Co-Sintered Vent Plug Structure for Electrostatic Chuck Gas Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical breakdown occurs in the gas holes of electrostatic chucks during semiconductor manufacturing due to potential differences, and existing solutions like porous plugs with ceramic materials can lead to gaps and variations in gas flow rates.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatic chuck design featuring a vent plug with a porous ceramic section and a dense ceramic section formed together as a single piece by sintering, eliminating gaps and adhesive intrusion, thereby preventing electrical breakdown and maintaining consistent gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a porous plug made of porous ceramic is arranged inside the gas hole to avoid electrical breakdown, then the withstand voltage is increased, but gaps may form between the porous member and the tubular member due to dimensional tolerances, which can serve as paths for electrical breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The porous member and the dense tubular member are integrated into a single unit through co-sintering, eliminating the gap that would otherwise exist between separately manufactured components. This merging approach maintains the electrical insulation properties while ensuring dimensional precision without relying on adhesive joints or tight tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining porous ceramic and dense ceramic materials in a single sintered body. The porous section provides gas permeability while the dense section provides electrical insulation, and their integration through co-sintering creates a homogeneous composite material without interfaces that could lead to gaps or breakdown paths.
2Manufacturing precision
If adhesive is used to join the porous member and tubular member to remove gaps, then the gap is eliminated, but uncured adhesive intrudes into the porous member during adhesion, causing cross sectional area reduction and variation in gas flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The porous member and tubular member are merged into a single sintered body without using adhesive joints. This eliminates the problem of adhesive intrusion into the porous structure, maintaining consistent gas flow paths and cross-sectional area throughout the component.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a ceramic bonding interface created through co-sintering as an intermediary between the porous and dense sections, replacing the adhesive intermediary. This ceramic bond does not intrude into the porous structure and maintains the integrity of gas flow paths.
3Quantity of substance
If the porous plug is entirely made of porous member, then air permeability is maintained, but the inner face of the gas hole is exposed to internal space, reducing withstand voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The vent plug is designed with different local properties: the inner section is porous to maintain gas permeability, while the outer section is dense to provide electrical insulation. This local differentiation allows the component to simultaneously satisfy both gas flow requirements and electrical breakdown prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent plug combines porous ceramic and dense ceramic materials in a single co-sintered structure. The porous section allows gas passage while the dense section provides electrical insulation, creating a composite material system that addresses both functional requirements within a single integrated component.
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 prevents electrical breakdown and reduces variations in gas flow rates, ensuring reliable operation and improved performance in semiconductor manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a porous section which is a section made of a porous ceramic with air permeability
Implementation Method 2
The porous section and the dense section are formed together into one piece by sintering
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic chuck includes a dielectric substrate, a base plate which is a metallic member joined to the dielectric substrate and in which a gas hole is formed, and a vent plug arranged inside the gas hole. The vent plug has a porous section which is a section made of a porous ceramic with air permeability, and a dense section which is a section made of a dense ceramic without air permeability, and which surrounds a whole circumference of the porous section from an outer circumference side. The porous section and the dense section are formed together into one piece by sintering without sandwiching a joining material made of a material other than a ceramic.