Electrostatic substrate support

Abstract

An electrostatic chuck (ESC) comprises a ceramic body having a first surface and two or more regions arranged concentrically on the first surface. Each region comprises a retaining ring located on the first surface and defining the outer edge of the region, and a structure located on the first surface and within the region, configured to support the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the electrostatic chuck. The ESC comprises a gas conduit for introducing gas into the two or more regions through the ceramic body and leading it to the first surface, and electrodes embedded in the ceramic body and positioned relative to the first surface, configured to generate a holding force on the surface of the substrate.

Description

Cross-reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119 to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 210,328, filed on June 15, 2023, and Indian Patent Application No. 202341032416, filed on May 8, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

[0002] This specification relates to semiconductor systems, processes, and equipment. Background

[0003] Plasma etching is used in the manufacture of integrated circuits in semiconductor processes. Integrated circuits are formed from a plurality (e.g., two or more) of layer structures. Different chemical compositions of etching gases (e.g., different gas mixtures) can be used to form plasma in the processing environment. This can improve the accuracy and selectivity with respect to the layer structure to be etched in the chemical composition of a specific etching gas. As the miniaturization of integrated circuits progresses and the microstructure and aspect ratio increase, the need for precise etching of layer structures is increasing. Summary

[0004] This specification describes techniques for electrostatic chucks and related components. Generally, these techniques involve using additive manufacturing techniques in the design and manufacture of electrostatic chucks used within substrate processing chambers.

[0005] In this specification, “substrate” means a wafer or other carrier structure (e.g., a glass plate). A wafer may include a semiconductor material (e.g., silicon, GaAs, InP) or other semiconductor-based wafer material. A wafer may also include an insulating material (e.g., silicon-on-insulator (SOI), diamond, etc.). Optionally, the substrate includes a film formed on the surface of the wafer / carrier structure. The film may be, for example, a dielectric, a conductor, or an insulating film. The film can be formed on the wafer surface using various deposition techniques (e.g., spin coating, atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), or other similar techniques for forming thin film layers on a wafer or other carrier structure). In some embodiments, the manufacturing tool described herein is a plasma-based etching tool that can perform etching on the surface of the wafer / carrier structure and / or on layers formed on the wafer.

[0006] In general, an innovative embodiment of the subject matter described herein can be embodied in an electrostatic chuck (ESC) structure embodied in a machine-readable medium for design, manufacture, or design testing. The ESC includes a ceramic body having a first surface and two or more regions defined on the first surface, the two or more regions being concentrically arranged on the first surface. Each region includes a retaining ring positioned on the first surface and defining the outer edge of the region, and a plurality of structures positioned on and within the first surface, the plurality of structures being configured to support the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the electrostatic chuck. The ESC may include a sensor embedded in part of the ceramic body, with part of the sensor positioned relative to the first surface of the ceramic body, and the sensor being configured to collect measurements of the surface of the substrate (e.g., direct or indirect measurements of the surface of the substrate) when the substrate is held by the electrostatic chuck. The ESC comprises one or more gas conduits configured to introduce gas to two or more regions through a ceramic body and to introduce gas to a first surface, wherein the two or more regions are configured to maintain positive gas pressure within each region and within the substrate surface when the substrate is held by the electrostatic chuck. The ESC comprises one or more electrodes embedded in the ceramic body and positioned relative to the first surface, wherein the one or more electrodes are configured to generate a holding force on the substrate surface when the substrate is held by the electrostatic chuck.

[0007] Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding methods, computer systems, apparatus, and computer programs recorded on one or more computer storage devices.

[0008] In general, other innovative aspects of the subject matter of this specification can be embodied in a method for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck (ESC) structure. This method involves forming multiple layers by an additive manufacturing system, the multiple layers comprising a ceramic body having a first surface and two or more regions defined on the first surface. The two or more regions are arranged concentrically with respect to each other on the first surface, and the regions include a retaining ring positioned on the first surface and defining its outer edge, and a plurality of support structures positioned on and within the first surface and configured to support the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the electrostatic chuck. These multiple layers include gas conduits configured to introduce gas into two or more regions through the ceramic body and reach the first surface. This method includes, during the formation of the multilayer, embedding one or more embedded electrodes positioned relative to the first surface within the ceramic body, embedding a sensor positioned relative to the first surface within a portion of the ceramic body, and having a portion of the sensor positioned relative to the first surface of the ceramic body.

[0009] Other embodiments of this aspect include a corresponding system, computer system, apparatus, and computer program recorded on one or more computer storage devices, each configured to perform the actions of the method.

[0010] The subject matter described herein can be implemented in these embodiments and other embodiments, and one or more of the following advantages can be achieved: By using additive manufacturing (AM) technology in the manufacture of electrostatic chucks (ESCs), challenges in ESC manufacturing methods can be overcome, yield can be improved, complexity can be increased, and the possibilities of materials can be expanded. The design flexibility of electrodes embedded in the ceramic body of the ESC, which are used to apply chucking force or generate localized heating, can be improved by using AM. For example, AM can expand the design space for ESC features. For example, AM can expand the design space for embedded electrodes, such as placement / alignment, dimensions, and shape. As another example, AM can be used to introduce features (e.g., embedded sensors, complex internal channels / conduits, etc.) that were not possible or were too costly to achieve with conventional non-AM technology. AM technology can expand the design space for supporting structures such as mesa structures on the surface of the ESC. For example, AM can be used to form mesa structures such as tapered mesa structures, which were too costly or impossible to achieve with conventional non-AM technology.

[0011] AM-specific designs can be used to control the heat transfer coefficient between the substrate and the ESC by selecting one or more of the mesa type, shape, distribution (pattern, etc.), density, and size, depending on the process requirements of the chamber and manufacturing process. For example, a tapered mesa design can be used to reduce the contact area with the substrate (low contact area) and increase the volume available for back cooling gas for convective and conduction heat transfer with the substrate. As another example, AM technology can be used to improve the diagnostic capabilities and closed-loop control of ESC parameters and monitoring performance.

[0012] AM technology improves the control of the fidelity of manufactured parts (reducing defects, etc.), and can enhance the performance of manufactured parts by reducing helium leakage, improving capacitance, more precise (critical) dimensional control, and reducing machining cracks. For example, AM can improve the flatness of embedded electrodes, which was difficult with conventional non-AM technology. This can improve the performance of embedded electrodes acting as chucking electrodes by improving the parallel capacitance generated by the embedded electrodes.

[0013] Furthermore, AM technology can also be used for the refurbishment / regrowth / modification of existing ESCs, extending the lifespan of ESC components and reducing costs by reusing components instead of replacing entire parts. The refurbishment / modification process can restore the functionality of ESCs and ensure continued performance and use by targeting localized degradation, such as that caused by use in process environments or exposure to plasma and etching chemicals. Localized AM-based regrowth techniques for refurbishment can reduce the cost, material consumption, and time required for refurbishment. Moreover, refurbishment / modification can be used to update existing components rather than manufacturing entirely new components to incorporate new functions.

[0014] The following disclosure describes specific processes for etching-based manufacturing tools using the disclosed technology, but it will be readily apparent that the systems and methods are equally applicable to a variety of other manufacturing tools and chambers. Therefore, this technology should not be construed as being limited solely to the etching manufacturing tools described. Before describing the operation of systems and methods or exemplary process sequences according to several embodiments of this technology, this disclosure describes one of the systems and chambers applicable to this technology. It should be understood that this technology is not limited to the described apparatus, and the described processes can be performed in any number of processing chambers and systems. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a plasma processing chamber. [Figure 2A] ~ [Figure 2D] Shows various exemplary schematic views of a part of an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing. [Figure 3] Shows an example of a schematic view of a part of an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing. [Figure 4A] ~ [Figure 4C] Shows various exemplary schematic views of a part of an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing. [Figure 5] Is a flowchart of an exemplary process for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck. [Figure 6] Is a flowchart of an exemplary process for regrowth of an electrostatic chuck. [Figure 7] Shows an example of a general computer system. [Figure 8] Is an example of a schematic view showing a part of an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing and a cooling base. [Figure 9A] ~ [Figure 9F] Shows various exemplary cross-sectional schematic views of cooling channels. [Figure 10] Shows a schematic view of an example of a laminated manufacturing system for manufacturing a part of an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing. [Figure 11A] ~ [Figure 11C] Shows various exemplary plan schematic views of cooling channels.

