Electrostatic Chuck Heater Layer Thickness for Uniform Wafer Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrostatic chucks face challenges in achieving uniform heat distribution due to uneven thickness of the insulating resin and heater electrodes, which affects the temperature uniformity on the adsorptive face of the ceramic plate.
Innovation Solution
A substrate fixing device with a uniform thickness heater layer is implemented, where a metal foil layer with insulating resin is precisely polished to ensure even heat distribution, and the electrostatic chuck is bonded to a base plate using a silane coupling agent and adhesive agent to enhance heat conductivity and uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the insulating resin with high fluidity is used to adhesively bond the heater electrodes to the ceramic plate, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the thickness uniformity of the heater layer deteriorates due to resin flow to the outside
Solution Approach 1:
A support member with a predetermined thickness is placed on the ceramic plate before applying the insulating resin. This preliminary action creates a physical barrier that prevents the resin from flowing to the outside during pressing, thereby maintaining uniform thickness of the heater layer while still allowing easy manufacture using conventional adhesive bonding processes.
2Manufacturing precision
If the insulating resin with low fluidity is used to adhesively bond the heater electrodes to the ceramic plate, then the thickness uniformity is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to remaining thickness variation
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is positioned on the ceramic plate before resin application, creating a predefined thickness reference. This preliminary structure ensures that even with low fluidity resin that doesn't flow adequately, the heater layer achieves uniform thickness by conforming to the support member's surface, while the manufacturing process remains simple and conventional.
3Strength
If the layer of insulating resin and heater electrodes is pressed to be adhesively bonded, then the bonding strength is improved, but the thickness uniformity deteriorates due to resin flow or insufficient flow
Solution Approach 1:
The support member with predetermined thickness is placed on the ceramic plate before applying the insulating resin and heater electrodes. During the pressing operation that provides bonding strength, the support member acts as a thickness template, ensuring uniform heater layer thickness while allowing adequate resin flow for strong adhesion between the heater layer and ceramic plate.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves high heat uniformity across the entire adsorptive face of the ceramic plate, allowing for precise temperature control and efficient heat transfer, thereby improving the performance of the electrostatic chuck in semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a heater layer that is provided between the adsorptive layer and the base plate and configured to heat the subject retrained by the adsorptive layer
Implementation Method 2
Due to a voltage applied to the electrodes embedded in the ceramic plate, the wafer is adsorbed by the electrostatic chuck using electrostatic force
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a substrate fixing device. The substrate fixing device includes: a base plate; and an electrostatic chuck that is fixed to the base plate and configured to adsorb a subject by electrostatic force. The electrostatic chuck includes: an adsorptive layer configured to adsorb and retain the subject; and a heater layer that is provided between the adsorptive layer and the base plate and configured to heat the subject retrained by the adsorptive layer. A thickness of the heater layer is uniform over an entire area of the heater layer.