Coaxial rotating temperature-controllable electrostatic chuck and plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of wafer processing equipment, in particular to a coaxial rotating temperature control electrostatic chuck and a plasma processing equipment, which comprises a wafer carrier, a supporting platform, a laser emitting element and a driving assembly; the wafer carrier is arranged in a process chamber and used for carrying a wafer; the supporting platform is located below the wafer carrier; the driving assembly comprises a circumferential driving element and a radial driving element arranged on the supporting platform, the radial driving element is connected with the laser emitting element to drive the laser emitting element to move along the radial direction of the supporting platform, and the circumferential driving element is connected with the radial driving element to drive the radial driving element to move along the circumferential direction of the supporting platform with the laser emitting element; the coaxial rotating laser emitting element and the circumferential and radial driving assemblies are arranged, so that the laser emitting element can be flexibly and accurately moved in two dimensions on the back of the supporting platform, thereby the radiation light spot can be dynamically projected to any area on the back of the wafer carrier, and high spatial resolution and fast dynamic regulation and control of the wafer surface temperature can be realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and in particular to a coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck and plasma processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Wafer temperature control is a key factor affecting process uniformity and stability. Current semiconductor process cavities generally employ integral metal heating pads with built-in heating wires. However, this makes it difficult to achieve independent temperature control between the wafer center and edges, leading to differences in photoresist removal rates and etching uniformity. Furthermore, traditional heating methods are limited by high thermal inertia and slow response times, failing to meet the demands of high-precision semiconductor manufacturing for rapid heating and cooling and flexible switching between multiple processes, thus hindering further improvements in equipment performance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to a coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck and plasma processing equipment, with the aim of achieving high spatial resolution and rapid dynamic control of wafer surface temperature to improve process uniformity and stability, and to meet the precision temperature control requirements of rapid heating and cooling and flexible switching of multiple processes in semiconductor manufacturing.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck, comprising a wafer stage, a support platform, a laser emitter, and a drive assembly; The wafer stage is located within the process chamber to support the wafer; the support platform is located below the wafer stage. The driving assembly includes a circumferential driving component and a radial driving component disposed on the support platform. The radial driving component is connected to the laser emitter to drive the laser emitter to move radially along the support platform. The circumferential driving component is connected to the radial driving component to drive the radial driving component to carry the laser emitter to move circumferentially along the support platform, so that the radiation spot emitted by the laser emitter moves in various regions on the back side of the support platform, thereby achieving dynamic temperature control of various regions of the wafer.

[0005] Optionally, the support platform includes a central platform corresponding to the central region of the wafer and an edge platform corresponding to the edge region of the wafer, the edge platform surrounding the outside of the central platform; The top of the central platform is provided with at least one first annular groove concentric with the central platform, and the top of the edge platform is provided with at least one second annular groove concentric with the central platform. Each of the first annular grooves and each of the second annular grooves is provided with a laser emitting element.

[0006] Optionally, each of the first annular grooves and each of the second annular grooves is provided with a plurality of laser emitting elements arranged circumferentially at intervals, so that the radiation spots emitted by the laser emitting elements correspond to different areas on the back side of the wafer stage.

[0007] Optionally, the circumferential driving member includes a first circumferential driving part and a plurality of second circumferential driving parts. The first circumferential driving part is disposed on the laser emitting member, and the plurality of second circumferential driving parts are disposed at circumferential intervals at the bottom of each first annular groove and each second annular groove. The first circumferential driving unit and each of the second circumferential driving units are connected to an independent power supply. By controlling the power on and off of each of the second circumferential driving units, the first circumferential driving unit is attracted and driven to carry the laser emitter to make circumferential movement, so as to adjust the circumferential position of the radiation spot on the back side of the wafer stage.

[0008] Optionally, the laser emitter includes a connector and two sub-laser emitters respectively connected to both ends of the connector. The connector extends radially along the support platform and is retractable along the radial direction. The connector drives the two sub-laser emitters to move in opposite directions or backwards in the radial direction through the retraction movement, so that the radiation spot moves radially on the back side of the support platform.

[0009] Optionally, the connector includes a central column, a first sliding plate, and a second sliding plate. The first circumferential driving part is disposed on the central column. The second sliding plate is connected to both opposite sides of the central column along the radial direction. The second sliding plate is provided with a radially extending groove. One end of the first sliding plate is connected to the sub-laser emitter, and the other end of the first sliding plate is movably inserted into the groove. By adjusting the depth of the first sliding plate inserted into the groove, the sub-laser emitter connected to it is driven to move radially.

[0010] Optionally, the sidewall of the slide groove near the opening end is provided with a limiting groove extending radially, and the sidewall of the first slide plate near its insertion end is provided with a limiting protrusion. The limiting protrusion is slidably disposed in the limiting groove to guide the first slide plate to move radially within the slide groove.

