process chamber. The component delivery mechanism further includes a spatial distribution switch coupled to the plurality of component outputs. The spatial distribution switch is arranged for directing the component to at least one of the plurality of component outputs. The component delivery mechanism also includes a single component source coupled to the spatial distribution switch. The single component source is arranged for supplying the component to the spatial distribution switch.

Switched uniformity control

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.

A method of component management in a substrate processing system is disclosed. The substrate processing system has a set of components, at least a plurality of components of the set of components being designated to be smart components, each component of the plurality of components having an intelligent component enhancement (ICE). The method includes querying the plurality of components to request their respective unique identification data from their respective ICEs. The method further includes receiving unique identification data from the plurality of components if any of the plurality of components responds to the querying. The method additionally includes flagging the first component for corrective action if a first component of the plurality of components fails to provide first component unique identification data when the first component identification data is expected.

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Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Robert Steger