Electrostatic chuck with fluid flow regulator

US5883778A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Semyon Sherstinsky · San Francisco, US
• John F. Cameron · Los Altos, US
• Shamouil Shamouilian · San Jose, US
• Manoocher Birang · Los Gatos, US
• Alfred Mak · Union City, US
• Simon W. Tam · San Francisco, US
• Robert E. Ryan · Levittown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 18, 1995
• Grant date: Mar 16, 1999
• Expiry date: Jul 18, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T279/23
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An electrostatic chuck 20 of the present invention is capable of maintaining substantially uniform temperatures across a substrate 30. The chuck 20 comprises an electrostatic member 35 that includes (i) an insulator 45 covering an electrode 40, (ii) a substantially planar and conformal contact surface 50 capable of conforming to a substrate 30, and (iii) conduits 105 terminating at the contact surface 50 for providing heat transfer fluid to the contact surface 50. Application of a voltage to the electrode 40 of the electrostatic member 35 electrostatically holds the substrate 30 on the conformal contact surface 50 to define an outer periphery 110 having (1) leaking portions 115 where heat transfer fluid leaks out, and (2) sealed portions 130 where heat transfer fluid substantially does not leak out. A fluid flow regulator 135 is provided for flowing heat transfer fluid at different flow rates through the conduits 105 in the electrostatic member 35 to provide (i) first flow rates of heat transfer fluid through the conduits 105 adjacent to the sealed portions 130 of the outer periphery 110 of the electrostatic member 35, and (ii) second flow rates of heat transfer fluid through the c…