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EP0452779A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Physical vapor deposition clamping mechanism
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1991-04-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-04-09
Abstract
Abstract A clamping ring (122) and temperature regulated platen (110) for clamping a wafer (15) to the platen (110) and regulating the temperature of the wafer (15). The force of the clamping ring (122) against the wafer is produced by the weight of the clamping ring (122) only. A roof shields all but a few contact regions of the interface between the wafer (15) and clamp from receiving depositing particles so that a coating formed on the wafer makes continuous contact with the clamping ring (122) in only a few narrow regions that act as conductive bridges when the depositing layer is conductive. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Avi Tepman
- 👤 Howard Grunes
- 👤 Dana Andrews
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:57
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/76; H10P72/7604; H10P72/7606; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/50; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0432; H10P72/0441; H10P72/7611
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
45 words
Apparatus (10) for processing a wafer (15), said apparatus comprising: - a platen (110); - a clamping ring (122) having a weight W for pressing the wafer (15) toward the platen (110) with a force produced only by the weight of the clamping ring (122).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for placing the wafer (15) onto a top surface (121) of said platen (110) and placing said clamping ring (122) onto said wafer, preferably comprising means (123-129) for elevating said platen (110) through a range that lifts the platen (110) to the wafer (15) and carries it into sufficient contact with the clamping ring (122) to support the clamping ring (122) on the wafer (15).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 or 2 further comprising a wafer lifting assembly (30) for supporting the wafer between the platen (110) and the clamping ring (122) with said wafer lifting assembly (30) preferably comprising a set of wafer support fingers (133) each having a surface (32) for supporting the wafer, said wafer support fingers (133) preferably each having at least one sloping sidewall (33) and said clamping ring (122) having at least one sloping sidewall (44) adapted to make contact with a sloping sidewall (33) of said wafer support fingers to align the clamping ring (122) with the wafer lifting assembly (30).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said clamping ring (122) has a shape that defines at least one groove (45) into which a tip of a wafer support finger (133) can fit to provide stable alignment of the clamping ring (122) with the wafer lifting assembly (30).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as in any preceding claim wherein said clamping ring comprises a roof (41) that does not contact the wafer and that shields at least a portion of an edge of an interface between the clamping ring and the wafer from deposition during any wafer deposition process steps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said clamping ring (122) has at least one contact region (136) that is in contact with the wafer (15) when the clamping ring (122) presses against the wafer (15) and that is not protected by said roof (41) from deposition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus as in any preceding claim wherein said clamping ring (122) further comprises an alignment ring (47) having an inner surface (48) that slopes outward and has a ring diameter slightly larger than a wafer size for which it is designed, whereby this ring (47) helps align the wafer (15) with the clamping ring (122) and lateral deposition past this alignment ring (47).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as in any preceding claim further comprising at least one heater element (11, 12) that is thermally connected to the wafer platen (110) and preferably a cooling element (13) that is thermally connected to the wafer platen (110).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said platen (110) further comprises a gas inlet (117) connected to at least one radial groove (120) in a top surface (121) of said platen (110), said radial groove (120) extending radially to a circular groove (21) in this top surface (121) near an outer perimeter of said top surface (121), said platen (110) further comprising a lip (22) adjacent to an outer edge of said circular groove (21), said lip (22) having an edge (23) raised slightly above said circular groove (21) so that, when a wafer (15) is placed onto the top surface (121) of the platen (110) and said clamping ring (122) presses the wafer (15) toward said platen (110), a gas seal is produced between this edge and the wafer (15), thereby enabling an increased pressure of gas to form between the wafer (15) and platen top surface (121).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the top surface (121) of the platen (110) is domed slightly and wherein a gas pressure is produced between the wafer (15) and the platen (110) sufficient to bow the wafer (15) away from the platen top surface (121), the gas pressure between the wafer (15) and the platen (110) preferably bowing the wafer (15) such that a substantially constant gap is formed between the wafer (15) and the domed top surface (121) of the platen (110).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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