Electrical introduction device for electrostatic chucks

Abstract

The electrostatic chuck electrostatic induction device is used to solve the problems of conventional electrostatic induction devices, which are difficult to install and remove, and have unstable power supply. [Solution] An electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device comprising a base and at least two conductive posts, wherein the base has a body and a carrier located on the body, at least two electrodes embedded inside the carrier, the base further has at least two conduits, each conduit passing through the body and forming a blind hole on the lower surface of the carrier corresponding to the position of the electrode, exposing a portion of the area of ​​each electrode and connecting to the corresponding conduit, the at least two conductive posts each electrically connected to the at least two electrodes through the at least two conduits, and the first end of each conductive post has a connection terminal that is elastically reciprocable along the direction of the electrical connection and is used to electrically connect to the electrode. This provides convenience of replacement and a stable power supply.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to equipment for processing, and particularly to an electrical introduction device for an electrostatic chuck that is used inside a vacuum chamber, enables stable power supply, and facilitates maintenance.

Background Art

[0002] In advanced manufacturing processes, there is a process of performing processing inside a vacuum chamber. When it is necessary to supply power for control or impart energy, for example, during operations such as electrostatic adsorption, heating, and plasma treatment, by using an electrical introduction device to supply power to a carrier for processing in a vacuum state, it is possible to prevent vacuum leakage inside the chamber, so that power can be reliably sent to the processing area while maintaining the degree of vacuum.

[0003] As a method of electrical connection between the above-described conventional electrical introduction device and the carrier for processing, there are methods of solidifying and forming the connector of the electrical introduction device and the electrode of the carrier for processing as an integral structure, or as a structural joining, for example, male-female connectors or flexible pins. However, the electrical introduction device needs to penetrate through multilayer structures such as the base of the equipment, the adhesive layer, and the insulating layer. When the equipment repeatedly heats up and cools down during processing, due to different materials of each layer having different coefficients of thermal expansion, different degrees of thermal deformation stress are applied to the electrical introduction device, so there is a possibility that the electrode may be damaged or the stability of power supply may be impaired. Another connection method is to connect the electrode of the electrical introduction device and the processing carrier using soldering of twisted wires, which can reduce the influence on the electrical introduction device due to thermal deformation stress. However, when performing maintenance on the equipment, it is necessary to remove the soldered twisted wires, which makes maintenance and adjustment difficult. In addition, the electrode is easily damaged, and there is also a possibility that the soldered part may peel off and cause a disconnection due to repeated heating and cooling processes.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-111734 A [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Based on the problems described above, it is necessary to further improve the conventional electrical induction device mentioned above.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the first object of the present invention is to provide an electrical introduction device for an electrostatic chuck that can provide a stable power supply.

[0007] A second objective of the present invention is to provide an electrical introduction device for electrostatic chucks that can reduce damage to electrical terminals.

[0008] A third objective of the present invention is to provide an electrical induction device for electrostatic chucks, which facilitates parts replacement during maintenance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The terms of directionality or their approximate meanings used throughout the specification of this invention, such as "top (summit)," "bottom (bottom)," "inside," "outside," and "side," primarily indicate directions on the accompanying drawings. Each of these terms of directionality or its approximate meanings is intended to aid in the explanation and understanding of each embodiment of the invention and does not limit the invention.

[0010] The use of the counter words "one" or "one" for parts and components described throughout the specification of this invention is merely for convenience and provides the usual meaning within the scope of this invention, and should be interpreted as including one or at least one, and a single concept includes multiple situations, except when it clearly represents another meaning.

[0011] The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device of the present invention includes a base and at least two conductive posts, the base having a body and a carrier located on the body, at least two electrodes embedded inside the carrier, the base further having at least two conduits, each conduit penetrating the body and forming a blind hole on the lower surface of the carrier corresponding to the position of the electrode, exposing a portion of the area of ​​each electrode and connecting to the corresponding conduit, the at least two conductive posts each electrically connected to the at least two electrodes through the at least two conduits, the first end of each conductive post having a connection terminal that is elastically reciprocable along the direction of the electrical connection and used for electrical connection to the electrode, and the second end of each conductive post relative to the first end is used for electrical connection to a power transmission system.

[0012] As a result, the electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device of the present invention electrically connects to each electrode by extending and adjusting the respective connecting terminals, and since each connecting terminal can be reliably brought into contact with each electrode, a stable power supply can be provided. Furthermore, since the connecting terminals are not soldered, thermal deformation stress can be reduced, and removal and installation are made easy, reducing wear and tear on parts and saving on maintenance costs.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper surface of the main body and the lower surface of the carrier are bonded together by an adhesive layer, and each conduit penetrates the main body and the adhesive layer sequentially from bottom to top, forming the blind holes on the lower surface of the carrier. In this way, the main body, the base, and each of the conductive posts can be easily separated by removing the adhesive layer by etching with a chemical solution, making removal and installation easier and reducing maintenance costs.

