Integrated cathode assembly for embedded electrostatic chuck (ESC)

Abstract

The embodiments disclosed herein include a device having an electrostatic chuck (ESC). The ESC may include a conductive first body and a ceramic insert on the first body, wherein electrodes are embedded within the ceramic insert. In one embodiment, the device may further include a facility plate coupled to the ESC. The facility plate may include a second body that is conductive via an aperture through which it passes. In one embodiment, a DC input connector is configured to pass through the aperture, and an RF feed line is coupled to the second body. In another embodiment, the pin of the DC input connector is electrically isolated from the RF feed line.

Description

[0001] Interactive reference for related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 586,307, filed February 23, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The implementation relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically to a cathode assembly having an RF feed that is electrically isolated from a DC voltage supply. Background Technology

[0004] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, wafers (e.g., silicon wafers) or other substrates are coupled to a stage during various processes. For example, wafers may be held to the stage during plasma dicing, etching, deposition, and / or similar processes. In some embodiments, wafers are held to the stage using an electrostatic chuck (ESC). The ESC provides an electrostatic force to attract the wafer to the chuck, preventing movement of the wafer during processing.

[0005] Typically, the ESC is fed from several inputs by the underlying cathode assembly. In existing solutions, both the RF feed (for applying RF bias) and the DC supply (for generating clamping force) are provided to the ESC via a single input. This coupling of the RF feed and DC supply can lead to high current leakage. For example, current from the DC supply may leak into the plasma environment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments disclosed herein include a device having an electrostatic chuck (ESC). The ESC may include a conductive first body and a ceramic insert on the first body, wherein electrodes are embedded within the ceramic insert. In embodiments, the device may further include a facility plate coupled to the ESC. The facility plate may include a second body conductive via an aperture through a second body. In embodiments, a DC input connector is configured to pass through the aperture, while an RF feed line is coupled to the second body. In embodiments, the pins of the DC input connector are electrically isolated from the RF feed line.

[0007] The implementation may further include a device having a body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The body may be conductive. In one implementation, a hole is configured to pass through the body, and an input connector is inserted through the hole. In another implementation, the input connector includes a conductive pin and an electrically insulating collar surrounding the pin. In yet another implementation, the device further includes conductive feed lines that contact the body.

[0008] The implementation may also include a semiconductor processing tool, comprising a chamber suitable for maintaining a vacuum environment within the chamber. In one implementation, the tool may also include a cathode assembly within the chamber. The cathode assembly may include an electrostatic chuck (ESC) and a facility plate. In one implementation, the ESC includes a conductive first body and a ceramic insert on the first body, wherein electrodes are embedded within the ceramic insert. In one implementation, the facility plate is coupled to the ESC and includes a conductive second body, an aperture through the second body, a DC input connector through the aperture, and an RF feed line coupled to the second body. In one implementation, the pins of the DC input connector are electrically isolated from the RF feed line. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1A This is a perspective view of a cathode assembly according to an embodiment.

[0010] Figure 1B This is a cross-sectional view of a cathode assembly having a single input for RF feed and DC input according to an embodiment.

[0011] Figure 2A This is a cross-sectional view of a facility board having a DC input isolated from the RF feed power, according to an embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2B This is a cross-sectional view of a cathode assembly having an electrostatic chuck (ESC) and a facility plate according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 3A This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the DC input electrically isolated from the metal body of the ESC according to the embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3B This is a cross-sectional view of a cathode assembly having an ESC and a DC input isolated from the RF feed power, according to an embodiment.

[0015] Figures 4A-4E This illustration shows a process for repositioning the gas path through the facility plate according to an embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4F This is a process flow diagram for forming a gas path through the facility plate according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing tool according to an embodiment, comprising a cathode assembly having a DC input isolated from the RF feed current.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a process flow diagram of a method for processing a substrate using a cathode assembly that includes a DC input isolated from the RF feed power, according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 7 The illustration is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system that can be used in conjunction with a processing tool according to an embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments described herein include apparatus and methods using a cathode assembly having an RF feed that is electrically isolated from a DC voltage supply. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known aspects have not been described in detail without unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments. Furthermore, it should be understood that the various embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings are illustrative and not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0021] This document describes various embodiments or aspects of this disclosure. In some embodiments, different embodiments are implemented separately. However, the embodiments are not limited to individually implemented embodiments. For example, two or more different embodiments may be combined together as a single device, process, structure, or the like. In some cases, the various embodiments may be combined as a whole. In other cases, a portion of a first embodiment may be combined with portions of one or more different embodiments. For example, a portion of a first embodiment may be combined with a portion of a second embodiment, or a portion of a first embodiment may be combined with portions of a second embodiment and a portion of a third embodiment.

