Multi-Contour Surface Reconditioning for Uniform Substrate Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surface treatment devices for substrate supports in lithographic apparatuses fail to provide uniform reconditioning across the entire surface, particularly at the edge and center regions, leading to overlay errors due to non-equal material removal and uneven support surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A surface treatment device with a contacting surface featuring a combination of first and second circular-arc shaped contours, where the centers of curvature are non-coincident, and optionally including recessed regions and chamfered edges, allows for improved reconditioning by optimizing the contact area and pressure distribution, enabling uniform reconditioning across the substrate support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a conventional surface treatment device with a single circular contour is used, then the device structure is simple, but the reconditioning uniformity across the substrate support surface deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The contacting surface is segmented into multiple distinct contours (first circular arc contour and second circular arc contour) with different radii of curvature. Each contour independently contacts different regions of the substrate support surface, enabling differentiated reconditioning action across the surface to achieve uniform material removal despite increased structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the contacting surface are assigned different local properties through the use of contours with varying radii of curvature. The first contour with radius R1 contacts edge regions while the second contour with radius R2 contacts center regions, allowing each region to receive customized reconditioning pressure and contact characteristics appropriate to its specific requirements
2Area of stationary object
If the contacting surface has large contact area, then the reconditioning coverage is improved, but the pressure distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The large contacting surface is segmented into multiple contours with different geometric properties. This segmentation allows the total contact area to be distributed across multiple distinct contact zones, each exerting pressure according to its local geometry, thereby maintaining pressure distribution uniformity even while achieving comprehensive surface coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The contacting surface employs circular arc contours with specifically designed radii of curvature (R1 and R2) that match the substrate support geometry. This curvature matching ensures optimal pressure distribution across different regions, allowing large contact area to be achieved while maintaining uniform pressure through geometric complementarity
Data Source
AI summary
A surface treatment device for treating a surface of a substrate support, wherein the surface treatment device comprises a contacting surface that is configured to contact the surface of the substrate support. The contacting surface is configured with at least a first contour with a first centre of curvature and a second contour with a second centre of curvature, wherein the first centre of curvature and the second centre of curvature are non-coincident points.