[0014] Furthermore, a recess is formed at the first end of each conductive post, the opening of the recess faces the direction of electrical connection, the lower half of the connection terminal is slidably fitted into the inner circumferential wall of the recess, and the end of the upper half of the connection terminal is arc-shaped. In this way, the connection terminal can contact the electrode by adjusting its extension and retraction, and the arc-shaped end can prevent tip discharge, thereby ensuring stable conductivity and avoiding damage to the connection terminal and the electrode.

[0015] Furthermore, each conductive post has an elastic member positioned between the connection terminal and the recess, with both ends of the elastic member contacting the lower half of the connection terminal and the bottom of the recess, respectively. In this way, the elastic recovery force of the elastic member ensures that the connection terminal contacts the electrode, thereby reducing electrical resistance.

[0016] Furthermore, the first and second ends of each conductive post are divided into a two-stage structure, and the first and second ends are detachably connected by a screw structure. In this way, if the connection terminals wear out after prolonged use or the elastic member experiences elastic fatigue, the first end of the conductive post can be removed and replaced, making maintenance convenient and saving on parts costs.

[0017] Furthermore, the second end is a metal connecting member, which electrically connects to the connection terminal of the first end and to the external power transmission system. In this way, the metal connecting member at the second end can supply power to each of the electrodes in the carrier through the connection terminal, thereby enabling stable power transmission.

[0018] Furthermore, an outward-expanding diameter portion and an inward-reducing diameter portion are formed in the lower half of the connection terminal. The outer circumferential surface of the outward-expanding diameter portion is in close contact with the inner circumferential wall of the recess, and a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the inward-reducing diameter portion and the inner circumferential wall of the recess. In this way, as the connection terminal slides and expands and contracts, the contact area between the connection terminal and the recess is fixed, so that the impedance of the conductive post does not change, and stable power can be transmitted.

[0019] Also, each of the conductive posts has a positioning member located at the inner peripheral edge of the opening of the recess. The inner diameter of the positioning member is smaller than the outer diameter width of the outwardly expanded diameter portion of each of the connection terminals and larger than the outer diameter width of the inwardly reduced diameter portion. Thus, since the positioning member can limit the sliding of the connection terminal outside the recess, the disconnection of the connection terminal can be prevented.

[0020] Also, the base has an insulating layer, and the insulating layer is located on the inner peripheral wall surface for each of the pipelines to attach each of the conductive posts. Thus, since the insulating layer can prevent the power transmitted from each of the conductive posts from leaking to the main body through each of the pipelines, the leakage of electricity of the device can be prevented.

[0021] Also, external threads are formed on the side surface of each of the conductive posts, and internal threads corresponding to the inner surface of the insulating layer are formed. Thus, since each of the conductive posts can be attached so as to be propelled spirally in each of the pipelines, the replacement becomes easy, and furthermore, the depth position of the conductive post can be adjusted.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a partial enlarged view of area A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a partial enlarged view of another embodiment of the conductive post of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory view of the detached state of an embodiment of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] <00> To further clarify and make understandable the above and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, parts indicated by the same reference numerals in different drawings are considered to be the same, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, an embodiment of the electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device of the present invention includes a base 1 and at least two conductive posts 2, wherein the upper surface 1a of the base 1 can be located inside a vacuum chamber, the at least two conductive posts 2 are drilled into the base 1 from the bottom surface 1b of the base 1, and the at least two conductive posts 2 are electrically connected to the base 1.

[0025] The base 1 comprises a main body 11 and a carrier 12 positioned on the main body 11. The upper surface of the main body 11 and the lower surface of the carrier 12 can be bonded together by an adhesive layer 13, with the upper surface of the carrier 12 relative to the main body 11 being the upper surface 1a of the base 1, and the lower surface of the main body 11 relative to the carrier 12 being the bottom surface 1b of the base 1. The base 1 further comprises at least two electrodes 14 embedded inside the carrier 12. At least two conduits 15 are formed in the base 1, with each conduit 15 sequentially penetrating the main body 11 and the adhesive layer 13 from the bottom surface 1b, and further forming a blind hole on the lower surface of the carrier 12. The positions of the at least two conduits 15 correspond to the at least two electrodes 14, so that a portion of the area of ​​each electrode 14 is exposed through the blind hole in the carrier 12 and connected to the corresponding conduit 15.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, each of the at least two conductive posts 2 is electrically connected to the at least two electrodes 14 through the at least two conduits 15. Each of the conductive posts 2 has a connection terminal 21 that is elastically reciprocable along the direction of the electrical connection, and each connection terminal 21 is located at the first end 2a of each conductive post 2 and used to electrically connect to the electrodes 14. The second end 2b relative to the first end 2a is used to electrically connect to a power transmission system, which can transport power through the at least two conductive posts 2 and act on the at least two electrodes 14. The power transmission system can supply DC power of 500 volts to 3000 volts to achieve the effect of electrostatic adsorption on the carrier 12. The power transmission system can also supply power of 10 watts to 1000 watts to achieve the effect of heating on the carrier 12. Furthermore, the power transmission system can be switched to a high-frequency power supply of 4 megahertz, 13.56 megahertz, or 27.12 megahertz.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, a recess 22 is formed at the first end 2a of each conductive post 2, and the opening of the recess 22 faces the direction of electrical connection. The lower half 21a of the connection terminal 21 is fitted into the inner circumferential wall of the recess 22 so that the connection terminal 21 can slide freely within the recess 22 and expand and contract along the direction of electrical connection. The end of the upper half 21b of the connection terminal 21 is preferably formed in a hemispherical shape, and the radius of the sphere may be in the range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm. The upper half 21b of the connection terminal 21 is used to contact the electrode 14, and damage to the connection terminal 21 due to tip discharge can be avoided. Furthermore, the conductivity can be increased by gold plating the surface of the connection terminal 21 that contacts the electrode 14. However, in the present invention, the connection terminal 21 is not limited to the expansion and contraction method described above.

[0028] In this embodiment, each conductive post 2 further has an elastic member 23 located between the connection terminal 21 and the recess 22, and both ends of the elastic member 23 abut against the lower half 21a of the connection terminal 21 and the bottom of the recess 22, respectively, so that the elastic recovery force of the elastic member 23 ensures that the connection terminal 21 makes contact with the electrode 14. The stress applied by the elastic member 23 is preferably in the range of 50 grams to 300 grams, which ensures that the connection terminal 21 and the electrode 14 are reliably electrically connected and prevents damage. In addition, the contact area between the connection terminal 21 and the electrode 14 is preferably 0.6 square millimeters or more, which reduces the impedance during power transmission.

[0029] Furthermore, the lower half 21a of the connection terminal 21 into which the connection terminal 21 is fitted into the recess 22 preferably has an outwardly expanding diameter portion 21c and an inwardly contracting diameter portion 21d, the outer circumferential surface of the outwardly expanding diameter portion 21c is in close contact with the inner circumferential wall of the recess 22, and a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the inwardly contracting diameter portion 21d and the inner circumferential wall of the recess 22. In this way, as the connection terminal 21 slides and expands and contracts, the contact area with the recess 22 is fixed, so that the impedance of the conductive post 2 does not change and stable power can be transmitted.

[0030] Furthermore, each conductive post 2 may have a positioning member 24 formed on the inner periphery of the opening of the recess 22. The inner diameter of the positioning member 24 is preferably smaller than the outer diameter width of the outward-facing enlarged portion 21c of each connection terminal 21, and larger than the outer diameter width of the inward-facing reduced portion 21d. This restricts the sliding of the connection terminal 21 out of the recess 22, thereby preventing the connection terminal 21 from falling off due to the pressure of the elastic member 23.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, in another embodiment of the conductive post 2, the first end 2a and second end 2b of each conductive post 2 can be divided into a two-stage structure and further detachably connected by a screw structure. The first end 2a includes a connection terminal 21, a recess 22 into which the connection terminal 21 is fitted, and an elastic member 23 located between the connection terminal 21 and the recess 22, which allows the connection terminal 21 to slide within the recess 22 and to reciprocate and expand and contract along the direction of electrical connection. The second end 2b can be electrically connected to the connection terminal 21 of the first end 2a and to an external power transmission system as a metal connecting member. If the connection terminal 21 wears out after prolonged use or the elastic member 23 experiences elastic fatigue, the first end 2a of the conductive post 2 can be removed and replaced, making maintenance convenient and saving on parts costs.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the base 1 may further have an insulating layer 16. The insulating layer 16 is located on the inner circumferential wall surface where each conduit 15 is attached to each conductive post 2, preventing power transmitted from each conductive post 2 from leaking to the main body 11 through each conduit 15. Furthermore, male threads 25 may be formed on the side surface of each conductive post 2, and female threads 17 corresponding to the inner surface of the insulating layer 16 may be formed, so that each conductive post 2 can be attached in a spiral manner within each conduit 15, making replacement easy and allowing adjustment of the depth position of each conductive post 2.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the connection terminals 21 of each conductive post 2 do not directly contact the main body 11, carrier 12, and adhesive layer 13 of the base 1. This reduces the thermal deformation stress that each connection terminal 21 experiences during heating and cooling, thereby reducing wear and extending the service life. Furthermore, each connection terminal 21 is electrically connected to each electrode 14 by contact, and each connection terminal 21 is not fixed to each electrode 14 by soldering. Therefore, even if the carrier 12 or each connection terminal 21 requires maintenance or replacement due to wear, the main body 11, carrier 12, and each conductive post 2 can be easily separated by removing the adhesive layer 13 by etching with a chemical solution. As shown in Figure 4, this eliminates the need for complex soldering removal processes, reducing maintenance costs and avoiding damage to each connection terminal 21 or each electrode 14 during the soldering removal process.