[0011] Optionally, the radial drive member includes a first radial drive part and a plurality of second radial drive parts, wherein the first radial drive part is disposed on the first slide plate, and the plurality of second radial drive parts are arranged radially at intervals at the bottom of the groove; The first radial drive unit and each of the second radial drive units are connected to an independent power supply. By controlling the power on and off of each of the second radial drive units, the first radial drive unit is attracted and driven to carry the sub-laser emitter to make radial movement, so as to adjust the radial position of the radiation spot on the back side of the wafer stage.

[0012] Optionally, each of the first annular grooves and each of the second annular grooves has a limiting guide groove recessed at the bottom. The limiting guide groove extends circumferentially along each of the first annular grooves or each of the second annular grooves. The bottom of the central column is movably disposed within the limiting guide groove to guide the central column to move circumferentially along the same circumferential line within the limiting guide groove.

[0013] Optionally, the sub-laser emitter includes a focusing mask and an emitter body. The focusing mask is connected to the connector. The focusing mask has a focusing cavity recessed from the top to the bottom. The emitter body is disposed at the bottom of the focusing cavity. The area of ​​the radial cross-section of the focusing cavity increases first and then decreases in the direction towards the wafer stage, so that the beam emitted by the emitter body is focused onto the corresponding area of ​​the wafer stage.

[0014] Optionally, the bottom of the support platform is connected to an axial drive component, which is used to drive the support platform to move the laser emitter axially toward or away from the wafer stage, so as to adjust the axial distance between the laser emitter and the wafer stage, thereby dynamically adjusting the laser irradiation energy density.

[0015] Optionally, the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck further includes a sensing element and a control element. The control element is connected to the sensing element, the driving assembly, and the axial driving element, respectively. The sensing element is used to collect temperature information on the wafer. The control element controls the driving assembly and the axial driving element to move according to the temperature information, so as to drive the laser emitting element to perform radial, circumferential, and axial movements, respectively.

[0016] Optionally, the wafer stage includes a central stage, an edge stage, and an annular heat insulation element. The central stage corresponds to the edge region of the wafer, the edge stage corresponds to the central region of the wafer, and the annular heat insulation element is sleeved between the central stage and the edge stage to block the heat conduction path between the central stage and the edge stage.

[0017] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a plasma processing device, including a process chamber and a support member, and a coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck disposed in the process chamber. The wafer stage in the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck is fixed in the process chamber by the support member, and the support platform in the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck is movably sleeved on the support member.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention, by setting up a coaxially rotating laser emitter and its circumferential and radial driving components, enables the laser emitter to move flexibly and precisely in two dimensions on the back of the support platform, thereby dynamically projecting the radiation spot onto any area on the back of the wafer stage. This achieves high spatial resolution and rapid dynamic control of the wafer surface temperature, significantly improving process uniformity and stability, and meeting the precision temperature control requirements for rapid heating and cooling and flexible switching of multiple processes in semiconductor manufacturing. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a plasma processing device in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the support platform and the laser emitting element in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at position A in the middle; Figure 4 for Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at position B in the middle.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Support component; 2. Process chamber; 3. Central stage; 4. Edge stage; 5. Wafer; 6. Support platform; 7. Laser emitter; 71. Emitter body; 72. Concentrator; 8. Axial drive component; 9. Central column; 10. First circumferential drive unit; 11. Second circumferential drive unit; 12. Limiting guide groove; 13. First sliding plate; 14. Second sliding plate; 15. Slide groove; 16. Limiting groove; 17. Limiting protrusion; 18. First radial drive unit; 19. Second radial drive unit; 20. Annular heat insulation component. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0022] This invention relates to a coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck and plasma processing equipment, with the aim of achieving high spatial resolution and rapid dynamic control of wafer surface temperature to improve process uniformity and stability, and to meet the precision temperature control requirements of rapid heating and cooling and flexible switching of multiple processes in semiconductor manufacturing.

[0023] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck includes a wafer stage, a support platform 6, a laser emitter 7, and a drive assembly.

[0024] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the wafer stage is disposed within the process chamber 2 to support the wafer 5; the support platform 6 is located below the wafer stage. This embodiment places the wafer stage within the process chamber 2 to support the wafer 5, and places the support platform 6 below it. This structural design offers significant advantages in process integration, structural stability, and thermal management. First, the wafer stage is directly placed inside the process chamber 2, allowing for close integration with the process environment, such as plasma and gas flow, thereby directly supporting and stably fixing the wafer 5, ensuring its positioning accuracy and operational stability during the process. Second, the support platform 6 is independently positioned below the wafer stage, creating an independent drive and control space physically separated from the process environment. This allows the support platform 6 to safely and reliably accommodate and drive the laser emitter 7 and drive components.