[0016] Like reference numerals and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. Detailed description

[0017] This specification provides an improved method and assembly for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck (ESC) used in a substrate processing chamber using a layered manufacturing method. Embodiments of the present disclosure include the design of an electrostatic chuck enabled by layered manufacturing, and the design parameters of the ESC may depend on the design window of the layered manufacturing system and process.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a processing chamber 100 suitable for etching one or more material layers placed on a substrate 103 (also called, for example, a "wafer") within a processing chamber 100 (e.g., a plasma processing chamber). The processing chamber 100 comprises a chamber body 105 defining a chamber volume 101 capable of processing the substrate. The chamber body 105 has side walls 112 and a bottom 118 connected to ground 126. The side walls 112 may be provided with liners 115 to protect the side walls 112 and extend the maintenance cycle interval of the plasma processing chamber 100. The chamber body 105 supports a chamber lid assembly 110 that encloses the chamber volume 101. The chamber body 105 can be manufactured from, for example, ceramic, aluminum, or other suitable material. A substrate access port 113 is formed through the side wall 112 of the chamber body 105, thereby facilitating the insertion and removal of the substrate 103 into and from the plasma processing chamber 100. The access port 113 can be connected to the transport chamber and / or other chambers (not shown) of the substrate processing system, for example, to perform other processing on the substrate. The pumping port 145 is formed through the bottom 118 of the chamber body 105 and is connected to the chamber volume 101. A pumping device is connected to the chamber volume 101 via the pumping port 145 to perform vacuuming and pressure control within the processing volume. The pumping device may include one or more pumps and throttle valves.

[0019] The chamber volume 101 includes a processing region 107 (e.g., a station for processing a substrate). In the processing region 107 of the chamber volume 101, a substrate support 135 for supporting the substrate 103 during processing can be arranged. The substrate support 135 can include an electrostatic chuck 122 for holding the substrate 103 during processing. The electrostatic chuck ("ESC") 122 can hold the substrate 103 on the substrate support 135 using electrostatic attraction. The ESC 122 can be powered by an RF power supply or a DC power supply 125 integrated with a matching circuit 124. The ESC 122 can include an electrode 121 embedded in a dielectric. The electrode 121 can be connected to the RF power supply or the DC power supply 125 to provide a bias that attracts plasma ions generated from the processing gas in the chamber volume 101 to the ESC 122 and the substrate 103 placed on the pedestal. The RF power supply or the DC power supply 125 can be repeatedly turned on / off and pulsed during the processing of the substrate 103. The ESC 122 can be provided with an isolator 128 for making the side wall of the ESC 122 less attractive to plasma and extending the maintenance life of the ESC 122. Further, the substrate support 135 can be provided with a cathode liner 136 for protecting the side wall of the substrate support 135 from plasma and extending the maintenance interval of the plasma processing chamber 100.

[0020] Electrode 121 can be connected to a DC power supply 150. The power supply 150 can supply a chucking voltage to electrode 121 ranging from approximately 5000 volts to approximately -5000 volts. The power supply 150 may include a system controller that controls the operation of electrode 121 by supplying DC current to electrode 121 for chucking and dechucking the substrate 103. ESC 122 may include a heater placed within the ceramic and connected to a power supply for heating the substrate. Meanwhile, the cooling base 129 supporting ESC 122 may include conduits for circulating heat transfer fluid to maintain the temperature of ESC 122 and the substrate 103 placed on top of it. ESC 122 may be configured to operate within a temperature range required by the thermal budget of the device being manufactured on the substrate 103. For example, ESC 122 may be configured to maintain the substrate 103 at a temperature ranging from approximately -150°C or below to approximately 500°C or above, depending on the process being performed. Covering 130 may be placed on ESC 122 and around the substrate support 135. The covering 130 can be configured to confine the etching gas to a desired portion of the exposed upper surface of the substrate 103, while also shielding the upper surface of the substrate support 135 from the plasma environment within the plasma processing chamber 100.

[0021] A gas panel 160 (for example, also referred to herein as a “gas distribution manifold”) is connected to the chamber body 105 via a chamber lid assembly 110 by a gas line 167 and can supply a process gas into the chamber volume 101. The gas panel 160 may include one or more process gas sources 161, 162, 163, 164 and may further include any number of inert gases, non-reactive gases, and reactive gases that can be used in any suitable process. Examples of process gases that can be supplied by the gas panel 160 include, but are not limited to, hydrocarbon-containing gases such as methane, sulfur hexafluoride, silicon chloride, silicon tetrachloride, carbon tetrafluoride, hydrogen bromide, etc. Examples of process gases that can be supplied by the gas panel include, but are not limited to, argon gas, chlorine gas, nitrogen, helium, or oxygen gas, sulfur dioxide, and any number of additional substances. Furthermore, the process gas may include nitrogen, chlorine, fluorine, oxygen, or hydrogen-containing gases (e.g., BCl3, C2F 4C4 In addition to F8, C4F6, CHF3, CH2F2, CH3F, NF3, NH3, CO2, SO2, CO, N2, NO2, N2O, H2, etc., any number of suitable precursors may be included. One or more etching gas mixtures can be produced by combining process gases from process gas sources (e.g., sources 161, 162, 163, 164). For example, gas panel 160 includes one or more process gas sources specific to oxide-based etching chemical reactions. In another example, gas panel 160 includes one or more process gas sources specific to nitride-based etching chemical reactions.

[0022] The gas panel 160 includes various valves, pressure regulators (not shown), and mass flow controllers (not shown) positioned relative to gas sources 161, 162, 163, and 164 to control the flow rate of the process gas from the gas sources. Valve 166 can control the flow rate of the process gas from gas sources 161, 162, 163, and 164 from the gas panel 160. The operation of the valves, pressure regulators, and / or mass flow controllers can be controlled by controller 165. Controller 165 is operably connected to an electric valve (EV) manifold (not shown) and can control the operation of one or more of the valves, pressure regulators, and / or mass flow controllers. The lid assembly 110 may include a gas supply nozzle 114. The gas supply nozzle 114 may include one or more openings for introducing the process gas from gas sources 161, 162, 163, and 164 of the gas panel 160 into the chamber volume 101. After the process gas is introduced into the plasma processing chamber 100, energy can be supplied to the gas to form a plasma. One or more antennas 148, such as inductor coils, can be provided adjacent to the plasma processing chamber 100. The antenna power supply 142 supplies power to the antenna 148 via a matching circuit 141, inductively coupling energy such as RF or DC energy to the processing gas, thereby maintaining the plasma formed from the processing gas in the chamber volume 101 of the plasma processing chamber 100. Alternatively, or in addition to the antenna power supply 142, process electrodes on the underside and / or upper side of the substrate 103 can be used to capacitively couple RF or DC power to the processing gas, thereby maintaining the plasma in the chamber volume 101. The operation of the power supply 142 can be controlled by a controller such as a controller 165 that controls the operation of other components in the plasma processing chamber 100.

[0023] The controller 165 can be used to control the process sequence, adjust the gas flow rate from the gas panel 160 to the plasma processing chamber 100, and control other process parameters. When the software routine is executed by a computing device having one or more processors (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) capable of data communication with one or more memory storage devices, it can transform the computing device into an application-specific computer such as a controller and control the plasma processing chamber 100 so that the process is executed in accordance with this disclosure. The software routine can also be stored and / or executed by one or more other controllers that can be associated with the plasma processing chamber 100.

[0024] In some embodiments, the controller 165 communicates data with the characterization device 172. The characterization device 172 may include one or more sensors (e.g., image sensors) capable of collecting processing data related to the processing chamber 100. For example, the characterization device 172 may include an emission spectrometer configured to monitor signals (e.g., plasma emission) within the processing area of ​​the processing chamber 100. For example, the signal may be the main wavelength or the wavelength with the highest intensity of the emitted light. The characteristics of the emitted light from the plasma within the processing area (e.g., wavelength and intensity) may depend in part on the etching gas mixture used to generate the plasma and the layer composition of the layer being etched. For example, each etching gas mixture and the corresponding layer composition being etched may have its own unique signal signature. By monitoring the emission wavelengths unique to or characteristic of each etching gas mixture and the corresponding layer composition, the etching state of the layer being etched can be determined, for example, the remaining thickness of the layer being etched. The characteristics of the light emitted from the plasma may change based on the etching process, for example. For example, the intensity of the monitoring signal may change as material is removed from the layer being processed. The characterization device 172 can be configured to collect processing data including signals corresponding to the etching gas mixture used for wafer processing and signals corresponding to the corresponding layer composition of the structure processed in the processing chamber 100. The controller 165 can receive the processing data from the characterization device 172 and determine one or more actions to be taken based on that processing data.

[0025] In some embodiments, at the end of the wafer etching process, an automated or semi-automated robotic manipulator (not shown) can be used to transport the wafer from the substrate support out of the processing chamber (e.g., via the substrate access port 113). For example, the robotic manipulator can transport the wafer to another chamber (or other location) to perform other steps of the manufacturing process.

[0026] In some embodiments, ESC design can be selected to improve process uniformity across the entire substrate, which involves adapting various design parameters of the ESC. The relationships between various design parameters in an ESC design can be complex, with one design parameter potentially influencing one or more other design parameters. By adapting various design parameters to the ESC design, a unique ESC solution can be obtained to improve process uniformity (e.g., temperature uniformity) across the entire substrate during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, as will be discussed in more detail below, AM technology can expand the design window, increasing the feasibility of the manufactured ESC design when used in place of or in addition to conventional non-AM manufacturing technologies.

[0027] Figures 2A to 2D show various diagrams of an example of an electrostatic chuck (ESC) for substrate processing. Figure 2A shows a partial cross-sectional view of an example of an ESC200. The ESC200 includes a ceramic body 202 having a top surface 201. Multiple cooling regions are arranged on the top surface 201, such as an inner cooling region 204a and an outer cooling region 204b. Each of one or more cooling regions has an outer edge defined by retaining rings 206a, 206b formed on the top surface 201 of the ESC200. In some embodiments, the retaining rings 206a, 206b are formed on the top surface of the ceramic body of the ESC, using the same ceramic material composition as the ceramic body. For example, the retaining rings 206a, 206b and the ceramic body 202 can be formed as a single body using subtractive and / or additive manufacturing of the ceramic body.

[0028] A gas (e.g., helium) can be introduced via a gas conduit (e.g., gas conduit 208). Part of the gas conduit is placed within the ceramic body 202 and is configured to facilitate gas flow through the ceramic body of the ESC 200 to the cooling regions 204a, 204b, thereby cooling the portion of the substrate corresponding to the cooling regions. The gas conduit (e.g., gas conduit 208) may include a porous plug. The porous plug may be made of a different material composition than the ceramic body of the ESC and / or may have a different internal structure (e.g., porosity). The porous plug may be configured to allow gas to flow through it to the upper surface of the ceramic body, thereby limiting (e.g., preventing) contaminants from flowing back into the gas conduit from the upper surface of the ceramic body. The gas conduit may include gas holes formed, for example, by laser drilling or AM, in the gas flow path between the porous plug and the upper surface of the ceramic body. The gas vents can be configured to allow gas to flow through them to the surface of the ceramic body, and to restrict (e.g., prevent) contaminants from flowing back into the gas conduit from the upper surface of the ceramic body.

[0029] Positive-pressure gas can be introduced into each of multiple cooling regions, and the pressure of the introduced gas can be controlled individually (e.g., independently). Independent control of the gas pressure to each of the multiple cooling regions may include controlling the gas flow rate using a flow meter and valves (not shown), thereby providing the same or different gas pressure to each of the multiple cooling regions. In some embodiments, the degree of cooling applied to the portion of the substrate corresponding to the cooling region is controlled by controlling the gas pressure to a given cooling region. In some cases, different amounts of cooling can be applied to different portions of the substrate corresponding to different cooling regions by controllers that operate the gas pressure to each cooling region.

[0030] The top surface 201 is located outside the retaining ring 206b and includes an edge region 210 that is not included in the cooling regions 204a, 204b. The retaining rings 206a, 206b are arranged concentrically with respect to the center point of the top surface 201 of the ESC 200. In Figures 2A and 2B, the retaining rings are shown to be evenly spaced, but they can also be arranged unevenly. The height 209 of each retaining ring 206a, 206b is substantially equal from the top surface 201 to the plane 212, and an airtight seal is formed over each cooling region 204a, 204b when the substrate is held in the plane 212 by the ESC 200. In other embodiments, the ESC may not include the edge region 210.

[0031] The internal cooling region 204a defined by the retaining ring 206a encloses a circular volume. When the substrate is held by the ESC200, the volume is defined by the inner surface of the retaining ring 206a aligned on the plane 212, the top surface 201 of the ESC200, and the back surface of the substrate, as shown, for example, in the partial cross-sectional view of the ESC200 in Figure 2A.

[0032] The cooling regions are connected to one or more gas conduits (e.g., gas conduit 208) partially embedded within the ceramic body 202 of the ESC200, and are configured to introduce gas (e.g., gas flow 205) into each cooling region. While Figure 2A shows one gas conduit for each cooling region, a cooling region may have two or more gas conduits introducing gas into the cooling region, as shown, for example, in Figures 4A-4C. The gas conduits can introduce helium or other gases into each cooling region. The gas pressure within the cooling regions can operate in a conductance zone where, for example, the turbulence introduced into the cooling region by the gas during steady-state operation is small or negligible. The gas pressure in the cooling regions can be partially selected based on the thermal conductivity requirements of the cooling regions. For example, for certain gases, a higher gas pressure introduced into the cooling region may produce greater thermal conductivity than a lower gas pressure.

[0033] The spaces defined within each cooling region are substantially airtight and can maintain positive pressure for a certain period of time. The positive pressure can range from approximately 1 Torr to approximately 50 Torr. For example, the positive pressure can range from at least approximately 2 Torr, 5 Torr, 10 Torr, 15 Torr, 20 Torr, 25 Torr, or higher. The positive pressure can be determined based on the magnitude of the chucking force exerted on the back surface of the substrate by the electrode 230. For example, the positive pressure can be selected such that the force exerted on the back surface of the substrate is less than the chucking force exerted between the electrode and the back surface of the wafer during the manufacturing process.

[0034] In some embodiments, the ESC200 includes one or more sensors (e.g., sensors 214a, 214b) configured to acquire temperature measurements. A portion of sensor 214a can be embedded within the ceramic body 202 of the ESC200. A portion of sensor 214a can be configured to contact the upper surface 201 of the ceramic body 202 and to collect (e.g., directly measure) measurements of the upper surface 201 and / or the back surface of a substrate held on a plane 212 by the ESC200. For example, sensors 214a, 214b may be temperature measuring sensors (e.g., thermocouples). Temperature measurement on the back surface of the substrate can improve accuracy and reduce susceptibility to line-of-sight problems associated with optical probes. Sensors 214a, 214b can be configured to directly measure the temperature of the upper surface 201 and / or the ceramic body 202 in the same or different cooling regions. In other examples, sensors 214a, 214b can be configured to measure (e.g., non-contact) the temperature of the back surface of a substrate held by the ESC200. In another example, sensors 214a and 214b can be configured to measure (for example, by contact) the temperature of the back surface of the substrate held by the ESC200.

[0035] In some embodiments, the ESC200 includes one or more sensors (e.g., sensors 214a, 214b) configured to acquire measurements regarding the state of the substrate held by the ESC. For example, sensor 214a may be an acoustic emission sensor configured to measure acoustic feedback from the back surface of the substrate. Acoustic emission sensors can be embedded at various locations within the ESC200. This makes it possible to measure acoustic feedback at different locations to determine, for example, the structural integrity of the substrate (e.g., whether the substrate is damaged) and / or whether there are cracks in a portion of the ESC ceramic. The embedded sensors can be used to provide feedback to manufacturing tools to prevent contamination of the manufacturing process that may occur if the substrate is damaged during the manufacturing process. In other examples, sensors 214a, 214b may be voltage sensors or charge sensors configured to measure residual charge on the substrate. This makes it possible to detect whether the substrate has discharged sufficiently during the dechuck process and can be safely lifted without risk of damage.

[0036] In some embodiments, the ESC200 may include a sensor that includes a printed circuit board in part. The sensor's printed circuit board can be printed directly onto the ceramic body using, for example, additive manufacturing, screen printing, or vapor deposition.

[0037] In some embodiments, the cooling regions 204a, 204b include one or more support structures (e.g., support structure 216). The support structure (e.g., mesa) is positioned on the upper surface 201 of the ceramic body 202 and extends to the plane 212, for example, to a height 209. The height 209 of the support structure is (e.g., substantially) equal in height, and can further (e.g., substantially) equal in height to the retaining rings 206a, 206b. This ensures that when the substrate is held by the ESC 200, each support structure contacts the back surface of the substrate.

[0038] In some embodiments, the density of the support structure in the cooling region may exceed the threshold density, resulting in cooling in the region becoming primarily contact cooling. That is, the main contributions to cooling in the region are concentrated at the contact points between the support structure and the retaining ring, and on the back surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC. In a cooling method primarily based on contact cooling, the gas cooling mechanism becomes a secondary cooling mechanism in the cooling region.

[0039] In some embodiments, one or more cooling regions may include a non-uniform distribution of support structures. Figure 3 shows a cooling region including a density gradient 304 of support structures (e.g., tapered mesa 302) arranged on the upper surface 301 of the ceramic body 306 of the ESC 300. Higher density portions of the support structures can be positioned adjacent to one or more retaining rings surrounding the cooling region, and the density of the support structures gradually decreases in the central region of the cooling region. The density gradient of the support structures can mitigate the sharpness of the boundary between the cooling of the contact subjects in the retaining rings and the cooling of the gas subjects in the central region of the cooling zone. Figures 2A and 2B show a sparse distribution of support structures (e.g., support structure 216), but the support structures can be distributed evenly or non-uniformly within the cooling regions 204a, 204b and with respect to the retaining rings 206a, 206b.

[0040] In some embodiments, the support structure 216 includes a cylindrical shape having a circular cross-section parallel to the upper surface of the ceramic body of the ESC, as shown, for example, in Figures 2A and 2B. The minimum density of support structures in the cooling region can be set based on the number of support structures required to maintain at least threshold flatness of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC. For example, the minimum density of support structures in the cooling region can be set to prevent warping or bending of the substrate when the substrate is chucked / dechucked by, for example, the electrode 121.