[0022] The embodiments shown and discussed in relation to the accompanying drawings are intended to explain some basic principles of this disclosure. However, the scope of this disclosure covers all related, potential, and / or possible embodiments, even those different from the idealized and / or illustrative examples presented. This disclosure even covers embodiments incorporating and / or utilizing modern, future, and / or unknown components, devices, systems, etc., as alternatives to functionally equivalent, analogous, and / or similar components, devices, systems, etc., in the embodiments shown and / or discussed herein for the purposes of explanation, illustration, and example.

[0023] As mentioned above, existing electrostatic chuck (ESC) structures are susceptible to significant current leakage. This leakage can be due to current (e.g., DC or RF) leaking from the ESC, coupling with plasma within the chamber, and / or otherwise escaping through other circuitry. One problem with leakage is the difficulty in controlling the clamping force. In some cases, current leakage during processing operations within the chamber can lead to the wafer being unclamped. That is, the clamping force drops below a given threshold, and the wafer becomes free to move, bend, or otherwise displace relative to the ESC surface. This movement is detrimental because processing conditions are highly tuned, and this movement can result in uneven wafer processing or damage to the wafer or the ESC.

[0024] To prevent unclamping, wafers are often "overclamped," increasing the clamping force beyond what it should be. This can damage the wafer and / or the ESC itself. For example, an overclamped wafer may crack, break, deform, or otherwise damage itself. Overclamping can also lead to excessive wear on the ESC. This may require more frequent repairs, replacements, and / or refurbishments of the ESC. Therefore, leakage current can increase the ownership cost of semiconductor processing tools and / or increase manufacturing costs due to wafer damage. The presence of leakage current also reduces system efficiency. That is, when overclamping is required to account for leakage, more energy is needed to run a given process. This also increases costs and may create environmental impact issues.

[0025] Now refer to Figure 1A The diagram illustrates a perspective view of a cathode assembly 150 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the cathode assembly 150 may include a facility plate 120 and an ESC 100. The facility plate 120 is for mechanically coupling the ESC 100 to the remainder of the chamber or tool (in... Figure 1A The interface layer (not shown in the diagram). Facility board 120 can serve as an adapter to enable electrical coupling to ESC 100 and / or fluid coupling (e.g., for backside gas flow).

[0026] In an embodiment, ESC 100 may include a first body 101. Body 101 may be a conductive material. For example, the first body 101 may contain aluminum or the like. The first body 101 may have a first surface 103 (e.g., a bottom surface) and a second surface 104 (e.g., a top surface) opposite the bottom surface. In an embodiment, the body has a cylindrical shape suitable for supporting a wafer (e.g., a standard silicon wafer). For example, the diameter of the first body 101 may be at least 200 mm or greater, at least 300 mm or greater, at least 450 mm or greater, or at least 750 mm or greater.

[0027] In one embodiment, the ceramic plate 105 may be disposed on the second surface 104 of the body 101. The ceramic plate 105 may be disposed in a recess of the second surface 104, such that the top surface of the ceramic plate 105 is substantially coplanar with the top surface of the first body 101. However, in other embodiments, the top surface of the ceramic plate 105 may be above or below the top surface of the first body 101.

[0028] In an embodiment, the ceramic plate 105 may include conductive electrodes (in...) Figure 1A (Not visible in the image). Electrodes may be embedded within the thickness of the ceramic plate 105. The electrodes are coupled to a DC input to generate a clamping force for adsorbing and securing the wafer (not shown) to the ceramic plate 105. In embodiments, the ceramic plate may comprise any suitable material (e.g., aluminum nitride, alumina, or the like).

[0029] In some embodiments, facility plate 120 may include a second body 122. The second body 122 may also be conductive. The second body 122 may be made of the same material as the first body 101. For example, the second body 122 may contain aluminum or the like. In some embodiments, a link 123 may be provided between the first body 101 and the second body 122. The link 123 may be a bolt, screw, pin, or the like. In some embodiments, the link 123 is conductive. Therefore, the link 123 can provide electrical coupling between facility plate 120 and ESC 100. The link 123 may also provide mechanical coupling between facility plate 120 and ESC 100.