[0025] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the driving assembly includes a circumferential driving member and a radial driving member disposed on the support platform 6. The radial driving member is connected to the laser emitter 7 to drive the laser emitter 7 to move radially along the support platform 6. The circumferential driving member is connected to the radial driving member to drive the radial driving member to carry the laser emitter 7 to move circumferentially along the support platform 6, so that the radiation spot emitted by the laser emitter 7 moves in various regions on the back side of the support platform 6, thereby achieving dynamic temperature control of various regions of the wafer 5.

[0026] By specifically dividing the drive components into circumferential and radial drive components integrated into the support platform 6, and establishing a drive chain from the circumferential drive component to the radial drive component to the laser emitter 7, independent, precise, and coordinated control of the laser emitter 7 within a two-dimensional plane (i.e., radial and circumferential) on the back of the support platform 6 is achieved. This design enables the laser emitter 7 to flexibly and quickly move and position the radiation spot to any specific area on the back of the wafer stage according to process requirements, thereby directly and dynamically controlling the temperature of the corresponding area of ​​the wafer 5 above. This overcomes the limitations of traditional integrated heating plates with large thermal inertia and non-independent regional temperature control, and can compensate in real time for the uneven thermal load of the wafer 5 caused by factors such as plasma distribution and airflow during the process, achieving dynamic temperature management with high spatial resolution and high response speed, ultimately significantly improving the uniformity and process stability of wafer 5 processing.

[0027] The radial, axial, and circumferential directions described in this invention are consistent with or parallel to the radial, axial, and circumferential directions of the supporting platform 6, respectively, and will not be described in detail hereafter.

[0028] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the support platform 6 includes a central platform corresponding to the central region of the wafer 5 and an edge platform corresponding to the edge region of the wafer 5, the edge platform surrounding the outside of the central platform.

[0029] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the top of the central platform has at least one first annular groove (unlabeled) concentric with the central platform, and the top of the edge platform has at least one second annular groove (unlabeled) concentric with the central platform. Each of the first and second annular grooves contains a laser emitter 7. By providing concentric first and second annular grooves on the tops of the central and edge platforms respectively, a precise, stable, and structured mounting and movement track is provided for the laser emitter 7. This concentric annular groove layout ensures that the laser emitter 7 can be arranged and moved along a preset path (i.e., annular track) concentric with the wafer 5, allowing its radiation spot to naturally and accurately align and cover the corresponding central and edge annular regions on the wafer 5, achieving geometric matching between the heating area and the functional areas of the wafer 5.

[0030] In one embodiment, the number of the first annular grooves can be one or more. When there is only one, it is typically placed in the central region of the central platform to cover and regulate the temperature of the central region of wafer 5. When there are multiple grooves, they can be arranged in a concentric nested manner, i.e., multiple first annular grooves are arranged on the top of the central platform with different radii but concentric centers. These first annular grooves are arranged sequentially from the center outwards, corresponding to different annular sub-regions within the central region of wafer 5 (e.g., the innermost first annular groove corresponds to the core region, and the outermost first annular grooves correspond to the edge of the central region). This multi-ring nested design allows for finer radial partitioning temperature control of the central region of wafer 5, enabling more precise compensation for temperature gradients within the central region.

[0031] In one embodiment, the number of the second annular grooves can be one or more. When there is only one, a single second annular groove is typically placed on the top of the edge platform near the outer edge to cover and regulate the temperature of the entire edge region of wafer 5. When there are multiple grooves, they can be arranged with different radii at the same center. These second annular grooves are arranged sequentially from the inside out, each corresponding to a different annular sub-region within the edge region of wafer 5 (e.g., the innermost second annular groove closest to the center corresponds to the interior of the edge region, and the outermost second annular groove corresponds to the outermost edge of wafer 5). This multi-ring parallel design allows for finer radial partitioning temperature control of the edge region of wafer 5, enabling more precise and independent compensation and regulation of more complex temperature gradients caused by uneven heat dissipation, airflow, or plasma distribution in the edge region, thereby achieving extremely high temperature uniformity in the critical peripheral areas of wafer 5 processing.

[0032] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2As shown, several laser emitters 7 are arranged circumferentially at intervals within each of the first and second annular grooves, so that the radiation spots emitted by the laser emitters 7 correspond to different areas on the back side of the wafer stage. By arranging multiple laser emitters 7 at intervals along the circumferential direction within each of the first and second annular grooves, multi-point, distributed heating coverage of the corresponding annular areas of the wafer 5 is achieved. This layout firstly significantly improves the spatial resolution and uniformity of temperature control. Multiple laser emitters 7 can work collaboratively to ensure that their radiation spots can seamlessly or overlappingly cover the entire annular area, avoiding local hot spots or cold spots caused by a single heat source. Secondly, this circumferentially spaced arrangement provides a hardware basis for dynamic and selective heating. By independently controlling the switching or power of the laser emitters 7 at different positions, the asymmetric thermal load on the wafer 5 caused by process factors such as uneven airflow and plasma distribution in the circumferential direction can be precisely compensated, thereby achieving true two-dimensional (radial and circumferential) temperature uniformity control.

