Electrostatic Chuck Gas Inlet Structure for Long-Term Arcing Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrostatic chucks used in processing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining arcing suppression over time due to temperature changes and plasma exposure, which can lead to ceramic porous part damage and reduced gas flow rates.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a ceramic porous part with a sloped surface and an elastic body in the electrostatic chuck's gas inlet path, where the elastic body contacts the sloped part to absorb deformation and prevent plasma corrosion, enhancing arcing resistance and maintaining suppression effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ceramic porous part is provided in the gas inlet path to improve arcing resistance, then the breakdown voltage is improved, but the ceramic porous part is damaged by plasma and temperature over time, reducing gas flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The gas inlet path is divided into multiple sections: an upper gas inlet path through the ceramic dielectric substrate, a lower gas inlet path through the base plate, and a middle gas inlet path through the bonding part. The ceramic porous part is specifically positioned in the upper gas inlet path where it can suppress arcing effectively, while the other paths provide alternative gas flow routes that bypass the ceramic porous part, ensuring continuous gas flow even if the porous part degrades over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a slope angle parameter (α) for the sloped surface of the ceramic porous part, where 0° < α ≤ 45°. This angular parameter optimizes the interaction between the elastic body and the ceramic porous part, allowing the elastic body to effectively push the porous part into the bonding part while maintaining stable contact. This parameter optimization ensures the ceramic porous part remains positioned optimally for arcing suppression without excessive stress that would cause premature damage.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the ceramic porous part is fixed rigidly to maintain position, then the gas flow path is stable, but the ceramic porous part cannot absorb thermal expansion and deformation from plasma exposure
Solution Approach 1:
An elastic body made of flexible material (such as rubber or elastomer) is introduced to interact with the ceramic porous part. This elastic body can deform elastically under thermal expansion and plasma exposure conditions, maintaining continuous contact with the ceramic porous part while accommodating dimensional changes. The flexibility of this component allows the system to absorb harmful effects without compromising the positional stability of the gas inlet path.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic body acts as a cushioning element that anticipates and absorbs the effects of thermal expansion and plasma-induced deformation before they cause damage to the ceramic porous part or disrupt gas flow. By positioning the elastic body in advance to contact the ceramic porous part, the system prepares a protective mechanism that gradually absorbs stress through elastic deformation, preventing sudden failures from accumulated thermal and plasma damage.
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 effectively absorbs deformation and prevents corrosion, maintaining arcing suppression for a longer period by integrating a ceramic porous part with a sloped surface and an elastic body, ensuring stable gas flow and reduced damage from plasma exposure.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic body, wherein the elastic body contacts the sloped part
Implementation Method 2
there is technology that improves the resistance to arcing (the breakdown voltage, etc.) by providing a porous part in the gas inlet path
Implementation Method 3
the temperature of the substrate that is the clamping object is controlled by causing an inert gas such as helium (He) or the like to flow between the front surface of the ceramic dielectric substrate and the back surface of the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic dielectric substrate, a base plate, a bonding part, a gas inlet path, a counterbore part, a ceramic porous part, and an elastic body. The base plate supports the ceramic dielectric substrate. The bonding part is located between the ceramic dielectric substrate and the base plate. The gas inlet path extends through the ceramic dielectric substrate, the base plate, and the bonding part. The gas inlet path includes a first hole part, a second hole part and a third hole part. The first hole part is positioned at the ceramic dielectric substrate. The third hole part is positioned at the bonding part. The counterbore part is located in the first hole part. The ceramic porous part is located in the counterbore part. The elastic body faces an end part of the bonding part at the third hole part side.