[0030] In one embodiment, the diameter of facility plate 120 may be smaller than the diameter of ESC 100. However, in other embodiments, the diameter of facility plate 120 may be substantially equal to the diameter of ESC 100, or the diameter of facility plate 120 may be larger than the diameter of ESC 100.

[0031] Now refer to Figure 1B The illustration is based on an implementation method. Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of the cathode assembly 150 is shown. As shown, the ceramic plate 105 in the ESC 100 is disposed in a recess along the second surface 104 of the body 101. The ceramic plate 105 may also include an electrode 108. The electrode 108 may be a conductive material (e.g., copper or the like). The electrode 108 may be a conductive plate, a conductive mesh, or any other conductive pattern distributed through the ceramic plate 105. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrode 108 is disposed at the midpoint along the thickness direction of the ceramic plate 105. However, in other embodiments, the electrode 108 may be closer to the top or bottom of the ceramic plate 105. Figure 1BAs shown, when electrode 108 is embedded in ceramic plate 105, ESC 100 can sometimes be referred to as embedded ESC 100.

[0032] In this implementation, electrode 108 can be electrically coupled to input 112. For example, input 112 can be in electrical contact with a second body 122 of facility plate 120, and link 123 can electrically couple the second body 122 to a first body 101 of ESC 100. The first body 101 can be electrically coupled to electrode 108 through a through-hole or other contact point (not shown) through ceramic plate 105. In this way, a DC bias can be applied from input 112 to electrode 108 to provide a clamping force.

[0033] Simultaneously, input 112 can also receive RF signals transferred to the second body 122 of facility board 120 and the first body 101 of ESC 100 (via link 123). This allows an RF bias to be applied to ESC 100, which can be used during processing operations. Because the DC input and RF feed are not electrically isolated from each other, leakage in the cathode assembly 150 is more common compared to the embodiment described in more detail herein. This can lead to problems such as unclamping, excessive power consumption, and / or similar issues.

[0034] In one embodiment, the ESC 100 may also include a fluid passage 115. The fluid passage 115 may be located at the bottom of the ESC 100 and sealed by a cover 116. The fluid passage 115 may be adapted to allow gas and / or liquid to flow within the body 101. This can be used for cooling or other thermal control of the ESC 100. In the illustrated embodiment, a single gas input 153 is coupled to the ESC 100 to distribute gas into the fluid passage 115.

[0035] As mentioned above, Figure 1A and Figure 1B The cathode assembly 150 is subject to current leakage due to the combined input 112 of DC and RF currents. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein may include an ESC having a DC input line separate from the RF feed. More specifically, the DC voltage applied to the electrodes within the ceramic plate can be electrically isolated from the conductive body of the facility board and the ESC. Similarly, the RF feed can be provided directly to the conductive body of the ESC without being superimposed on the DC input line. Due to this electrical isolation, leakage current can be reduced.

[0036] Furthermore, the embodiments disclosed herein provide enhanced thermal control by using a dual-zone gas delivery system. In these embodiments, the gas delivery through the facility plate is designed to accommodate the gas input location of the ESC. That is, the ESC does not require any redesign to route the dual-zone solution to the ESC.

[0037] Now refer to Figure 2A The figure shows a cross-sectional view of the facility plate 220 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the facility plate 220 may include a conductive body 222. The conductive body 222 may comprise aluminum or another metallic material. In this embodiment, a hole 224 may extend through the thickness of the facility plate 220. The hole 224 may be located approximately at the center of the facility plate 220. However, depending on the overall design of the cathode assembly, the hole 224 may be located at other locations. The size of the hole 224 may be adjusted to receive a DC input connector. The DC input connector may be an electrode ultimately electrically coupled to the ESC (in... Figure 2B A high-voltage connector (not shown). In an embodiment, the DC input connector may include a conductive pin 225. The DC input connector may further include an electrically insulating collar 226. The electrically insulating collar 226 electrically isolates the pin 225 from the conductive body 222 of the facility plate 220.

[0038] In one embodiment, facility board 220 may be coupled to RF feed line 221. RF feed line 221 may directly contact body 222. In other cases, an intermediate conductive structure may be provided between RF feed line 221 and body 222. Electrical isolation between pin 225 and body 222 (provided via collar 226) allows body 222 to be biased using RF bias without leakage of DC voltage / current into body 222 from pin 225 of DC input connector. That is, RF and DC are completely isolated from each other through facility board 220.

