US5838528A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrostatic chuck assembly
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1997-06-26
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Granted: 1998-11-17
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Expires: 2017-06-26
Abstract
Abstract An electrostatic support system for retaining a wafer. The support system generally includes a support body having a support surface for retaining said wafer, a voltage source coupled to the support body for electrostatically coupling the wafer to the support surface, and a cooling system for cooling the wafer. A plurality of arm members extend from the support body to a carriage assembly for releasably mounting the support body to the processing chamber with the support body and the arm members separated from the chamber floor. This invention also includes the method of supporting a wafer in a processing chamber which includes the steps of positioning the wafer on a wafer supporting surface, applying a voltage to an electrode assembly to electrostatically attract the wafer to the support surface and, after processing the wafer, substantially grounding the electrode assembly to sufficiently deactivate the electrostatic charge for release of the wafer from the support surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Ron van Os
- 👤 Eric D. Ross
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:43
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W99/00; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0432; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/458; C23C16/4582; C23C16/4583; C23C16/4586; H02; H02N; H02N13/00; H10P72/50; H10P72/70; H10P72/72; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T279/00; Y10T279/23
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
An electrostatic support system for retaining a wafer in a processing chamber having a chamber wall and a bottom, said support system comprising: a body portion having a support surface for retaining said wafer, at least one arm member extending between said body portion and the chamber wall for supporting said body portion in the processing chamber with said body portion spaced inwardly from the chamber wall and said body portion and said at least one arm member spaced above the bottom of the chamber, said at least one arm member having at least one longitudinally extending passageway formed therein, said at least one passageway extending between said body portion and the chamber wall, and an electrostatic system for applying a charge to said support surface for electrostatically coupling said wafer to said support surface, said electrostatic system including at least one electrode carried by said body portion and at least one electrostatic electrical connector positioned in electrical contact with said electrode, said electrostatic electrical connector being positioned in said at least one passageway formed in said arm member such that said electrostatic electrical connector is substantially isolated from said chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
An electrostatic support system for retaining a wafer in a processing chamber having a chamber wall and a bottom, said support system comprising: a body portion having a support surface for retaining said wafer, at least one arm member extending between said body portion and the chamber wall for supporting said body portion in the processing chamber with said body portion spaced inwardly from the chamber wall and said body portion and said at least one arm member spaced above the bottom of the chamber, said at least one arm member having at least one longitudinally extending passageway formed therein, said at least one passageway extending between said body portion and the chamber wall, and an electrostatic system for applying a charge to said support surface for electrostatically coupling said wafer to said support surface, said electrostatic system including at least one electrode carried by said body portion and at least one electrostatic electrical connector positioned in electrical contact with said electrode, said electrostatic electrical connector being positioned in said at least one passageway formed in said arm member such that said electrostatic electrical connector is substantially isolated from said chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The support system of claim 1, and further comprising a carriage assembly for mounting said electrostatic support system to the wall of the processing chamber, said at least one arm member being mounted to said carriage assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The support system of claim 1, and further comprising a biasing system for applying an RF bias to said body portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The support system of claim 3 in which said biasing system includes at least one biasing electrical connector positioned in said at least one passageway formed in said arm member such that said biasing electrical connector is substantially isolated from the chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The support system of claim 1, and further comprising a wafer cooling system for cooling said wafer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
The support system of claim 5 in which said wafer cooling system includes at least one coolant passageway extending through said body portion for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough and at least one conduit coupled to said coolant passageway, said conduit being positioned in said at least one passageway of said arm member such that said coolant passageway is substantially isolated from the chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The support system of claim 6 in which said conduit and said electrostatic electrical connector extend through separate passageways.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The support system of claim 1 in which said body portion includes at least one lifting member movable relative to said support surface between an extended position with said lifting member extending through a hole in said support surface for supporting said wafer above said support surface and a retracted position with said lifting member retracted beneath said support surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
180 words
An electrostatic substrate support system mountable in a processing chamber having a chamber wall and a bottom, said support system comprising: a body portion having a support surface for retaining the substrate and at least one coolant passageway formed therein for circulating a coolant fluid through said body portion; at least one electrode carried by said body portion for electrostatically coupling the substrate to said support surface; at least one arm member coupled to said body portion, said at least one arm member extending between said body portion and the chamber wall for supporting said body portion in the processing chamber with said arm member and said body portion spaced above the bottom of the chamber; first and second passageways extending through said at least one arm member between said body portion and the chamber wall, said first passageway housing at least one electrostatic electrical connector for coupling said at least one electrode to a voltage source outside of the chamber and said second passageway housing conduits for coupling said coolant passageway to a coolant source outside of the chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
180 words
An electrostatic substrate support system mountable in a processing chamber having a chamber wall and a bottom, said support system comprising: a body portion having a support surface for retaining the substrate and at least one coolant passageway formed therein for circulating a coolant fluid through said body portion; at least one electrode carried by said body portion for electrostatically coupling the substrate to said support surface; at least one arm member coupled to said body portion, said at least one arm member extending between said body portion and the chamber wall for supporting said body portion in the processing chamber with said arm member and said body portion spaced above the bottom of the chamber; first and second passageways extending through said at least one arm member between said body portion and the chamber wall, said first passageway housing at least one electrostatic electrical connector for coupling said at least one electrode to a voltage source outside of the chamber and said second passageway housing conduits for coupling said coolant passageway to a coolant source outside of the chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The support system of claim 9 in which said body portion includes a gas delivery network for delivering a gaseous substance to said support surface, and said second passageway housing at least one gas delivery conduit for coupling said gas delivery network to a gas source outside of the chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The support system of claim 9 in which said first passageway houses at least one biasing electrical connector for coupling said electrode to a biasing source for applying an RF bias to said body portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The support system of claim 9 in which two arm portions are coupled to said body portion, said first passageway being formed in one of said two arm portions and said second passageway being formed in the other of said two arm portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The support system of claim 9, and further comprising a carriage assembly for mounting said support system to the chamber wall, said at least one arm member being mounted to said carriage assembly.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-11-16 | 2002-05-18 | 2002-11-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-11-16 | 2006-05-18 | 2006-11-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-11-16 | 2010-05-18 | 2010-11-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |