Substrate Support Force Feedback for Film Stress Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate supports in semiconductor manufacturing often apply excessive clamping forces, leading to workpiece damage, film stress, and inconsistent yield due to manufacturing variances and environmental effects, despite existing methods to compensate for these issues.
Innovation Solution
A substrate support with a sensor assembly that measures workpiece deflection in real-time, allowing for precise control of clamping force through a feedback loop, minimizing excess deflection and vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clamping force is increased to provide a factor of safety against manufacturing variances, then reliability of workpiece holding is improved, but workpiece damage and film stress increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a feedback control system that uses a sensor (such as a capacitive sensor) to detect the actual clamping force applied to the workpiece. The controller compares the measured clamping force with a target value and dynamically adjusts the electrostatic field strength to maintain the desired force, preventing over-chucking while ensuring sufficient holding reliability despite manufacturing variances in surface treatments and environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static, predetermined clamping force settings to dynamic adjustment of clamping force based on real-time measurements. The controller continuously modifies the electrostatic field strength in response to measured workpiece properties and environmental conditions, enabling adaptive optimization of the clamping force to maintain reliability without causing damage.
2Stability of the object's composition
If clamping force is increased to counter environmental effects and wear, then workpiece holding stability is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to film stress and particulates
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system continuously monitors the actual clamping force and adjusts it to match the target value, preventing excessive force application that would cause film stress, particulate generation, and other quality issues while maintaining stable workpiece holding throughout the manufacturing process despite wear and environmental variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the electrostatic field strength parameter based on measured workpiece properties and environmental conditions. By adjusting this parameter in real-time, the system maintains optimal clamping force that ensures holding stability without exceeding thresholds that would compromise manufacturing precision through film stress or particulate contamination.
3Reliability
If conventional algorithms are used to compensate for electrical potential, then some clamping force adjustment is achieved, but over-chucking persists and workpiece damage continues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system that directly measures the actual clamping force using a sensor positioned between the workpiece and the substrate support. This real-time measurement feedback enables precise control of the electrostatic field strength, eliminating the over-chucking problems that persist with conventional open-loop algorithms based on electrical potential measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces conventional electrical potential-based control algorithms with direct mechanical force measurement using a capacitive sensor. This substitution provides accurate real-time feedback on actual clamping force, enabling precise control that prevents workpiece damage while maintaining reliable holding, overcoming the limitations of indirect electrical measurement methods.
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
Reduces workpiece damage and film stress by maintaining a consistent and predictable clamping force, enhancing manufacturing yield and quality.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor assembly is configured to detect a metric indicative of a deflection of a workpiece disposed on the workpiece support surface
Implementation Method 2
An electrostatic force or other force ('clamping force') often is used to precisely hold the workpiece to a workpiece support surface of the substrate support
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for processing a substrate disposed on a substrate support. The method includes chucking a substrate to a substrate support, monitoring a chucking force on the substrate with a sensor disposed in a backside gas hole of the substrate support, wherein the sensor comprises a sensor assembly disposed in the gas hole and configured to detect a metric indicative of a deflection of a workpiece disposed on the workpiece support surface, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to allow gas to flow past the sensor assembly when positioned in the gas hole and flowing a gas through the backside gas hole past the sensor.