[0039] In some embodiments, facility plate 220 may further include link 223. Link 223 extends upward from body 222. Link 223 may be a bolt, screw, pin, or the like. In some embodiments, link 223 is conductive. Thus, link 223 can provide facility plate 220 with ESC (in Figure 2A Electrical coupling between (not shown in the figure). Link 223 may also provide mechanical coupling between facility board 220 and ESC.

[0040] In one embodiment, the facility panel 220 may also include a fluid path 229 between the first surface 227 and the second surface 228. In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of fluid paths 229 are shown to enable dual-zone gas delivery. However, in other embodiments, a single fluid path 229 or two or more fluid paths 229 may be provided in the facility panel 220. A gas input 253 may supply gas to the fluid path 229.

[0041] Figure 2AThe fluid path 229 has an opening at the first surface 227, but the opening at the second surface 228 is not visible. This is because the opening at the second surface 228 is... Figure 2A Outside the plane. As will be described in more detail below, the horizontal channel can couple the inlet and outlet fluids to fluid path 229. This allows the routing of fluid path 229 to be adapted to existing ESC designs.

[0042] Now refer to Figure 2B The image shows a cross-sectional view of a cathode assembly 250 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the cathode assembly 250 may include components similar to... Figure 2A The facility board 220 is similar to the facility board 220 and the ESC 200. In an embodiment, the ESC 200 can be coupled to the facility board 220 via one or more links 223. As described above, the links 223 can provide electrical and mechanical coupling between the ESC 200 and the facility board 220. For example, the RF feed line 221 can provide RF bias to the facility board 220, which can be transferred to the body 201 of the ESC 200 via the links 223.

[0043] In one embodiment, the ESC 200 may also include a ceramic plate 205. The ceramic plate 205 may include embedded electrodes 208. Electrodes 208 may be electrically coupled to a DC input connector via pins 230 passing through the body 201 of the ESC 200. In one embodiment, pins 230 may be surrounded by an electrically insulating collar 231. This maintains electrical isolation between the DC bias and RF bias of the cathode assembly 250. In another embodiment, pins 230 may be electrically coupled to pins 225 in the facility plate 220. For example, in Figure 2B In this configuration, pin 230 and pin 225 are in direct contact with each other. In other embodiments, one or more intermediate conductive components may be provided between pin 225 and pin 230.

[0044] The ESC 200 may further include a fluid passage 215. The fluid passage 215 may be located at the bottom of the ESC 200 and sealed by a cover 216. The fluid passage 215 may be adapted to allow gas and / or liquid flow within the body 201. This can be used for cooling or other thermal control of the ESC 200. In one embodiment, the fluid passage 215 may be fluidly coupled to a fluid path 229 in the facility plate 220 (via... Figure 2B (Connections outside the plane). In some embodiments, fluid channel 215 may include a multi-region configuration. That is, the first fluid channel 215 may provide an outer region for the back-side gas, while the second fluid channel 215 may provide an inner region for the back-side gas.

[0045] Now refer to Figure 3AThe illustration shows an enlarged view of the DC input assembly 340 inserted into the hole 333 of the ESC 300 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the DC input assembly 340 may include a conductive rod 330 electrically coupled to a DC input 332 via a conductive spring 336. The DC input 332 may be a conductive pad, pin, or the like. The DC input 332 may be electrically coupled to an electrode 308 in a ceramic plate 305 via a through hole 309 or the like.

[0046] In one embodiment, rod 330, spring 336, and DC input 332 may be surrounded by electrically insulating collars 334, 335, and 337 to prevent electrical short circuits to the body 301. Collars 334, 335, and 337 are illustrated as three distinct portions. In other embodiments, a single electrically insulating component may serve as a collar, or multiple components may be coupled together to form a collar. Therefore, a direct and isolated path can be established from the conductive rod 330 to the electrode 308 to apply a DC bias to the electrode 308 to generate a clamping force on the substrate (in... Figure 3A (Not shown in the image).

[0047] In implementation, the design of the DC input component 340 can consider assembly processing. For example, the ESC 300 is typically attached to the underlying facility board via blind mounting (in... Figure 3A (Not shown in the figure). Therefore, the ability to provide alignment tolerances is beneficial to make assembly easier. In some cases, a portion of the collar 334 may include a recess 331 to receive a connector for the facility plate. The recess 331 may be an annular recess along the bottom surface of the collar 334 surrounding the rod 330.

