Electrostatic Chuck Protrusion Arrangement for Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrostatic chucks in plasma processing apparatuses face challenges in uniform temperature control during chip formation on semiconductor substrates due to non-uniform contact with protrusions, leading to variations in processing quality across different regions.
Innovation Solution
The electrostatic chuck features a circular placing region with protrusions arranged at regular intervals on concentric circles, ensuring that protrusions are not aligned on the same straight line from the center, reducing the number of protrusions in contact with each chip forming region and minimizing temperature non-uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If protrusions are arranged in a conventional grid pattern, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the number of protrusions contacting each chip forming region varies significantly, causing temperature non-uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The placing region is divided into multiple concentric circular zones, with each zone containing a specific number of protrusions arranged at regular angular intervals. This segmentation approach ensures that chip forming regions at different radial positions contact a more uniform number of protrusions, reducing temperature non-uniformity while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The density and angular positioning of protrusions are optimized for different local regions of the substrate. Inner circular regions have different protrusion characteristics compared to outer circular regions, allowing each local area to achieve optimal thermal contact uniformity tailored to its specific geometry and processing requirements.
2Temperature
If protrusions are arranged to maximize contact with chip forming regions, then thermal transfer is improved, but the contact becomes non-uniform across different regions, leading to temperature variations
Solution Approach 1:
The concentric circular arrangement with regular angular spacing creates an equipotential distribution of protrusions, where each chip forming region contacts approximately the same number of protrusions regardless of its position on the substrate. This equalizes the thermal contact conditions across the entire placing region, eliminating temperature variations between different processing zones.
3Device complexity
If a simple grid pattern is used for protrusions, then device complexity is low, but temperature control uniformity during chip formation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional linear grid pattern is replaced with concentric circular arrangements. This curvature-based configuration naturally adapts to the circular geometry of the substrate and chip forming regions, ensuring uniform radial distribution of protrusions. The circular pattern maintains relative simplicity in manufacturing while achieving superior temperature uniformity compared to grid patterns.
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 configuration reduces non-uniformity in the number of protrusions contacting each chip forming region, thereby minimizing temperature differences and improving processing uniformity across the substrate, enhancing the quality of plasma processing.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic chuck that attracts the processing target object by an electrostatic force within a processing container
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of protrusions configured to protrude from the bottom surface... the plurality of protrusions is in contact with the processing target object to form a plurality of thermal transfer paths
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an electrostatic chuck including a circular placing region configured to place a processing target object thereon. The placing region includes a bottom surface and a plurality of protrusions configured to protrude from the bottom surface. Further, the plurality of protrusions is formed at a plurality of positions set at a regular interval on each of a plurality of circles set concentrically and at a regular interval around a center of the placing region. Furthermore, among the plurality of positions, a plurality of positions set on each of any two adjacent circles is set not to be positioned on the same straight line extending from the center.