[0041] In some embodiments, other cross-sectional shapes (e.g., rectangles, polygons, etc.) are also possible. In some embodiments, combinations of two or more different shapes (e.g., each cooling region having a different shape, or a cooling region having a mixture of two or more shapes) can be used. In some embodiments, the support structure may include a tapered structure (e.g., a tapered mesa). For example, the support structure may have a first diameter at the base of the support structure that contacts the upper surface of the ceramic body of the ESC, and a smaller second diameter at the contact point where the support structure contacts the back surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC.

[0042] Cooling regions 204a and 204b are configured to include one or more gas conduits (e.g., gas conduit 208) within the ceramic body of the ESC to introduce gas (e.g., gas flow 205) into each cooling region. Although Figure 2A shows one gas conduit in each cooling region, a cooling region may have two or more gas conduits to introduce gas into the cooling region. For example, the gas conduits may introduce helium or other inert gas into each cooling region.

[0043] In some embodiments, gas conduits (e.g., gas conduits 400) can be embedded within the ceramic body 402 of the ESC, as shown in Figures 4A-4C. The gas conduits may include an embedded branching structure, for example, each conduit from the plenum may branch one or more times within the ceramic body to introduce gas to two or more cooling regions. For example, as shown in Figures 4A and 4C, the gas conduits 400 may branch at least four times to form 16 gas conduit outlets on the upper surface of the ceramic body. Figure 4B shows a partial cross-sectional view of the ceramic body 402 including the embedded gas conduits (e.g., gas conduits 400). The gas conduits may be embedded within the ceramic body such that a portion of them traverses the ceramic body laterally and is parallel to the upper surface of the ceramic body.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, in some embodiments, one or more cooling regions may include support structures of different densities. Since the density of the support structures in a cooling region can be below the threshold density, cooling in that region becomes gas-dominant. That is, the main factor in cooling in a cooling region is the positive gas pressure (e.g., helium pressure) introduced into the cooling region by the gas conduit when the substrate is held by the ESC. In a gas-dominant cooling system, the contact points between the support structures and retaining rings and the back surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC become a secondary cooling mechanism for the cooling region.

[0045] In some embodiments, the ESC200 includes a cooling channel (e.g., a cooling channel 220) embedded within the ceramic body 202. Figures 9A–9F show exemplary cross-sectional schematics of the cooling channel. The cooling channel can generate additional localized cooling, thereby (i) overcoming limitations of the bonding material used to bond the ceramic pack and the cooling subassembly (e.g., composed of different materials), and (ii) improving cooling at the boundary with the top surface of the ESC to achieve greater thermal control. The cooling channel can form a complex internal structure within the ceramic body to provide uniform and localized cooling within the ceramic body, for example. The internal structure of the cooling channel can be selected to maximize the surface area of ​​the internal structure of the cooling channel and its contact with the coolant. Furthermore, the cooling channel can define a cooling path (e.g., a coolant flow path) within the ceramic body of the ESC and provide localized cooling across the entire back surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC. The cooling channel can be located within the ceramic body of the ESC (e.g., below the heating electrodes 222, 224 of the ESC). Figures 11A–11C show various exemplary plan schematics of cooling channels. A cooling channel may include one or more paths formed for the flow of coolant. For example, a cooling channel may include an inner and outer flow path, as shown in Figure 11B. In other examples, a cooling channel may include two or more flow paths (e.g., quadrant flow path), as shown in Figure 11A. The coolant path of a cooling channel may be selected to correspond to one or more other internal structures of the ESC (e.g., lift pins, electrical feedthroughs, gas conduits, etc.). In some cases, the internal structure of the cooling channel and / or cooling path formed by a cooling channel embedded in a ceramic body can only be realized using additive manufacturing techniques (e.g., it is not cost-effective and cannot be realized by subtractive manufacturing or other conventional manufacturing techniques).

[0046] The ESC200 comprises one or more heater electrodes (e.g., heater electrode 222) for generating localized heating within the ceramic body. The one or more electrodes may include, for example, a multizone heater, each of which is operable to heat a portion of the ESC. For example, a multizone heater may include two, three, or four zone heaters. In other examples, the multizone heater is a microzone (e.g., pixel) heater, and the ESC may include approximately 20, 40, 50, 100, 150, 200, or more microzone heaters, each operable to heat a portion of the ESC.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2A, the ESC may include multiple heating regions (e.g., by multiple heating electrodes) 222, 224 that can generate secondary temperature control during the manufacturing process. These heating regions can locally (and independently) adjust the temperature of the substrate within the heating region during the manufacturing process. Multiple heating regions (e.g., four heating regions) can be positioned within the ceramic body of the ESC and further spaced away from the top surface of the ceramic body of the ESC. Therefore, the effect of each of the multiple heating regions may (in some cases) be smaller than the effect of the gas-pressurized cooling region described above.

[0048] In some embodiments, the ESC may include (for example, further include) a microzone heater (not shown) capable of generating tertiary temperature control during the manufacturing process, the microzone heater capable of locally (and independently) adjusting the temperature of the substrate within the "pixel-like" regions of the microzone heater during the manufacturing process. The microzone heater is positioned within the ceramic body and can be further spaced from the top surface of the ceramic body of the ESC to multiple heater zones. Thus, the effect of each microzone heater may (in some cases) be smaller than the effect of the multiple heating and gas-pressurized cooling regions described above.

[0049] In some embodiments, the ESC200 may include (e.g., further include) an edge heating region (e.g., edge heater electrode 226) for further control of the temperature of the entire substrate surface held by the ESC200. Optionally, one or more of the heater electrodes (e.g., electrodes 222, 224, 226) may have different dimensions (e.g., area / shape) from the other heater electrodes. For example, the edge heater electrode 226 may have an annular shape corresponding to the edge region 210 of the ESC200.

[0050] The ESC200 includes a chucking electrode (e.g., chucking electrode 230) embedded within the ceramic body 202 of the ESC200. The chucking electrode may include a direct current (DC) mesh. In some embodiments, the DC mesh may be made of tungsten, molybdenum, or other metallic material. In some embodiments, the ESC200 may include two or more chucking electrodes (e.g., a dual chucking mesh). The two or more chucking electrodes may have different or the same shape, mesh density, etc., and by using them, the power / area (density) of the chucking force for a specific area of ​​the substrate held by the ESC200 can be adjusted. For example, by changing the shape of the embedded mesh, the force exerted by each chucking electrode on the substrate can be adjusted. In some embodiments, the ESC may include an additional edge chucking electrode 232 in the edge region 210 for active edge control. The DC mesh of the edge chucking electrode in the edge region 210 may be embedded in the ceramic body using, for example, additive manufacturing technology.

[0051] The chucking electrode 230 includes through holes (e.g., through hole 234 as shown in Figure 2D) so that components can pass through without contacting the chucking electrode. For example, a gas conduit can pass through the chucking electrode 230. Another example is a lift pin that can pass through the chucking electrode 230.

[0052] The ESC200 is equipped with terminal leads 228 (e.g., DC leads and / or AC leads). A portion of the terminal leads 228 can be embedded in the ceramic body 202 of the ESC200 (e.g., feedthrough) and connected to each electrode, sensor, etc. For example, the terminal leads 228 can make electrical contact with each of the heater electrodes 222, 224, 226, sensors 214a, 214b and chucking electrodes 230, 232. The terminal leads 228 can penetrate the base of the ceramic body 202 of the ESC, for example, as shown in the plan view of the bottom surface of the ESC200 in Figure 2C. The terminal leads 228 are supplied from a subcomponent of the ESC (e.g., the cooling base 129 shown in Figure 1) through the base of the ceramic body and reach a point within the ceramic body (e.g., for supplying voltage / current to electrodes) or the upper surface 201 of the ceramic body (e.g., for reading sensors) through a portion of the ceramic body 202.

[0053] The ESC200 is provided with lift pin holes (e.g., lift pin holes 233 shown in Figure 2B), through which lift pins can pass through the ceramic body 202 and contact the back surface of the substrate. The lift pin holes may have a diameter large enough for the lift pins to pass through freely. The lift pins may be configured to contact the back surface of the substrate and lift the substrate to a second position away from the ESC200.

[0054] In some embodiments, a controller of the manufacturing tool (e.g., controller 165) can execute a recipe that includes instructions for the manufacturing process. The recipe includes temperature control instructions that the controller 165 can execute, thereby controlling the operation of various temperature-related components of the manufacturing tool. For example, temperature-related components may include (A) the gas pressure introduced into each cooling region of the ESC, (B) the temperature setting of each of several heaters, each having a heating region within the ceramic body of the ESC, (C) the temperature setting of each of the microzone heaters within the ceramic body of the ESC, (D) the flow rate of coolant to cooling channels located at the base of the substrate support, or (E) any combination thereof. Furthermore, in addition to the operation of the ESC, the recipe instructions may include executable instructions related to other process parameters for operating components of the manufacturing tool to control, for example, plasma power, etching gas flow rate, etc.