[0034] In summary, the electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device of this invention provides a stable power supply because, by making electrical connections to each electrode through the retractable and adjustable connection terminals, and further ensuring that the connection terminals make reliable contact with the electrodes due to the elastic recovery force of each elastic member, a stable power supply can be provided. In addition, since the connection terminals are not welded in place, they are less susceptible to thermal deformation stress, and are easy to remove and install, reducing wear and tear on parts and saving on maintenance costs.

[0035] Although the present invention has already been presented using comparable examples described above, it is not limited to the present invention. As long as any person familiar with this art does not deviate from the spirit and scope of the invention, any kind of change or modification corresponding to the above-described examples will still fall within the scope of the art protected by the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should naturally include changes within the meaning and equivalent scope described in the appended claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 1 base 1a Top surface 1b Bottom 11 Main unit 12 carriers 13 Adhesive layer 14 electrodes 15 Conduit 16 Insulating layer 17 Female thread 2 Conductive Post 2a first end 2b Second end 21 Connection terminals 21a lower half 21b Upper half 21c Outward-facing enlarged section 21d Inwardly reduced diameter section 22 recess 23 Elastic members 24 Positioning member 25 Male thread

Claims

1. Includes a base and at least two conductive posts, The base comprises a main body and a carrier positioned on the main body, with at least two electrodes embedded inside the carrier, and the base further comprises at least two conduits, each conduit penetrating the main body and forming a blind hole on the lower surface of the carrier corresponding to the position of the electrodes, exposing a portion of the area of ​​each electrode and connecting to the corresponding conduit. An electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device wherein at least two conductive posts are each electrically connected to at least two electrodes through at least two conduits, the first end of each conductive post has a connection terminal that is elastically reciprocable along the direction of the electrical connection and is used for electrical connection to the electrodes, and the second end of each conductive post relative to the first end is used for electrical connection to a power transmission system.

2. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper surface of the main body and the lower surface of the carrier are bonded together by an adhesive layer, each conduit penetrates the main body and the adhesive layer sequentially from bottom to top, and the blind holes are formed on the lower surface of the carrier.

3. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 1, characterized in that a recess is formed at the first end of each of the conductive posts, the opening of the recess faces the direction of electrical connection, the lower half of the connection terminal is slidably fitted into the inner circumferential wall of the recess, and the end of the upper half of the connection terminal is arc-shaped.

4. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 3, characterized in that each conductive post has an elastic member located between the connection terminal and the recess, and both ends of the elastic member abut against the lower half of the connection terminal and the bottom of the recess, respectively.

5. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first end and the second end of each conductive post are divided into a two-stage structure, and the first end and the second end are detachably connected by a screw structure.

6. The electrostatic chuck power introduction device according to claim 5, characterized in that the second end is a metal connecting member and is electrically connected to the connecting terminal of the first end and to the external power transmission system, respectively.

7. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 3, characterized in that an outwardly expanding portion and an inwardly contracting portion are formed in the lower half of the connection terminal, the outer circumferential surface of the outwardly expanding portion is in close contact with the inner circumferential wall of the recess, and a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the inwardly contracting portion and the inner circumferential wall of the recess.

8. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 7, characterized in that each conductive post has a positioning member located on the inner peripheral edge of the opening of the recess, and the inner diameter of the positioning member is smaller than the outer diameter width of the outwardly expanding portion of each connection terminal and larger than the outer diameter width of the inwardly contracting portion.

9. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 1, characterized in that the base has an insulating layer, and the insulating layer is located on the inner circumferential wall surface for which each conduit is attached to each conductive post.

10. The electrostatic chuck electrical introduction device according to claim 9, characterized in that male threads are formed on the side surface of each conductive post and female threads corresponding to the inner surface of the insulating layer are formed.

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