Electrostatic Chuck Cleaning Fixture for Lift Pin and Helium Hole Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrostatic chucks in semiconductor processing equipment face premature failure due to contamination and leakage issues, leading to substrate breakage, throughput reduction, and increased ownership costs, as existing cleaning methods fail to effectively remove contaminants from the surfaces and passages without damaging sensitive components.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning fixture assembly with a plate and O-rings is used to align and seal the electrostatic chuck, allowing cleaning media to reach lift pin and helium holes while protecting the backside, ensuring that contaminants are removed without contacting sensitive components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cleaning media is applied to the electrostatic chuck to remove contaminants, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but sensitive components on the backside may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The backside of the electrostatic chuck is segmented into cleanable areas (lift pin holes, helium holes, outer peripheral region) and protected areas (sensitive components). The cleaning fixture selectively applies cleaning media to specific regions through aligned through-holes and O-ring seals, allowing contaminants to be removed from accessible surfaces while preventing cleaning media from reaching sensitive electronic components through the plate structure.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the electrostatic chuck is cleaned thoroughly to extend lifespan, then reliability is improved, but the complexity of the cleaning process increases
Solution Approach 1:
A cleaning fixture assembly serves as an intermediary device between the cleaning media and the electrostatic chuck. The fixture includes a plate with through-holes positioned to align with lift pin holes and helium holes, O-rings for sealing, and a mechanism to hold the chuck securely. This intermediary structure enables systematic and controlled cleaning of the chuck's backside without requiring complex manual procedures or specialized equipment.
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 extends the lifespan of electrostatic chucks by thoroughly cleaning the surfaces and passages without compromising sensitive components, reducing particle contamination and maintenance costs, and ensuring the electrostatic chuck's performance parameters are maintained.
Implementation Method 1
the plurality of O-rings are positioned to allow cleaning media to engage the lift pin holes and helium holes in the electrostatic chuck during a cleaning process, while sealing the cleaning media from reaching the backside of the electrostatic chuck
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of through-holes are configured to be aligned with and in fluid communication with lift pin holes and helium holes in the backside of the electrostatic chuck
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning fixture assembly for protecting an electrostatic chuck suitable for supporting semiconductor substrates during a cleaning process contains a plate configured to align with and engage a backside of the electrostatic chuck, the plate having an annular seal portion surrounding a pocket. The cleaning fixture assembly also contains a first O-ring engaging the annular seal portion of the plate, a plurality of through-holes in the pocket of the plate, and a plurality of O-rings surrounding the plurality of through-holes in the pocket of the plate. The plurality of through-holes are configured to be aligned with and in fluid communication with lift pin holes and helium holes in the backside of the electrostatic chuck, and the plurality of O-rings are positioned to allow cleaning media to engage the lift pin holes and helium holes in the electrostatic chuck during a cleaning process while sealing the cleaning media from reaching the backside of the electrostatic chuck.