Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks designed for use in supporting a workpiece during a workpiece processing step, the electrostatic chuck including a gas flow system.

Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks that are useful to support a workpiece during a step of processing the workpiece, the electrostatic chuck including a pattern of charge dissipation lines on an insulating layer, the lines having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer and being arranged to define enclosed fields of the insulating layer between the lines.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck solves the problem of wafer sticking by providing conductive paths on raised embossments that are bridged together and are connected to ground that support the wafer substrate above the surface of the electrostatic chuck. Further, laterally spaced electrode patterns and electrode elements which are spaced laterally and longitudinally away from the raised embossments reduce or eliminate electrical coupling during wafer clamping between conductively coated embossments and the electrode elements, thereby creating a low resistance path for charges remaining on the wafer after declamping to promptly travel to ground. The conductive bridge and electrode pattern configuration also substantially reduces or eliminates any charge build up on the conductive bridge(s) during clamping in order that charge build up in “islands” (worn portions of the insulator layer of the main field area) do not affect the charge dissipation from the wafer substrate through the conductive bridges to ground.

Abstract: Described are electrostatic chuck devices that are useful to support a workpiece while processing the workpiece, upper ceramic layer components of electrostatic chuck assemblies, the upper ceramic layer having a deposited dielectric layer, a relatively smooth finish, or both, and related methods.

Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks that are useful to support a workpiece during a step of processing the workpiece, the electrostatic chuck including embossments that are made of multiple deposited layers, the layers including diamond-like carbon layers and layers that contain silicon-based materials such as silicon carbide layers.

Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks that are useful to support a workpiece during a step of processing the workpiece, and electrostatic chuck base components prepared by an additive manufacturing technique.

Abstract: Electrostatic chucks include multiple electrodes, each having a spiral shape surrounding a center of a surface of the electrostatic chuck, to provide a polyphase electrostatic chuck. Each electrode can be connected to a different phase of power. The spiral shapes can each avoid one another as well as avoiding holes or openings in the surface of the electrostatic chuck. The spiral shapes can be algorithmically determined using a processor. These electrostatic chucks can include three or more electrodes. Methods of manufacture of the electrostatic chucks include determining shapes for each of the electrodes and providing each of the electrodes.

Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks that are useful to support a workpiece during a step of processing the workpiece, and electrostatic chuck base components prepared by an additive manufacturing technique.

Abstract: Electrostatic chucks include multiple electrodes, each having a spiral shape surrounding a center of a surface of the electrostatic chuck, to provide a polyphase electrostatic chuck. Each electrode can be connected to a different phase of power. The spiral shapes can each avoid one another as well as avoiding holes or openings in the surface of the electrostatic chuck. The spiral shapes can be algorithmically determined using a processor. These electrostatic chucks can include three or more electrodes. Methods of manufacture of the electrostatic chucks include determining shapes for each of the electrodes and providing each of the electrodes.

Abstract: Described are multi-layer electrostatic chucks used to secure and support a wafer substrate during wafer processing, and related methods, wherein the chuck includes a grounding structure that includes a grounding layer and a grounding pin.

Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks that are useful to support a workpiece during a step of processing the workpiece, the electrostatic chuck including embossments that are made of multiple deposited layers, the layers including diamond-like carbon layers and layers that contain silicon-based materials such as silicon carbide layers.

Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks designed for use in supporting a workpiece during a workpiece processing step, the electrostatic chuck including a gas flow system.

Abstract: Described are multi-layer electrostatic chucks used to secure and support a wafer substrate during wafer processing, and related methods, wherein the chuck includes a grounding structure that includes a grounding layer and a grounding pin.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck solves the problem of wafer sticking by providing conductive paths on raised embossments that are bridged together and are connected to ground that support the wafer substrate above the surface of the electrostatic chuck. Further, laterally spaced electrode patterns and electrode elements which are spaced laterally and longitudinally away from the raised embossments reduce or eliminate electrical coupling during wafer clamping between conductively coated embossments and the electrode elements, thereby creating a low resistance path for charges remaining on the wafer after declamping to promptly travel to ground. The conductive bridge and electrode pattern configuration also substantially reduces or eliminates any charge build up on the conductive bridge(s) during clamping in order that charge build up in “islands” (worn portions of the insulator layer of the main field area) do not affect the charge dissipation from the wafer substrate through the conductive bridges to ground.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic structural element, at least one electrode disposed on the ceramic structural element, and a surface dielectric layer disposed over the at least one electrode, the surface layer activated by a voltage in the electrode to form an electric charge to electrostatically clamp a substrate to the electrostatic chuck. The surface dielectric layer comprises: (i) an insulator layer of amorphous alumina, of a thickness of less than about 5 microns, disposed over the at least one electrode; and (ii) a stack of dielectric layers disposed over the insulator layer. The stack of dielectric layers includes: (a) at least one dielectric layer including aluminum oxynitride; and (b) at least one dielectric layer including at least one of silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a soft protrusion structure for an electrostatic chuck, which offers a non-abrasive contact surface for wafers, workpieces or other substrates, while also having improved manufacturability and compatibility with grounded surface platen designs. The soft protrusion structure comprises a photo-patternable polymer.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic structural element, at least one electrode disposed on the ceramic structural element, and a surface dielectric layer disposed over the at least one electrode, the surface layer activated by a voltage in the electrode to form an electric charge to electrostatically clamp a substrate to the electrostatic chuck. The surface dielectric layer comprises: (i) an insulator layer of amorphous alumina, of a thickness of less than about 5 microns, disposed over the at least one electrode; and (ii) a stack of dielectric layers disposed over the insulator layer. The stack of dielectric layers includes: (a) at least one dielectric layer including aluminum oxynitride; and (b) at least one dielectric layer including at least one of silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a soft protrusion structure for an electrostatic chuck, which offers a non-abrasive contact surface for wafers, workpieces or other substrates, while also having improved manufacturability and compatibility with grounded surface platen designs. The soft protrusion structure comprises a photo-patternable polymer.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a soft protrusion structure for an electrostatic chuck, which offers a non-abrasive contact surface for wafers, workpieces or other substrates, while also having improved manufacturability and compatibility with grounded surface platen designs. The soft protrusion structure comprises a photo-patternable polymer.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for solar conversion using nanoscale cometal structures are disclosed herein. The cometal structures may be coaxial and coplanar. A nanoscale optics apparatus for use as a solar cell comprises a plurality of nanoscale cometal structures each including a photovoltaic material located between a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor. A method of fabricating solar cells comprises preparing a plurality of nanoscale planar structures; coating a plurality of planar surfaces of the plurality of planar structures with a photovoltaic semiconductor while leaving space between the plurality of planar surfaces; and coating the photovoltaic semiconductor with an outer electrical conductor layer, wherein a portion of the outer electrical conductor layer is located between the planar structures to form coplanar structures.