[0033] In one embodiment, the number of laser emitters 7 located in each of the first and second annular grooves can be flexibly configured based on factors such as the uniformity requirements of wafer 5 heating, the characteristics of process heat load distribution, and equipment cost control. Specifically, for critical process areas requiring higher temperature uniformity and faster dynamic response (such as the edges of wafer 5, where heat dissipation is typically faster and temperature is more difficult to control), a greater number of laser emitters 7 can be placed in the corresponding first and second annular grooves to provide higher heating point density and power redundancy. Conversely, for areas with relatively mild thermal management requirements, the number of laser emitters 7 can be appropriately reduced. This configurable design provides high flexibility and scalability, enabling the equipment to be customized for the specific temperature uniformity requirements of wafers 5 of different sizes and different process steps (such as etching, deposition, photoresist removal, etc.), thereby achieving the best balance between equipment manufacturing cost and temperature control efficiency while ensuring optimal process performance.

[0034] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the circumferential driving component includes a first circumferential driving part 10 and a plurality of second circumferential driving parts 11. The first circumferential driving part 10 is disposed on the laser emitting component 7, and the plurality of second circumferential driving parts 11 are circumferentially spaced at the bottom of each of the first annular grooves and each of the second annular grooves. The first circumferential driving part 10 and each of the second circumferential driving parts 11 are respectively connected to an independent power supply. By controlling the power on and off of each of the second circumferential driving parts 11, the first circumferential driving part 10 is attracted and driven to carry the laser emitting component 7 to make circumferential movement, so as to adjust the circumferential position of the radiation spot on the back side of the wafer stage.

[0035] This embodiment employs a distributed, electromagnetically driven precision circumferential positioning mechanism. Specifically, a first circumferential drive unit 10 (mover) is integrated onto the laser emitter 7, while multiple second circumferential drive units 11 (stators) are fixedly arranged at circumferential intervals at the bottom of each first and second annular groove, forming a ring of discrete drive points. By independently controlling the on / off state of each second circumferential drive unit 11, electromagnetic attraction can be generated sequentially or selectively, attracting and driving the first circumferential drive unit 10 with the laser emitter 7 to perform circumferential movement in each first and second annular groove in a "stepping" or continuous manner. This design eliminates traditional complex mechanical rotating mechanisms (such as motors, gears, and belts), achieving a contactless and wear-free drive method with a compact structure and high reliability. More importantly, it allows for discontinuous, high-precision point-to-point control of the laser emitter 7, enabling rapid and flexible positioning of the radiation spot at any specified angle position on the circumference of the wafer 5. This achieves precise and dynamic compensation for the circumferential temperature non-uniformity on the surface of the wafer 5, greatly improving the flexibility and spatial resolution of temperature control.

[0036] In one embodiment, the first circumferential drive unit 10 and the second circumferential drive unit 11 are not limited to electromagnetic control, as long as they can achieve precise, contactless or low-friction drive force transmission and relative motion control, which will not be elaborated here.

[0037] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the laser emitting element 7 includes a connector and two sub-laser emitting elements respectively connected to both ends of the connector. The connector extends radially along the support platform 6 and is retractable along the radial direction. The connector drives the two sub-laser emitting elements to move in opposite directions or backwards in the radial direction through the retraction movement, so that the radiation spot moves radially on the back side of the support platform 6.

[0038] A radially extendable connector enables a single drive unit to precisely control the radial positions of two sub-laser emitters simultaneously. The connector extends radially and is telescopic, allowing it to synchronously drive the two sub-laser emitters connected to its ends to move radially in opposite directions (away from each other) or towards each other (inwards), or to keep one sub-laser emitter stationary while the other moves towards or away from it.

[0039] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the connector includes a central column 9, a first sliding plate 13, and a second sliding plate 14. The first circumferential driving part 10 is disposed on the central column 9. The second sliding plate 14 is connected to both opposite sides of the central column 9 along the radial direction. The second sliding plate 14 is provided with a radially extending groove 15. One end of the first sliding plate 13 is connected to the sub-laser emitter, and the other end of the first sliding plate 13 is movably inserted into the groove 15. By adjusting the depth of the first sliding plate 13 inserted into the groove 15, the sub-laser emitter connected to it is driven to move radially.

[0040] The central column 9, configured in this way, supports the first circumferential drive unit 10, which is responsible for driving the overall circumferential rotation. The second slide plate 14 is fixedly connected to the central column 9, and its groove 15 provides a clearly defined radial guide track. The first slide plate 13 is fixedly connected to the sub-laser emitter and is movably inserted into the groove 15. This design makes the adjustment of the radial position (achieved by changing the insertion depth of the first slide plate 13 in the groove 15) and the adjustment of the circumferential position (achieved by the central column 9 driving the entire assembly to rotate) mechanically independent.

