Finger Electrode Electrostatic Chuck for High-Resistance Substrates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bipolar electrostatic chucks are ineffective in chucking high resistance substrates like epoxy, glass, or Si/glass, due to the need for higher voltage, which leads to dielectric breakdown risks, uneven cooling, and de-chucking difficulties.

Innovation Solution

A bipolar electrostatic chuck design featuring positive and negative electrodes in an alternating pattern with a gap between them, creating a gradient force to securely hold high resistance substrates, with the electrodes embedded beneath the support surface and biased by a DC or AC power source to accumulate oppositely polarized charges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If higher voltage potential is applied to enable chucking of high resistance substrates, then chucking capability is improved, but dielectric breakdown risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechucking capabilityVSAvoiddielectric breakdown risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode is divided into multiple segments arranged in an alternating positive-negative pattern around the substrate periphery. This segmentation allows the generation of gradient electrostatic forces without requiring uniformly high voltage across the entire electrode, thereby reducing dielectric breakdown risk while maintaining effective chucking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the electrode are assigned different polarities (positive and negative alternating segments) to create localized electric field gradients. This local quality variation enables effective electrostatic attraction on high resistance substrates without applying excessive voltage uniformly, thus reducing dielectric breakdown risk in any single region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If higher voltage potential is applied to enable chucking of high resistance substrates, then chucking capability is improved, but cooling uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechucking capabilityVSAvoidcooling uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode is segmented into alternating positive and negative regions, which distributes the electrostatic field more evenly across the substrate surface. This segmentation prevents concentration of high voltage effects in specific areas, thereby improving cooling uniformity while maintaining chucking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If higher voltage potential is applied to enable chucking of high resistance substrates, then chucking capability is improved, but de-chucking difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechucking capabilityVSAvoidde-chucking ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode polarity is inverted or switched between positive and negative segments during operation. This inversion mechanism allows easy transition from chucking mode to de-chucking mode by simply reversing the polarity pattern, eliminating the difficulty of releasing substrates that would otherwise require mechanical or chemical intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 design provides a strong chucking force to retain and flatten warped high resistance substrates effectively, reducing the risk of dielectric breakdown and improving chucking uniformity.

Implementation Method 1

biased by a DC or AC power source to accumulate oppositely polarized charges

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic induction: Electrostatic Induction

Implementation Method 2

creating a gradient force to securely hold high resistance substrates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic force: Electrostatics

Data Source

PatentUS20250015733A1Finger Electrostatic Chuck for High Resistance Substrate Chucking

Publication Date: 2025.01.09 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

Embodiments of bipolar electrostatic chucks are provided herein. In some embodiments, a bipolar electrostatic chuck, includes: the electrostatic chuck; and a plurality of electrodes disposed in the electrostatic chuck, wherein the plurality of electrodes include a positive electrode arranged in a first pattern comprising a plurality of first arcuate bands coupled together via first connection fingers that extend radially therebetween and a negative electrode arranged in a second pattern comprising a plurality of second arcuate bands coupled together via second connection fingers that extend radially therebetween, wherein the plurality of first arcuate bands are arranged in an alternating pattern with the plurality of second arcuate bands, wherein there is a gap between the first pattern and the second pattern.