[0055] In some embodiments, the electrostatic chucks (ESCs) described herein can be manufactured (or fabricated) using additive manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing). In one embodiment, a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the required part is first created, and then the information for each layer is mapped using a slicing algorithm. Each layer begins with thinly dispersing powder on the surface of a powder bed. Next, a selected binder material selectively binds the particles where the object is to be formed. Then, a piston supporting the powder bed and the part being formed is lowered to form the next powder layer. The same process is repeated after each layer is formed, and finally, heat treatment is performed to fabricate the object. Because 3D printing allows for localized control of material composition, microstructure, and surface texture, this method can be used to realize a variety of shapes (that were previously impossible).

[0056] In one embodiment, the ESC described herein can be represented as a data structure readable by a computer rendering apparatus or computer display device. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a computer system comprising a computer-readable medium according to one embodiment. The computer-readable medium may include a data structure representing the ESC. The data structure is a computer file and may include information about the structure, material, texture, physical properties, or other properties of one or more articles. The data structure may also include code such as computer executable code or device control code that executes a selected function of the computer rendering apparatus or computer display device. The data structure may be stored in the computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include a physical storage medium such as a magnetic memory, floppy disk, or any available physical storage medium. The physical storage medium is readable by the computer system and can render the article represented by the data structure on a computer screen or on a physical rendering device such as a 3D printer or other additive manufacturing apparatus.

[0057] In some embodiments, additive manufacturing technology can be used in combination with other manufacturing technologies (e.g., subtractive manufacturing technology). For example, subtractive manufacturing technology can be used to modify / remove parts of an ESC, and additive manufacturing technology can be used to add / modify parts of an ESC. These combinations of technologies can be used in the initial stages of manufacturing an ESC, or to modify / refurbish / restore an existing ESC to repair damage or change the configuration of the ESC's functions.

[0058] In some embodiments, additive manufacturing techniques can be used to regrow / modify parts of the ESC to repair, for example, operational or manufacturing damage. For example, additive manufacturing techniques can be used to regrow / modify the support structure (e.g., mesa) of the ESC. In other examples, additive manufacturing techniques can be used to regrow / modify the retaining ring. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing techniques can be used to modify / adapt parts of the ESC and add features. Additive manufacturing techniques can be used to add features to compensate for uneven etching that is measured across the entire substrate during the manufacturing process in a manufacturing tool including an ESC. For example, uneven temperature control during the manufacturing process can be compensated for by adding or modifying the support structure.

[0059] In some embodiments, additive manufacturing techniques can be used to form components of the ESC and / or processing chamber, for example, simultaneously or sequentially, using two or more material compositions. Different material compositions may include, for example, AlN and Al2O3. Different material compositions may include, for example, differences in porosity or other material structures within the same material composition. For example, a gas conduit may include a porous plug on the upper surface of the ESC for passing helium, and this porous plug may be formed from a different material composition than the ceramic body of the ESC (or have a different material structure within the same material composition). Different materials may include, for example, ceramic materials and metallic materials (e.g., AlN and aluminum).

[0060] In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing technique may include ceramic-based additive manufacturing, in which a slurry containing ceramic powder is formed using a binder, such as a polymer binder. The slurry may include a photosensitizer that is photosensitive to light of a specific wavelength (e.g., photocurable). For example, a ceramic substrate can be formed using a photopolymerization technique using ultraviolet (UV) light, and then a ceramic component can be formed from this substrate using a sintering process.

[0061] In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing technique may include a coating process in which layers of the object are formed layer by layer using coating techniques such as plasma spray coating or screen printing. Using a plasma spray coating process, exposed surfaces can be coated with powders such as ceramic powder, metal powder, or a combination of ceramic powder and metal powder. Using screen printing, metal-based electrodes can be formed, for example, as described herein.

[0062] In some embodiments, a sintering (e.g., firing) process can be used to solidify the ceramic powder / particles of an unfired ceramic component (e.g., to remove porosity and densify the ceramic material). For example, the sintering process can be carried out at a high temperature below the melting point of the ceramic material, where the material of individual particles diffuses toward adjacent powder particles to form a dense ceramic body. In some embodiments, the sintering process includes a preheating process to remove organic materials (e.g., polymers, lubricants, binders, etc.). In some embodiments, the sintering process includes a cooling process to cool the ceramic component to reduce crack / stress formation.

[0063] In some embodiments, a rapid sintering process, such as a flash sintering process, can be performed on a set of green ceramic layers of a green ceramic body. For example, the sintering process can be performed alternately with a molding / am-adding process. In this case, a certain number of layers and / or sets of layers of a certain thickness are formed by AM, and then after continuous sintering, sets of other layers are formed on the exposed surface of the body by AM. That is, each part of the ceramic body is formed in a green state and then continuously sintered, resulting in a densified ceramic body as the final result of this process. For example, using a flash sintering process, layers of green ceramic body with a thickness of about 0.025 mm to about 0.8 mm can be sintered.

[0064] In some embodiments, a refurbished part (for example, an ESC in which at least a portion of the ESC has been refurbished by additive manufacturing) can be sintered, for example, to match the properties of the original ESC, so that the layers refurbished in the refurbishment process are denser.

[0065] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of process 500 for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing. For convenience, process 500 is described in relation to an additive manufacturing system that performs at least some of the steps of the process.

[0066] The additive manufacturing system forms multiple layers, each containing a ceramic body having a first surface (502). The additive manufacturing system can receive a data structure representing an ESC from a computer system and use that data structure to form multiple layers of the ESC.

[0067] The additive manufacturing system forms multiple layers, each containing two or more regions defined on a first surface. The two or more regions are arranged concentrically with respect to each other on the first surface, and each region includes a retaining ring located on the first surface and defining the outer edge of the region, and a plurality of support structures located on and within the first surface, the support structures configured to support the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck (504).

[0068] The additive manufacturing system introduces gas into two or more regions via a ceramic body and forms multiple layers including gas conduits configured to introduce gas to a first surface (506). Each gas conduit may include its own porous plug, which may be made of a different material composition (e.g., different ceramics) and / or have different structural properties (e.g., different porosity, internal structure) than the ceramic body. The formation of layers including porous plugs may include additive manufacturing techniques that form layers containing two different material compositions simultaneously or sequentially.

[0069] During the formation of a multilayer by an additive manufacturing system, one or more embedded electrodes are embedded within the ceramic body and positioned relative to the first surface (508). The embedding of one or more embedded electrodes can be performed by a human operator or an automated system (e.g., a robotic arm, a metal-based additive manufacturing system). The embedding of one or more embedded electrodes may include delaying (e.g., pausing) the formation of the multilayer by the additive manufacturing system, inserting one or more embedded electrodes, and resuming the formation of the multilayer on or around the embedded electrodes.

[0070] During the formation of a multilayer by an additive manufacturing system, a sensor is embedded in a portion of the ceramic body. The portion of the sensor is positioned relative to the first surface of the ceramic body (510). The sensor embedding can be performed by a human operator or an automated system (e.g., a robotic arm, a metal additive manufacturing system). Sensor embedding may include delaying (e.g., pausing) the formation of the multilayer by the additive manufacturing system, inserting the sensor, and resuming the formation of the multilayer on or around the sensor. In one example, the portion of the sensor is a printed circuit board, and the printed circuit board of the sensor can be printed on the formed layer of the ESC using a metal additive manufacturing system.

[0071] In some embodiments, the ceramic body of the ESC can be formed directly on the surface of a cooling base (e.g., cooling base 129) using various additive manufacturing techniques, without the need for an intermediate adhesive layer. The material composition of the ESC may differ from that of the cooling base. For example, the ESC may be made of a ceramic material (e.g., AlN or Al2O3, etc.), and the cooling base may be made of a metal (e.g., aluminum or an aluminum alloy, etc.). For example, a ceramic-based ESC can be formed on a metal cooling base without providing an elastomer / adhesive layer between the ceramic layer and the metal layer. For example, a ceramic-based ESC can be formed on a metal cooling base without providing a metal adhesive layer between the ceramic body of the ESC and the metal cooling base.

[0072] In some embodiments, the ceramic body of the ESC can be formed on a cooling base using a set of transition layers that include a compositional gradient between the cooling base and each composition of the ESC. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the ESC 802 and cooling base 804 for substrate processing. The ESC 802 is supported by the cooling base 804, and the transition zone 806 is positioned between the ESC 802 and the cooling base 804. As described above, the transition zone 806 includes a plurality of transition subzones (e.g., subzones 808, 810, 812, and 814). Each subzone may include one or more layers formed using additive manufacturing techniques. The cooling base 804, transition zone 806, and ESC 802 are formed as a monolithic structure, and the ESC 802 is attached to the cooling base 804 by the transition zone 806. That is, no additional adhesive layers are used to attach the ESC 802 and the cooling base 804. The cooling base 804 includes coolant channels (e.g., coolant channels 816) to facilitate the flow of coolant into and out of the cooling base 804.