[0041] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the slide groove 15 has a radially extending limiting groove 16 on its side wall near the opening end, and the first slide plate 13 has a limiting protrusion 17 on its side wall near its insertion end. The limiting protrusion 17 is slidably disposed within the limiting groove 16 to guide the first slide plate 13 to move radially within the slide groove 15. Through the precise cooperation between the limiting protrusion 17 and the limiting groove 16, a crucial dual guarantee is provided for the radial movement of the first slide plate 13 within the slide groove 15 of the second slide plate 14: precise guidance and anti-disengagement locking. Specifically, the limiting groove 16 extends radially, providing a precise linear motion track for the limiting protrusion 17, ensuring that the first slide plate 13 (along with the sub-laser emitter) will not wobble or twist during radial movement, thereby guaranteeing the straightness and positional accuracy of the radial movement. Meanwhile, this "protrusion embedded in the groove" structure "locks" the first slide plate 13 within the slide groove 15, effectively preventing the first slide plate 13 from accidentally dislodging from the opening end of the slide groove 15 during movement (especially during high-speed movement, vibration, or tilting), ensuring the reliability of the mechanical connection and the stability of the movement. This simple yet reliable mechanical limiting and guiding design achieves high-precision radial linear motion control within a limited installation space, which is an important detail for ensuring the accuracy of the final radiation spot positioning of the laser emitter 7 and the long-term operational reliability of the system.

[0042] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown, the radial drive unit includes a first radial drive part 18 and a plurality of second radial drive parts 19. The first radial drive part 18 is disposed on the first slide plate 13, and the plurality of second radial drive parts 19 are radially spaced at the bottom of the groove 15. The first radial drive part 18 and each of the second radial drive parts 19 are respectively connected to an independent power supply. By controlling the power on and off of each of the second radial drive parts 19, the first radial drive part 18 is attracted and driven to carry the sub-laser emitter to make radial movement, so as to adjust the radial position of the radiation spot on the back side of the wafer stage.

[0043] This embodiment implements a contactless, high-precision, and modular radial stepping drive mechanism. Specifically, a first radial drive unit 18 (mover) is disposed on a radially slidable first slide plate 13, while multiple second radial drive units 19 (stators) are fixed radially spaced to the bottom of the slide groove 15. By configuring an independent power supply for each second radial drive unit 19, its power supply can be selectively controlled to generate electromagnetic force (or other driving force, such as electrostatic, piezoelectric, etc.) at a specific position, attracting and driving the first slide plate 13 with the first radial drive unit 18 to move radially within the slide groove 15.

[0044] Of course, in other embodiments, the first radial drive unit 18 and the second radial drive unit 19 are not limited to electromagnetic drive. As long as they can achieve precise, contactless or low-friction drive force transmission and relative motion control, they will not be described in detail here.

[0045] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, each of the first and second annular grooves has a recessed limiting guide groove 12 at its bottom. The limiting guide groove 12 extends circumferentially along each of the first or second annular grooves. The bottom of the central column 9 (the bottom refers to the bottom of the groove) is located at the bottom of the groove. Figure 3 In the embodiment, the rear end of the central column 9, and only part of the central column 9 is within the limiting guide groove 12 (for example, one-third of the central column 9 is within the limiting guide groove 12), is movably disposed within the limiting guide groove 12 to guide the central column 9 to move circumferentially along the same circumferential line within the limiting guide groove 12.

[0046] This embodiment provides a precise and reliable circumferential motion track and constraint for the central column 9 of the laser emitter 7. Specifically, a circumferentially extending limiting guide groove 12 is recessed at the bottom of each of the first and second annular grooves, which is equivalent to pre-setting a precise circular motion trajectory for the central column 9. The central column 9 is movably disposed within the limiting guide groove 12, and its movement is strictly restricted within the groove. This design can achieve precise guidance, ensuring that the central column 9 (and the entire laser emitter 7 driven by it) can only move along a pre-set single circumferential path concentric with the wafer 5, preventing radial offset or swaying during circumferential movement, thereby ensuring the circumferential position accuracy of the radiation spot on the back side of the wafer 5. At the same time, the sidewall of the central column 9 is slidably connected to the sidewall of the limiting guide groove 12, which can enhance stability. That is, the limiting guide groove 12 provides lateral support for the central column 9, significantly increasing the structural rigidity and operational smoothness of the entire moving assembly when rotating or subjected to external disturbances, and avoiding unnecessary vibration. Simultaneously, it simplifies driving and positioning, providing a physical basis for the movement of the circumferential driving component in the aforementioned embodiments. This allows the driving force to be more efficiently converted into pure and precise circumferential rotational motion without overcoming displacement deviations in other directions. In summary, the limiting guide groove 12 is a key mechanical guarantee for achieving high precision, stability, and pure circumferential motion of the laser emitter 7 in complex multi-degree-of-freedom motion.