[0048] The presence of spring 336 also facilitates assembly. More specifically, spring 336 provides a compressible component to allow for any variation in the placement of ESC 300 in the Z dimension. For example, if ESC 300 is set too "high," spring 336 expands to provide proper electrical connection with electrode 308. Similarly, if ESC 300 is set too "low," spring 336 compresses to reduce the height of the DC input line.

[0049] Now refer to Figure 3B The illustration shows a cross-sectional view of a cathode assembly 350 of an ESC 300 coupled to a facility plate 320 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the facility plate 320 is part of a larger pedestal structure to which the ESC 300 is attached. The facility plate 320 may be an interface structure to allow the DC input assembly 340 and the RF feed 321 to pass through to an area beneath the ESC 300 and out of the chamber (not shown).

[0050] In one embodiment, facility plate 320 may include a body 322, which is made of a metallic material (e.g., aluminum or the like). In another embodiment, an aperture may extend through facility plate 320 below DC input assembly 340. In yet another embodiment, a DC input connector may extend through an aperture in facility plate 320. The DC input connector may include an electrically insulating housing or collar 326 surrounding pin 325. Pin 325 may be electrically coupled to pin 330 of DC input assembly 340. In some embodiments, pin 325 directly contacts pin 330. In other embodiments, one or more intermediate conductive structures are disposed between pin 325 and pin 330.

[0051] In one embodiment, the collar 326 may include a protrusion 329 at its upper edge. The protrusion 329 may be an annular protrusion surrounding the periphery of the pin 325. The size of the protrusion 329 may be adjusted to insert into a recess 331 in the collar 326 of the DC input assembly 340. When using blind mounting or assembly, the protrusion 329 may be used to interface with the recess 331 to align the ESC 300 with the facility plate 320.

[0052] In one embodiment, the RF feed 321 also passes through the facility plate 320. In other embodiments, the RF feed 321 may be electrically coupled to the body 301 of the ESC 300 via link 323. Since pins 325 and 330 are electrically isolated from the conductive bodies 322 and 301, the DC and RF components of the cathode assembly 350 do not interact with each other.

[0053] In some embodiments, the cathode assembly 350 may also be configured to provide a back-side gas supply. For example, a gas inlet 353 may supply gas to a fluid passage 328 in the facility panel 320, which may be fluidly coupled to a fluid passage 315, which is sealed by a cover 316 in the ESC 300. In some embodiments, the back-side gas supply may be divided into two or more zones. For example, in some embodiments, an outer zone and an inner zone may be supplied.

[0054] Now refer to Figures 4A-4E The illustrations depict a series of diagrams illustrating the processes used to form fluid channels within a facility panel 420, according to an embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, a single channel is shown for illustrative purposes. However, other embodiments may include two or more channels to provide a multi-zone gas distribution system. The channels created in the facility panel 420 allow the routing of gas inlets to different locations in the XY plane. This allows the use of existing gas feed lines and existing ESC designs without requiring redesign. That is, the facility panel 420 rearranges the gas flow paths to connect the gas feed lines to the ESC gas input.

[0055] Now refer to Figure 4A The illustration shows a plan view of the facility plate 420 according to an embodiment. The facility plate 420 may include a body 422 (e.g., an aluminum body 422). Figure 4A Only the gas distribution component is shown in the figure. For simplicity, other holes, features, and / or similar elements are omitted. As shown, a first vertical portion 461 and a second vertical portion 462 are formed in the facility plate 420. The first vertical portion 461 is offset relative to the second vertical portion 462 (in the XY plane).

[0056] Figure 4B It is for the purpose of following Figure 4A A cross-sectional view of a portion of the facility plate 420 along line segment B-B' is shown. As illustrated, a first vertical portion 461 extends through the top surface 428 of the body 422. However, in some embodiments, the first vertical portion 461 does not extend completely through the thickness of the body 422. Figure 4C It is for the purpose of following Figure 4A A cross-sectional view of a portion of the facility plate 420 along line segment C-C' is shown. As illustrated, the second vertical portion 462 extends through the bottom surface 427 of the body 422. In some cases, the second vertical portion 462 does not extend completely through the thickness of the body 422. In embodiments, the first vertical portion 461 and the second vertical portion 462 may overlap each other in the Z dimension.