[0073] In some embodiments, the transition zone 806 includes a composition gradient between a first subzone (containing one or more layers) adjacent to the cooling base and a final subzone (containing one or more layers) adjacent to the ESC. The composition gradient can include a composition ratio of composition A to composition B. In some embodiments, composition A includes the composition of the cooling base material, and composition B includes the composition of the ESC material. For example, the composition gradient can include a ratio of composition A to composition B between aluminum and AlN or Al2O3. Each subzone of the transition zone 806 can include a different ratio of composition A to composition B. In Figure 8, the transition zone 806 is shown including four subzones 808, 810, 812, and 814, but the transition zone 806 can include more or fewer transition subzones.

[0074] In some embodiments, the subzones of the transition zone 806 have a compositional gradient, where each subzone has a different ratio of composition A to composition B than the adjacent subzone. For example, the first subzone adjacent to the cooling base 804 (e.g., subzone 808) contains a material composition that matches (e.g., matches or has a larger proportion of) the material composition of the cooling base 804, and the fourth subzone adjacent to the ESC 802 (e.g., subzone 814) contains a material composition that matches (e.g., has a larger proportion of) the material composition of the ESC 802. Table 1 includes an example of a compositional gradient for the transition zone 806 containing five subzones (e.g., layers 1-5). [Table 1]

[0075] Each transition subzone has its own coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The CTE depends on the composition of the layer (e.g., the ratio of composition A to composition B). For example, as the composition becomes more ceramic and less metal, the CTE of the transition zone subzone approaches that of the ceramic body of ESC802.

[0076] In some embodiments, the final transition subzone (e.g., 814) of the transition zone 806 may have a different composition from that of the ceramic body of ESC802, and may, for example, contain a certain proportion of the cooling base composition. The composition of the transition subzone 814 adjacent to ESC802 can be selected to have a CTE within a threshold deviation of the CTE of the ceramic body of ESC802. The CTE of this composition can be calculated using equation (1) as a linear relationship between the CTEs of each component of the composite material and their ratios. CTE composition=CTE A (X)+CTE A (1-X) (1)

[0077] Here, CTE A is the CTE of material A (e.g., aluminum) in the composition, and CTE Bis the CTE of material B (e.g., AlN) in the composition, and X represents the proportion of material A in the composition of the transition subzone. For example, the CTE of transition subzone 814 is less than approximately 10%, less than approximately 5%, less than approximately 2%, or less than that, from the CTE of the ceramic body of ESC802. In other examples, the CTE of subzone 814 is selected to be less than approximately twice the CTE of the ceramic body of ESC802.

[0078] In some embodiments, the composition of the transition subzone 814 adjacent to ESC802 can be selected to have a CTE that is within the acceptable threshold of the CTE of ESC802 and satisfies a minimum structural stability threshold (e.g., a packing density of ceramic solids in the metal matrix of approximately 55-70%). For example, the composition of the ceramic powder in the metal matrix can be selected such that contact between ceramic particles of the ceramic powder in the metal matrix is ​​limited. In other examples, the composition of the ceramic powder in the metal matrix can be selected in part based on the volume ratio of the ceramic powder in the metal matrix.

[0079] In some embodiments, the composition of the transition subzone 814 adjacent to the ESC 802 can be selected partly based on the temperature at which the layer is deposited, and partly based on the operating temperature range within the ESC's processing chamber. The composition of the transition subzone 814 can be selected such that the stress induced in the layer by the heating of the ESC during operation is below a threshold stress. For example, the composition of the transition subzone 814 can be selected such that the layer deposited in the subzone is in a near-zero stress state during operation. The operating temperature of the ESC can be, for example, 90 to 120°C.

[0080] In some embodiments, the transition zone 806 can be formed using additive manufacturing techniques. In one example, the additive manufacturing technique includes spray coating (e.g., plasma spray coating). Spray coating can be used to form multiple layers of the transition zone, each layer having a thickness of about 10 to 30 microns along the Z direction. The composition of each subzone of the transition zone 806 can be adjusted by adjusting the distribution ratio of composition A and composition B (e.g., ceramic powder and metal powder). Additive manufacturing techniques can be used to form layers containing a metal matrix in which ceramic particles are dispersed within the metal matrix. In some embodiments, the layer contains ceramic particles with dispersion randomness above at least a threshold within the metal matrix, and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the layer is related to the volume ratio of ceramic powder to metal matrix. In some embodiments, the porosity of the gradient layers of the transition zone 806 can be changed in addition to, or instead of, a change in the material composition of the layer.

[0081] In some embodiments, the surface of the cooling base 804 can be pre-treated before forming the transition zone 806 layer on the exposed surface of the cooling base. Pre-treatment may include, for example, surface roughening, texturing, etc. Surface roughening can, for example, bring the RMS roughness of the surface to about 1 to 5 microns.

[0082] In some embodiments, after the formation of the transition zone 806, the ceramic body can be formed in a layer-by-layer process to form the ESC802. In one example, the ceramic body can be formed in a green state using a binder and photopolymerization and periodic flash sintering. This technique may include a step of periodically using the flash sintering process to densify the set of green-state layers of the ceramic body during the formation of the ESC802. In other examples, the ceramic body can be formed using direct sintering of ceramic powder.

[0083] In some embodiments, one or more layers of the ESC, cooling base, and / or transition zone can be formed from their respective powder compositions using an additive manufacturing system. The additive manufacturing system comprises an ejection subsystem for ejecting a starting material, such as powder or slurry, and an energy source (e.g., laser, LED, UV light source, etc.) for curing or melting the starting material. Furthermore, the additive manufacturing system may include a sintering subsystem (e.g., a flash sintering subsystem) for sintering one or more layers of the unsintered ceramic body. Figure 10 shows an exemplary schematic diagram of an additive manufacturing system 1000 for manufacturing a part of an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing. The starting material used to form the multiple layers of the ESC, cooling base, and / or transition zone can be prepared from a starting material 1002, such as aluminum powder. The system 1000 can, for example, react the starting material 1002 with applied heat and / or gas source N2 at temperatures T1, T2, and T3 to produce other starting materials by generating an exothermic reaction. For example, in a direct nitriding process, aluminum nitride can be produced by an exothermic reaction by applying heat and nitrogen gas to aluminum powder. 2Al(s / t)+N2(g)→2AlN(s)+heat

[0084] In other examples, metal matrix composite materials such as AlN shells containing Al core particles, or partially fused Al / AlN particles can be formed. The resulting starting material 1004 is further processed, for example, pulverized into a powder dispersion 1006, held 1008, and supplied to a processing chamber 1010 for use in forming part 1012 in an additive manufacturing process. Aluminum powder can be supplied (A) for example to form an aluminum layer of the cooling base and / or transition zone. Metal matrix composite powder can be supplied (B) for forming a layer of the transition zone. AlN ceramic powder can be supplied (C) for example to form a ceramic layer such as an ESC or transition zone. The prepared materials (A), (B), and (C) can be used to form one or more layers of part 1012 using the additive manufacturing process described herein. In some embodiments, any of the materials (A), (B), and (C) can be combined in selected ratios to form layers in the additive manufacturing process. The selected ratios can be adjusted using the respective valves.

[0085] In some embodiments, additional features of the ESC can be formed during the formation of the ceramic body of the ESC802, for example, using additive manufacturing technology (see above). For example, heaters (e.g., heater 818) and chucking electrodes (e.g., chucking electrode 820) can be formed within the ceramic body using screen printing technology.

[0086] In some embodiments, additive manufacturing techniques can be used to refurbish and / or modify ESCs. For example, one or more ceramic layers can be added to an ESC using an additive manufacturing system, and these layers may include one or more locally formed layers (e.g., layers for modifying a portion of the ESC). The additive manufacturing system can be used to refurbish an ESC that may be at least partially worn or deteriorated due to a manufacturing process (e.g., etching chemistry, plasma, etc.). For example, a portion of one or more support structures (e.g., mesas) of an ESC can be regrowed using an additive manufacturing system. In another example, a portion of a gas conduit (e.g., a porous plug) can be regrowed using an additive manufacturing system. In yet another example, a portion of a retaining ring can be regrowed using an additive manufacturing system.

[0087] Figure 6 is a flowchart of an exemplary process 600 for regrowth of an electrostatic chuck for substrate processing. For convenience, process 600 is described in relation to an additive manufacturing system that performs at least some steps of the process. In some embodiments, the regeneration process may include using a measuring tool to determine if features of the ESC are outside the threshold tolerance range for ESC features (602). For example, a 3D mapping / scanning system may be used to generate a 3D map of the ESC. For example, a mesa may be degraded such that its dimensions (e.g., height) are outside the threshold range for mesa height. Determining whether features of the ESC are outside the threshold tolerance range may include, for example, comparing the 3D map of the ESC with a computer-generated model (e.g., a CAD model) of the ESC. In some embodiments, the computer system may receive the comparison of the 3D mapping and the computer-generated model and identify one or more features that require refurbishment. The computer system may generate instructions that include forming one or more layers to add to one or more features.