[0047] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, the sub-laser emitter includes a focusing mask 72 and an emitter body 71. The focusing mask 72 is connected to the connector. The focusing mask 72 has a concave focusing cavity from top to bottom. The emitter body 71 is located at the bottom of the focusing cavity. The radial cross-sectional area of ​​the focusing cavity increases first and then decreases towards the wafer stage, so that the light beam emitted by the emitter body 71 is focused onto the corresponding area of ​​the wafer stage. The special structural design of the focusing mask 72 significantly improves heating efficiency and accuracy. The concave focusing cavity in the focusing mask 72 has a radial cross-sectional area that increases first and then decreases towards the wafer stage, forming an optical structure that can converge and focus the light inward. This design can concentrate the originally divergent light beam emitted by the emitter body 71 into a smaller, more defined area on the back of the wafer stage after reflection and convergence within the cavity. Its core advantages are reflected in two aspects: energy utilization and temperature control accuracy. On the one hand, the focused beam has a higher energy density, which can achieve faster and more efficient local heating with lower input power, while reducing the thermal impact on the surrounding non-target areas. On the other hand, the smaller and clearer spot after focusing makes the temperature change boundary more distinct and the spatial resolution higher when the heating position is adjusted by moving the sub-laser emitter. This provides key optical support for achieving high-precision and dynamic temperature control of the wafer surface.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, an axial drive component 8 is connected to the bottom of the support platform 6. The axial drive component 8 drives the support platform 6, carrying the laser emitter 7, to move axially toward or away from the wafer stage, thereby adjusting the axial distance between the laser emitter 7 and the wafer stage, and thus dynamically adjusting the laser irradiation energy density. This adds an axial (vertical) degree of freedom to the radial and circumferential two-dimensional planar movement, achieving dynamic and continuous adjustment of the laser irradiation energy density. Specifically, the axial drive component 8 drives the support platform 6 (along with all the laser emitters 7 on it) to move axially toward or away from the wafer stage, changing the vertical distance between the laser emitter 7 and the back surface of the wafer stage. According to optical principles, the energy density of the light spot irradiated onto the target plane is inversely proportional to the square of the distance. Therefore, through axial movement, the energy density of the radiation spot projected onto the back surface of the wafer stage can be continuously and steplessly adjusted. During the process, when it is necessary to rapidly increase or decrease the heating power of a certain area, the energy density can be switched rapidly by driving axial movement. This is faster than adjusting the laser power alone and can be coordinated with radial and circumferential movements to achieve faster and more flexible three-dimensional dynamic control of the temperature field on the wafer surface. It is especially suitable for advanced process steps that require rapid heating and cooling or fine control of heat flux density.

[0049] In one embodiment, the axial drive 8 can be a linear motor, a piezoelectric ceramic actuator, a ball screw module, a voice coil motor, or a pneumatic / hydraulic cylinder. Its core function is to provide precise and controllable linear displacement output to drive the support platform 6 to move vertically (axially) in a direction perpendicular to the wafer stage. By controlling the extension and retraction stroke of the axial drive 8, the axial distance between all laser emitters 7 on the support platform 6 and the upper wafer stage can be dynamically adjusted, thereby continuously changing the energy density of the laser irradiation on the back of the wafer stage, achieving rapid and stepless adjustment of the heating intensity. This combination of axial freedom and radial and circumferential motion constitutes a complete actuator for three-dimensional dynamic control of the laser heating position and energy.

[0050] In one embodiment, the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck further includes a sensor and a control unit. The control unit is connected to the sensor, the drive assembly, and the axial drive unit 8, respectively. The sensor is used to collect temperature information on the wafer 5. Based on the temperature information, the control unit controls the drive assembly and the axial drive unit 8 to move, thereby driving the laser emitter 7 to perform radial, circumferential, and axial movements, respectively. This embodiment constructs a complete closed-loop feedback control system, realizing real-time monitoring, intelligent analysis, and dynamic control of the wafer 5 temperature. Specifically, the sensor (such as an infrared thermometer or thermocouple) collects temperature distribution information of various areas on the surface of the wafer 5 in real time. The control unit (such as a PLC or industrial computer) receives this information and performs calculations and decisions based on the difference between the preset process temperature curve and the real-time temperature. Subsequently, the control unit generates corresponding control commands, simultaneously driving the circumferential drive unit, the radial drive unit, and the axial drive unit 8, thereby driving the laser emitter 7 to move collaboratively in three-dimensional space (radial, circumferential, and axial). This setup tightly integrates temperature sensing, intelligent control, and multi-degree-of-freedom execution, enabling the system to automatically, in real-time, and accurately compensate for thermal non-uniformity of wafer 5 caused by factors such as plasma and airflow inhomogeneity during the process. This achieves a fundamental upgrade from "open-loop preset heating" to "closed-loop dynamic temperature control," thereby significantly improving the uniformity, repeatability, and stability of the process.

