Patent · US Expired

Backside gas quick dump apparatus for a semiconductor wafer processing system

US5856906A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
10References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 1997
Grant dateJan 5, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2017

Classification

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

Abstract

Apparatus for retaining a workpiece in a semiconductor wafer processing system. The apparatus has a collector positioned between an electrostatic chuck pedestal and the floor of the processing chamber. The collector has inlet and exhaust control valves connected to inlet and exhaust ports for providing and expelling a backside heat transfer gas (e.g., Helium). Heat transfer exhaust cavities in the collector are connected to the exhaust port to rapidly draw the gas off the backside of the wafer. Additionally, control of the heat transfer gas layer uniformity during processing is achieved by opening and closing the valves to the inlet and exhaust ports as required.

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