[0088] In some embodiments, the method includes a pretreatment step to prepare the surface of the ESC before the regrowth process. For example, the pretreatment step may include surface preparation of the surface on which one or more layers are formed by additive manufacturing (e.g., texturing, scoring, cleaning, etc.). In other examples, the pretreatment step may include preparing a flat surface (e.g., planarizing the surface on which at least one of several layers is formed).

[0089] In some embodiments, the pretreatment step may include removing at least some of the features determined to be outside the threshold tolerance range. For example, the pretreatment step may include removing a plurality of features from the upper surface of the ceramic body, for example, including removing both features determined to be within the threshold tolerance range and features determined to be outside the threshold tolerance range. In other examples, the pretreatment step may include removing retaining rings and support structures (e.g., mesas) from the upper surface of the ceramic body.

[0090] In some embodiments, the additive manufacturing system can receive an ESC and instructions to form one or more layers. The layers form at least a regrowth portion of the feature by the additive manufacturing process (604). For example, the additive manufacturing system can form one or more layers on one or more identified features, thereby bringing the dimensions of one or more features within a threshold range of the tolerance of each feature.

[0091] In some embodiments, a measurement tool can be used to validate the reconstructed ESC, which may include verifying that the dimensions of one or more features of the ESC are within the threshold tolerances of each feature (606). For example, validation may include obtaining another 3D map of the ESC and comparing that map to a computer-generated model of the part.

[0092] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a computer system 700 that can be used to perform the operations described above, such as operations performed by an electrostatic chuck model. The system 700 includes a processor 710, memory 720, storage device 730, and input / output device 740. Each component 710, 720, 730, and 740 can be interconnected, for example, using a system bus 750. The processor 710 can process instructions executed within the system 700. In one embodiment, the processor 710 is a single-threaded processor. In other embodiments, the processor 710 is a multi-threaded processor. The processor 710 can process instructions stored in memory 720 or storage device 730.

[0093] The memory 720 stores information within the system 700. In one embodiment, the memory 720 is a computer-readable medium. In one embodiment, the memory 720 is a volatile memory unit. In other embodiments, the memory 720 is a non-volatile memory unit.

[0094] The storage device 730 can provide high-capacity storage to the system 700. In one embodiment, the storage device 730 is a computer-readable medium. In various embodiments, the storage device 730 may include, for example, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, a storage device shared over a network by multiple computing devices (e.g., a cloud storage device), or other high-capacity storage devices.

[0095] The input / output device 740 provides input / output operations to the system 700. In one embodiment, the input / output device 740 may include one or more network interface devices (e.g., an Ethernet card), serial communication devices (e.g., an RS-232 port), and / or wireless interface devices (e.g., an 802.11 card). In other embodiments, the input / output device may include a driver device configured to receive input data and transmit output data to peripheral devices 760 (e.g., a keyboard, printer, and display device). However, other embodiments such as mobile computing devices, mobile communication devices, and set-top box television client devices may also be used.

[0096] Figure 7 illustrates an example of a processing system, but the subject matter and functional operations described herein can be implemented in other types of digital electronic circuits, including the structures disclosed herein and their structural equivalents, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, or a combination of one or more thereof.

[0097] The aspects, operations, and behaviors of the subject matter described herein, such as computing devices like the controller 165, and the processes performed by the controller 165 (such as switching control of etching gas in a plasma processing chamber), can be implemented by digital electronic circuits, materialized computer software or firmware, computer hardware including the structures described herein and their structural equivalents, or one or more combinations thereof. The subject matter, operations, and behaviors described herein can be implemented as one or more computer programs (e.g., one or more modules of computer program instructions) encoded on a computer program carrier, or within such programs, to be performed by a data processing device or to control the operations of a data processing device. The carrier may be a non-temporary computer storage medium of substance. Alternatively or additionally, the carrier may be an artificially generated propagating signal, such as a machine-generated electrical signal, optical signal, or electromagnetic signal. This is generated to encode information for transmission to a suitable receiving device performed by the data processing device. The computer storage medium may be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage board, a random-access memory device, or a serial-access memory device, or a combination of one or more thereof, or a part thereof. The computer storage medium is not a propagating signal.

[0098] The term "data processing device" encompasses all types of devices, machines, and equipment that process data, including, for example, programmable processors, computers, or multiple processors or computers. A data processing device may include specialized logic circuits such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). In addition to hardware, the device may also include code that creates the execution environment for computer programs (e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, protocol stacks, database management systems, operating systems, or one or more combinations thereof).

[0099] Computer programs can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled languages, interpreted languages, declarative languages, and procedural languages. They can also be deployed in any form, either as standalone programs (such as applications) or as modules, components, engines, subroutines, or other units suitable for execution in a computing environment. A computing environment can include one or more computers interconnected by a data communication network in one or more locations.

[0100] Computer programs can be associated with files in the file system, but this is not always necessary. Computer programs can be stored as part of a file containing other programs or data (for example, one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), as a single file dedicated to the program, or as part of multiple interconnected files (for example, a file containing multiple modules, subprograms, or parts of code).

[0101] The processes and logic flows described herein can be executed by one or more computers running one or more computer programs, performing calculations based on input data, and generating outputs. These processes and logic flows can also be executed by dedicated logic circuits such as FPGAs, ASICs, and GPUs, or by a combination of dedicated logic circuits and one or more programmed computers.

[0102] Computers suitable for running computer programs can be built on a general-purpose microprocessor, a dedicated microprocessor, or both, and other types of central processing units (CPUs). Generally, the CPU receives instructions and data from read-only memory, random-access memory, or both. The basic components of a computer are the CPU, which executes instructions, and one or more memory devices, which store instructions and data. The CPU and memory are complemented by dedicated logic circuits, which can be integrated into dedicated logic circuits.

[0103] Generally, a computer is equipped with or operably connected to one or more mass storage devices and configured to send and receive data to and from them. Mass storage devices may be, for example, magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, optical disks, or solid-state drives. However, a computer is not necessarily required to have these devices. Furthermore, computers may be incorporated into other devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable audio / video players, game consoles, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, or portable storage devices such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives.

[0104] To provide user interaction, the subject matter described herein can be implemented on one or more computers equipped with or configured to communicate with display devices for displaying information to the user (e.g., LCD monitors, virtual reality (VR) displays, or augmented reality (AR) displays) and input devices for the user to provide input to the computer (e.g., keyboards, and pointing devices such as mice, trackballs, or touchpads). Other types of devices can also be used to provide user interaction. For example, feedback and responses provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual, auditory, auditory, or tactile, and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, auditory, or haptic input, including touch actions or gestures, motor actions or gestures, or directional actions or gestures. Furthermore, the computer can interact with the user by sending and receiving documents to and from the user's device. For example, this can be achieved by sending a web page to a web browser on the user's device in response to a request received from a web browser, or by interacting with an application running on the user's device, such as a smartphone or tablet. Furthermore, computers can also interact with users by sending text messages and other types of messages to personal devices such as smartphones running messaging applications, and by receiving response messages from users.

[0105] In this specification, the term “configured” is used in relation to systems, devices, and computer program components. A system consisting of one or more computers is configured to perform a particular operation or action to mean that the system has software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof installed that performs the operation or action when in operation. One or more computer programs are configured to perform a particular operation or action to mean that, when executed by a data processing device, the programs contain instructions that cause the device to perform the operation or action. A dedicated logic circuit is configured to perform a particular operation or action to mean that the circuit comprises electronic logic that performs the operation or action.

[0106] While this specification contains many specific details of implementation, these should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the claims (as defined by the claims themselves), but rather as descriptions of features specific to a particular embodiment of a particular invention. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented separately in multiple embodiments or in any suitable subcombination. Furthermore, even if features are described above as acting in a particular combination and are initially claimed as such, one or more features from the claimed combination may, in some cases, be removed from the combination, and the claims may cover a subcombination or a variation of a subcombination.

[0107] Similarly, even if operations are described in a specific order in the drawings and claims, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in a specific illustrated or sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, in order to obtain the desired results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Furthermore, the separation of various system modules and components in the above embodiments should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

[0108] Specific embodiments of the subject matter have been described. Other embodiments are also included within the scope of the following claims. For example, the operations described in the claims can be performed in a different order to obtain the desired results. As an example, the processes shown in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require the specific illustrated order, i.e., a sequential order, to obtain the desired results. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

Claims

1. An electrostatic chuck (ESC) structure embodied in a machine-readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing designs, A ceramic body including a first surface, Two or more regions defined on a first surface, arranged concentrically on the first surface, and each region is A retaining ring positioned on the first surface and defining the outer edge of the region, A region comprising a plurality of structures arranged on and within a first surface, wherein the plurality of structures are configured to support the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck, One or more gas conduits configured to introduce gas to two or more regions and a first surface via a ceramic body, wherein the two or more regions are gas conduits configured to maintain a positive gas pressure within each region and within the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck, An ESC chuck structure comprising one or more embedded electrodes embedded within a ceramic body and positioned relative to a first surface, the embedded electrodes configured to generate a holding force on the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC structure.