[0051] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the wafer stage includes a central stage 3, an edge stage 4, and an annular heat insulation element 20. The central stage 3 corresponds to the edge region of the wafer 5, and the edge stage 4 corresponds to the central region of the wafer 5. The annular heat insulation element 20 is sleeved between the central stage 3 and the edge stage 4 to block the heat conduction path between them. By sleeved with the annular heat insulation element 20 between the central stage 3 and the edge stage 4, the direct heat conduction path between them is physically blocked. This achieves thermal isolation between the central and edge regions of the wafer, allowing the central stage 3 and the edge stage 4 to be independently and precisely temperature-controlled without mutual interference. Specifically, during dynamic temperature control, when the laser emitter 7 on the central platform heats the central stage 3, or the laser emitter 7 on the edge platform heats the edge stage 4, the annular heat insulation component 20 effectively reduces heat conduction from the central stage 3 to the edge stage 4 or from the edge stage 4 to the central stage 3. This ensures that the temperatures of the central and edge regions of the wafer can rise and fall and be adjusted independently and quickly according to their respective process requirements, avoiding temperature crosstalk and adjustment lag caused by thermal coupling. This not only enhances the independence and response speed of temperature control for each zone, but also fundamentally improves the uniformity and stability of the temperature field at the junction of the central and edge regions of the wafer 5, making it a key structural design to ensure the effectiveness of independent temperature control for each zone.

[0052] In one embodiment, the annular heat insulation component 20 can be a ceramic ring, a multilayer heat insulation material composite (such as a metal foil / ceramic fiber laminate), a vacuum heat insulation cavity, or an annular sleeve filled with insulating aerogel. Its function is to physically isolate the direct heat conduction path between the central stage 3 and the edge stage 4. The annular heat insulation component 20 is fitted into the gap between the central stage 3 and the edge stage 4, utilizing the extremely low thermal conductivity of the material itself (such as ceramic) or the insulation principle of the composite structure (such as a vacuum cavity or multilayer reflective screen) to effectively block the direct transfer of heat between the two stages. This thermal isolation design ensures that the central and edge regions minimize mutual thermal interference during independent laser heating and temperature control. This allows the central stage 3 and the edge stage 4 to achieve rapid, independent, and precise temperature adjustment according to the actual process requirements of the wafer region above them. This is one of the key structures for ensuring high uniformity temperature control across the entire wafer surface, especially in the central and edge zones.

[0053] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention also provide a plasma processing device, such as... Figure 1As shown, the plasma processing equipment includes a process chamber 2 and a support member 1, as well as a coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck disposed within the process chamber 2. The wafer stage in the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck is fixed within the process chamber 2 by the support member 1, and the support platform 6 in the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck is movably fitted onto the support member 1. In this embodiment, the process chamber 2 provides the core process reaction space, while the support member 1 serves as a central fixing structure, firmly fixing the wafer stage of the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck within the chamber, ensuring the positional stability of the wafer 5 during the process. Simultaneously, the support platform 6 is designed to be movably fitted onto the support member 1, allowing the support platform 6 to move up and down along the axial direction of the support member 1. This structure achieves a clever layout of "centrally fixed, peripherally movable": the wafer stage is centrally fixed by the support member 1, providing a stable bearing surface for the wafer 5; while the support platform 6 can move up and down relative to the support member 1 to drive the laser emitter 7 to complete multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic heating of the back side of the wafer 5. This "externally dynamic, internally static" arrangement integrates the temperature control components inside the support platform 6, forming a compact and modular whole with the process chamber 2 and support component 1. This ensures the stability and reliability of the wafer 5 process, provides ample and isolated operating space for the movement of the dynamic temperature control mechanism, and also facilitates the assembly, sealing, and maintenance of the equipment.

[0054] In one embodiment, the plasma processing equipment may include etching equipment, deposition equipment, and photoresist removal equipment (such as ashing equipment). Specifically, the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck can be integrated into various plasma process chambers 2 that require precise temperature control, such as plasma etching equipment for pattern transfer, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment for thin film growth, and plasma photoresist removal (ashing) equipment for removing photoresist. In these devices, the electrostatic chuck, through its dynamic and zoned temperature control capabilities, can achieve rapid response and precise compensation for the specific requirements of different processes (such as etching, deposition, and photoresist removal) on the temperature uniformity and stability of the wafer 5, thereby significantly improving the uniformity, repeatability, and overall performance of the process results.

