Abstract: A chuck 28 for holding a substrate 4 comprises a surface 27 capable of receiving the substrate 4, the surface 27 having a gas inlet port 40 and a gas exhaust port 42. A non-sealing protrusion is between the gas inlet port 40 and the gas exhaust port 42. The non-sealing protrusion 44 impedes the flow of heat transfer gas between the gas inlet port 40 and the gas exhaust port 42 without blocking the flow of heat transfer gas. Preferably, a sealing protrusion 46 is provided around the periphery of the chuck 28 to form a substantially gas-tight seal with the substrate 4 to enclose and prevent leakage of heat transfer gas into a surrounding chamber 6.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 55 has an electrostatic member 100 including a dielectric 115 having a surface 120 adapted to receive the substrate 30. The dielectric 115 covers an electrode 105 that is chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate 30. A support 190 below the electrostatic member 100 has a cavity 300 adapted to hold a gas to serve as a thermal insulator to regulate the flow of heat from the electrostatic chuck 55 to a surface 120 of the chamber 25. The cavity 300 has a cross-sectional profile that is shaped to provide a predetermined temperature profile across the substrate 30.

Abstract: A compliant bond structure 20 comprising wire mesh 25 strands 50 surrounded by compliant metal 40 is useful for bonding a ceramic surface 30 to a metal surface 35. The wire mesh 25 comprises interlocking strands 50 having longitudinal axes that are oriented substantially parallel to the ceramic and metal surfaces 30, 35. More preferably, the wire mesh 25 comprises strands having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is about 0.4 to about 1.6 times the average of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the metal and ceramic surfaces 30, 35.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting a workpiece and method of making same. The apparatus comprises a flex circuit laminated to a contoured support pedestal. The flex circuit includes a reinforced layer to improve puncture resistance of the flex circuit. The top surface of the chuck has a contoured topography that is achieved by machining the upper surface of the pedestal prior to lamination of the flex circuit to the pedestal. The contoured topography improves the flow of backside cooling gas resulting in a more uniform wafer temperature profile.

Abstract: A support 55 comprises a dielectric 60 covering a primary electrode 70, the dielectric 60 having a surface 75 adapted to receive a substrate 25 and a conduit 160 that extends through the dielectric 60. The thickness of a portion of the dielectric 60 between an edge 195 of the primary electrode 70 and a surface 180 of the conduit 160 is sufficiently large to reduce the incidence of plasma formation in the conduit 160 when the primary electrode 70 is charged by an RF voltage to form a plasma of gas in the chamber 30 during processing of the substrate 25.

Abstract: A susceptor for a wafer support of a semiconductor processing chamber having multiple parallel electrical contacts between an RF electrode and a thick robust electrode near a bottom of the susceptor. The thick robust electrode has a low resistance and, therefore, evenly distributes RF power over its area. The multiple parallel contacts ensure that the RF power is also uniformly distributed across an area of the RF electrode. A plurality of electrically conductive vias extending between the robust electrode and the RF electrode make a plurality of parallel electrical contacts therebetween. Generally, the robust electrode is attached to a bottom side of the susceptor and is aligned substantially parallel to the RF electrode. An insulator plate is attached to a bottom of the susceptor for electrically isolating the robust electrode for the pedestal.

Abstract: A support 55 comprises a dielectric 60 covering a primary electrode 70, the dielectric 60 having a surface 75 adapted to receive a substrate 25 and a conduit 160 that extends through the dielectric 60. The thickness of a portion of the dielectric 60 between an edge 195 of the primary electrode 70 and a surface 180 of the conduit 160 is sufficiently large to reduce the incidence of plasma formation in the conduit 160 when the primary electrode 70 is charged by an RF voltage to form a plasma of gas in the chamber 30 during processing of the substrate 25.

Abstract: A stand-off pad, and method of fabricating the same, for supporting a workpiece in a spaced apart relation to a workpiece support chuck. More specifically, the wafer stand-off pad is fabricated of a polymeric material, such as polyimide, which is disposed upon the support surface of the chuck. The stand-off pad maintains a wafer, or other workpiece, in a spaced apart relation to the support surface of the chuck. The distance between the underside surface of the wafer and the chuck is defined by the thickness of the stand-off pad. This distance should be larger than the expected diameter of contaminant particles that may lie on the surface of the chuck. In this manner, the contaminant particles do not adhere to the underside of the wafer during processing and the magnitude of the chucking voltage is maintained between the workpiece and the chuck.

Abstract: A process chamber 25 for processing a semiconductor substrate, comprises a support for supporting a substrate 50. A gas distributor 90 provided for introducing process gas into the chamber 25, comprises a gas nozzle for injecting process gas at an inclined angle relative to a plane of the substrate 50, into the chamber 25. Optionally, a gas flow controller 100 controls and pulses the flow of process gas through one or more gas nozzles 140. An exhaust is used to exhaust the process gas from the chamber 25.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer chuck for retaining a semiconductor wafer during semiconductor wafer processing in a semiconductor wafer processing system including a connector connecting DC chucking voltage and RF biasing power to an electrode embedded in the body of the chuck. The connector for the chuck includes two or more members joined by resilient banana connections. The connector may be adapted for use as a high temperature connector for an electrostatic chuck operated at an elevated temperature and such connector includes a thermal impedance for reducing the heat transferred from the chuck to the bottom of the connector.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 100 useful for holding a substrate 55 in a high density plasma, comprises a dielectric covered electrode 110 having at least one heat transfer gas flow conduit 150 therein. An electrical isolator 200 comprising dielectric material is positioned in the gas flow conduit 150 to (i) electrically isolate the gas in the conduit from the plasma or electrode 110, and (ii) allow passage of heat transfer gas through the conduit. Preferably, the dielectric material comprises a plasma-deactivating material that has a high surface area that reduces plasma formation of gas passing through the conduit 150 in a plasma process. A semiconducting dielectric member 115 useful for rapidly charging and discharging electrostatic chucks is also described.

