Electrostatic Chuck Member Structure for Wafer Hot Spot Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor manufacturing apparatus members suffer from reduced wafer attraction force and thermal imbalance due to large electrostatic electrode opening portions, leading to hot spot singularities.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic plate with small projections and raised portions surrounding gas flow paths, where the raised portions have higher thermal conductivity than the heat conduction gas, ensuring efficient heat conduction while maintaining adequate wafer attraction force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the diameter of the electrostatic electrode opening portion is increased to ensure helium gas flow rate, then gas flow rate is improved, but wafer attraction force is reduced and hot spot singularity occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a raised portion with different thermal conductivity properties at a specific location (around the electrostatic electrode opening) rather than uniformly changing the entire ceramic plate structure. This localized modification allows heat conduction enhancement precisely where needed without affecting overall wafer attraction force
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the thermal conductivity parameter by introducing a raised portion made of material with higher thermal conductivity than the surrounding ceramic plate. This parameter change enables better heat dissipation in the critical area around the electrode opening, preventing hot spot formation while maintaining gas flow characteristics
2Quantity of substance
If the diameter of the electrostatic electrode opening portion is increased, then gas flow rate is improved, but temperature distribution becomes uneven and hot spot singularity occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The raised portion is strategically positioned around the electrostatic electrode opening to create localized thermal management. This local quality approach addresses temperature distribution issues specifically in the high-risk area without requiring global structural changes that would affect gas flow
Solution Approach 2:
The raised portion acts as an intermediary thermal conduction path between the electrostatic electrode opening area and the cooling plate. It mediates heat transfer by providing an additional thermal pathway that balances temperature distribution while allowing the gas flow system to operate independently
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
Prevents thermal singularities and maintains consistent wafer attraction force by facilitating heat conduction through raised portions with controlled thermal conductivity, preventing excessive temperature fluctuations.
Implementation Method 1
the thermal conductivity of the raised portion is higher than the thermal conductivity of the heat conduction gas... the heat of the portion right above the electrostatic electrode opening portion is likely to be conducted to the cooling plate via the raised portion
Implementation Method 2
with a wafer electrostatically attracted on a wafer placement surface
Implementation Method 3
the helium gas is then supplied to a back surface of the wafer and improves heat conduction between the wafer and the ceramic plate
Data Source
AI summary
A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a ceramic plate that has an upper surface including a reference surface on which multiple small projections for supporting a wafer are provided and that contains an electrostatic electrode; a plug arrangement hole that is provided in the ceramic plate; an electrostatic electrode opening portion that is provided at a position in the electrostatic electrode through which the plug arrangement hole extends; a cooling plate that is provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate; a gas hole that extends through the cooling plate and that is in communication with the plug arrangement hole; a plug that is arranged in the plug arrangement hole and that includes a gas flow path; and a raised portion that surrounds the gas flow path and that has a top surface higher than the reference surface and lower than top surfaces of the small projections.