[0057] Now refer to Figure 4D The illustration shows a plan view of a facility plate 420 after a horizontal channel, formed according to an embodiment, fluidly couples a first vertical portion 461 to a second vertical portion 462. In this embodiment, the horizontal channel may include a first horizontal portion 463 extending from the edge of the first vertical portion 461 to the edge of the body 422, and a second horizontal portion 464 extending from the second vertical portion 462 to the edge of the body 422. The first horizontal portion 463 and the second horizontal portion 464 may be formed at similar Z-heights, such that they intersect at point 465. Drilling operations or the like may be used to form the first horizontal portion 463 and the second horizontal portion 464.

[0058] Now refer to Figure 4E The illustration shows a plan view of the facility plate 420 after plugs 466 and 467 have been inserted into the horizontal channel. Plug 466 can be positioned along the second horizontal portion 464 between the intersection 465 and the edge of the body 422, while plug 467 can be positioned along the first horizontal portion 463 between the intersection 465 and the edge of the body 422. Plugs 466 and 467 seal the horizontal channel, allowing fluid to flow from the first vertical portion 461 to the second vertical portion 462 without leakage beyond the edge of the body 422.

[0059] Now refer to Figure 4F The illustration shows a process flow diagram of process 480 for forming fluid paths within a facility panel according to an embodiment. Process 480 may result in a facility panel structure similar to... Figure 4E The facility panel 420 shown.

[0060] In one embodiment, process 480 may begin with operation 481, which includes forming a first hole in a first surface of the facility plate. The first hole may be formed using a drilling operation or the like. The first hole may partially penetrate the thickness of the facility plate. In another embodiment, process 480 may continue to operation 482, which includes forming a second hole in a second surface of the facility plate. The second hole may be formed using a drilling operation or the like. The second hole may partially penetrate the thickness of the facility plate. In another embodiment, the first hole and the second hole may be offset from each other in the XY plane. Furthermore, a portion of the first hole may overlap a portion of the second hole in the Z direction.

[0061] In one embodiment, process 480 may proceed to operation 483, which includes forming a first channel from the edge of the facility panel to the first hole. Drilling or the like may be used to form the first channel. In another embodiment, process 480 may proceed to operation 484, which includes forming a second channel from the edge of the facility panel to the second hole. In this embodiment, the second channel intersects with the first channel. Drilling or the like may be used to form the second channel.

[0062] In one implementation, process 480 can proceed to operation 485, which includes inserting the first and second channels. For example, the plug can be positioned in the first and second channels between the intersection of the channels and the edge of the facility plate. Thus, a fluid path can be provided that begins entering the first orifice, continues along the first channel, then through the second channel, and finally exits the second orifice.

[0063] Now refer to Figure 5 The illustration shows a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing tool 570 according to an embodiment. In the embodiment, the semiconductor processing tool 570 may include a plasma processing tool (e.g., a plasma etching chamber, a plasma cutting chamber, a deposition chamber using plasma (e.g., plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), a plasma processing chamber, or the like).

[0064] In one embodiment, tool 570 may include chamber 571. Chamber 571 may be adapted to support a vacuum pressure within chamber 571 to support the generation of plasma 577. In another embodiment, chamber 571 may include a cathode assembly 550 supported above a pedestal 575. For simplicity, the interior of pedestal 575 is omitted.

[0065] In embodiments, the cathode assembly 550 may be similar to any cathode assembly described in more detail herein. For example, the cathode assembly 550 may include an ESC 500 coupled to a facility plate 520. In embodiments, the ESC 500 may include a metal body 501 with a ceramic plate 505 on its top surface. A DC input pin 530 may pass through a hole in the body 501, and an electrically insulating collar 531 may electrically isolate the DC input pin 530 from the body 501. The facility plate 520 may also include a metal body 522 having a hole through which a high-voltage DC connector passes. The high-voltage DC connector may include a pin 525 surrounded by an electrically insulating collar 526. The pin 525 may be electrically coupled to the DC input pin 530 of the ESC 500. The collar 526 electrically isolates the pin 525 from the body 522 of the facility plate 520.

