Electrostatic Chuck Plasma Cleaning Using Electron Current

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for cleaning electrostatic chucks using plasma-etching with argon ions can cause damage to the chuck's surface due to high-energy ion collisions.

Innovation Solution

Exposing the electrostatic chuck to plasma while maintaining a potential relationship that introduces an electron current from the plasma, reducing the likelihood of high-energy ion collisions and enhancing electron collisions to remove deposits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If plasma-etching with argon ions is used to clean the electrostatic chuck, then deposit removal efficiency is improved, but the chuck surface is damaged due to high-energy ion collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeposit removal efficiencyVSAvoidchuck surface damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the electrical potential parameter of the electrostatic chuck to be more positive than the plasma potential, which fundamentally alters the direction of current flow. This parameter change causes electron current to flow toward the chuck surface instead of ion current, thereby removing deposits without causing surface damage from high-energy ion collisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the conventional cleaning approach by reversing the potential relationship between the chuck and plasma. Instead of making the chuck negative to attract ions (conventional method), the chuck is made more positive to attract electrons (inverted method), achieving cleaning through electron bombardment rather than ion bombardment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

Effectively removes deposits without damaging the chuck's surface, improving productivity by reducing the need for regeneration and enhancing deposit removal efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

exposing the electrostatic chuck to plasma

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma: Plasma

Implementation Method 2

maintaining a relationship between a potential of the electrostatic chuck and a potential of the plasma such that an electron current is introduced from the plasma toward the electrostatic chuck

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectron current: Electron Beam

Data Source

PatentUS12521773B2Method of cleaning electrostatic chuck and method of manufacturing semiconductor device while exposing electrostatic chuck to plasma and introducing electron current

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 TOKYO ELECTRON LTD

AI summary

A cleaning method according to one aspect of the present disclosure which cleans an electrostatic chuck includes exposing the electrostatic chuck to plasma and maintaining a relationship between a potential of the electrostatic chuck and a potential of the plasma such that electron current is introduced from the plasma toward the electrostatic chuck.