Electrostatic Chuck Heater Segmentation for Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrostatic chucks for semiconductor substrate processing struggle to maintain a stable and even temperature distribution during high-temperature plasma processes, which can lead to inconsistent substrate treatment.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatic chuck design featuring a base, dielectric plate, chuck electrode, and a first heater section with multiple separated heaters and upper plate electrodes, which are thermally connected to minimize heat generation from electrical interconnections and ensure uniform heating across the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional heater designs with integrated electrical interconnections are used, then heating function is provided, but heat generation from electrical interconnections causes temperature distribution instability
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is divided into multiple separate heater sections instead of a single integrated heater. Each heater section is electrically isolated, which separates the heating function from the electrical interconnection paths, thereby reducing parasitic heat generation from interconnections and improving temperature distribution stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Electrical interconnection structures are introduced as intermediaries to connect the separate heater sections to the power supply. These interconnection structures are designed to minimize thermal coupling and heat generation, serving as electrical conduits while thermally isolating the heater sections from each other.
2Temperature
If multiple separated heaters are used to improve temperature distribution, then temperature uniformity is enhanced, but device complexity increases due to multiple upper plate electrodes
Solution Approach 1:
The upper plate electrodes serve multiple functions: they act as electrical interconnections for the separate heater sections, provide thermal mass for temperature stabilization, and function as part of the electrostatic chucking structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical interconnection structures and the heater support structures are merged into a single integrated upper plate electrode system. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall structure while still enabling multiple independent heater sections to be electrically connected and thermally managed.
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 design achieves a stable and even temperature distribution on the substrate, enhancing the consistency and quality of semiconductor processing by reducing thermal disparities and maintaining effective electrostatic holding forces.
Implementation Method 1
a first heater section in the dielectric plate between the chuck electrode and the base. The first heater section may comprise: a plurality of first heaters that are separated from each other in a first direction
Implementation Method 2
An electrostatic chuck may hold the high temperature substrate by an electrostatic voltage
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic chuck includes a base, a dielectric plate on the base, a chuck electrode in the dielectric plate, and a lower heater section including lower heaters in the dielectric plate between the chuck electrode and the base, and a lower ground electrode between the lower heaters and the base. The chuck further includes an upper heater section including upper heaters between the lower heaters and the chuck electrode, and a upper ground electrode between the upper heaters and the lower heaters, and a plurality of via contact electrodes connecting the upper ground electrode into the lower ground electrode.