[0066] In one implementation, the RF feed 521 can be electrically coupled to the body 522 of the facility board 520. The RF bias applied to the body 522 via the RF feed line 521 can be coupled to the body 501 of the ESC 500 via link 523 or the like. Thus, both the ESC 500 and the facility board 520 provide DC and RF inputs for electrical isolation from each other. This reduces leakage and can improve the performance of the tool 570. For example, the clamping force applied to the substrate 578 can be reduced compared to existing solutions where the RF and DC inputs overlap. In one implementation, the substrate 578 can be clamped to the ESC 500 using a DC input 530 coupled to electrodes (not shown) in a ceramic plate 505. The substrate 578 can be a wafer (e.g., a silicon wafer) or any other type of substrate for a semiconductor processing environment.

[0067] In one implementation, a gas feed line 553 may be provided to the facility panel 520. The gas feed line 553 can supply gas to the facility panel 520 and the ESC 500 to achieve back-side gas delivery for thermal control purposes. In some implementations, multiple gas feed lines 553 are used to provide multi-zone control. Furthermore, the facility panel 520 may include fluid channels that rearrange the gas path to accommodate gas entry into any input location of the ESC 500.

[0068] In one embodiment, the spray head 572 may be configured as a cover for the chamber 571 opposite to the ESC 500. Processing gas can be delivered into the chamber 571 through the spray head 572. The spray head 572 may be biased using an RF or microwave frequency to ignite the plasma 577 within the chamber 571.

[0069] Now refer to Figure 6 The illustration shows a process flow diagram of process 690 for processing a substrate using a semiconductor tool comprising a cathode assembly having a DC input electrically isolated from the RF input, according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, process 690 begins with operation 691, which includes placing the substrate on the cathode assembly, wherein the cathode assembly has a DC input electrically isolated from the RF input. The cathode assembly used in process 690 can be similar to any cathode assembly described in more detail herein.

[0070] In one implementation, process 690 can proceed to operation 692, which includes applying a clamping force to the substrate by activating the DC input. Because the DC input is electrically isolated from the rest of the cathode assembly, the clamping force required to hold the substrate is reduced compared to existing ESC devices. This also allows for lower current leakage and provides a more efficient tooling.

[0071] In one embodiment, process 690 can proceed to operation 693, which includes processing the substrate in a plasma environment while applying an RF bias voltage applied by the RF input. In another embodiment, the process may include plasma etching, plasma cutting, or any other processing. In yet another embodiment, the clamping force on the substrate remains substantially constant during the processing of the substrate. Because there is virtually no leakage, a uniform clamping force can be maintained without altering the DC voltage of the DC input.

[0072] In one implementation, process 690 can proceed to operation 694, which includes releasing the clamping force. In this implementation, the clamping force can be released by reducing the voltage of the DC input. After releasing the clamping force, process 690 can proceed to operation 695. Operation 695 can include removing the substrate from the ESC. The substrate can be removed using a wafer manipulation robot or similar device.

[0073] Now refer to Figure 7The illustration is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system 700 of a processing tool according to an embodiment. In the embodiment, the computer system 700 is coupled to and controls processing within the processing tool. The computer system 700 may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a local area network (LAN), an internal network, an external network, or the Internet. The computer system 700 may operate as a server or client machine in a client-to-server network environment, or as a point-to-point machine in a point-to-point (or distributed) network environment. The computer system 700 may be a personal computer (PC), tablet computer, set-top box (STB), personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile phone, network device, server, network router, switch, or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequentially or otherwise) specifying actions to be taken by the machine. Furthermore, although only a single machine for the computer system 700 is shown, the term "machine" should also be considered as a collection of machines (e.g., computers) that individually or collectively execute a set (or more) of instructions for carrying out any one or more methods described herein.

[0074] Computer system 700 may include a computer program product or software 722 having instructions stored thereon on it, which can be used to program computer system 700 (or other electronic device) to perform processing according to an implementation. Machine-readable media includes any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) form. For example, machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) media includes machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) storage media (e.g., read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.), machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) transmission media (electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagation signals (e.g., infrared signals, digital signals, etc.)), etc.

[0075] In one embodiment, the computer system 700 includes a system processor 702, main memory 704 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) (e.g., synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM)), static memory 706 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and secondary memory 718 (e.g., a data storage device), which communicate with each other via a bus 730.

