Vacuum Chuck Resilient Compensation for Thermal Bowing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum chucks used in semiconductor manufacturing often bow upwards during heating, causing warpage of substrates and reducing planarity, and electrical connectors can overheat, leading to damage during thermal processes like pulsed laser annealing.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum chuck assembly with a support body and resilient members to counteract bowing, protrusions on the support surface to reduce contact area and ensure planarity, and an electrical connector assembly with air-cooling channels to prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the vacuum chuck is heated to high temperatures for thermal processing, then the substrate can undergo chemical and/or physical reactions, but the chuck bows upwards causing warpage of the substrate and reducing planarity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the anti-weight principle by introducing resilient members (springs) that exert a downward counteracting force on the chuck to compensate for the upward bowing caused by thermal expansion during heating. This counterforce maintains the chuck's planarity despite temperature increases, thereby preventing substrate warpage and preserving manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the chuck by incorporating resilient members that allow controlled deformation and recovery. The springs adjust the mechanical parameters of the chuck structure dynamically, enabling it to maintain planarity across varying temperature conditions while still allowing thermal processing of the substrate.
2Temperature
If the vacuum chuck is heated to high temperatures for thermal processing, then the substrate can undergo chemical and/or physical reactions, but the electrical connectors may be damaged or melted by overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the chuck structure into distinct functional zones: a heated processing area for the substrate and a cooler support area for the electrical connectors. The resilient members and structural design create thermal zones that allow the substrate region to reach high temperatures while keeping the connector region at safe operating temperatures, thus protecting connector integrity during thermal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient members and chuck structure act as thermal intermediaries, managing heat distribution to protect electrical connectors. The design allows heat to be concentrated where needed (substrate area) while providing thermal isolation for sensitive components (connectors), serving as a mediator between the heating process and sensitive electrical components.
3Manufacturing precision
If the whole support surface of the vacuum chuck is planarized to ensure substrate planarity, then the substrate surface remains flat, but it requires a lot of effort and is difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing the entire chuck surface with high precision, the patent uses resilient members to actively counteract deformation during heating. This approach shifts the focus from achieving perfect planarity through difficult manufacturing to maintaining planarity through active mechanical compensation, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity while preserving substrate flatness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from static geometric precision to dynamic mechanical compensation. By using resilient members that can adjust their force output, the system maintains substrate planarity through active parameter adjustment rather than relying on fixed manufacturing precision, making the chuck much easier to manufacture.
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 maintains substrate planarity, improves laser anneal depth of focus, and prevents electrical connector damage by controlling thermal stress and providing cooling, thus enhancing semiconductor processing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
at least one resilient member coupled with the at least one support member... When the support body bows upwards, the resilient member provides control force to pull the support body downwards
Implementation Method 2
a receptacle having one or more cooling channels for providing air cooling in the vicinity of the electrical connector
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of channels formed on the support surface for uniformly distributing reduced pressure along the back side of the substrate
Data Source
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AI summary
A vacuum chuck and a process chamber equipped with the same are provided. The vacuum chuck assembly comprises a support body, a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of channels, at least one support member supporting the support body, at least one resilient member coupled with the support member, a hollow shaft supporting the support body, at least one electrical connector disposed through the hollow shaft, and an air-cooling apparatus. The support body has a support surface for holding a substrate (such as a wafer) thereon. The protrusions are formed on and project from the support surface for creating a gap between the substrate and the support surface. The channels are formed on the support surface for generating reduced pressure in the gap. The air-cooling apparatus is used for providing air cooling in the vicinity of the electrical connector.