The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 2026
Filed:
Jun. 28, 2021
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Chin-Huei Chiu, Taipei, TW;
Tsung Fan Yin, Kaohsiung, TW;
Chen-Yi Liu, Pingtung, TW;
Hua-Li Hung, Hsinchu, TW;
XI-Zong Chen, Tainan, TW;
Yi-Wei Chiu, Kaohsiung, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
Etch uniformity is improved by providing a thermal pad between an insert ring and electrostatic chuck in an etching chamber. The thermal pad provides a continuous passive heat path to dissipate heat from the insert ring and wafer edge to the electrostatic chuck. The thermal pad helps to keep the temperature of the various components in contact with or near the wafer at a more consistent temperature. Because temperature may affect etch rate, such as with etching hard masks over dummy gate formations, a more consistent etch rate is attained. The thermal pad also provides for etch rate uniformity across the whole wafer and not just at the edge. The thermal pad may be used in an etch process to perform gate replacement by removing hard mask layer(s) over a dummy gate electrode.