[0076] System processor 702 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices, such as microsystem processors, central processing units, or the like. More specifically, the system processor may be a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) microsystem processor, a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microsystem processor, a Very Long Instruction Character (VLIW) microsystem processor, a system processor implementing other instruction sets, or a system processor implementing a combination of instruction sets. System processor 702 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal system processors (DSPs), network system processors, or the like. System processor 702 is configured to execute processing logic 726 for performing the operations described herein.

[0077] The computer system 700 may further include a system network interface device 708 for communicating with other devices or machines. The computer system 700 may also include a video display unit 710 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode display (LED), or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), a text and numeric input device 712 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 714 (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device 716 (e.g., a speaker).

[0078] Secondary memory 718 may include machine-accessible storage medium 731 (or more specifically, computer-readable storage medium) storing one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software 722) embodying any one or more of the methods or functions described herein. Software 722 may also reside wholly or at least partially within main memory 704 and / or system processor 702 during execution via computer system 700, main memory 704, and system processor 702 (which also constitutes machine-readable storage medium). Software 722 may further be transmitted or received on network 761 via system network interface device 708. In embodiments, network interface device 708 may operate using RF coupling, optical coupling, acoustic coupling, or inductive coupling.

[0079] Although machine-accessible storage medium 731 is shown as a single medium in the exemplary embodiment, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be understood to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store one or more sets of instructions. The term "machine-readable storage medium" should also be understood to include any medium capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for machine execution and enabling the machine to perform one or more methods. Therefore, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be understood to include, but is not limited to, solid-state memory and optical and magnetic media.

[0080] Specific exemplary embodiments have been described in the foregoing description. It should be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the description and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: An electrostatic chuck (ESC) comprising: The primary conductor of electricity; and A ceramic insert, located on the first body, wherein electrodes are embedded within the ceramic insert; and Facility board, the facility board being coupled to the ESC, wherein the facility board comprises: The second conductive component; A hole, said hole passing through the second body; DC input connector, the DC input connector passing through the hole; as well as An RF feed line coupled to the second body, wherein the pin of the DC input connector is electrically isolated from the RF feed line.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the facility board is electrically coupled to the ESC via one or more links.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the pin of the DC input connector is surrounded by an electrically insulating collar.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the DC input connector is electrically coupled to the electrode via an input component that at least partially passes through the thickness of the first body.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the input component comprises a spring.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the facility plate includes a fluid path from a first surface of the second body to a second surface of the second body, wherein the fluid path includes a first vertical portion, a horizontal channel, and a second vertical portion.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the horizontal channel includes a first branch and a second branch intersecting the first branch.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the ESC includes a first fluid channel and a second fluid channel.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the first fluid channel is an outer region back-side gas channel, and wherein the second fluid channel is an inner region back-side gas channel.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the facility plate is smaller than the diameter of the ESC.

11. An apparatus comprising: A body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the body is conductive; A hole, the hole passing through the body; An input connector that passes through the hole, wherein the input connector includes a conductive pin and a collar surrounding the pin, wherein the collar is electrically insulated; as well as A conductive feed line is in contact with the main body.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the feed line is isolated from the power supply.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: A fluid path, the fluid path being from the first surface to the second surface.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the fluid path includes a first end on the first surface and a second end on the second surface, and wherein the first end is offset relative to the second end in the XY plane.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the fluid path includes a horizontal channel within the body that couples the first end to the second end.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the horizontal channel includes an intersection.

17. A semiconductor processing tool, the semiconductor processing tool comprising: A chamber, the chamber being adapted to maintain a vacuum environment within the chamber; and A cathode assembly, located within the chamber, wherein the cathode assembly comprises: An electrostatic chuck (ESC) comprising: The primary conductor of electricity; and A ceramic insert, located on the first body, wherein electrodes are embedded within the ceramic insert; and Facility board, the facility board being coupled to the ESC, wherein the facility board comprises: The second conductive component; A hole, said hole passing through the second body; DC input connector, the DC input connector passing through the hole; as well as An RF feed line coupled to the second body, wherein the pin of the DC input connector is electrically isolated from the RF feed line.

18. The semiconductor processing tool of claim 17, wherein the semiconductor processing tool is configured for plasma cutting operations.

19. The semiconductor processing tool of claim 17, wherein the facility board includes a fluid path having a first vertical portion, a second vertical portion, and a horizontal portion coupling the first vertical portion to the second vertical portion.

20. The semiconductor processing tool of claim 17, wherein the DC input connector includes a pin, and wherein the pin is electrically coupled to the electrode by at least one spring.

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