Micro-zone electrostatic chuck for high-temperature thermal smear control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrostatic chucks in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges in achieving uniform heat profiles due to thermal smear and heat dissipation between adjacent heating zones, limiting the choice of materials and processes that can be used at high temperatures and high bias power.
Innovation Solution
A substrate support assembly with a plurality of micro-zone heaters, including primary and secondary heaters, is designed to provide precise temperature control across discretely controllable areas, using a ceramic electrostatic chuck and a cooling base separated by a thermal interface layer to reduce temperature drain and thermal smearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional electrostatic chucks with heating zones are used, then substrate heating capability is provided, but thermal smear causes heat to move laterally between adjacent areas resulting in undesired heat profile
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independently controllable heating zones rather than a single heating element. Each heating zone can be controlled separately to prevent thermal smear from affecting adjacent areas, enabling precise heat profile control while maintaining substrate heating capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If high bias power is used to improve film roughness and morphology, then processing quality is improved, but heat energy generation limits the choice of materials and processes
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate support assembly is segmented into multiple heating zones that can be independently controlled. This allows different regions of the substrate to be processed under different thermal conditions, enabling a wider range of materials and processes to be used simultaneously without heat-related limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different heating zones can provide different temperature profiles and power levels to different areas of the substrate. This local quality control allows optimization of film roughness and morphology in specific regions while maintaining adaptability for various materials and processes across the entire substrate.
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 solution enables high-temperature processing with improved uniformity and control, allowing for precise temperature management across the substrate, enhancing processing capabilities and reducing heat-related limitations in semiconductor manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic chuck having a workpiece supporting surface for securing a substrate
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of heating zones to ensure processing uniformity across the surface of the ESC
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations described herein provide a substrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly has a first ceramic plate having a workpiece supporting surface and a bottom surface. The first ceramic plate has a plurality of secondary heaters each forming a plurality of micro zones. The substrate support assembly has a second ceramic plate having an upper surface and a lower surface. A first metal bonding layer is disposed between the bottom surface of the first ceramic plate and the upper surface of the second ceramic plate. A third ceramic plate has a top portion and a bottom portion. The third ceramic plate has primary heaters. A second metal bonding layer is disposed between the lower surface of the second ceramic plate and the top portion of the third ceramic plate.