Electrostatic Chuck Charge Management for Substrate Detachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Residual electric charges on an electrostatic chuck can cause substrate detachment issues during plasma processing, potentially leading to substrate cracking when lifter pins are raised.
Innovation Solution
A control method involving a power supply connected to an electrode of the electrostatic chuck, switching to a non-connection state, supplying gas to generate plasma, and measuring the electrode's potential to estimate and manage residual electric charges, ensuring appropriate HV voltage application for safe substrate detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HV voltage is applied to eliminate electric charges, then electric charges are eliminated, but residual adsorption occurs making substrate detachment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a predetermined HV voltage to the electrostatic chuck electrode before raising the lifter pins to eliminate residual electric charges in advance. This preliminary action prevents residual adsorption from occurring, ensuring the substrate can be detached without cracking when the lifter pins are subsequently raised.
2Ease of operation
If lifter pins are raised during residual adsorption, then substrate detachment is attempted, but substrate cracking occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a predetermined HV voltage to the electrostatic chuck electrode before raising the lifter pins to counteract and eliminate residual electric charges in advance. This preliminary anti-action prevents residual adsorption, ensuring the substrate maintains its integrity and does not crack when the lifter pins are subsequently raised for detachment.
3Productivity
If plasma is generated to process substrate, then substrate processing is achieved, but residual electric charges accumulate on electrostatic chuck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent measures the potential of the electrostatic chuck electrode during plasma processing to monitor residual electric charge accumulation. Based on this feedback, a predetermined HV voltage is subsequently applied to eliminate the accumulated charges, ensuring the electrostatic chuck is ready for the next substrate processing cycle without residual adsorption issues.
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
This method effectively estimates and manages residual electric charges, preventing substrate cracking by optimizing the HV voltage application, thereby improving substrate detachment characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
electrostatically adsorbed on an electrostatic chuck
Implementation Method 2
supplying a gas into the chamber to generate plasma
Implementation Method 3
measuring a potential of the electrode during (c)
Data Source
AI summary
A control method includes: (a) connecting a power supply to an electrode of an electrostatic chuck inside a chamber and applying a voltage from the power supply to the electrode; (b) after (a), switching a connection between the electrode and the power supply to a non-connection state; (c) after (b), supplying a gas into the chamber to generate plasma; and (d) measuring a potential of the electrode during (c).