Abstract: A process chamber 55 for processing a semiconductor substrate 60 in a plasma, comprises a process gas distributor 100 for distributing process gas into a plasma zone 65 in the chamber. An inductor antenna 135 is used to form an inductive plasma from the process gas in the plasma zone. A primary bias electrode 145 on a ceiling 140 of the chamber 55 has a conducting surface 150 exposed to the plasma zone 65. A dielectric member 155 comprising a power electrode 165 embedded therein, has a receiving surface for receiving a substrate 60. A secondary bias electrode 170 below the dielectric member 155 has a conducting surface 175 exposed to the plasma zone 65. An electrode voltage supply 180 maintains the power electrode 165, primary bias electrode 145, and secondary bias electrode 170, at different electrical potentials to provide a high density, highly directional, plasma in the plasma zone 65 of the chamber 55.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 20 for holding a substrate 25 in a process chamber 30 comprises an electrostatic member 115 comprising a polymer 120 covering an electrode 125, the polymer 120 having a receiving surface 135 for receiving the substrate 25. A heater 130 abutting the polymer 120 is provided to heat the substrate 25 during processing of the substrate 25. The heater 130 has a resistance that is sufficiently low to heat the substrate 25 without causing excessive thermal degradation of the polymer 120.

Abstract: A failure resistant electrostatic chuck 20 for holding a substrate 35 during processing of the substrate 35 comprises one or more electrodes 25 covered by an insulator 30, the electrodes 25 capable of electrostatically holding a substrate 35 when a voltage is applied thereto. An electrical power bus 40 comprises one or more output terminals 45 that conduct voltage to the electrodes 25. The fuses 50 are positioned in hollow cavities 55 in the insulator 30, and electrically connect the electrodes 25 in series to the output terminals 45 of the power bus 40. Each fuse 50 can electrically disconnect an electrode 25 from an output terminal 45 when the insulator 30 covering the electrode 25 punctures and exposes the electrode 25 to a plasma process environment thereby causing a plasma current discharge to flow through the fuse 50.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck (20) for holding a substrate (45) is described. One version of the chuck (20) suitable for mounting on a base (25), comprises (i) an electrostatic member (33) having an electrode (50) therein, and (ii) an electrical lead (60) extending through the base (25) to electrically engage the electrode (50) of the electrostatic member (33). When the chuck (20) is used to hold a substrate (45) in a process chamber (80) containing erosive process gas, the substrate (45) covers and substantially protects the electrical lead (60) from erosion by the erosive process gas. In a preferred version of the chuck (20), an electrical connector (55) forming an integral extension of the electrode (50), electrically connects the electrode (50) to a voltage supply terminal (70) used to operate the chuck (20).

Abstract: A method of forming an electrostatic chuck 20 for holding substrates 42 in a process chamber 40 containing a magnetic flux 43 is described. The method comprises the steps of forming a base 22 for supporting a substrate 42. An insulator 26 with an electrode 24 therein, is formed on the base 22. A magnetic shunt 34 comprising a ferromagnetic material is formed either (i) on the base 22, or (ii) in the insulator 26, or (iii) directly below, and contiguous to, the base 22.

Abstract: A puncture resistant electrostatic chuck (20) is described. The chuck (20) comprises at least one electrode (25); and a composite insulator (30) covering the electrode. The composite insulator comprises a matrix material having a conformal holding surface (50) capable of conforming to the substrate (35) under application of an electrostatic force generated by the electrode to reduce leakage of heat transfer fluid held between the substrate and the holding surface. A hard puncture resistant layer, such a layer of fibers or an aromatic polyamide layer, is positioned below the holding surface (50) and is sufficiently hard to increase the puncture resistance of the composite insulator.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 20 of the present invention is capable of maintaining substantially uniform temperatures across a substrate 30. The chuck 20 comprises an electrostatic member 35 that includes (i) an insulator 45 covering an electrode 40, (ii) a substantially planar and conformal contact surface 50 capable of conforming to a substrate 30, and (iii) conduits 105 terminating at the contact surface 50 for providing heat transfer fluid to the contact surface 50. Application of a voltage to the electrode 40 of the electrostatic member 35 electrostatically holds the substrate 30 on the conformal contact surface 50 to define an outer periphery 110 having (1) leaking portions 115 where heat transfer fluid leaks out, and (2) sealed portions 130 where heat transfer fluid substantially does not leak out.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 20 for holding a substrate 12 comprises a dielectric 70 having a receiving surface 75 for receiving the substrate thereon. The dielectric 70 comprises a charging electrode 80 for generating electrostatic charge for electrostatically holding the substrate 12 to the receiving surface 75, and a discharge electrode 85 electrically isolated from the charging electrode for removing electrostatic charge accumulated in the chuck 20.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck (20) for holding a substrate (45) is described. One version of the chuck (20) suitable for mounting on a base (25), comprises (i) an electrostatic member (33) having an electrode (50) therein, and (ii) an electrical lead (60) extending through the base (25) to electrically engage the electrode (50) of the electrostatic member (33). When the chuck (20) is used to hold a substrate (45) in a process chamber (80) containing erosive process gas, the substrate (45) covers and substantially protects the electrical lead (60) from erosion by the erosive process gas. In a preferred version of the chuck (20), an electrical connector (55) forming an integral extension of the electrode (50), electrically connects the electrode (50) to a voltage supply terminal (70) used to operate the chuck (20).