Wafer Support Structure Electrostatic Attraction Thermal Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer support structures experience high contact thermal resistance and temperature variations due to inadequate attraction forces between wafers and placement portions, leading to excessive temperature increases and uneven heating during plasma processes.
Innovation Solution
A wafer support structure featuring a ceramic tray plate with wafer placement portions on a ceramic base plate, where electrostatic forces are generated between the base and tray plates, and between the tray plate and wafers by adjusting voltages applied to embedded electrodes, reducing contact thermal resistance and promoting uniform temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If wafers are simply placed in the wafer placement portion without electrostatic attraction, then the structure is simple, but contact thermal resistance becomes large causing high wafer temperature and large temperature variation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the simple mechanical placement system with an electrostatic attraction system. By applying electrostatic forces through electrodes in the base plate and tray plate, the wafer is strongly attracted to the wafer placement portion, ensuring intimate contact that reduces thermal resistance and achieves uniform temperature distribution during plasma processing.
2Temperature
If electrostatic attraction forces are applied between wafer and placement portion, then contact thermal resistance decreases and temperature uniformity improves, but device complexity increases due to additional electrodes and voltage control
Solution Approach 1:
The tray plate serves multiple functions: it acts as both a mechanical support structure for holding wafers and as an electrostatic actuator with embedded electrodes. By integrating the electrostatic attraction function into the existing tray plate structure, the patent avoids adding separate complex electrostatic actuation mechanisms, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving improved temperature uniformity.
3Manufacturing precision
If electrostatic attraction is applied between base plate and tray plate, then tray plate positioning precision improves, but device complexity increases due to additional electrostatic control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrostatic attraction function into a single integrated control system that simultaneously manages both the base plate-tray plate attraction and the tray plate-wafer attraction. By merging these electrostatic control functions into one system with coordinated voltage application, the patent achieves precise positioning of the tray plate while avoiding the complexity of separate independent control systems.
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 effectively minimizes temperature extremes and variations by enhancing the attraction forces between the wafer and the support structure, ensuring more consistent heating and reducing the risk of overheating during plasma processes.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic force acting to attract the base plate and the tray plate to each other is generated and an electrostatic force acting to attract the tray plate and the wafers to each other is generated by adjusting voltages applied to the base-side electrode and the tray-side electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer support structure includes a ceramic tray plate having a plurality of wafer placement portions in which wafers are placed, and arranged on an upper surface of a ceramic base plate. The base plate incorporates a base-side electrode, and the tray plate incorporates a tray-side electrode. In the wafer support structure, voltages applied to the base-side electrode and the tray-side electrode are adjusted in a state where the wafers are placed in the wafer placement portions. As a result, an electrostatic force acting to attract the base plate and the tray plate to each other is generated, and an electrostatic force acting to attract the tray plate and the wafers to each other is generated.