[0055] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck, characterized in that, Includes wafer stage, support platform, laser emitter, and drive assembly; The wafer stage is located within the process chamber to support the wafer; the support platform is located below the wafer stage. The driving assembly includes a circumferential driving component and a radial driving component disposed on the support platform. The radial driving component is connected to the laser emitter to drive the laser emitter to move radially along the support platform. The circumferential driving component is connected to the radial driving component to drive the radial driving component to carry the laser emitter to move circumferentially along the support platform, so that the radiation spot emitted by the laser emitter moves in various regions on the back side of the support platform, thereby achieving dynamic temperature control of various regions of the wafer. The circumferential driving component includes a first circumferential driving part and a plurality of second circumferential driving parts. The support platform includes a central platform corresponding to the central region of the wafer and an edge platform corresponding to the edge region of the wafer, the edge platform surrounding the outside of the central platform; the top of the central platform is provided with at least one first annular groove concentric with the central platform, and the top of the edge platform is provided with at least one second annular groove concentric with the central platform, and each of the first annular grooves and each of the second annular grooves is provided with a laser emitting element. The laser emitter includes a connector and two sub-laser emitters connected to both ends of the connector. The connector extends radially along the support platform and is retractable along the radial direction. The connector drives the two sub-laser emitters to move in opposite directions or in opposite directions in the radial direction through its retraction movement, so that the radiation spot moves radially on the back side of the support platform. The connector includes a central column, a first sliding plate, and a second sliding plate. A first circumferential drive unit is disposed on the central column. The second sliding plate is connected to opposite sides of the central column in the radial direction. The second sliding plate is provided with a radially extending groove. One end of the first sliding plate is connected to the sub-laser emitter, and the other end of the first sliding plate is movably inserted into the groove. By adjusting the depth of the first sliding plate inserted into the groove, the sub-laser emitter connected to it is driven to move radially. The wafer stage includes a central stage, an edge stage, and an annular heat insulation component. The central stage corresponds to the edge region of the wafer, and the edge stage corresponds to the central region of the wafer. The annular heat insulation component is sleeved between the central stage and the edge stage to block the heat conduction path between the central stage and the edge stage. The sub-laser emitter includes a focusing mask and an emitter body. The focusing mask is connected to the connector. The focusing mask has a focusing cavity recessed from the top to the bottom. The emitter body is located at the bottom of the focusing cavity. The radial cross-sectional area of ​​the focusing cavity increases first and then decreases towards the wafer stage, so that the light beam emitted by the emitter body is focused onto the corresponding area of ​​the wafer stage.

2. The coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the first annular grooves and each of the second annular grooves is provided with a plurality of laser emitting elements arranged circumferentially at intervals, so that the radiation spots emitted by the laser emitting elements correspond to different areas on the back side of the wafer stage.

3. The coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first circumferential driving part is disposed on the laser emitting element, and a plurality of second circumferential driving parts are disposed at circumferential intervals at the bottom of each first annular groove and each second annular groove; The first circumferential driving unit and each of the second circumferential driving units are connected to an independent power supply. By controlling the power on and off of each of the second circumferential driving units, the first circumferential driving unit is attracted and driven to carry the laser emitter to make circumferential movement, so as to adjust the circumferential position of the radiation spot on the back side of the wafer stage.

4. The coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewall of the slide groove near the opening end is provided with a limiting groove extending radially, and the sidewall of the first slide plate near its insertion end is provided with a limiting protrusion. The limiting protrusion is slidably disposed in the limiting groove to guide the first slide plate to move radially within the slide groove.

5. The coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radial drive component includes a first radial drive part and a plurality of second radial drive parts. The first radial drive part is disposed on the first slide plate, and the plurality of second radial drive parts are arranged radially at intervals at the bottom of the groove. The first radial drive unit and each of the second radial drive units are connected to an independent power supply. By controlling the power on and off of each of the second radial drive units, the first radial drive unit is attracted and driven to move the sub-laser emitter radially, so as to adjust the radial position of the radiation spot on the back side of the wafer stage.

6. The coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the first annular grooves and each of the second annular grooves has a recessed limiting guide groove at the bottom. The limiting guide groove extends circumferentially along each of the first annular grooves or each of the second annular grooves. The bottom of the central column is movably disposed within the limiting guide groove to guide the central column to move circumferentially along the same circumferential line within the limiting guide groove.

7. The coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the support platform is connected to an axial drive component, which drives the support platform to move the laser emitter axially toward or away from the wafer stage, thereby adjusting the axial distance between the laser emitter and the wafer stage and thus dynamically adjusting the laser irradiation energy density.

8. The coaxial rotary temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a sensor and a control unit. The control unit is connected to the sensor, the drive assembly, and the axial drive unit respectively. The sensor is used to collect temperature information on the wafer. The control unit controls the drive assembly and the axial drive unit to move according to the temperature information so as to drive the laser emitter to perform radial, circumferential, and axial movements respectively.

9. A plasma processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a process chamber and a support member, and a coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 disposed in the process chamber. The wafer stage in the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck is fixed to the process chamber by the support member, and the support platform in the coaxial rotating temperature-controlled electrostatic chuck is movably sleeved on the support member.

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