Patent · US Expired

Multi-electrode electrostatic chuck

US5646814A · kind A · utility

31Cited by
5References
45Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 15, 1994
Grant dateJul 8, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 15, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/6833
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multi-electrode electrostatic chuck (20) for holding a substrate (42) such as a silicon wafer during processing is described. The electrostatic chuck (20) comprises (i) a first electrode (22), (ii) a second electrode (24), and (iii) an insulator (26) having a lower portion (26a), a middle portion (26b) and an upper portion (26c). The lower portion (26a) of the insulator (26) is below the first electrode (22) and has a bottom surface (28) suitable for resting the chuck (20) on a support (44) in a process chamber (41). The middle portion (26b) of the insulator (26) lies between the first and second electrodes (22), (24). The upper portion (26c) of the insulator (26) is on the second electrode (24), and has a top surface (30) suitable for holding a substrate (42). The first and second electrodes (22, 24) can have a unipolar or bipolar configurations. In operation, the chuck (20) is placed on a support (44) in a process chamber (41) so that the bottom surface (28) of the chuck (20) rests on the support (44). A substrate (42) is placed on the top surface (30) of the chuck (20). When the first electrode (22) of the chuck (20) is electrically biased with respect to the support (44), a f…

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