Electrostatic Chuck Local Temperature Control for Wafer Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The etching process of semiconductor wafers often results in uneven temperatures, leading to performance variations and increased production of defective semiconductor chips due to non-uniform plasma concentration and temperature distribution during the process.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatic chuck with a fixing plate, an electrostatic plate, and a cooling plate, where the electrostatic plate includes heating elements and a heat blocking wall to locally control temperature, ensuring uniform temperature distribution and performance of semiconductor chips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional electrostatic chuck with uniform heating is used, then the structure is simple, but the temperature distribution across the wafer is uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The heating structure is divided into multiple independent heating zones (first heating zone, second heating zone, third heating zone, fourth heating zone) with different heating powers. Each zone can be controlled independently to achieve uniform temperature distribution across the wafer surface, resolving the contradiction between temperature uniformity and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the electrostatic chuck are assigned different heating characteristics. The heating powers are specifically designed so that the first and fourth heating zones have higher heating powers while the second and third heating zones have lower heating powers, creating localized temperature control that achieves overall uniformity.
2Manufacturing precision
If heating elements are added to control temperature, then temperature uniformity improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrostatic chuck is segmented into multiple heating zones with independent temperature control, allowing precise manufacturing temperature management for each region. This segmentation enables uniform semiconductor chip performance while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular zone design.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating powers of different zones are adjusted as controllable parameters to achieve the desired temperature distribution. By changing the heating power parameters of each zone independently, uniform temperature control is achieved, which ensures uniform semiconductor chip performance without requiring overly complex structural modifications.
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
The solution effectively suppresses defects in semiconductor chips by enabling precise local temperature control of the wafer, ensuring uniform performance across the chip, even with non-uniform plasma concentration.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic plate located under the fixing plate and configured to generate an electrostatic force to fix the wafer on the fixing plate
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of heating elements located under the electrostatic plate and separated to locally control a temperature of the electrostatic plate
Implementation Method 3
a cooling plate located under the plurality of separated heating elements and configured to emit heat transferred by the plurality of separated heating elements
Implementation Method 4
the electrostatic plate includes a heat blocking wall configured to locally distribute, on the electrostatic plate, the heat transferred from the plurality of separated heating elements
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic chuck according to an embodiment includes a fixing plate on which a wafer is fixed, an electrostatic plate located under the fixing plate and configured to generate an electrostatic force to fix the wafer on the fixing plate, a plurality of heating elements located under the electrostatic plate and separated to locally control a temperature of the electrostatic plate, and a cooling plate located under the plurality of separated heating elements and configured to emit heat transferred by the plurality of separated heating elements.