Electrostatic chuck gas supply holes sintering shrinkage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization trend in the semiconductor industry requires higher RF power for plasma generation, leading to electrical discharge issues in the cooling gas supply holes of substrate support apparatuses, which existing technologies struggle to mitigate effectively due to limitations in reducing hole diameter and insufficient insulation breakdown voltage.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a base plate with first gas supply holes and an electrostatic chuck with second gas supply holes formed before sintering, where the second holes are smaller in diameter and arranged irregularly, and the electrostatic chuck is bonded to the base plate using an adhesive layer, allowing for minimized electrical discharge by reducing the diameter of the gas supply holes during sintering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the diameter of cooling gas supply holes is reduced to suppress electrical discharge, then electrical discharge is minimized, but machining limitations prevent reducing the diameter below a predetermined size (e.g., 0.1 mm)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the electrostatic chuck from unsintered (green state) to sintered state. During sintering, the material undergoes densification and shrinkage, causing the gas supply holes to reduce in diameter automatically. This parameter change in material density and volume during the sintering process enables achieving smaller hole diameters (below 0.1 mm) that cannot be obtained through conventional machining alone.
2Reliability
If porous ceramics are inserted in gas introduction passages to suppress electrical discharge, then insulation breakdown voltage is improved, but the solution is insufficient to achieve adequate insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the parameter change of the electrostatic chuck material during sintering to transform the gas supply hole dimensions. The sintering process causes significant shrinkage of the green body, reducing the hole diameter to a level where electrical discharge is suppressed. This approach achieves better insulation effectiveness than inserting porous ceramics by directly modifying the host material's dimensional parameters.
3Power
If higher RF power is used for plasma generation to meet miniaturization requirements, then plasma generation capability is improved, but electrical discharge in cooling gas supply holes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by forming the gas supply holes in the electrostatic chuck before sintering. The holes are created in the green state when the material is still relatively soft and easy to machine. After sintering, the holes automatically shrink to the desired small diameter, providing electrical discharge suppression in advance before high RF power plasma processing begins.
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 minimizes the occurrence of electrical discharge in the gas supply holes, ensuring a stable and effective temperature control system for semiconductor substrates during plasma processing.
Implementation Method 1
A power source for generating an electrostatic force is connected to the electrode. A semiconductor substrate is adsorbed and held on the chuck by the electrostatic force.
Implementation Method 2
The semiconductor substrate held on the chuck is heated by plasma gas, and a cooling gas for controlling the temperature of the semiconductor substrate is supplied to the backside of the semiconductor substrate.
Implementation Method 3
the at least one second gas supply hole is formed before sintering of the electrostatic chuck
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for supporting a substrate is proposed. The apparatus includes: a base plate including at least one first gas supply hole formed therein so as to allow supply of a temperature control gas; and an electrostatic chuck provided on the base plate to support the substrate, and including at least one second gas supply hole formed therein so as to be in communication with the at least one first gas supply hole, wherein the at least one second gas supply hole is formed before sintering of the electrostatic chuck.