Electrostatic Chuck Gas Supply Path Adhesive Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing gas supply structures in electrostatic chuck apparatuses face issues with nonuniform cooling gas jetting and contamination due to deposition of thermal sprayed material, leading to uneven cooling and potential damage to substrates during semiconductor and liquid crystal panel manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A method involving blocking gas supply path outlets with an adhesive containing a filler made of the same material as the ceramic powder used for the lower insulating layer, followed by forming through holes from the upper insulating layer side, which minimizes stress and prevents deposition, ensuring a uniform gas flow and contamination-free operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal spraying of ceramic powder is used to form the lower insulating layer, then the insulating performance is improved, but deposition of ceramic powder in the gas supply path causes nonuniform gas flow and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply path outlets are blocked with adhesive before the thermal spraying process. This preliminary action prevents ceramic powder from entering the gas supply path during insulating layer formation, while still allowing gas to flow uniformly after the through holes are formed later in the process.
Solution Approach 2:
Adhesive is used as an intermediary material to block the gas supply path outlets during the thermal spraying process. The adhesive temporarily prevents ceramic powder deposition in the gas path while allowing the insulating layer to be formed on the metal base surface.
2Reliability
If thermal spraying of ceramic powder is used to form the lower insulating layer, then the insulating performance is improved, but contamination occurs due to deposited material
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply path outlets are blocked with adhesive before thermal spraying. This preliminary blocking action prevents ceramic powder from being deposited in the gas supply path, eliminating the source of contamination that would otherwise be jetted out with the cooling gas.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive blocking material, which initially seems to obstruct gas flow, actually prevents the harmful deposition of ceramic powder. The through holes formed later restore gas flow while maintaining the benefit of preventing contamination.
3Manufacturing precision
If many gas supply path outlets are formed to achieve uniform cooling, then the cooling uniformity is improved, but the complexity of blocking each outlet increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of blocking each gas supply path outlet individually with separate adhesive applications, the invention uses a unified thermal spraying process that deposits adhesive material across all outlets simultaneously. This merging of operations simplifies the blocking process while still preventing deposition in all paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal spraying process serves multiple functions: it forms the lower insulating layer on the metal base and simultaneously blocks the gas supply path outlets with adhesive material. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate steps required.
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 approach enhances the productivity and durability of the gas supply structure by preventing nonuniform gas flow and contamination, while maintaining a satisfactory junction interface between the metal base and lower insulating layer, ensuring reliable and consistent cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
blocking a gas supply path outlet on the upper surface side of the metal base with adhesive containing filler made of the same material as that of the ceramic powder used for forming the lower insulating layer
Implementation Method 2
forming the lower insulating layer by thermal spraying of a ceramic powder onto the upper surface side of the metal base
Implementation Method 3
supplying cooling gas, such as helium, supplied from the lower surface side of the metal base 1 is supplied to the back surface side of the substrate w through a gas supply path 3 provided to the metal base 1, to thereby cool the substrate w directly
Implementation Method 4
the electrostatic chuck systems that utilize an electrostatic attraction force
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method of manufacturing a gas supply structure for use in an electrostatic chuck apparatus having an electrostatic chuck on the upper surface side of a metal base (1), the gas supply structure being capable of eliminating contamination due to nonuniform cooling gas jetting quantities and deposition of a thermally spraying material and the like. The method of manufacturing the gas supply structure for supplying a cooling gas supplied from the lower surface side of the metal base (1) to the back surface of a substrate (W) attracted to an upper insulating layer (6) side, through a gas supply path (3) provided on the metal base (1), the method including: prior to a step of forming a lower insulating layer (4) by thermally spraying a ceramic powder on the upper surface side of the metal base (1), a step of forming an attracting electrode (5), and a step of forming the upper insulating layer (6), a step of blocking a gas supply path outlet (3a) on the upper surface side of the metal base (1) with an adhesive (8), the adhesive containing a filler made of the same material as that of the ceramic powder that is used for forming the lower insulating layer (4); and a step of opening a hole toward the gas supply path outlet (3a) of the metal base (1) after forming the upper insulating layer (6), to thereby form a through hole (9) reaching the gas supply path (3).