Patent · US Expired

Guard ring electrostatic chuck

US5612851A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 6, 1995
Grant dateMar 18, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 6, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T279/23
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electrostatic chuck is disclosed that is resistant to the formation of vacuum arcs between the back of the wafer being processed and the body of the chuck. A guard ring surrounds the chuck and floats close to the self-bias potential induced by the plasma on the wafer. The voltage between the wafer and the closest electrode is thereby capacitively divided by the guard ring.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.