Wafer Placement Table Cooling Layout for Uniform Surface Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wafer placement tables, such as those described in PTL 1, focus on improving the cooling effect but do not address the adjustment of temperature distribution on the wafer placement surface, which is crucial for certain applications like electrostatic chucking.
Innovation Solution
The proposed wafer placement table incorporates an insulating hole located beside the refrigerant flow path in the cooling plate, extending from the lower surface to a ceiling higher than 2/3 of the refrigerant flow path's height. This design reduces heat extraction at specific areas, thereby improving the temperature distribution on the wafer placement surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If insulating layers cover the refrigerant flow path to improve cooling effect, then heat extraction efficiency is improved, but temperature distribution uniformity on the wafer placement surface deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces insulating holes at specific locations where temperature is lower than desired, creating localized insulation to adjust heat extraction in those specific areas. This allows different regions of the cooling plate to have different thermal characteristics, achieving uniform temperature distribution while maintaining overall cooling efficiency.
2Temperature
If insulating holes are formed in the cooling plate to adjust temperature distribution, then temperature uniformity is improved, but heat extraction efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the parameters of insulating holes including their depth (extending to more than 2/3 of refrigerant flow path height), position (beside refrigerant flow path), and distribution pattern. These parameter optimizations ensure that heat extraction efficiency is maintained while achieving the desired temperature uniformity adjustment.
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 insulating hole effectively reduces heat extraction at portions of the wafer placement surface where temperatures are lower than desired, leading to a more uniform and desirable temperature distribution, which is essential for efficient wafer processing.
Implementation Method 1
the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path extracts heat through the ceiling of the refrigerant flow path and also through the side surfaces of the refrigerant flow path
Implementation Method 2
the hole functions as an insulating layer and efficiently reduces heat extraction around it
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer placement table includes a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on its upper surface, a cooling plate on a lower surface of the ceramic plate, a refrigerant flow path in the cooling plate, and an insulating hole located beside the refrigerant flow path in the cooling plate and extending from a lower surface of the cooling plate to a ceiling located higher than 2/3 of a height of the refrigerant flow path from its bottom.