2. An ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, comprising a sensor embedded in a portion of a ceramic body and positioned relative to a first surface of the ceramic body, wherein the sensor is configured to collect measurements of the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck.

3. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 2, comprising a thermocouple configured to measure the temperature of a first surface of a ceramic body or the surface temperature of a substrate.

4. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 2, the sensor includes a buried acoustic emission sensor.

5. An ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the structures in two or more regions comprises a tapered mesa, the tapered mesa having a first cross-sectional diameter at the base of the tapered mesa that contacts a first surface, and a second different cross-sectional diameter at the point of contact between the tapered mesa and the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC structure.

6. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 5, wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is larger than the second different cross-sectional diameter.

7. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein one or more embedded electrodes comprise a first electrode having a first shape positioned relative to the central portion of the ceramic body and a second electrode having a second different shape positioned relative to the outer portion of the ceramic body.

8. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the second electrode is configured to generate a holding force at the outer edge of the surface of the substrate.

9. An ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein one or more embedded electrodes include two electrodes, the two electrodes include a mesh layer embedded in a ceramic body, and at least one of the (i) shape and (ii) density of the mesh layer is different from one another.

10. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, comprising a cooling channel within a portion of a ceramic body, the cooling channel configured to facilitate the flow of a coolant through the portion of the ceramic body.

11. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the gas conduit comprises a porous plug within at least one gas conduit, the ceramic body comprises a first material composition, and the porous plug comprises a second material composition.

12. An ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, which exists on a storage medium as a data format used for exchanging layout data.

13. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 1, comprising a transition zone formed on the surface of a cooling base, the transition zone comprising a plurality of layers including a gradient of material composition between the cooling base and the ceramic body.

14. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the transition zone comprises two or more transition subzones, each transition subzone comprising a different material composition, and each material composition of the transition subzone comprising a ratio between a first material composition of the cooling base and a second material composition of the ceramic body.

15. The ESC structure embodied in a machine-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein each transition subzone contains ceramic powder dispersed within a metal matrix, and the volume of ceramic powder within the metal matrix differs for each subzone of two or more transition subzones.

16. A method for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck (ESC) structure, A process for forming multiple layers using a lamination manufacturing system, wherein the multiple layers are: A ceramic body including a first surface, Two or more regions defined on a first surface, arranged concentrically on the first surface, and each region is A retaining ring positioned on the first surface and defining the outer edge of the region, A plurality of support structures arranged on a first surface and within a region, comprising two or more regions each having a plurality of support structures configured to support the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck, The invention provides a gas conduit configured to introduce gas into two or more regions through a ceramic body, and to introduce gas to a first surface, The process of forming multiple layers includes the step of embedding one or more embedded electrodes within a ceramic body and arranging them relative to a first surface.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of forming multiple layers includes the step of embedding a sensor in a part of the ceramic body, and the part of the sensor is positioned relative to the first surface of the ceramic body.

18. A step of forming a transition zone on the surface of a cooling base, wherein the transition zone comprises a plurality of layers including a gradient of material composition between the cooling base and the ceramic body, The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of forming multiple layers of a ceramic body includes forming at least one layer on a transition zone.

19. The process of forming the transition zone is, The method according to claim 18, comprising forming two or more transition subzones, each of which includes a different material composition, and each material composition of the transition subzone includes a ratio between a first material composition of the cooling base and a second material composition of the ceramic body.

20. The process of forming the transition zone is, The method according to claim 19, comprising the step of forming two or more transition subzones, each transition subzone comprising ceramic powder dispersed in a metal matrix, wherein the volume of ceramic powder in the metal matrix is ​​different for each subzone of the two or more transition subzones.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the step of forming a transition zone on the surface of the cooling base includes the step of forming a plurality of layers by spray coating.

22. The process of forming multiple layers is For each set of multiple layers A process of forming a subset of multiple layers using an additive manufacturing system, The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of densifying a subset of layers by flash sintering.

23. An electrostatic chuck (ESC) structure for substrate processing, A ceramic body including a first surface, Two or more regions defined on a first surface, arranged concentrically on the first surface, and each region is A retaining ring positioned on the first surface and defining the outer edge of the region, A region having a plurality of structures arranged on and within a first surface, wherein the plurality of structures are configured to support the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck, One or more gas conduits configured to introduce gas to two or more regions and a first surface via a ceramic body, wherein the two or more regions are gas conduits configured to maintain a positive gas pressure within each region and within the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck, An ESC structure comprising one or more embedded electrodes provided within a ceramic body and positioned relative to a first surface, the embedded electrodes configured to generate a holding force on the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC structure.

24. The ESC structure according to claim 23, comprising a sensor embedded in a portion of a ceramic body and positioned relative to a first surface of the ceramic body, wherein the sensor is configured to collect measurements of the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by an electrostatic chuck.

25. The ESC structure according to claim 24, wherein the sensor includes (A) a thermocouple or embedded acoustic emission sensor configured to measure the temperature of a first surface of a ceramic body or the surface temperature of a substrate.

26. The ESC structure according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the structures in two or more regions comprises a tapered mesa, the tapered mesa having a first cross-sectional diameter at the base of the tapered mesa that contacts a first surface, and a second different cross-sectional diameter at the point of contact between the tapered mesa and the surface of the substrate when the substrate is held by the ESC structure.

27. The ESC structure according to claim 26, wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is larger than the second cross-sectional diameter.

28. The ESC structure according to claim 23, wherein one or more embedded electrodes comprise a first electrode having a first shape positioned relative to the central portion of the ceramic body, and a second electrode having a second different shape positioned relative to the outer portion of the ceramic body.

29. The ESC structure according to claim 28, wherein the second electrode is configured to generate a holding force at the outer edge of the surface of the substrate.

30. The ESC structure according to claim 23, wherein one or more implanted electrodes include two electrodes, the two electrodes include a mesh layer embedded in a ceramic body, and at least one of the (i) shape and (ii) density of the mesh layer is different from one another.

31. A cooling channel is provided within a portion of the ceramic body, configured to facilitate the flow of a coolant through the portion of the ceramic body. The ESC structure according to claim 23, wherein the gas conduit comprises a porous plug within at least one gas conduit, the ceramic body comprises a first material composition, and the porous plug comprises a second material composition.

32. The ESC structure according to claim 23, comprising a transition zone formed on the surface of a cooling base, wherein the transition zone comprises a plurality of layers including a gradient of material composition between the cooling base and the ceramic body.

33. The ESC structure according to claim 32, wherein the transition zone comprises two or more transition subzones, each transition subzone comprising a different material composition, and each material composition of the transition subzone comprising a ratio between a first material composition of the cooling base and a second material composition of the ceramic body.

34. The ESC structure according to claim 33, wherein each transition subzone contains ceramic powder dispersed in a metal matrix, and the volume of ceramic powder in the metal matrix differs for each of the two or more transition subzones.

35. A method for regrowing an electrostatic chuck (ESC) structure, A step of using a measurement tool to determine ESC features that are outside the threshold tolerance range of the ESC features, A process of forming multiple layers using an additive manufacturing system, wherein at least one layer is formed on the surface of the ESC, and the multiple layers form at least the regrowth portion of the feature. A method comprising the step of verifying, using a measurement tool, that the dimensions of a feature, including the regrowth portion, are within the feature's threshold tolerance range.

36. The method according to claim 35, comprising the step of preparing the surface of the ESC before forming multiple layers on the surface.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the surface preparation step includes one or more of (A) texturing, (B) scoring, and (C) surface cleaning.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein the step of preparing the surface includes the step of flattening the surface.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the step of preparing the surface includes removing at least a portion of the features that are determined to be outside the threshold tolerance range of the features.

40. The method according to claim 35, wherein the step of preparing the surface includes removing from the ESC at least one feature determined to be within the threshold tolerance range and at least one feature determined to be outside the threshold tolerance range.

41. The process of determining whether an ESC feature is outside the threshold tolerance range is: The process of receiving a 3D mapping of an ESC containing features, The process involves generating a comparison map from a 3D mapping of the ESC and a computer-generated model, The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of identifying one or more features that require regrowth from a comparison map.

42. The process of verifying that the dimensions of a feature, including the regrowth portion, are within the feature's threshold tolerance is: A process of receiving a 3D mapping of the ESC including the regrowth portion, The process involves generating a comparison map from a 3D mapping of the ESC and a computer-generated model, The method according to claim 41, further comprising the step of verifying from a comparison map that the dimensions of a feature including the regrowth portion are within the threshold tolerance range of the feature.

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